How to dress when in Paris and London-summer time
 

O.K. everyone-
I hear that when Americans travel overseas they are noticed immediately by their white tennis shoes, baseball caps, college sweatshirts and their fannie packs? Is this true?

Well,

If, when traveling overseas, Americans wear their white tennis shoes, baseball caps, college sweatshirts and their fannie packs they will be noticed.

I suggest that you ought to wear either a very long sweatshirt or shorts.

I guess it would be true - if people really chose to wear that type of clothing. I certainly would notice people dressed like that even if they were visiting here, my home city of Seattle USA.

Ok Sanibel. And your issue is ?

Agreed - someone dresed like that is obviously going to stand out except on the college campus.

Are you asking if european adults dress like that? No!

Are you asking if people wil point and laugh? Also no! But you will stant out a bit.

I was just curious because the books I have read have stated this about the way Americans dress. In some of the books they have suggested in places like Paris, they tend to dress very classy.I was basically trying to find out what to wear to feel comfortable and maybe convince my teenage sons that baseball caps, white tennis shoes and college shirts should not be the only thing in their suitcase.
Thanks for your suggestions.

Teenagers, especially in London in my experience, often try to emulate things American. They will be recognized as......teenagers probably American but so what. As soon as they open their mouths they will be recognized as..North American (most Europeans cannot differentiate between most US accents and Canadian accents eh)...

Now if you are a middle aged man wearing a baseball cap (preferablhy a Yankee cap) backwards, a sweatshirt saying U Conn and white trainers (what they call sneakers sometimes) well then they might think you are from North America or a very childish adult but I will say the same thing I said before, so what. If you are comfortable that way, I guarantee you that in restaurants you will be served, in theatres you will be seated, in museums you will be granted admission etc.

White leather trainers feature in GUCCI's spring/summer '04 collection. They are all white except for a red/green GUCCI stripe placed vertically along the leading edge, and a green crocodile heal detailing.

Oki-ni an exclusive limited edition boutique in Savile Row W1 offers Rod Lavers and Stan Smiths - how more tennis shoe can you get? In various guises including fish skin uppers!

Your traditional baseball cap I feel is not particularly stylish, not even if it is by Prada Sport. College style sweatshirts, well sweatshirts are very much in vogue, but we're talking designers from Antwerp, Paris, London...

As for the infamous Fanny pack, I don't suggest you mention it, let alone where one over here.

>College style sweatshirts, well sweatshirts are very much in vogue, but we're talking designers from Antwerp, Paris, London...<

Now that is a real hoot. Designer sweat shirts.

How about designer sweat socks and athletic supporters?

Ira dear, I urge you to look at collections from Joe Casely-Brown, Siv Stodal, Comme Des Garçons, MiuMiu, Walter van Beirendanck, Vivienne Westwood, and for some more jeansy style labels: Griffin, FakeLondon, Beauty:Beast, Evisu, Duffer...

Ira you are so ignorant of fashion, please stop embarassing yourself in areas that you quite evidently exhibit no knowledge of.

That was Beauty colon Beast - quite what happened I do not know!

I just returned from a brief sojourn in Washington, D.C. and made a point of noticing what foreign visitors were wearing. Let me tell you, they dressed to blend in, baseball caps and all. I saw one French couple at the National Gallery of whom the gentleman was wearing cargo pants and a tee shirt, plus a cap. And he wasn't exactly young, either. The most stylish of those I saw were the Italians.

Furthermore, may I add that by sweatshirts I refer to heavy cotton garments based upon the American sweatshirt.

On designer ones, a print/construction detail or in many cases both, are apparent. The seams around the sleeves may be cut into the garment to give a Greek X effect, the cuffs may be longer and ribbed, the waist may have a thick contrasted band as can the neck to match. Leather patches may appear - although this is only in fall/winter collections.

Joe Casely-Brown, a young British designer cuts the necks very low and adds a shirt cotton panel to the garment creating what is known as a mock neckline. 6876 a once cult British label goes for a subtle tonal print combined with seams being cutback in the manner described above. Siv Stoldal goes for detailed patterns and prints, Paul Smith this season is going for a 60s inspired retro abstract psychedelic pattern....

I could go on!

all bets are off if you're talking about teenagers - they dress pretty much the same around the world - except in the poorest countries werhe thancan't afford to. I would just be sure they have a couple of decent things to wear if you're going out to dinner at presentable restaurants.

No matter what you wear eventually you will be labeled a tourist when you start to speak unless you are fluent in the language-I discussed apparel with my teenagers before our recent trip to Paris, but what was more important was them being comfortable-none of us normally wear white tennis shoes or use fannie packs so that was not a problem. They did not wear their baseball caps and we saw very few. A USA college sweatshirt was worn by one of the employees of a restaurant that was standing outside trying to get us to try the restaurant and I think because of it my sons struck up a conversation with him(found out he was from Boston). My younger son wore a hooded sweatshirt and in my opion stood out-saw them for sale in souvenir areas but didn't see anyone wearing them. During ten days in Paris we were treated nicely, had a great time(at one point my 16 year old said as we were eating dinner at a cafe across from Notre Dame-"there is no place in the world I'd rather be right now then here-not even with my friends!), and dressed respectfully. My suggestion-enjoy the moments that you will find yourselves in and stop worrying about whether you will look like a tourist or not because you just might miss one of the best times of your life!!

Why is everyone so concerned about looking like a tourist when they are being toursists? We americans can pick out Japanese, German and other Europeans in the US, just like they can pick us out when we are in Europe. Wear nice clothes and you'll be fine, although it is fun to see women in bright shiny pink sweatsuits! My husband often wears white "trainers" while touring because that is what he finds most comfortable. So what?
MK2....If there is one thing we know as americans, it is the sweatshirt!!!

to sanibel7

If this sort of trivia is an issue to you perhaps you are not a person who would be comfortable traveling internationally. I will tell you this; all throughout Europe I see the natives wearing Yankee caps, Tommy Hilfiger shirts, Levi pants, Nike shoes, drinking a Diet Coke and smoking a Marlboro. ??????????

Larry J

Actually LarryJ, you will not see Europeans outside the UK drinking Diet
Coke as it is not sold outside the UK..rather they drink a vile drink called Coca Cola Light; a completely different tasting drink. (see some earlier threads)

To xyz123

I've probably drank as much Coco Lite all throughout Europe (21 countries) as anyone on this planet and it is the same formula as Diet Coke but not sweetened with aspartame as in the USA thus giving it a subtle different taste. I refered to it as Diet Coke only because the o.p. would not be familiar with the term Coco-Cola Light having not traveled in Europe. It is certainly not a completely different drink as you suggest.

Larry J

I say let teenagers wear what they want (with the exception of the "fanny pack" which is dumb for anyone - suggest they get a small daypack or messenger style bag to tote their stuff).

Now, if we're talking middle age people, then I say try to dress right. Any 1 of the items mentioned is probably OK (except the fanny pack)... all of them together is what causes an embarrassing fashion disaster!