blue jeans in New York
 

dumb question: I was taking blue jeans to New York next week--and my daughter said "no way---they only wear black clothes in New York"
How accurate is she?

Please see this post: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34453724

love
roxy

Putting it in the simplest terms: Tell your daughter a helluva lot more tourists wear jeans than wear black in New York City!

Your daughter is wrong. You will see more blue jeans than black during the day.

I'm a stickler about proper clothing - and see no reason not to wear blue jeans in New York during the day - as long as you're not going to lunch in an upscale restaurant. Yes, you will see lots of black - but lots of jeans too - especially on wekends.

Hello - Melting pot - Not only for people from every walk of life, but style too. Wear whatever you want. Like previous comment, just don't try going into upscale with ratty looking stuff on. Won't work.

Have fun and enjoy. If you don't, it's your fault.

As a NYer who oftens wears jeans, the black thing is somewhat neighborhood - SoHo, Tribeca, etc. are much more neighborhoods of just black, where as the Upper East/West Side are a little less so.

However, I would follow these rules anywhere :
Dark sneakers are ok; white sneakers are NEVER ok unless you're going to play tennis. Indeed, walking around all day you're probably going to want to be in sneakers.
Jeans are ok but should be what is "in style" - that means a dark blue, not light blue jeans. Frankly, I think that designer jeans are more in style for people under 30 than pure black is (outside of very trendy places or expensive/fancy places).

But the idea that EVERYONE in NY going out to pick up a book at Barnes & Nobles or a cup of coffee at Starbucks is dressed up rather than just in jeans and sneakers is a bunch of bull.

Never wear white sneakers? What a bunch of bs! Dark blue but never light blue jeans? More bs!

Thank you HowardR about clearing that up for me. I am looking forward to going to NYC soon and didn't realize there would be a dress code. Dressing nice for an upscale restaurant is just common sense but for just touring around I thought as long as we look respectable that should be fine. If I have white runners I don't see what would be wrong with them.

I readily admit the no white sneakers or light blue jeans sounds stupid but I think it is accurate. In the end, of course, wear whatever you're comfortable with, nobody else will care -- I often end up overdressed in other parts of the country on vacation b/c I am wear clothes appropriate for NY. But I was just answering the question she asked.

I live in Florida but work for long stints in NY. I found people wore jeans in NY more than in Florida. My own casual observation was that jeans are much more acceptable in NY all year round than they are almost anywhere else.

great jeans, nice slides (Prada or somesuch), a great shirt and a Chanel jacket will get you in almost anywhere except the haute cuisine type places....you better be buff, however. I am assuming you are female...

Black is never wrong and helps to make you fade into the woodwork. I like the anonimity of black camouflage when in NY. LMF

Jeans are absolutely the norm here at all times of the day on any day. It just depends on where you're going.

vacationdreamer is on the nose as far as style. White sneaks with jeans are a little weird these days but I've seen plenty of people do it and it doesn't stand out as much as one would think - especially in the day time. And I agree that dark jeans are more *in* than light ones.

Black is always popular at night, but bold/bright colors and the right style shows more confidence imho.

NYC is so diverse in so many ways, it almost doesn't matter as long as you feel good in what you have on!

Sorry it does matter what you have on. If I have to see one more 45 year-old size 18 tourist who thinks she's Britney wandering around the city in a mini-skirt and tummy-baring top I swear I'm going to get a gun. And their equally large and unkempt hubbies with the rumpled jean shorts, tatty t-shirts and baseball caps are just as bad.

I know tourists want to be comfortable - but if you are not neat, clean, pressed and attired appropriately for you age and size you should be turned away at the airports and bridges/tunnels. this is a world capitol - not the local WalMart - at least try to dress like an adult human person.

This question should be posted over in the Europe forum, shouldn't it?

I don't mean to shock vacationdreamer, but we New Yorkers (male and female) wear white sneakers and light blue jeans. Yeah, and we also wear black!

"..if you are not neat, clean, pressed and attired appropriately for you age and size you should be turned away at the airports and bridges/tunnels".

Hmmmm.
That comment has me stunned.
Isn't NYC still in America?
Did I miss it when Kim Jong Il bought it and moved it to North Korea?

In NYC, if you can't find a way to successfully break all the "rules," you have no style.

rwilliams - sorry if I was a little strong - but these people make me nuts! If they can afford to come to New York they can afford to buy decent appropriate clothing. this is a vain attempt (since I'm sure they're not on this board - but maybe someone they know is and will tell them) to upgrade their attire a little.

I don;t care what they wear at home but when they're here and I have to look at them it's so frustrating - because I don't believe they're trying to break the rules or make a statement (If that's what it is I'm all for it) I believe they just don;t know any better.

I don't wear blue jeans in New York because when I leave my hotel in the morning, I dont usually come back until late at night. If I wear blue jeans, it may keep me from being able to go some restaurants.

Blue jeans just complicate my life.

NYtraveler, I'm really stunned to hear that people in NY have to deal with poorly-dressed tourists. That surely doesn't happen anywhere else. You would never find tourists dressed oddly here in Florida, for instance. And if you did -- why, we'd just send them straight back to NY where they came from!!!

I guess all the frumpy people better spend their money where they are welcome. I am sure NY can afford to turn away badly turned out tourists who are returning to town after getting over the post 9/11 fears.

Tandoori girl -

If people want to wear resort wear - tatty or not - at a resort - which is what you mostly have in Florida - more power to them. I do object when they wear it here. Who ever said New York is a resort? It's a city. Dress like it. And if you think the ones dressed badly are from New York - you need to brush up on your accents.

Mary2Go - the frumpy people are not the problem. I'm not judging frumpy or sophisticated - I'm complaining about inappropriate. A large grown woman dresing like Britney is not frumpy - merely laughable - except for those who have to look at her. And the tatty husbands are not "frumpy" - I'm not objecting to choice of color or fabric or style - I'm objecting to the fact that they're dressed for cleaning out the garage. Surely they must own something that's clean, pressed and covers the appropriate body parts!

harman - if you are still around - I just wanted to say that I went to NYC for the first time a couple weeks ago and I saw plenty of people in jeans. I did not go to any fancy restaurants and was not in the city in the evenning, so I don't know what people wear out at night or anything, but there were plenty of people on the street in jeans during the day.

Sorry, hit post by accident.

I just wanted to add that I wore a pair of dark blue jeans, dark blue sketchers, a tan ribbed knit tee, and a black leather jacket. I did not feel out of place at all. There were people dressed nicer than I was and people dressed more casual. Whatever you wear, I recommend comfortable shoes for walking. I did a lot of walking that day.

Oh, wait, you guys ARE talking about the New York City in the USA! Before, I thought that y'all must be talking about some NYC in Europe that I never heard of before. You know, one of those places about which the American fashion police/snobs rant about American tourists in blue jeans, white sneakers, and fanny packs.

I'll be in NYC in May. Tomorrow, I'll head over to Wal-Mart and pick up some black jeans, black socks, and black sneakers. And a black "I <heart> NY" t-shirt. Just in case, I will get some black shorts to wear with the black sneakers + socks + t-shirt in case it is a hot day.

VacationDreamer is totally correct with what is in. It is dark blue and it is desginer jeans. Blue with some brown in it is also very with-it. Black jeans are not in style this year.
And shoes... well, they say it all.

nytraveler, Try to see the humor in those slobs, they are everywhere and make for great people watching. I live in Southern California and there is nothing like a day at Disneyland for a few good laughs.

I think we should all go over to the post today by the poor guy who wants to know what to wear on his dogsled trip, and tell him what he really needs to know. So what if he just asked whether he needs a heavy coat or not, let's give him what he so obviously needs, how not to be a slob on a dogsled trip (should he wear $100 slides or a designer jacket while dogsledding? should he wear white to blend in or black to stand out?) All that harman asked was "jeans or black"-that was the extent of the question, but it's been used to launch a full-fledged fashion extravaganza.
BTW Mrwunrfl, those Walmart bags make great rain bonnets when those unexpected spring showers hit in NY. I'm going to NY in May too and I've got mine packed already.

For anyone who doesn't believe that white sneakers are not "in," I offer the following.

My husband and I were recently out for dinner in a Chicago suburb. I have long since given up on trying to influence his style -- he's a grown man and only resents it when I tell him what he should or shouldn't wear. Therefore, he was , indeed, wearing white sneakers.

As we crossed an intersection to enter the restaurant, I noticed two younger men coming from the other direction glance at his shoes and snicker to each other. I could have told him before we left the house that white sneaks aren't in, but it wouldn't have done any good. (I've decided to keep him around anyway.)

Welcome home, emd, and thanks for the tip. I will take a couple of extra bags and use them to protect my new black tennis shoes from the puddles up there in the big city.

I actually had a couple of fashion awareness moments recently. First was on a flight to Frankfurt and I saw a woman in a jogging suit and thought that was inappropriate. The second was at the Red Carpet Club at LAX on Super Sunday where there was a woman in a jogging suit. That was also inappropriate, I thought. Of course, both times I was wearing blue jeans. Sort of a fashion food chain!

No matter where you go ..NY, Palm Beach, Chicago, Aspen, LA,or Small Town USA, there will always be people dressed odd, weird, tacky, etc.Some know better ....some dont.Frankly, I rarely have time to judge them either way..Im just glad people make the effort to get out and see the world.Live and learn.

This is so funny, NYC has finally gotten on equal footing with Paris !
No one knows what to wear there either~

Do what I do when I travel :
pack everything you have that you like, that way you will have something for every occassion, every weather moment and then instead of people picking on you for wearing the wrong thing, they will pick on you for Not Packing Light!!
Have a great time in NYC..no matter what you wear, you will be fine.

White sneakers are definitely "in", along with white suits, teal and pink T-shirts, and Members Only jackets. I'm Hungry Like the Wolf...

When I go on a trip, I usually walk 8-10 miles a day. I wear my most comfortable shoes, and if thoses happen to be white, so be it. I usually wear what ever I usually wear at home on a casual day out. If I'm going to a nice place, I dress up a little. I find it hard to believe that on the street with a hundred or so people that anyone is paying much attention to me. Anyone who wants to judge my fashion sense needs to get a life.

Thanks, teriw, for putting life in a proper perspective!

ROFL. I have lived in NY city all my life. This is hysterical. And if you saw how I walked out of my apartment on Sunday you would have just died laughing.

The one thing I love about NY over living in the burbs is that people here are not afraid to be individuals and march to their own drum. In the burbs the women all wear the same clothes, drive the same cars, get their hair done the same way, and even wear the same color nail polish. And their kids are even bigger sheep with their never ending list of 'wants'. It can't be a $40 down jacket, it has to be North Face for $80, like every other kid in the class. Sick.

So come to NY--with pink hair, sandals with black knee socks, rhinestone belts, and white leather handbags with fringe. Just be neat, clean, and don't block the sidewalk taking photos.

Just wear black jeans and fuh get about it!

Well, thank goodness someone FINALLY got it right, bugswife1. I doubt I could have said it better. The only thing I'd change is the neat and clean portion. The college youth in NYC (at least one million) are very European these days. They know that too much bathing will cause dry skin and too clean hair looks suburban. God forbid your clothing is too "neat." You'll be ostracized before you get a chance to say hello. So, come scruffy, ragged, dirty and greasy it doesn't matter, just have a good time.

bugswife, thanks for finally putting things in perspective!!

I live in Brooklyn, and even though I have plenty of women in my neighborhood around my age that are slaves to the fashion world, I refuse to be. I wear light blue jeans on occasion, and I'm currently wearing white sneakers!! I couldn't care less what's in style because I refuse to spend $125 on a pair of jeans that I won't be able to wear next month because it will be out of style by then!!

As for sneakers, I wear mine because I have screwed up knees, therefore I can't wear heels for long periods of time anymore, and I'm not fond of black sneakers.

Plenty of people wear jeans in NYC, regardless of what color jeans they are. We are also wear plenty of black, but with spring season, there's plenty of white and pastels as well. Plus with the weather still in the 50's, jeans are fine.

Besides, when you are in NYC, you could be here dressed to the last second in fashion, but you will still be pegged as a tourist anyway the minute we spot you taking pictures of the Empire State Building, or riding the tour bus, or asking people where a good place to eat is around here! ;-)