What will happen to me if I don't follow the European Dress Code?
 

There are so many many questions here about what clothes you are supposed to wear - when I do get to Europe what will happen to me if I don't follow the rules.

People will stare and point - people will laugh - people will ignore me - people will hit me with wet spaghetti - people will throw hot expresso in my lap - people will poke at me with sticks?

Why do I have to dress like them?

Nothing will happen as many Europeans will be dressed however like you're dressing. that is unless it's a posh restaurant then the same rules follow as at home.
I don't believe there are many rules anymore anymore than in the US - i see very little difference. Though French youths even don't wear shorts as much as other countries no one will bat an eyelash if you do.

I don't think Immigration will let you into their country, whatever country it is you are planning on visiting peeky, unless you are dressed to their standards!

I had a revelation a couple of weeks ago while reading one of the many "what to wear to fit in" threads on this board: I don't MIND looking like an American, as long as I'm a well dressed American. No one in Italy is going to mistake my family of red head kids for fellow Italians, so why not be what we are, only well dressed?

If a group of ladies from India came to visit Dallas in the summer, I hope they would wear their saris, rather than going to oldnavy.com and ordering t-shirts, shorts and flip flops so they would "fit in" in Texas.

(Traveling during spring break is another issue; our break always seems to coincide with the anniversary of the US invastion of Iraq and various anti-Bush protests. On such dates, I do like to keep my American mouth closed and blend in as much as possible.)

While the posting by PalQ seems about right, please note that many countries in Europe do have a Federal Ministry for Oversight of Sharpening of Sticks, intended for use in Poking at Tourists in Pink Jogging Suits.

Fortunately for most tourists, these ministries all seem to have different rules about how the sticks are to be sharpened, and there is one meeting after another after another in Brussels, then in Strasbourg, then in Maastricht, trying to reconcile all the differences.

Until then, there is a EU-wide ban on &quot;stare and point&quot; and &quot;laugh&quot;. You may, however, be ignored. There are urban legends about being hit by wet spaghetti (or what the tourists thought was wet spaghetti - - it may have actually been <i>casu marzu</i>).

Best wishes,

Rex

Honestly if you look good in what you're wearing, you'll just be a cool American.

As long as you don't show disrespect (i.e., wearing bikinis in mosques) or a total lack of class (i.e., halter and shorts in a fine French restaurant), no one will even bat an eye. In the above examples, you will probably asked to leave, or not allowed in.

Common sense rules. Everyone wears what they want. IMHO, America has so brainwashed the masses in Europe with television that everyone dresses like the cast of 'Friends'.

rex,

You are one of the reasons I read Fodors.
You are a treasure.....

Rex :-D

Anybody remember Erma Bombeck? (She died WAY too soon!) I remember a very funny column of hers where she was lamenting that her husband had discovered those one piece zip up coveralls and henceforth, would only wear those, even when traveling.

Also remember that it is close to impossible to truly &quot;fit in.&quot; Years back I sang a concert n a mass choir - there were two choirs from Dallas and one from the UK. We were all in choir robes but it was very easy to pick out the Brits...from their haircuts. I'm not saying they were bad or laughable...they were just different enough so that it was easy to tell they weren't from Dallas.

Worst of all, Peeky, people will talk about you - in their own language, so you can't understand them! Bastards!

Is it ok if I grab their shirt collar and demand to know what they are babbling about?

It is good to know the sticks are policed - rex you crack me up.

I watched a guy walk into a Cafe on the beach in Barcelona totally butt naked. The guy got his beer (after waiting a good ten minutes) and walked back to the beach where he was getting is ALL OVER tan. The people in the restaurant just smiled at each other.

Butt, this is probably pushing it a bit.

You will be reported to the European Dress Code Police, imprisoned in a small, non-airconditioned room furnished with ridiculously bright colored and cheap IKEA furniture, and mkingdom2 will arrive (fashionably late) to lecture you on the importance of Jil Sanders for everyday wear. :D

&quot;What will happen to me if I don't follow the rules&quot;

You will be ignored.

Not one whit more, and not one whit less, than the fantasists who think there are rules.

I only know of one dressing code here...you have to bath at the beach completely naked on St.John's night !!!
It's said to be soul and body cleaning from bad spirits :)

&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;
the fantasists who think there are rules
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;

hmmmm

anyone remember his &quot;rule&quot; on wearing white trainers in europe? something about making you look like a &quot;loser&quot; from a council estate.

lots of people want to know how to dress like a European--but what kind of European? French ladies-who-lunch? English council-house 'losers'? Not all Europeans dress alike, so maybe some sort of dress code list would be helpful. That way people could get the &quot;look&quot; they wanted.

The German tourist look? Shorts and socks with sandals

Beachwear in Barcelona? well, not much to list here, apparently

etc, etc

If you do not exactly as you are told you will be condemned to come here daily and ask this very same question...<b>forever</b>.

OK..you've been warned!