No Pants in Salzburg?!
 

I just checked out the Fodors Travel Tips on Salzburg and they say women don't wear pants in Salzburg. Is this really true? I was in Munich about four years ago and women wore pants there...perhaps this info is out of date?!?

Hi L&E,

Four years ago, they did. Now they don't. :)









Wear pants if you want to. You won't be arrested.

Really! Amazing. Skirts only then? Are they stylish skirts with tiers and uneven hemlines or just plain old-fashioned skirts?

Well I'm reminded of what our fair Austrian-born governor Schwarzenegger said a while back..."I hate pants. No woman around me is allowed to wear pants." and it's true, you seldom see pictures of Maria in anything but a dress.

You're misreading it. Here's what it says:

Dressing in Austria ranges from conservative to casual, and is somewhat dependent on age. Older people usually dress conservatively, and slacks on women are as rare as colorful sport shirts are on men. Young people tend to be very trendy...

Sounds about like what I remember.

~Liz

So what? I'm sure the fashion police won't be arresting you. I'm sure businesswomen there wear trouser suits, so what if they don't? Who are you kidding that you're a local?

Naturally, everybody wants to feel "appropriately dressed" and I am certain you will be. Look into the mirror...WOW! they'll love you over there, and you'll forget about the attire as soon as you start taking in all that lovely city has to offer.

Have GREAT trip!

Does this apply just to Austria, or Germany as well?

Since I don't know how often you see colorful sport shirts on men, then I don't know how common skirts are on women...the assumption is pretty rarely..

In my experience, it doesn't apply in either case. I have not noticed that people in Germany and Austria dress all that differently than those in other western countries. I have noticed that French, Italian and Spanish women are generally more stylish than others, especially those in cities. Don't worry, you'll be fine.

How ridiculous, I've never heard this before, nor did I observe it when I was in Salzburg. Wear your pants, or whatever you like.

Your subject line definitely stands out!

And what about female tourists in pants getting of a plane/train in Salzburg? The fashion police make them take the pants off?

If this was true... :)

I was thinking something else, I'll admit.

This is ridiculous. I wore pants in Salzburg and don't recall being pointed out and laughed at. Frankly, Salzburg is quite touristy anyway, so you are usually around more tourists than locals (at least in the main sightseeing areas). Now, I would say Austrian women tend to dress a little more, shall we say conservatively (I'd say kind of dowdy), but I think they wear pants until quite elderly (I know I saw more than just women below age 25 wearing them). At least, that's my recollection.

I remember shopping in the H&M store in Salzburg which has about nothing but sporty type stuff, including pants, because it was so freezing I needed to supplement the clothes I brought. They weren't selling those dirndls at H&M.

I think the dowdy characterization may be the most appropriate - especially concerning pants on women "of a certain age". However, I have seen tons of younger - and even some not so much younger - women wearing pants all over Austria and Germany. (You won;t see a lot of local adult women wearing ratty jeans with holes in the knees though.)

At the risk of sounding excessively flippant, do you really care? I know you are an adult and are undoubtedly capable of making your own choices. I am sure that when you travel, you are not an embarrassment to yourself or others. So just go ahead and use your own judgment and then just forget about it and have fun!!

I am always interested in what other people do..and why...it's so much more engaging than just living in your own world day in and day out. Isn't that why we travel to other countries?!

HI Linda--your last point is no doubt true, but that is not really what I was addressing when I commented on your post. Of course we travel to see new things and to acquaint ourselves with the way other people live in their cultures. I did not mean to come across harshly, and if I did, I apologize. I inferred--perhaps incorrectly--that you were hesitant to wear pants if the women of Salzburg generally do not. I was proposing that you should not let that affect your choice of clothing

I have no trouble conforming to other cultures, even if it means wearing skirts instead of pants. I am not concerned about my "image..." just whatever fits in..when in Rome..

Oh, going to Italy and hoping all the women there are wearing skirts -- the shorter the better. ((a)) ((b))

I am thinking about Italy but I am affraid now...

I suppose you have seen Sound of Music? You cannot go wrong in a drindl.

I have spent 3 weeks in Salzburg ove the last year and a half and it never crossed my mind that women werent wearing pants. I really think they must have otherwise I assume I would have noticed. I only take pants when travelling as I go for 3 months at a time and have to travel light and comfortable and I am not young. The dirndl's are lovely but at a lovely price too. i even went hunting for what we call op shops for a second hand one to souvenier. Please tell me what is H & M ?

Saltzburglover, I was just joking when I said drindl. Drindls just remind me of the sturdy waitresses in Octoberfest.

H & M is a Swedish chain that has spread just about all over the world. Cheap, styles come and go very quickly, popular among young people.

Women don't wear pants in Salzburg?

Were it true, we Britmales would be there like a shot.

But it's as great a myth as the same claim about kilt-wearers.

I was there in June with my husband and two teens, and I wore capris everywhere. My daughter wore jeans as the weather was cool. We didn't feel underdressed, and didn't notice other women only wearing skirts. I think the Travel Tip has expired.

I was in Salzburg in May and saw far more skirts than in similar sized US cities I've visited on business, but there were many younger women in dress and casual pants. I stuck to black and navy trousers and was fine. I do agree that the colors were much darker than I'm used to seeing--lots of olive green and deep navy.

Well--I have to admit I'm secretly relieved you can wear pants in Salzburg. I have no taste for dirndles.

Gee, when I opened this thread, I though I was going to read about someone arriving in Salzburg without underpants.

I say that as someone who once arrived in Hamburg for a home exchange, opened my luggage, and, guess what? I forgot to pack underwear. A quick trip to a department store resolved the problem. I did learn the correct words in German for what I neededd--FAST!

I love some of the German names for things, like bustenhalter, handshoen...there's no question about what you're looking for.

You are right about some German words.

I was in bad need of slippen that time I left the item out of the suitcase. Hey, at least they have held up well. I am still wearing them!

For the record, I did have bustenhaltern. It was the slippen I left out of the suitcase. I am not one of those people who packs 3 days before and occasionally I need to buy something overseas. It is part of the adventure.

LOL , I ended up in Venice with no underwear and did not speak Italian and no handy translation book ..the why of it is a long story...it was an adventure looking for underwear in Venice.

We finally ended up at little place, with two women who twittered when they saw what i wanted and my exasperated hubby behind. I have saved those undies always remind me of venice :)

yes I had my bustenhalter too :)

I am certain there have been others who could post about "Underwear Adventures I Wish I Had Not Had on Vacation". LOL.

I can't say that I have ever really become a manically organized packer, but I never forgot my slippen and bustenhaltern again!

I forgot other things.

Re No Pants in Salzburg,

I wore long pants in Salzburg, although unfortunately I was not there long enough just a day in fact I am still hungry for more, I hope to return. As I and many other ladies in the group all wearing pants, strolled along sightseeing I was joined by a very dignified Salzburgian, (is that what he would be called, no I guess it would be Austrian) however, this gentlemen was so interesting because of the way he was dressed, he wore very original clothing, a very thick coat with a cape and matching hat and he carried a walking stick and he asked me where I was from and I would have liked to talk more to him because I am sure he would have very interesting stories to tell, and he did not seem to mind my PANTS!!! This thread has had me in hysterical laughter, a lot of fun.

aussieR

Because this thread is a hoot, I am going to top it off. If I ever get to Salzburg, I'll be sure to bring my slippen and bustenhalter.

Also, on my Russia trip, I forgot my prescription sunglasses. Left them on the table. One of these days I will get systematic about packing but probably no time soon.

And I would assume wearing pants in Salzburg would be better than wearing no pants!

I understand most European women wear thongs now instead of pants...

I take it the above observation is the result of a personal survey.

flanneruk, it's not a myth about the kilt :-)

This is one of the more idiotic threads on the forum in recent years.

It is almost like the one where some female at Oktoberfest in München was conned by her German tablemates into standing on a chair, hoisting her beer mug, and making a toast by shouting Auf meine grossen Zitzen.

She got a round of applause, which inspired her to offer a few more.
I think her perception turned afterwards from thinking she was the world's greatest toastmistress to realizing she was a finalist for the title of world's most gullible drunk.

I met three Scotsmen in kilts in Salzburg last week and they assured me that they were not wearing pants!!