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Take a look....a Ranking of the "World's Best Dressed Travelers." Before you look, guess where Americans rank out of 10.
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Oh, yes, and undoubtedly this best dressed "list" was compiled by those wonderfully well-dressed folks in the British Isles led, of course, by THE best dressed human on earth, Her Majesty, The Queen. Get real!
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OK, I haven't looked yet...promise.
It would be helpful to know what the other countries/people are but I'm going to guess Americans are somewhere in the middle, say 5 or 6. Time to check... |
Those posh italians from the LA Times article ?
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"Rank The World's Best Dressed Tourists
----------------------------------------- 1 Italians ----------------------------------------- 2 British ----------------------------------------- 3 French ----------------------------------------- 4 Spanish ----------------------------------------- 5 Canadians Japanese ----------------------------------------- 6 Chinese ----------------------------------------- 7 Irish Danish ----------------------------------------- 8 Americans ----------------------------------------- 9 Swedes ----------------------------------------- 10 Australians ----------------------------------------- 11 Russians ----------------------------------------- 12 Germans ----------------------------------------- Research was conducted with tourist offices in the following places: Amsterdam, Andalucia, Barcelona, Berlin, Cyprus, Denmark, Edinburgh, Majorca, New York, Orlando, Paris, Perth, Prague, Rome, San Francisco, Seychelles, Sydney and Tenerife. Top and bottom ranking countries in each category were given positive and negative scores respectively." |
I'd guess that Japan might be #2, or up there. Then some small, relatively wealthy countries like Switzerland, Denmark. So, maybe capo is right. But, I'll guess that mercans rank #2. |
I'm not suprised the Italians & the French are in the top 3, but I'm surprised the Canadians out ranked us.
Our rank is probably correct considering that in most of the old threads I've read, most American woman were ridiculed for being concerned about dressing nicely during their travels in Europe. Many have said "wear whatever you want, be comfortable", but should we be dressing better? Some people may not be able to afford designer labels, but should American tourist throw out the faded jeans, gym shoes, fanny pack and t-shirts for a nice blouse/shirt & pants, along w/ somewhat stylist yet comfortable shoes? I don't think americans have always been "sloppy" when it comes to dressing. If you remember not too long ago in the 50's girls wore pretty dresses or skirts w/ heels to high school. Today, girls would look out of place if they did that. I like that Americans don't feel the need to be chic & stylish every moment of the day, but it seems like the balance has shifted to the sloppy look. What do you think? |
Have a beer -- it will make you feel better about yourself. ((b))
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Personally..I see kids waiting for the school bus in the mornigs...the girls look like hookers and the boys look like they are wearing their older brother's too big hand me downs!
Sister Mary Thecla would have killed us..but we wore uniforms! |
The Japaneese girls here in the Boston/Cambridge area are the best dressed , always so neat and wearing the best and conservative of the latest trends, no slutty looks.
Can't believe even jewel is on that trash wagon. |
Personally, I feel great about myself, but there is a problem when Maury Povich can do a weekly show for several years on "Please turn my teenage daughter who looks & dresses like an actual boy into a lady."
I've seen middle class kids of all races who look either trashy or sloppy on a regular basis (excluding events like prom, etc.) A lot of people don't seem to take pride in how they look anymore. |
I fully agree with Mimi...I have never seen a Japanese tourist who wasn't well-groomed..even in jeans!
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I always make an attempt to not dress like a "tourist" when I visit a foreign country, so I tend to dress nicely, but comfortably. However, I did notice that while in Rome, I was singled out by many of the men (got too much unwanted attention), was approached by lots of beggars, and overcharged several times in restaurants whenever I was dressed "too" nicely. I did an experiment, and really dressed down (faded tee shirt, denim skirt, and flip flops) on my last day of sight seeing. It worked! I was not approached as often (still had some beggars come up), but definitely saw a big difference in the way people treated me! So, even though I prefer to dress up a bit, I think I will purposely tone it down next time I go to touristy places. I am tired of people trying to rip me off because they think I must be a rich American!
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I work in Beverly Hills which I presume people visit because they want to experience a very chic and sophisticated place as well as perhaps see a glamorous movie star or two. Well, I can always pick out the American tourists. Even in laid-back California, they stand out, looking more like they're going to a swap meet than Rodeo Drive. Teenage girls are the worst.
The other nationalities are harder to pick out. The Japanese dress very trendy if a bit out there, and the Italians are always, always dressed very well. |
OK, so I'm trying to picture how this survey was conducted and how on earth all the people who answered could tell Canadians from Americans just by sight. Or Australians from Russians for that matter. This whole thing really doesn't make much sense to me. Instead it sounds like a typical way to ask a bunch of people to project their stereotyped opinions. Those who don't like Americans would certainly say that Americans don't dress as well as Canadians, even though most of the people answering couldn't possibly have a clue who was from Canada and who was from the US!
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The main thing is - Americans tend to dress the same on vacation as at home. People in the US are just more casual than most other countries. But unfortunately to some people casual means sloppy.
You don't have to dress "posh" to dress well. But go to any suburban US mall - the men who wear their baseball caps indoors, boys in jeans they have to hold up to keep from being arrested for indecent exposure, girls with very little self respect, and women with the same hairdo they had in 1972 and fake finger nails. None of these things are "fashionable" at home or overseas Of course not everyone dresses like this. But enough do that Americans are easily singled out a poor dressers. |
I tend to agree with Patrick. I posted this little episode at one time on another thread. we were in Provence having breakfast on the lawn where tables were set out . A couple came to one of the tables. The young woman looked like someone from Sunset Blvd. She was wearing something long with a jacket trimmed in maribou feathers. All eyes were on her. Jerky me, said I bet she's American. Later at checkout, the couple was also leaving. They were Belguim. Many British we met in the Dordogne at first we thought were American or Canadian. It's funny, all the years, I have travelled to France, it just occurred to me I never met a Canadian.
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You Americans have no cause for complaint - I'm Dutch and Holland isn't even on the list! And rightly so, alas...
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I'm not surprised that other countries came in ahead of the US --particularly Spain, France, Italy and Japan. Most people from those places have great outfits; I hardly ever see them in jeansd and even if so, they are very "put together" without a hair out of place. They entire survey, though, is a bit ridiculous, as it's far easier to visit a country and look around you at the natives to figure whta they wear, as opposed to being in a different country and judging the tourists. It could be that there are many tourists who are "mixing in " by dresing like the natives and speaking the language!
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I always find it interesting when people write on this site about how not to look American, or should people wear shorts and a baseball hat.
I have just returned from Cyprus and find it amazing and embarrasing how my fellow countrypeople of the UK (but especially the English) always like to let everyone know where they are from by wearing England football shirts. OK, I am proud of the country I come from (Wales), but when on holiday I just like to blend in and get on with enjoying the country I have chosen to visit. Why anyone would be interested in knowing where I am from or which particular football team I support is a mystery? Also there is a great and amusing debate going on in the UK at the moment because a Roman sandal has been found complete with socks! There is the great divide of the British people who do and don't wear socks with their sandals (white socks at that!!!). |
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