YES, I"M AMERICAN. HOW DID YOU GUESS?
 

That is the title of an article in today's N.Y.Times in the Style section.Also want to comment on another thread about men wearing jackets. In some of the top restaurands and bistros we saw alot of French men wearing attractive sweaters or shirts sans jacket.

Interesting article. I was in London recently and there were quite a few Americans about. I noticed many when we went to the theatre. The main thing about them is that you could only tell them by their accents because they were nornally dressed. On the whole the off-season variety are also much more quietly spoken and belong to the educated middle class. It was just once in Portobello Market that we saw the stereotypical article complete with water bottle (do they think London is in the Sahara?) white trainers and bumbags.

Thanks, I finished reading that a few minutes ago. Mimi, didn't you think that photo of the group of Americans sprawled on the plaza is typical of our behavior that puts the locals off? And yee gads! Why go to Paris and shop at Gap? To each his own, I guess.

I saw that article as well. Thought it was also interesting to read about the "space" issue and how that can also describe who you are. I didn't realize that Americans tend to stand 4 to 7 feet apart when talking whereas Europeans cut the distance in half, but after I read it I nodded my head and said yes I can see that.

Hi, Mimi! Thanks for the tip on the article. I thought Sherman must be nuts about a picture because there was none; then I realized he must have seen the real thing (I'm stuck with the net version). <BR> <BR>I think it is funny how shoes are the key. I remember when I lived and worked in Paris in the 60s you could always tell the American businessmen because of their wing-tip shoes (and long, relatively baggy pants). But it didn’t matter that I was dressed in suits and heels, I was always spotted as an American. I asked a friend why and he said, "Because Americans are so open."

Shoes are always the number one give away. <BR>

I have not read this article yet and don't know that I will, but isn't everyone on this board sick and tired of this already?! My god, especially now, don't we Americans have a hell of a lot more important things to worry about than what Europeans think of us?!?! <BR> <BR>I'm so tired of this stupid argument. I was in Italy recently and was amazed at how badly dressed many European tourists as well as native Italians were. I was also ashamed that I had allowed myself to believe the BS about Americans' way of dressing overseas. I was never able to pick out the Americans until they spoke. On the contrary, people I thought were American (and I'm now ashamed of myself for this) b/c they looked right out of a trailer park, turned out to be European. <BR> <BR>There are classy, well dressed people in the US and Europe, and there are low class trashy types in both as well. We AMericans only do ourselves a disservice when we begin to view ourselves in the stereotypical, and often incorrect or ignorant way, that many Europeans view us. Stop doing it! <BR> <BR>I am originally from NC, and now live in NY. I was personally laughing my ass off (inside of course) in Italy as not one, but 7 different Italians, male and female, mistook me for a native Italian (and one mistook me for French), though I have no Italian or French heritage. I was also relieved though that once they found out I was American, they did not act snobbishly toward me, but were friendly and in many cases said "America, great country." Agreed. <BR> <BR>

Right on, honey. I couldnt agree more. I also want to add that America is such a diverse country, with so many different types of people, w. different ways of dressing and speaking, it is ludicrous to even attempt to stereotype the 'typical' American. I mean, my god, travel to the north and then the south of the US, and its like 2 different planets, let alone 2 regions of the same country! I think this escapes many Euruopeans who haven't traveled a lot in the US.

The last two posters have completely missed the point of the article, which was to discuss how--in light of the current world situation--Americans can avoid looking like Americans for their own safety! <BR>The article had nothing to do with what Europeans think of us!

Thanks for sharing the article. went out to buy the paper so I could see the pictures of the sprawlers which always annoyed me when I travelled.

Howard, you are missing the point. I just returned from Paris on Sept. 16. You can't disguise the fact that you're from the U.S. I have medium colored skin and hazel eyes and have been asked for directions and the time from people in every place I have traveled but never from the natives of that country. They know. I saw people with sneakers, etc. while I was in Paris, they were from everywhere but the U.S. <BR> <BR>Unless you carry a non U.S. passport and speak with an accent you will always be identified as an American.

I don't mean to sound argumentative, Pat, but I haven't missed the point! What you say could be true....but that's not the point of the article! If you've read the article, read it again!

My friend, Eddy, who is tour guide in Italy says he can always spot the Americans. He says we have the most beautiful teeth in all the world.

I read the article and I can dress up very nicely - if not heels then at least boots - I can stand closer to people and I can speak in low tones and impersonally. <BR> <BR>But, in Italy, women rarely walk alone? - as the article quoted an American woman living in Italy. No I can't do that, even at home! How do they manage that? Hey Marge it's your turn to come with me while I do my errands. Sergio (at least that's an Italian name!), walk me to my office then you can go to yours. Do you think that statement is anywhere near the truth?

Americans are most definitely well dressed, clean, kind and generous. <BR>

Americans are probably the friendliest creatures on this planet. And I rank the Australians second. I happen to like the modern American attire, and their stimulating conversations.

Hi Everyone! Please, you all have sparked my curiosity. <BR>Where can I read this article? I live in Italy and can't get the paper that was mentioned, but can I find it online anywhere? <BR>Sure wish we could post it here, but has anyone posted it on any other site? <BR> <BR>P.S. I don't know what this had to do with the article, but I am American, live in Italy and I do walk alone. <BR>I can also spot any other American a mile away (this is not meant to be rude). <BR>

What gives us away, Katy?

Hi mimi! y husband and I were laughing about this article yesterday. I told hi I was going to post about it but you beat me to it! It was quite funny!

www.nytimes.com <BR>then click on 'fashion and style'

I recently returned from Spain and no one knew that I was American. Natives always started speaking Spanish to me and then seemed surprised to find out that I was American. This happens to me wherever I go anyway. My husband and I dress well wherever we go and were surprised that the Spanish did not dress very well over all. The babies and children, however, were dressed to the nines. But don't worry about looking American. Every one was very friendly. Felt no fear at all. <BR>

I think they know we're American by the way we walk and carry ourselves. This was made clear to me one time when a man approached my husband and I in Glasgow. He said, "You're Americans, aren't you?" We lived in Scotland (had for several years), were wearing clothes and shoes purchased locally and had not been speaking. I am of Celtic heritage and look the part and my husband is much the same. All we could figure was that we walked a certain way or conveyed something via body language.

Pat, John, Katy - you are soooooooo wrong. I have traveled through 3 countries in Europe and with RARE exception, could not pick out the americans till they spoke. I was also mistaken for Italian SEVERAL times on a recent Italy trip. These natives were shocked to find I was American, and I was born and raised in the USA. <BR> <BR>STOP GENERALIZING. THose of you so sure you can 'spot an American a mile away' do you ever verify your suspicions? Bc if not dont be so sure they're American. I know personally I would see people I would have sworn were American only to hear them speak another language! You're not as savvy at picking us out as you think. <BR> <BR>However some Americans like me I suppose are better able to 'pass' than others. It's not just attire, it's the whole package. <BR> <BR>

Honestly, Notnecessarily (who is also Sosickofthis, I presume), it's good that not all Americans are and look like you. <BR> <BR>You sound arrogant, pretentious and self absorbed. This surely doesn't help when it come to international relations, be it in the personal or public fields. <BR> <BR>I repeat, I'm glad that not all Americans are like you.

The only person that pegged me as an american was this guy in Florence. He said it was my Jansport backpack. I knew the backpack would peg me as a tourist, but I did't care. It was convenient, and I carry it around all this time in the States too. After the comment about my backpack, he had something to say about my henna tattoo which I got when I was in Rome. He said I should be careful because people will think I'm muslim. He asked if I was jewish. I told him no, I was arabic. He walked away. I wanted to ask him if he had any other comments about my appearance and suggest that maybe he spend a little less time looking for indicators of one's nationality and more time getting to know person, but I let it go. Pretty much everyone else thought I was either Italian or Spanish.

Can't you just imagine the couple getting back to their hotel room and patting each other on the back for having fooled the locals by wearing nice shoes and black attire. How absolutely moronic are you? Sure - you fooled them - pleasent dreams.

Re all the insistence here that Europeans, too, wear jeans and logo t-shirts and trainers and anoraks and sweatpants and the like - yes, some do. The point is, they have the luxury of doing so and USAmericans (according to this article, at least) currently do not. Much like the difference between an upper-middle-class person and a working-class person dressing in very-casual clothes... the former has more leeway than the latter, as they're not worried about "being found out". So maybe the best idea for Americans is to use reverse psychology and go all-out on the sweats-flip flops-bag of pork rinds & can of diet coke look ??

In my travels I have been mistaken for a German, an Englishman and as a local by locals. Like Katy I lived in Rome. And, I could spot another American 100 yards away no matter what they were wearing. I almost never made a mistake. I think its the body language. It's an exercise in futility to try to disguise yourself. Usually they were happy to find out I was an American. <BR>Also, I was recently in Rome and saw Italian women walking alone all over the place.

I am blonde and blue eyed, and wear the same clothes when traveling that I wear at home, NY city. I have been mistaken for English which makes sense, but also for French, which doesn' make sense to me...but my point is-I do not try to hide the fact that I am an American.I don't carry a flag around with me, but it isn't something that I find shameful-although I do think that the way some Americans act is shameful, the loud,rude, spoiled travelers...the "sprawlers"-when we were in the South of France this past summer, everyone wore bright colors,short tight clothes, lots of jewelry-and those were the French! you just have to stop trying to catagorize everybody and enjoy your travels, after all you aren'treally there to look at the people,are you? and one more point-why would women not walk around alone in the cities?

"So maybe the best idea for Americans is to use reverse psychology and go all-out on the sweats-flip flops-bag of pork rinds & can of diet coke look ?? " <BR> <BR>Well, that is all I ever do. Makes packing easy, just throw in a couple sets of sweats and flip-flops, save room for the pork rinds and some extra diet coke and I am ready to rock and roll. However, I also like to take along a good supply of feed company and/or tractor baseball caps and one pair of boot cut Wranglers and my big ol' NASCAR belt (the one with huge chrome buckle)...the only thing I don't like about Europe is it is hard to find a good can of Skoal there.

Thank you nnn for posting that it was online. <BR> <BR>It was a nice read. <BR>One thing, though, Italian women do walk alone. They are no different than anyone else in this matter. <BR> <BR> <BR>To Another American: It is not just one thing you can put your finger one that makes us different. <BR>Some people are more attentive to others particularities than others. <BR>There are many clues, that give away where a person is from. <BR>These clues change from place to place. <BR>One good example, in a small city in the US where Italians frequent, we can pick them out of a crowd as well. <BR>How you say? Shoes once again. <BR>High water jeans and timberland shoes (winter ones). This is only effective in this one small city, you would not be able to do this in any other place. <BR>Here in Italy it is the same. <BR>It could be your shoes most of the time, clothes, hair style, hair color, how you talk, the way you talk, etc. <BR>The biggest thing, for me is, body language, mentality plays a big role in this. <BR> <BR>Yes, I am like some others that people never figure I am American either, I get French a lot, of for some reason Swede and for others that are not really into people, just another Italian. <BR>Again, I am born and raised in the US, with a heavy accent when I speak in english, but if someone is really paying attention, they will know I am American without my having to say anything. <BR>Don't get offended by this. I think it is something to be proud of. <BR>The way I take this article is they are just trying to tell us not to shout it out we are American ( and I do not mean by yelling). <BR> <BR>

I work in Century City near Beverly Hills Calif. I see tourists all day long, how can I tell? Because they are wearing casual clothes and walking shoes because they are touring. The office workers are wearing office attire and dress shoes. To tell the truth when we see the tourists we have a tinge of envy because they are on vacation, and we are working. I can't usually tell where a tourist is from <BR>but I can tell whether they have style or not. But it doesn't really matter I judge them by their attitude not their clothes.

We visited a small town in Wales several years ago, and we stopped by the local post office for a few postcard stamps. As we were standing in line, we became aware that every eye in the place was on us, not because of our low key attire, but because of our height! I'm 5'10" and my husband is 6'4" and we stood head and shoulders above everyone else there. Seems like they just grow 'em taller in the U.S.

I've always liked the contrasting photos at: <BR> <BR>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv...euro/front.htm <BR> <BR>In my experience, whenever I've seen someone dressed like the person at left, and have been close enough to hear them talk, they're inevitably American. No judgment (since I feel that people should wear whatever they find comfortable), just an observation.

MAN! Am I ever tired of these "don't look like an American" threads. If somebody wants to dress comfortably and in the style they're accustomed to, SOOOOO WHAT!! <BR> <BR>All you insecure Americans who are vicariously embarrassed by the way your countrymen are dressed make me laugh. Why not tell an Indian woman in New York City that she shouldn't wear her sari because she won't blend in?

Well, Jeez, yes I would. <BR>

While there have been other threads where this issue was discussed from a, shall we say, "aesthetic" point of view, as Howard noted above, the point of the New York Times article that Mimi referred to at the beginning of this thread was from a "safety" point of view, how Americans can avoid looking like Americans for their own safety. <BR> <BR>And, actually, the safety issue has been brought up before too. Not in regard to terrorism, but in regard to pickpocketing (or perhaps mugging.) I would think the more one obviously looks like a tourist -- especially a tourist that is perceived to come from a wealthy country -- one would more likely be a target for pickpockets.

I just read that article and it says for Ameicans to not wear black Reeboks. <BR>Why? If they are black they don't look like "sneakers" or gym shoes. They are black and leather which I thought was "ok" for Europe. I was going to wear black high top Reeboks on our trip to Europe near Spring. Should I not wear the black Reeboks? What type of comfy black walking shoe is okay? How does it look different than Reeboks?

I have to disagree with the Post article - that suit on the right looks synthetic, and it is. I will bet that IRL you could peg it as tencel from a hundred metres away. I can understand people not wanting to pack silk and linen for a trip, but what's wrong with cotton and wool? Americans wear much more synthetic things, on many more occasions, than Europeans - and it's clearly not a question of comfort or hygeine, as natural fibers would win out there. It makes me shiver just to think about wering a full suit of polyester or whatever this is. Yeep.

Peggy, <BR> <BR>I don't see anything wrong with black Reeboks, for Christ sake. Just wear black or dark colored jeans with them and you'll be perfectly OK. Or wear whatever you're comfortable wearing. As far as you don't try to enter the Vatican in shorts, or sleeveless tops or shirts, what's the problem? I can't see any... <BR> <BR>Firstly, I don't believe,in spite of some posts written by Americans that I have read on this board,saying that Americans are being a target of some aggressive behavior from some ethnic groups in Europe, I repeat, I don't think that wearing sneakers or not wearing them would change a thing about this.. <BR> <BR>Secondly, as tourists, in my view, our main concern should be that we are able to walk comfortably, is that our feet don't hurt, and ultimately, that what we wear suits our own style and personality. I don't think it's funny or interesting to give up our own identity our style trying to look something or someone that is definitely NOT us. This would be ugly, fake, and we wouldn't fool anyone but us, and maybe not even us...