Fashion versus Function
 

Ever since the dawn of time, Fodorites have bombarded this Europe board with questions regarding the fashion merits of, for example, white tennis shoes.

When y'all travel, do you put fashion before function or are you more concerned with having a jolly good time?

If I were traveling to only one place and was checking all my bags and either have wheels on my bags or use skycaps to handle these - then take whatever, and be as fashionable as you wish.

However, if traveling from place to place you can still be fashionable, but only need enough such clothing for the number of days you'll be at any one destination the longest. Then rewear these clothes as you're unlikely to see the same people again.

And if you just want to be practical and not worry or care that much - then go with comfort and function.

Whichever one you choose, the idea is still to have a good time and enjoy!

As to white tennis shoes - don't own, never did, never will - not an issue at home or away.

I don't understand the concept of sacrificing comfort in order to impress people I don't know and will never see again. On second thought, those people may not even be impressed--they may be thinking, "What in the world is she doing in those shoes??? Her feet must be killing her." Sure, I pay attention to fashion, as long as it fits within my guidelines of basic comfort and common sense.

What seems even more amazing to me is the apparent fact that people ask others about "what to wear?" and they have never seen the people who respond and have no idea what THEIR "taste" in clothing is, etc. These people who ask also seem to be very concerned about "not looking like a tourist" and are also concerned about "fitting in."
I've also noticed that it seems to be mostly women who ask these questions? Am I incorrect about that?
Can you imagine anyone who has been told that you cannot wear denim in Europe, for example, and then actually GOES there and sees all of the denim jeans and the sports shoes...and they are NOT being worn by tourists, but by the local population!!!!

I wonder, also, if these questions are mainly the domain of those who don't feel very good about their self-image anyway or very confident about the clothes they wear here? Just a thought.

To ANSWER your question, Jimbo...I wear things that I wear here...good quality clothes look great anywhere and I certainly wear things that are functional.

i'll take functional fashion. look good but be comfortable. although i have never owned a purely white tennis shoe, i do think if you wear it w/ the rigth clothes it could look good. i do wear running shoes (they have some color) when site seeing and i'm comfy. i think europeans when they vacation in the states wouldn't care less about what we think of them.

Is this a predominantly American obsession I wonder? I recently visited LA, San Francisco and NY and it was only as I was leaving for London that I realised a wasted opportunity, that of asking my Fodorite chums what I should have been wearing. Of course, it simply didn't occur to me to doubt my normal clothing. Because I'm confident in what I wear, comfortable with myself and not particularly bothered if someone doesn't think my hiking boots are suitable wear for the 5th or my fleece jacket isn't the done thing in Rome.

I see no conflict between enjoying myself, being comfortable and wearing what I personally feel is appropriate. It isn't a matter of impressing anyone else, it is what I feel good about wearing. YES I wear a lot of black in Europe (I do at home as well); I don't own a jogging suit; I don't wear shorts as I find skirts cooler and I can enter places I wish to visit I couldn't wearing shorts; I don't take tons of clothes (you don't have to to dress well); I don't own a pair of sneakers and hate them; I wear jeans at home but not in Europe.

Please, please wear what you wish, but don't criticize those who choose to dress differently.

These are my choices and everyone else is welcome to theirs. It has been my observation that most Europeans (in the countries we have visited) dress more formally. I too am confident in what I wear and prefer not to stick out like the proverbial sore thumb.

Other than questions about what to wear in particular climates or times of year, if I never see another thread on clothing it will be too soon!

Why can't one be both? That said, I have and always will dress up a bit more for Europe than I do here at home because my travelling is a sort of celebration to me. Its a "heres to me" and good fortune...and a chance to spred my wings! Why not dress up a little bit? And if I look "fabulous", I feel "Fabulous"! LOL - There are days here in the USA I NEED to be a bit dressed up anyway, just for MY mood! I don't own jogging suits, sweats, and the like. I only wear white running shoes or "sneakers" when I'm doing house/yard work.

While in Venice and Florence a couple of years ago, we saw signs prohibiting shorts to be worn into churches, cathedrals, or other places of worship. I suspect it is the same in Rome, where we will be in late May.

Why would you assume that fashion and function have to be mutually exclusive? I wear the same clothes at home and abroad. I wouldn't wear tennis shoes at home either, unless I'm going to the gym :)

I just got back from London and was extremely amused at some of the hideous fashion faux pas - and it wasn't the tourists! We wore jeans and trainers, and we were definitely far from being the worst dressed!

HeatherH perhaps you could tell all your fellow Americans that there is no such thing as a dress code in London.

When I was in Rome, I (an american) felt out of place and underdressed - as we in the states always choose comfort over fashion. However, with that said, I always pack a comfortable pair of low shoes, but will never be caught looking sloppy or underdressed again. I always read up on proper attire before I travel, and make sure that the outfit fits the locale.

Dear fellow Americans, the great fountain of all London wisdom, m_kingdom, has just shared with us this great piece of knowledge: there is NO dress code in London. Let there be celebration and rejoicing in the streets!

If you've ever been to London, you would know immediately that there is no dress code. As soon as you get to Trafalger Square and see the local youth with all their piercings, brightly colored hair and tattoos, you'll feel overdressed - even if all you're wearing is a towel!

Mainly function with a (I hope....In my Euro-dreams?) dash of fashion.

Black jeans are my one staple.

I have one set of clothes. I wear them here and I wear them in Europe. It works for me. I don't wear sneakers because they kill my feet, but if they were comfortable, I'd wear them.

I've been telling my husband about the sneaker and jeans controversy on the forum and as we stood in line at the Vatican Museum (for an hour and a half) behind a very Italian family, my husband cheerfully noted that all four of them were wearing blue jeans and sneakers. We then started looking at everyone's feet. More than half the people in line were wearing jeans and sneakers and most of them were Italian and German.

No, you can't wear shorts into churches in Italy, but honestly . . . would you wear shorts into your church here at home?! It may be a tourist attraction to you, but it's a church to the people who live there.

The rationale behind how people dress in Italy was explained to me by my Italian boss: Dressing well is a sign of respect for the people around you.

Perhaps the rule of thumb is: dress the way you would like to see others dress. If you find baggy sweatsuits unattractive on others, they probably think the same about you.

"No jeans or sneakers" is of course too sweeping, and of course many Italians do wear exactly that. But the jeans are usually clean and pressed (with creases!) and the sneakers clean, new, and stylish (read: expensive - raising a teenager in Italy is costly).


best regards,
Deirdré Straughan

http://www.straughan.com

Europeans tend to dress in dark colors. So if you don't want to stand out simply dress dark and have dark tennis shoes.

Interesting points everyone.

I have learned the following:
1. There is no dress code in London but some 'locals' dress 'worse' than 'tourists'.

2. Fashion & Function are NOT mutually exclusive. Perhaps people inferred that from my opening gambit, but no, I simply wondered if the stereotypical 'Do Italians where white tennis shoes?' was of greater importance than 'Do Italians cover their knees and shoulders when entering a place of worship?'

3. Not one single European ever asks how to dress in the US to 'fit in', to 'not appear as a tourist'. Is there some kind of fashion inferiority complex at work on the other side of the Atlantic?

4. It is alleged that one should 'dress the way you would like to see others dress'. I find that concept ridiculous in the extreme. Or is that supposed to be an analogy to some kind of biblical text (i.e. do unto others as they would do unto you)? I impose no 'dress code' on my fellow man whatsoever. I spend no time worrying about the fashion choices of my fellow man (or woman, to be PC).

But regardless of the things I've learned, one thing is CERTAIN:

Threads from our fashion conscious fellow Fodorites will blight our existence until the end of time.




But they are funny...