so-no backpack, fanny pack, big bag or purse. What kind of clothes are best for Sept in Paris?

The sign of spring in DC is not the robin, but the red-capped, camera-breasted, white legged tourist.

<i>What kind of clothes are best for Sept in Paris?</i>

September is normally warmer than May, so you can lose the red windbreaker and the sweatshirt dangling off your waist.

Curious why everyone is so involved in this topic? Are we all afraid to look like tourists?

>>>Flip flips are very popular in Paris during the summer, and not just on tourists.<<<

So are jeans. You don't go anywhere in Europe these days without seeing the locals of all ages wearing jeans and many times tennis shoes including France.

Obviously. I have not ever understood those people who claim that Europeans don't wear jeans.

<i>I have not ever understood those people who claim that Europeans don't wear jeans.</i>

This one always makes me laugh too. Roughly half the people in my office (Switzerland) wear jeans to work on any given day. When I worked in Denmark, the number was probably closer to 75%, except in summer, when you would see some truly tragic stuff, including more than a few men breaking out capri pants. The only people that wear suits are vendors.

Outside of work, jeans are even more common. I remember grumbling because the wife insisted I wear slacks to the opera. She had to apologize when we met her friends there and the Frenchman was wearing jeans and a shabby sweatshirt. Heck, I wore jeans to the best European restaurant (Noma) I have had the chance to visit so far.

When we were in Paris last summer, I spent about twenty minutes one morning standing in front of our apartment's window drinking coffee and gazing down at Parisians walking through the intersection of rue Cler and rue de Grenelle. The temperature was on the cool side - in the high 60's maybe. I would say that at least 50% of the adult women that I saw were wearing jeans.

When my sister and I were in Paris this spring, we wore jeans every day. With the addition of low-heeled black boots and a nice jacket, we felt perfectly comfortable and, better yet, did not attract any open-mouthed stares or pointed fingers. And, as far as I know, Kerouac's camera was never pointed our way.

Now I'm in a dilemma. How to make myself look more Parisienne on my next trip. What nationalities were those tourists? I would be representing the American tourist, as it were. So would I want to look American? The obvious solution would be to wear an orange t-shirt, black pants, white running (of course) shoes, jacket tied around my waist. Problem solved. Great pictures and thread incidentally.

Most of those tourists were German and Italian.

<i>The obvious solution would be to wear an orange t-shirt</i>

Be careful, the orange t-shirt may get you labeled as Dutch. That is probably worse than being labeled an American... Stick to flag-based apparel.

travelgourmet - re:" When I worked in Denmark ... in summer, when you would see some truly tragic stuff ..."

hee, hee, love your phraseology. Exactly what I was referring to in my comment earlier above about how amusing I find some of the fashions adopted here in Amsterdam by Dutch men in summer ...

Like I also said above, it's all cultural, so I'm not trying to be a fashion imperialist. I know there is no truly universal arbiter of what not to wear.

Well, except me. If I say it looks funny, then it looks funny. Summer weather (by which I mean hot) always brings out the worst fashion everywhere, but I think people from far northern climates might be genetically incapable of making good hot-weather-fashion decisions. Some of their takes on summer clothes are so goofy, they're kind of endearing ...

^hmmmmm. NorCalif - I have lived in Vegas for the past several years. I am sure your thoughts are very correct... and that just "proves" my theory that Las Vegas is the worst dressed tourist city in the world.

~Jay

Yes I will look like a tourist on my vacation in Paris. I will be taking pictures, because I want to have some pictures of my trip. I will have some sort of bag that will be somewhat full. I need to carry my metro map, camera, umbrella, a sweater, and other supplies for me and my kids because we will be out all day long.

I will try to wear appropriate clothing, but I shop in the US not Paris so I will have US styles. I need to dress for all day comfort. I will be out all day in the weather and will be walking many miles that I am not usually accostume to. Locals may be walking also, but it is not the same as the tourist.

I will be in awe at the sites. I have been waiting for this trip for a long time and the sites will be overwhelming. We don't have 900 year old buildings in the US. So will I look like someone in those pictues, yes and there is really nothing any tourist can do about it. We are not locals since locals will not be taking pictures or trying to find directions to the next musuem. They do not need to, but we do. They are not carrying around supplies for the day since they are going to work or home. We are trying carry what we need without making 20 trips back to the hotel or apartment. We are tourist. We have been planning, saving, and looking forward to our vacations for along time. Enjoy your vacations everyone. We have earned them.

I just wish that more people would realize what you wrote and not be so obsessed with their look and the thought of blending in until they become invisible.

Well said skachel... You are a tourist, why pretend otherwise? There is no shame in it.

the average French(read paris) dress like we do in Boston or NY. The same style and trends. But going into Hermes, Chanel and other high priced shops in that area, you'll see a different type of local or tourist.

If I took photos of how people dress near my office and said it was normal, many people on this site would not dare visit Paris again, unless they think it is normal to spend $800 for a skirt, $2000 for a suit or $75 for a T-shirt.

Forget the clothing! Sure sign of an American tourist in Paris is the Rick Steve's book in hand. Coupled with impromptu conversations with other tables of fellow Steve fans at nearby tables. Witnessed today at lunch at the Musee d' Orsay--three tables surrounding us. We don't have a copy of the book, so we pretended we were French so as to not feel out of place

Tennis shoes, Short pants and an NY baseball cap would just about lock it up.