tuscanlifeedit

Remember the brilliant Rome trip report not too long ago that said to not stand out in Rome, dress like a nun or a priest? I loved that.

Next time in Italy, I might just go to the costume shop for wardrobe needs. A nun's habit and some gypsy skits and shawls. I'll take a fake baby, too!

Actually, I'm loving the relegious habit idea. I wore a uniform in HS, and it was a sad day for me when I had to stop wearing it. I thought it was brilliant: no worries, ever, about what to wear.

DH and I could possibly pack very lightly, AND maybe vendors, pickpockets and "gypsies" would all leave us alone if we were dressed as a priest and a nun.

LoveItaly

UHM, tuscanlifeedit, I see a bit of a problem when you two try to check into a hotelroom together..you think??

bookchick

JandaO, I grew up in Detroit. If you've got something scarier, bring it.

Handmaiden, you ran into 2 Italian men?? I should be so lucky! (Repeatedly!)

BC

kenderina

Loveitaly, I know it's not fair but reading the posts here I've lost every hope of blending !! I'm short, caucasian white but black hair, I speak Spanish with no accent at all, my spoken English is something for the scientifics to study(yes, it's strange)..and British accent. And above all..I use a stick for walking (a wonderful thing no one notices at all) But hey, I'm a tourist , you are not going to expect that I wear a Dior outfit !!

JAGIRL

Remember Barb's Italy Trip Report (Why she'd only travel solo from thence forth)?

I wonder if those two Italian men that Handmaiden ran into saw Barb's friend &quot;Eiffel&quot; in her bright <b><font color="orange">orange</font></b> and <b><font color="lime">green</font></b> and thought, &quot;That's how they dress in America!Hmmm...we've gotta get outfits like that to blend in!&quot;

tuscanlifeedit

JAGIRL: You're right! Barb's friends led them astray!

LoveItaly: I thought the same; DH and I hold hands all the time when we are walking, especially on vacation.

JandaO

bookchick,
&lt;I should be so lucky! (Repeatedly!)&gt;
LOL

I use to work with a guy from Detroit.
He had horror stories to tell !!

handmaiden

The Italian men came into the auction house I work for to look at some art and furniture. Since I speak Italian (my father is from Napoli), one of the directors asked me to help them out.

Christine

Pegontheroad

I was taking a class in Madrid, and the teacher mentioned that there was a call out for non-Spanish-looking extras for a film someone was making. She pointed out two of us whose skin tones were such that we would fit the bill. (My ancestors were Irish and Danish.)

Perhaps that was the reason I was targeted frequently by gypsies and beggars. Despite the fact that I dressed pretty much in black and didn't carry any of the usual tourist appurtenances, I obviously did not look like a local.

mauitammy

We saw men wearing a lot of tangerine, orange and salmon colored clothes this past June. They also wear their clothes tight fitting.

Ruth

Well, that's OK then. CapriAnniversary can buy her husband an orange, tangerine and/or salmon jogging suit a couple of sizes too small and he'll fit right in.

Cato

'We saw lots of men wearing tangerine, orange and salmon colored clothes this past June.&quot;

Were they REALLY men, and not just imposters from a Bangkok ladyboy show?

Dukey

Hmmmm..Cato, you seem to know a great deal about Ladyboys...

Cato

Dukey, a man of the world often encounters strange and unusual things. Some of them &quot;gals&quot; can almost fool you, especially after a couple of drinks.

CapriAnniversary

I've certainly enjoyed these posts! I ran into some Italians at the airport in San Fransisco this Friday. They were all in business casual dress and looked like any American. My wife's cousin is off base on this. We'll be dressed as we please. I'll skip some of the drag dress that some suggested for me! I'm the husband here! Mrs. Caprianniversary is the female!

denice7

This has got to be one of the strangest posts. I have traveled all over Europe and have never given consideration to the color of the clothes I am wearing, never wear a money belt and have never been bothered.

caroline_edinburgh

When I've travelled to the US I've never thought about what I &quot;should&quot; wear, just about taking the right clothes for the weather and for what I'd be doing - sightseeing, eating in casual and posh restaurants, etc. The same as I'd do anywhere.

mauitammy

This thread is hilarious!

If you dressed like a nun or a priest it would sure be easier and safer to cross the street in Rome. Drivers at least seem to slow down for them. LOL

Clifton

LOL on the Ladyboys... Funny, you don't have to seek that stuff out in Thailand. Was in Chiang Mai when a floor show started right in the middle of the big night market.

The title of this thread always makes me laugh when it goes by. It looks just like one I saw on the Africa board, except that one was asking if light colored shirts helped avoid mosquitos. Sort of similar pesky situation, so maybe it would work, huh?

dutyfree

Personally, I think that if you carried at least 20 &quot;KNOCKOFF&quot; purses-preferably Gucci or Prada in Rome you would fit right in.(Make sure that you have a big duffle bag with the rest of your inventory hanging off your back.)Seriously, our American shoes,pants and even sweaters will always give us away!