On a recent trip to London and Paris, we travelled with clothes very much like you describe. We ate at very nice bistros and restaurants, not Michelin starred restaurants and were always dressed appropriately. Unless you plan to eat in very upscale restaurants, you don't need a jacket and tie.

Dockers are boring regardless of vulgar suggestions. The legs are shapeless and the quality is poor too.

If you have to wear that sort of thing, but Brioni which at least has some quality and style about it. Even if it is very staid.

MK2, want to try that post again, LOL.
Cheers!

WOW!!

Maybe I am crazy, but wearing anything but jeans and hiking type shoes in the daytime while touring seems stupid. One should look neat and be comfortable. As far as evening goes, I cannot imagine not being able to wear a pair of Jeans (mine are from the GAP) and a lovely sweater and nice shoes and go into a bistro or wine bar. All the posts here lead me to believe we must walk around in slacks and sweaters during the day - I really hope this is incorrect. If we go to a restaurant I suppose we will need to be less casual. Any more opinions!

Don't you just love MK2's take on what we should wear! I wonder how we ever did without her before she came along to guide us peasants out of the primordial ooze and onto the sunlit uplands of the Fashionistas.

It really depends on what kind of restaurant, and while that clothing would be fine in most places, I would not think Dockers appropriate for a top, elegant restaurant, either. They are really casual. It's the husband in this couple who is the most casual, as a skirt and nice silk blouse, with appropriate footwear and jewelry, can go most anywhere.

Thanks, LoveItaly, for the definition of banding. It seems I am a bander. In fact, I was a bander at dinner last night. Oh well, I think I will live despite the faux pas. There are far worse things going on in the world right now.

Johanna

Hi USNR, from some other posts awhile ago it seems as though MK2 is a "he", but then again who knows or cares?

And Johanna half the women in my city are banding LOL. But guess that is because we are gormless? Who knows or care. I agree,with all that is going on in the world fashion statements are not high on my list right now either. Take care!

Sounds to me as though banding and gormless could easily be branding and formless and the meanings would not be lost in either case. Dark pants always work - brand or no brand.

kpilling, you will see many, many people wearing jeans, but I think you are wrong to say wearing anything other than jeans and hiking type shoes is stupid. In London and Paris you will see people wearing any conceivable combination of clothes. Most such people are not stupid.

I am always struck by the impression that it would be difficult to wear anything in Paris or London (especially London!) that would attract much attention at all.

Nikki,

I meant my remarks for tourists not the people who live there. Of course there will be business people etc... dressed more elegantly. However your average tourist I would think would be wearing comfy (neat) clothes and shoes.

I did not mean to imply that you would be stupid to wear jeans and hiking type boots during the day in Paris or London. You will definitely be fine whatever you wear sightseeing. No one cares what you wear and you'll fit right in with the tourists and locals.

When you asked if you would "be okay in Paris restaurants" I assumed (sorry, I know what that makes me) that you were asking if you would be seated in a restaurant for dinner in jeans. I wasn't thinking about lunch at casual places when you said "Paris restaurants". I just think better safe than sorry as far as wearing something slightly nicer than jeans for dinner in Paris.

when will you guys get it?

Jeans are F A S H I O N and widely worn in Europe, maybe even more than here. Wear them as you wish, of course I would think twice about facy expensive establishments but regular bistros are no issue at all.

You can wear a pair of worn jeans during the day and look trendy and hip with the "sloppy" look that everyone is going for. The you can wear those same jeans at night with a great shirt and blazer (or sweater) and some nice shoes and look ultra cool. Its how you dress it up.

Oh and please, NO JOGGING SUITS!

jogging suits are duff but jeans are a bit of a no-no. Why wear them?

ahh, now I want to change my screen name to gormless...

thegormlessbandertuscan has a nice ring...

I like this meaning from word-detective.com.

"Gormless" comes from the old Scots word "gaum," meaning "attention or notice." Someone who is "gormless" lacks attention, doesn't notice things, is tuned out, vegged out, hopeless and clueless. Dumber than a sack of rocks. In other words, stupid. The word is chiefly found in Britain, where it has been used since the mid-18th century, including by writers such as Emily Bronte in "Wuthering Heights."

If it's good enough for Emily Bronte..... :-)

Gosh, "gormless," I think that word describes the successful voters in the last US presidential election.

HOW TRUE!!!

How clever, Tinling. Did you come up with that yourself?

That you're asking indicates some concern about fitting in. So why risk the uncomfortable feeling that you don't? Is it too much to throw in a pair of slacks and a sport coat?