ter2000

I'm just back from Paris and wore shorts all the time, as did my husband. Although we're not American (we're Irish), I'm certain that we looked like typical tourists - so what? I wear a suit every day in the office, I'm never going to look like a chic Parisian, and, dammit, I'm on holiday! On this trip we weren't visiting any churches so we were safe enough wearing shorts, but they are a definite no-no if you're visiting any places of worship. Interestingly, when we were in Rome a few weeks ago, tourists were turned away from the Vittorio Emmanuele monument because their shoulders or their knees were not covered - and the guards were much more aggressive than those in the Vatican. Don't worry about being conspicuous as a tourist - there's so many about that you're one of thousands. In my opinion being comfortable is much more important than blending in!

antbry

Just came back from Italy - many, many were wearing shorts and clam diggers. The weather was very hot - no one frowned upon us - Of course, many were in dresses and long pants.
We were not banned from entering a cathedral in shorts (of course, they were knee length) - there were many in there with shorts on. When we were in Rome, they seemed to frown upon shorts. This time we were in Tuscany Valley -

Christina

Lots of men in Paris wear shorts when they aren't doing work/business things, and other European male tourists do also. Really. I'm in Paris now and had dinner two nights ago at a restaurant near my apt. in Mouffetard and the French guy at the next table had on knee-length walking shorts and a T-shirt (and weirdly black socks and sort of black dress shoes)--he was in his 20s, probably. I was on a walking tour the other day of the Batignolles area and only had French tourists in it because it was in French, and two of the men were wearing shorts (they were 40ish). Really, I've seen lots of French men wearing shorts, because it has been really really hot. Surprisingly, it almost seems I've seen more local men than women wearing them -- the women seem to wear other things more when dressing casually.

Duggan

I just got back a week ago from Paris.

I tried wearing jeans the first two days and sweat my butt off. Shorts were worn from there on out.

Since I was hitting tourist places, I actually blended in to an extent. When we went outside of Paris, the French on vacation were in shorts too.

Lastly, we didn't speak French and to a certain extent dressing 'American' aided us in that people were prepared for and more understanding our of lack of language skills.

richardab

Like anywhere is the world people wear all sorts of clothing. In Paris you see everything from sports attire to full business suits. People wear tattered jeans, tees, etc. Wear what is appropriate to the weather and your personal comfort.

lgkinney

For God's sake do not listen to those fifty five year old woman who want to tell you of their travel experineces and who frequent this board - I a, in Paris at this moment at an internet cafe - there are tons of men who are over the age of twenty five wearing shorts. Most of them are tourists - but then again they are not going to work - If you board a train to Nice or Marseille on a weekend you will see lots of men wearing shorts - The tourists who are wearing them are mainly US, Canadians, and Germans - but they are on holidays!

Go ahead wear them when appropriate.

cmeyer54

Regardless of what you wear, if you shower daily and use deoderant, you'll stick out as a tourist and most of the rest of us won't mind!

dln

I've come to the conclusion that if you're out of your country, no matter what country it is, and in someone's else's country, you're going to look like a tourist. I always crack up when my English born husband spots another Englishman and makes a (usually snide) remark under his breath about either their dark socks, their "Jesus" sandals or both! He thinks those two offences far outweigh the shorts question.

capo

People often criticize so-called "fashion police" who suggest, for example, that tourists shouldn't wear athletic shoes in European cities. The principle -- whether one agrees with it or not (and I happen to be one who agrees) -- is that comfort trumps appearance when one is on vacation.

I would think the same concept would apply to shorts.

BTilke

When a real heat waves scorches Europe, where most people don't have air conditioning, everyone (with the exception of a few snobs) understands that normal fashion "rules" are suspended. I worked at one European company and when we got blasted with heat, over-25 men did indeed wear shorts to work (men under 30 tended to wear those just below the knee cargo-style pants; over 30s wore medium length khaki shorts). Women wore either sundresses or capri pants with sleeveless tops.
When it's really hot, everyone is much too busy trying to stay cool to give a fig about what anyone else is wearing.
If it's just warm, not really hot, then wear lightweight long pants in the big cities and shorts in small towns or resort type communities.
If you're a grown man and want to wear shorts, wear good quality khaki shorts with a European brand short sleeve or golf shirt (i.e., Faconnable), docksiders or Aigle brand shoes, a good wristwatch, the most fashionable sunglasses you can find (and talk nonstop on the smallest cell phone you can find)--you'll blend in fine...especially if you act like you don't care whether you blend in or not (when the French and Italians visit the U.S., the last thing they worry about is trying to look American...)
BTilke (Brussels)

richardab

if you have nice legs by all means show them off!

lweber

Outside of resort areas, wearing shorts is somewhat similar to flipping the bird to the locals. "I know its your town but I don't care, I am going to do it my way".

jenneepoo

After spending most of the spring in Portugal and Spain (I know, this is NOT Paris), my thought is that comfort is important, but that there is a fine line between being comfortable and being a scuzball: Try to be clean and presentable but don't worry about whether or not you are wearing exactly what the locals wear, and please don't wear items that are inconsistent with your size/weight. Please try to be respectful if you are in a church, theater, nice restaurant, or the like.
Will the clothing items you are taking be versatile? easy to pack? non-wrinkleable? easy to wash in a hotel sink? heavy/bulky in your luggage? Will it be okay if the airlines lose your luggage and your shorts disappear? Would you be willing to toss out those shorts if you find some souvenir you'd rather have? Consider all these things as you pack. Don't worry so much about the fashion aspect of what you take as much as whether or not it is practical to pack the items you want to take. Don't wear your shorts if you are uncertain about wearing them - you will feel uncomfortable in them regardless of whether or not they are appropriate and it's how you feel in them that will matter. I personally felt like a real freak in capri pants in Portugal/Spain when EVERYONE there was wearing flared leg pants/jeans, so I wished I had packed something else, but on those warmer days that I wore them I know I felt better than I would have in jeans and that made it okay for me to wear them despite them being out of fashion.
Bon voyage!

Russ

A couple of thoughts...

1. European tourists in the USA, in their "swimsuits" and dark socks, stick out prominently. So what? We should give them the evil eye so that they change into something more appropriate? I imagine most of us think Eurodudes should wear whatever they feel like wearing, and that the starers are the petty ones with the poor manners. Are Parisians really some different species uniquely qualified to judge appearances and to punish the fashion criminals with ugly glances? I'm sure the well-bred Parisians are the ones who exhibit a little tolerance. Why worry about the ill-bred minority?

2. If Parisians wanted to give someone a break when it comes to tourist fashion, it should be the Americans, the Brits, and the Canadians, who ought to be able to wear purple shorts with red socks right down the Champs Elysees, if they deem it fashionable to do so, without so much as a single raised Parisian eyebrow. Paris wouldn't even be Paris without the dedication and success of my father's generation and without the thousands of dead Allies who lie beneath French turf. Unless the French want to equate such sacrifice with littering, they ought to be blowing little French kisses to the Allied visitors to their country (many of whom have come to see their relatives' final resting place) instead of obsessing over their white little kneecaps. Those of you who think that impressing the kneecap-obsessors is important should reconsider.

dumas1870

I wonder if all this anti-shorts business and "Americans have to try harder to blend in" talk is being advanced by a few "Parisian wannabes" who just hate to see less pretentious folks be comfortable? Or could it be that the anti-shorts crowd just have knobby knees and pale, flabby thighs?

The wild assertion above that wearing shorts was like shooting the bird at the locals made me chuckle at the thought of all those sensitive Europeans having their dainty sensibilities offended by lewd and crude American cowboys with fat wallets.

The fashion police need to just get over it - perhaps best done by going shopping at an exclusive and very expensive little boutique that sells tight bell-bottom pants.

babette

Everyone is so passionate about this topic; reading the posts is quite entertaining.

But I can't resist chipping in again!

I believe it simply depends on YOUR priorities. Would you rather make a favorable impression by being nicely dressed? Or would you rather just be comfortable on your vacation?

I'm sure you'll enjoy Paris no matter how you're dressed!

Sylvia

I don't usually reply to clothes questions but this paragraph from jenneepoo

"Try to be clean and presentable but don't worry about whether or not you are wearing exactly what the locals wear, and please don't wear items that are inconsistent with your size/weight. Please try to be respectful if you are in a church, theater, nice restaurant, or the like"

Is absolutely spot-on IMHO. All I would add is don't wear items that are inconsistent with your age. I'm in my 60s and have sometimes seen people of my age in shorts. Not a pretty sight!

BTilke

Those who think grown men wearing shorts in the city is unseemly should pop into Basel on a really hot day where you can see grown LOCAL men walking down the streets in the middle of the day in SPEEDOS on their way to take a dip in the Rhine...

Intrepid

I am enchanted by Sylvia's comment: "I'm in my 60s and have sometimes seen people of my age in shorts. Not a pretty sight!"
My reply would be that, Baby, you've been looking at the WRONG people!
These days quite a few people of OUR age look rather HOT in shorts, I think.
But I suppose this whole thing points out the dangers of asking people that you've never seen before what to wear.

dumas1870

RE: Babette

It is fun, isn't it? Maybe the europeans could offer americans reduced entrance fees if we "at least try" to make a favorable impression. We are usually so cheap that that this incentive may goad us into positive fashion action. But I'm afraid the verdict is mixed in regards to better service: I've gotten very good service in many places while wearing shorts and tennis shoes and lousy service in others of the same caliber dressed in a dark conservative shirt, well pressed long pants and highly polished leather shoes.