marypariseau6855

I will have my first solo trip to Paris in April 2023. Thinking about clothing and fitting in, disguising my American style!
Is April too early to wear white linen pants? Black shoes or white?

VANAARLE

Yes please watch out for the fashion police in France. They are the worse.
In serious do not take white clothing. One spot and you can not wear it the rest of the trip

Tulips

April is unpredictable. White linnen is probably too summery. Doesn't matter what shoes you wear. People wear white sneakers all year. Wear whatever is comfortable. With one exception: you wear yoga pants when going to yoga, not all day. But others may disagree with this.
Look up some webcams to see what people wear if you worry about what to wear.

aliced

My basics for Europe is black & khaki, with white tees, jeans to round it out. Add in pops of color for sweaters, bring scarves to swaddle your neck, a definitely trench coat for April. In the Fall saw no one in leggings or joggers, young or old.

danon

I was in Paris last June…most women were rather casually dressed …flats, sneakers, wide leg pants ,( I didn’t go to night spots or formal restaurants).
It is a bit of a myth that all Parisians are chic and slim, wear scarfs and look cool.
Many areas of Paris are jammed with tourists looking like tourists. Honestly, no one cares.

..I have visited Paris more than 20 times over the years. Relax and have a great time !

Christina

That is a very odd choice for travel to Europe or anywhere, given how linen wrinkles and gets dirty easily. I guess if yoiu were going to a beach resort somewhere in the US in summer or the Caribbean, maybe.

Nobody really cares what tourists wear, to be honest. You are not going to disguise that you are American, that's for sure. I don't stay in chic arrondissements and believe me, hundreds of Parisians are normal, working class folk not dressed up at all in the metro, on the street, etc.

Your American style sounds regional and age-specific because there is not a usual styles that screams American about my normal styles, as far as I'm concerned. I would never wear white linen pants anywhere in April in the US, actually, not in the center of a major big northern city. Depends on your age as to what you can get away with without looking ridiculous anywhere, but in any large European city, I'd say.

I would never wear black shoes with white linen pants. I would not take white shoes for travel in April, unless you have some sneakers,l I guess, I don't like white sneakers myself.

nylilly

I probably wouldn’t wear white linen in April, but you should do you. The chicest thing is self confidence. Signed - someone who once wore a button down cardigan as a skirt in Paris ✌🏼

tomboy

You'll be more certain to be identified as American by failing the courtesy tests (e.g., to say, "bon jour, madam" when entering/leaving a store), than by what you wear.

coral22

Release yourself from these fears! As many have said no one really cares and no matter what you wear, locals will know you are an American, which is fine. Just learn some basic French phrases and always say "bon jour" when entering an establishment and you will be treated wonderfully.

I think white is too early in April, and white linen is not a practical material for travel. Black wrinkle free slacks for dinner with black flats if you are not walking too far. Whatever you like for during the day that is wrinkle free and stain friendly with some sort of comfortable walking shoes. Great advice for layers, colorful tops and scarves, and a full length raincoat! Have a great time!

cheska15

Wear whatever you feel comfortable with. I don’t like linen as it always looks creased. No one will notice what you are wearing, but they will notice if you don’t follow etiquette as mentioned by tomboy. Have a wonderful trip

bvlenci

Yes, you should learn some polite phrases, and don't worry about fashion. As long as your clothing is clean and decent, you'll be fine.

Actually, I can most often identify Americans by their haircut than by their clothing. You probably don't have time to get your hair styled in Paris.

Young people tend to dress the same all over the world, and by young, I mean anyone under 50. So if you try to dress in your idea of French fashion, the French will still know you're American, but they're likely to think you're an American old lady.

kerouac

There is no such thing as a fashion faux pas in Paris. People will just think that you are creating a new fashion.

cigalechanta

no white shoe but sneakers ok, no white pant no athletic clothing unless going to the gym. What not to wear, Emily in Paris i, that emily is an example. The average French woman is not gaudy,

annw

The Travel Fashion Girl website may be of interest to you.

I travel light and tend to wear black and tan. I would avoid white, personally, and would think fitted rather than voluminous in clothing, subtle rather than colorful, and no ath-leisure wear.

And oui to polite greetings, quiet voice.

sassy27

I once went to Paris in May during an unprecedented heat wave which I was unprepared for. Walking into stores, I was greeted with waves and waves of capri pants. To me, it looked American but who I am to say that? I came home with a few pairs that I still wear. I learned anything goes as yes Europeans also wear white sneakers and jeans. Remember it's how you wear it that matters.

ekscrunchy

Really, let this go, and all the anxiety with it!! No one is going to be assessing your clothing, and what works for you in your home town might not work for me in mine.

I for one, do not understand how linen gets dirtier than cotton (??) Or wrinkles more (??) The difference is that with good linen, a wrinkled shirt can look good and not messy like some wrinkled cotton shirts. Or take some of the pre-wrinkled cottons and worry only if they get to look unwrinkled!

I was in an upscale (rural area, not in a city) restaurant in Spain for lunch today (Sunday); if I had to guess, I'd say that at least a quarter of diners under 60 were wearing blue jeans, and I don't think I heard anyone not speaking Spanish. Many wore fashionable running shoes. I felt very comfy and passable with a good pair of black jeans that fit well, a good navy t-shirt, and yes, a linen almost-white work jacket from Uniqlo. Does not matter what I wore, the fact is that I felt I fit in and was comfy and treated well.

Tomorrow lunch will find me, if all goes to plan, in another very well-regarded restaurant in semi-rural area. I think I will wear the black jeans, black ss t-shirt, and loose white linen long sleeved shirt to double for jacket. Shoes will probably be Arche black suede, open on sides, zip in back..one of their classic styles but I forget the name.

Next trip, and I say this every single time, I will bring 1 pair black jeans, one pair blue denim, and maybe a pair of white denim/maybe not. And pair of black linen shorts. I believe in wearing white denim all year round with black on top. Black cotton t-shirt-type tops, ss/ls and maybe (in my new-ish fave combos) navy t-shirt and griege t-shirt for wear with black pants or shorts. Getting bogged down in all this is so silly, and I do it over and over and over again...No one else cares and no one is going to judge unless you show up in a backwards baseball cap or spandex bike clothes, flourescent sneakers, and all that...and then you will look like a good percent of the locals in Paris or many other cities around the globe.

Mind you: Paris is not on my travel list for the time being but Madrid is, and for those international cities, I would/will vary my style depending on the restaurant I've booked. Average- and better than average= more or less what I wrote, above. When we get into places with 2 or more Repsol runs or 2 or Michelin stars.....the pattern changes (FOR ME) but not by all that much. Shoes and bag always "good." With "good," I do not mean blanketed with logos which to me might signal American or a few other contries which shall remain nameless.

In Spain, even in a 3-star which admittedly, I do not often frequent, the black jeans can and have worked well....up the shoes and bag if you like, and the top, or wear some kind of dress if you have it in you!

Note to myself: LET IT GO! An entire hour when I should have been writing some kind of trip notes! Think of all the collective time we all waste on this kind of "stuff!!!"

Travel_Nerd

In my early twenties, I cared about looking like an American when I traveled. Twenty years later, I could care less. With that having been said, I do travel with clothing that is interchangeable yet nice and light.

In the last twenty years, I have only felt like a slob twice. Six years ago in Milan when I regularly saw women my age wearing Gucci. And then last year in Dubrovnik when I was wearing a dress for my friend's upcoming wedding (formal enough but also a sundress), I happened upon locals going to/from a wedding. Not only were these women immaculate, they looked like they came out of a fashion shoot.

And, yes, even if you dress nicely, the locals will know you're an American (though I often get confused as being German in Croatia - probably due to my blond hair) just by your demeanor. I was immediately asked if I was an American last summer at a restaurant and I asked why. The waiter said because I smiled and when I smiled, I had very white teeth. 🤷‍♀️ Ah well.

Worry less about how you look and more about having fun and being polite. Enjoy solo travel - I love it!

raincitygirl

Good advice! On another note, did you end up doing the side trip to Tangier?

gooster

Just no white/linen pants in April and no athleisure wear in the city for women (fashionable sneakers are OK, yoga pants are for the gym). Otherwise, anything is OK, although they do tend to wear a lot of black and grey, which also happens to be a practical travel wardrobe.

Although they will still tell an american accent (usually), always say bonjour (best with eye contact) when entering (and au revoir). Si vous plait. These will just make your experience better.

danon

“Getting bogged down in all this is so silly, and I do it over and over and over again...No one else cares and no one is going to judge ……”

It is interesting how Paris makes many ( including me when I was young) insecure about our fashion / travel choices.
I haven’t seen many posters asking how to dress in Rome , London or Madrid. 😺