Guenmai

It's just important to look presentable and not grubby since you will have to go through customs. Looking presentable makes it easier to clear customs.

I'm in Bangkok, usually twice a year, on vacation, and have seen the grubby, usually young ones, standing in the immigration line and have seen them have problems. And places like Singapore are stricter than some others. So that's why I say that presentable is important. You will be fine in a track suit. Happy Travels!

LaurenKahn1

The Fashion Police patrolling JFK might be a problem. They could summarily toss you off the plane for not wearing sneakers, wearing too much make up or the wrong shoes and/or accessories.

mbresso

Uh.... not so fast.

Certainly you CAN wear this "nice black velour track suit" but you shouldn't. The phrase "most people don't care" is a uniquely American cop-out (and yes I am). The wearing of sweats -- which is still what these are no matter how much you accessorize -- merely adds to the whole persona of 'the ugly American.' You're an unofficial ambassador representing all of us in the USA. Is an image of the slovenly, lazy American really the one you want to put forward and perpetuate?

You are going to Europe and most people (excluding kids and gypsies) still dress well on the Continent; or at least they did last month when I was there. Certainly you have or these days can obtain nice yet comfortable travel-specific street clothes other than sweats to present in public (Magellan and TravelSmith even specialize in this). The adage, "When in Rome do as the Romans do" should apply.

You asked for our opinions so I couldn't in good conscious give you a free pass no matter how unpopular that opinion may be. It's all about respect; and given a choice -- which you do have -- I would opt for leaving the track suit for jogging or watching soap operas on TV with a cold beer and a tasty bowl of pork rinds and put on some tasteful apparel that makes others actually want to be around, as opposed to tolerate, you.

StCirq

Well, 99 percent of the people on planes these days, whether they are Americans or otherwise, in my experience, are dressed for comfort rather than for respectability. Personally, I like to be dressed for both, and that would never include wearing a track suit, which to me has a unique purpose, which is for exercising. And apart from a few limbering-up moves now and then, I'm not on a plane to exercise.

I will concede that my definition of appropriate is probably not a popular one.

shangrila

Having traveled to Budapest for the past 42 years. Styles there have changed greatly. It used to be that you could recognize a tourist in a heartbeat. The East German traveler did the old black socks with sandles. You could spot them a block away.

5 years ago, going to the grocery store there, high heels and evening gowns, (yes, long sequened [sp] gowns) where a weekly sight. Everyone wore high heels and miniskirts.

We returned in July after a month long stay, and once again styles have changed. Everyone locals/tourists in flip-flops and Teva's. I could not tell which where locals. The 20 somethings had the same fashion as here in FL. Long cargo shorts, tank tops and flipflops. So it seems what you are "comfortable" in should be YOUR style.

I remember having family come and visit from there, they would arrive off the plane in Suit and tie. Those days are long gone. So to quote mbresso, "When in Rome..."

LaurenKahn1

I wonder if Europeans adopt American dress when they vacation in Washington, DC. I certainly see many of them dressed casually with white sneakers. Maybe there are European boards stating, "When in America. . . ."

So long as you come on in on the correct side of the Board Fashion Police, you probably will not be ignored anywhere you want to spend your money (or on the plane).

kybourbon

Someone posted the "when in Rome" above. I was in Rome last week and the Romans, along with other Italians and Europeans are wearing jeans and white tennis shoes. I saw sweats, Crocs (from lime green to orange), but no baseball caps on the Italians.

Pittsburgher

The most important thing to take on with you - there or back - is a bag with overnight essentials (toothbrush/paste, deodorant/scent, clean shirt and undies, makeup) so that if your luggage doesn't arrive when you do, you can make it through the first 24 hours (or if you miss a flight or get bumped from your connection on the way home and get stuck someplace you never would have chosen!) Your bags should find you by then if you also put your itinerary in each of your bags -- every hotel, every city, phone numbers and email address.

Wear whatever feels good. If we're staying in a hotel on arrival I dress so that I look like I can afford the upgrade that might be available. If we're in an apt I don't worry so much about it -- just want to be comfortable on the flight over.

After all, whose trip is this? Just be sure they can find you to match up your bags!

travelgourmet

<i>You are going to Europe and most people (excluding kids and gypsies) still dress well on the Continent</i>

This made me laugh. Indeed, it made me laugh out loud. Water shot out of my nose. I swear.

I honestly do not know where people get the impression that most Europeans dress well. Some Parisian women dress pretty well, as do some men in London, and a few Milanese. Germans generally dress like cr*p, and the average Dutchman needs to buy their pants an inch or two longer. The fashionable Spaniards can be pretty avant-garde, but the average Spaniard dresses about like the average American. Scandinavians tend to be exceedingly casual, though some are currently harboring a strange obsession with late-80s &quot;fashion&quot;, and many are under the false assumption that capris are acceptable on a man.

The distinction is not between Americans and Europeans. The distinction is between those that live in major fashion hubs (London, New York, LA, Milan, Paris) and those outside of those hubs.

<i>It's just important to look presentable and not grubby since you will have to go through customs. Looking presentable makes it easier to clear customs.</i>

But presentable doesn't really take much. If you look like a stoner, you will get stopped, but if you otherwise look normal, you won't - even in a track suit. Besides, it depends where you are entering in Europe. Entering the UK, you might get stopped. Entering the Netherlands, you likely won't even get a second look, no matter how disheveled you arelook.

likeswords

Remember that you will be flying in an airplane in the year 2008, which means that you will be packed tightly into a space somewhat too small for a human being, and spending 10 to 14 hours therein. While I do not recommend dressing in sportswear elsewhere in Europe (unless you are participating in a sport), I think a comfortable track suit for air travel is a very good idea, and I would question anyone who was familiar with air travel today who felt otherwise. Just enduring the flight with a minimum of misery is your goal; you can dress nicely in Europe after arriving at your initial destination (hotel or apartment or whatever) and changing into whatever the weather and the circumstances demand.

kerouac

Enjoy your tracksuit while you can. They'll be having us all wearing paper bags on planes soon for security reasons anyway.

dutyfree

If you are traveling this fall you will notice a definite drop in international flights being full until the holidays. Remember the window seats always have a cool draft too.

anna_roz

Personally, I like to dress nice for a flight. It could be a stylish pair of jeans or pants with a white T-shirt and a cardigan or a light jacket. Something which I could still wear out in a city or for a meal once I landed. A track suit would not do it for me. I do hear comments about comfort being the number one priority, I would rather have less comfort and more style. But that is just me..

Anna Roz

Lawchick

There is little point in giving advice on this type of thread. People never agree and only hear what they want to hear.

Having reflected on this topic for a few years now - it doesn't matter whether you are European or American. There is good taste and bad taste everywhere.

What you wear states your style rather than your nationality. I am not the proud owner of a black velour tracksuit, though probably some of my European counterparts are and some Americans wouldn't let one darken their wardrobe.

So what people are getting here should be seen as style advice - often it comes from people with the same style, sometimes it comes from people with different styles.

Also, if you say &quot;everyone&quot; in Italy is wearing jeans etc.... It may be the case, like when you buy a new blue car or whatever, every second car on the road appears to be blue.

My &quot;style&quot; advice is, that a black velour tracksuit is not appropriate for anything - particularly sports.

kerouac

And yet she still wouldn't be the worst dressed person on the plane!

afterall

Is this for real?

Who the hell cares what you wear?

Sure if you travel in a bikini or have green hair you might have problems. Otherwise wear what seems comfortable to you and is practical for both ends of the journey.

Like if you are going to Northern Europe in the winter don't get off the plane in a singlet!!

Just common sense really. Can't understand why anyone would need to ask.

Padraig

afterall wrote: &quot;Sure if you travel in a bikini or have green hair you might have problems.&quot;

What's wrong with green hair?

Lawchick

Perhaps the static buildup from a velour tracksuit and airplane seats might cause a safety problem.

socialworker

Did not read the posts....just wanted to say that such a flt is potentially a tad grueling and clothing that approximates (socially acceptable) pajamas sounds like a great idea!! Go for it!

afterall

Wishing delaine all the best. Must be his/her first international flight. And I guess those of us who have been doing this for a while should remember our first.

Thing is, my first as me (rather than with my parents) was in 1972 and I am as sure as I can be that I gave no thought to what I would wear for the flight.

Just a mega adventure - before the days of budget flights, before the days of the internet. Pre- trailfinders, pre any sort of travel agent who did anything other than package plans to the Costa del Sol.

We had to fly to Brussels to get to Uganda, via Benghazi - where we sat in the plane for 3 hours while the captain negotiated for fuel.

So this sort of question raises a smile. It is now so easy that people post questions about what to wear!