...Looks dodgy when it's not the English you're sick of, eh?....

I see you lot are brave enough to stick your heads above the parapet for the moment.

People who criticise tops are specifying the extremes.

Violence, at one end and Chav ignorant behaviour, down to the silliness of a whole family wearing them at the other.

Also you need to take into account whether the people are expats or migrants.

If you want to be a migrant, you don't need to generally advertise your nationality of origin on a day to day basis - it will stand by itself - to come out maybe at internationals.

If you want to be an extreme professional expat - that is your choice but I personally don't think it can be beneficial in the long run to anyone other than your ghetto of like-minded people.

I don't wear English or Australian tops, in fact and have no intentions to ever do - although I do have an old Super 12 top - but I see this as a club thing, not a national thing. I do have a very old South African rugby top which I wear once in a blue moon (bit of a story with that one) and in fact it stays in the drawer. But rugby is very international in flavour, bit of a brotherhood (sisterhood).

Personally, I love the variety that migration brings to Australia and I wish people would still hang onto what they identify with...as long as it does not denigrate other people...I prefer to live in a 'multi-grained bread world'..instead of the 'sliced white bread world' I grew up in.....I just wish we could all be more tolerant.

I watched with horror as three of our kids who were not born here, and came with no English, absorbed so quickly the accent and idioms as they learnt English. Their mother and I have been adamant in them attending weekend language school to formalize their abilities with their 'mother tongue'..Why not? ... it gives them a boost with their VCE results.

i agree, you should dress as the locals do............like when i go to spain i blend in a treat with my huge sombrero and straw donkey, people think i'm spanish.
also if i visit France i wear my stripey jumper and beret etc. i draw the line with the onions though!

I agree. I lived in Kent with my Australian ex husband. And you're right, any shirt wearing by him or his mates was certainly never taken badly. If anything people were always interested to find out about Australia (everyone seemed to have a relative or friend who lived there!).

Eeeewwwwww that image..thought it had long gone from my mind

Altogether now

"i have a big sombrero
it is a big sombrero
I only wear it
because the sunshine
gets in my eyes
and I cannot see at all"

"ooh, shuddupa ya face!"

That's a different song, so shuddupa youself!

Cheeky lady!

"what's a matter you?"

(I know its wrong and that I shouldn't and I've got a million other things to be getting on with but . . . I can't help myself)

"Gotta no respect!"

Absolutely

Hi Spartacus, I have joined this forum for the sole purpose of asking you about the Sombrero song. I sing it frequently but have no idea where I learnt it, where it's from or why I know it. And according to the internet, you are the only other person in the world who knows it!!! So, any idea where it came from and why we are the only two people in the world who know it (allegedly!)

You can't be serious!