Beth

I've seen several posts on this website telling Americans not to wear blue jeans in Europe unless they want to stick out like a tourist. <BR><BR>My question is,..what does a typical European man or woman wear to be comfortable when it's chilly outside? Jeans are not only functional but they're comfortable. I'm from the Northern US and it gets chilly up here in the fall and winter so there's nothing more comfortable than a pair of jeans and a big sweater. I believe that most of Europe has the same temperature (if not colder)so I'm curious as to what they wear when they want to be warm but comfortable. <BR>

clairobscur

Plenty of people wear jeans, here. But anyway, though it's convenient to wear jeans to avoid having your pants stained or teared up, I don't think they're particulary confortable. The regular pants I'm wearing right now are much more comfortable than jeans.

nancy

Definitely jeans are worn. I think they're comfortable and look better after a few wearings than any other pants for casual wear. Wouldn't travel without 'em!

Mary

So many threads on Jeans, and also white tennis shoes and baseball caps.<BR><BR>When an Asian Indian woman visits America, do we look down on her if she wears a sari? No, it's her native dress and we enjoy it.<BR><BR>Maybe we should consider jeans, white tennis shoes, and a baseball cap to be our native dress. I'm serious.<BR><BR>Even though I have never taken any of those three things to Europe, I see no reason we should try to look European as long as we are dressed cleanly and respectfully.

xxx

Jeans themselves won't make you stand out like a tourist over here - everyone wears them, esp. the "American" brands. Even khakis are popular, just look at the prevalence of Docker's displays in stores... Young adults can't look "American" because everyone dresses like the MTV-generation wherever you are. For adults, there are some typical tourist-looking things you can avoid, if that's so important: like, banana-bags on your waist; white tennis shoes; pink or similar color sweatshirts; sweatshirts in general; anything that has a very American logo on it. Also - just go to an American mall and look at how the majority dress, and if there's anything consistent or prevalent, avoid it...

Laura

These threads about jeans in Europe are so ridiculous. I live in Germany and do a lot of traveling in Europe, and plenty of Europeans wear jeans. As a matter of fact, shirts with an American flag on it are the rage right now.<BR>

sally

I think the difference between Americans wearing jeans and Europeans wearing jeans is that all Americans wear jeans regardless of body type. Americans also wear "comfortable" jeans, meaning jeans that fit loosely, might have an elastic waist and that are comfortable on anyone regardless of size. <BR>My experience has been that while Europeans wear jeans, they are always neatly hemmed, pressed and fit like a regular pair of trousers. In other words, jeans in Europe don't look sloppy like jeans do in the US. Obviously there are sloppy dressers everywhere but I think most people would agree that Europeans generally dress more neatly than Americans. I don't think there are particular clothes that make one look American, but rather that looking sloppy makes one look American.

Kate

It's not really a question of Europeans wearing jeans or not, it's more to do with the style of jeans, how they are worn, and who's earing them. Generally people over 40ish don't waer jeans, because to wear jeans and look cool you need an excellent figure.<BR><BR>You also won't see what I call "Supermarket jeans" which I've seen many an over 40 something American wear – these are cheap jeans, often cut more like slacks than straight leg or boot cut, poor quality denim, sometimes elastic waists. Jeans in Europe are worn as fashion, more than comfort, clothes, and so should be the right cut/brand.

frank

Wool.It may not look like wool, but often is.Blue denim is not the only comfortable fabric.Also denim on older people ususlly looks bad.

jal

I think if you grew up wearing jeans and are comfortable in them, you'll probably always look ok in them. The people who look goofy are the ones that started wearing them as adults and just don't look natural in them.

jean

It's apparent that jeans are worn everywhere nowadays. Wearing jeans in Europe these days won't make you stick out as a tourist unless you dress sloppily. And of course if you go to a formal restaurant you'd dress in formal attire.

Siobhan

Wear what is comfortable and casual. I am at work at the moment in my Jeans everyone wears jeans in Europe. You may not see people in sparking white sneakers but we wear them as well, probably in darker colours.<BR><BR>My mother from the U.S was over visiting me in Ireland a few months ago and felt she stood out...when thinking we realised it was the colours of her coat etc. They were more vibrant than the colours in the shops here at the time. It's just the style is different not really the clothes. Obivously don't dress like a slop as you will be in museums and churches but relax and just wear what you like and whats comfortable!

Red

Beth, whether or not to wear jeans on vacation is not a fashion question; it is a packing question. A lot of the posters don't recommend taking jeans because they are bulky. If you want to take jeans, then wear them while you travel rather than pack them; this is what my husband does and he always looks good and his suitcase is light.<BR><BR>Go to the Gap and see what jeans are on display right now. I think the mistake most Americans may make is the type or style of jeans they wear. Right now that faded, dirty, dark blue fabric is in style.