David

[email protected] (Miguel Cruz) wrote in message news:...
    > KeybdWizrd wrote:
    > > I am taking my family to Paris in April, including my wife, son (age 14)
    > > and daughter (age 12). Any advice on how to NOT look like American
    > > tourists? My son should leave his baseball caps at home, right?
    >
    > You are American tourists. It'll be clear

(from a great distance)

as soon as you open your mouths.
    > Anyone you're not talking to isn't in a position to affect your experience
    > anyway. Might as well be comfortable.
    >
    > miguel
Editing by Dave

Hq

On 26 Jan 2003 04:34:40 GMT, [email protected] (KeybdWizrd)
wrote:

    >I am taking my family to Paris in April, including my wife, son (age 14) and
    >daughter (age 12). Any advice on how to NOT look like American tourists? My
    >son should leave his baseball caps at home, right?
    >MW

I'll be in Paris in March and just wonder what's wrong of being
American in Paris?

By the way, I'm not American

hq

Bob Fusillo

Ben Franklin advised his son to make passes at older women. They age from
the face down.
rjf

"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Anonymous wrote:
    > >
    > > When I first went to Europe in 1967, European clothes were quite
    > > distinctive. Today, from Krakow to London the only real difference I
    > > noticed is young women in Eastern Europe seem a little more fashion
consious
    > > than American girls. I was in many small villages in Southern Bohemia
this
    > > year. The only difference in dress from Americans were in the over 70
age
    > > groups.
    > And even that statement assumes the "Americans over 70" were of the sort
    > who refuse to stop dressing like teenagers, even when they have
    > teen-aged grandchildren. (I always keep before me as "horrible example"
    > memories of the 70+ lady in our church, circa 1970, who wore extreme
    > mini-skirts and shoulder-length platinum-blonde hair - she had the
    > figure for it, and looked okay from the rear, but when she turned around
    > and you saw the face!!!!)

Acca

Wear scarves and high heels if you are a woman. Always wear a scarf,
an expensive scarf and carry a non-utilitarian hand bag. And have your
hair "done" and wear makeup. A smart, expensive suit will carry it off
anywhere. Shop in the second-hand stores for some really terrific
bargains on wonderfully tailored and fabulous fabric clothes -- if you
fit French sizes.

Mike Jacoubowsky

    > Well, isn't it obvious? 16C is too cold to wear shorts. Why did you
even
    > do it? I don't think anyone in Europe would seriously consider wearing
    > shorts when it's below 25ish C, and even then not necessarily. 99% of the
    > time, long trousers are the norm. Is there a cultural difference there?

Obviously! It's very common in the US for people who are more physically
active (there must be a better way of saying what I mean?) to be wearing
shorts if the temps are 18c/65f or so. Not everyone, but it's certainly not
something that anyone would regard as unusual.

I have no idea why there would be such a cultural difference, or why, at
some point, not wearing shorts becomes a virtual absolute (whereas in the
US, as it gets cooler, there's no sudden point where you notice everyone's
gone from shorts to trousers & jeans).

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com


"Wolfgang Schwanke" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > "Mike Jacoubowsky" wrote in
    > news:[email protected]:
    > > mildly-cool day out (maybe low 60sF/16C) and I was wearing shorts. I
    > > swear to you it seemed I was the only person in all of Paris wearing
    > > shorts. [snip] I have no idea what this is so, but if it's a bit
    > > on the cool side, don't wear shorts in Paris.
    > Well, isn't it obvious? 16C is too cold to wear shorts. Why did you
even
    > do it? I don't think anyone in Europe would seriously consider wearing
    > shorts when it's below 25ish C, and even then not necessarily. 99% of the
    > time, long trousers are the norm. Is there a cultural difference there?
    > Regards
    > --
    > Push Pull Solutions für die Client Server Umgebung

Steltzjr

This is an amazing thread - starts off with some honest opinions and advice and
ends up in international turmoil.

So, back to your basic question - I agree with the earlier posters - you'll
look like tourists - and probably Americans - no matter what you do. Relax,
dress in clean clothes and don't wear T-shirts with offensive slogans. Baseball
caps seem to be worn everywhere today. If you're going First Class then you'll
have to dress up a little more.

I even wear what some evidently think is the epitome of boorishness - white
walking "sneakers". They're comfortable for the many miles that I walk. But I
wear ones that my toes don't stick out of - and I have never - in some 25 trips
to Europe had anyone point at my feet and say "Look at the ill-bred American".

Jcoulter

"Mike Jacoubowsky" wrote in
news:[email protected]:


    >
    > Obviously! It's very common in the US for people who are more
    > physically active (there must be a better way of saying what I mean?)
    > to be wearing shorts if the temps are 18c/65f or so. Not everyone,
    > but it's certainly not something that anyone would regard as unusual.
    >
The kids at the high school I teach at will wear shorts when it is 40
degrees F. does that mean that they are physically active? No, it means
that they believe that the only authorized clothing in Florida is shorts,
t-shirt and flip flop sandals.

Keybdwizrd

HQ [email protected] wrote:

    >I'll be in Paris in March and just wonder what's wrong of being
    >American in Paris?

There's absolutely nothing "wrong" with being American in Paris or American
anywhere.

MW

David Gascon

David Bennetts wrote:
    >
    > "KeybdWizrd" wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > I am taking my family to Paris in April, including my wife, son (age 14)
    > and
    > > daughter (age 12). Any advice on how to NOT look like American tourists?
    > My
    > > son should leave his baseball caps at home, right?
    > >
    > > MW
    >
    > Don't have a camera hanging around your neck, don't wear Hawaiian shirts,
    > don't be called Hiram or Martha.
    > Don't be loud in speech or the way you dress, learn a few basic French words
    > such as merci and s'il vous plait.
    > Don't ask for the ketchup at a Michelin 3 star restaurant. Eat a plate of
    > escargots and don't call the metro le subway.
    >
    > Regards
    >
    > David Bennetts
    > Australia

O geezus, here we go again.

David Gascon

Wolfgang Schwanke wrote:
    >
    > Anonymous wrote in news:3e32c125$1_2@anonymous:
    >
    > > You will be hard pressed to
    > > go anywhere in Urban Europe where you will be able to distinquish, by
    > > dress, the natives from Americans.
    >
    > I think this is an overstatement. There are overlaps, but there are also
    > more or less subtle differences. The most obvious one that comes to my mind
    > is hairstyles.
    >
    > > When I first went to Europe in 1967, European clothes were quite
    > > distinctive.
    >
    > It has probably worn down, but not completely.
    >

True; one rarely if ever sees people in the USA wearing creased, ironed
jeans.

David Gascon

alain wrote:
(snip)
    > Do not mix the people of America with the policy of Mr Bush, please.
    > Alain


Thank you! Many of us despise his policies even more than you do.

David Gascon

Bob Fusillo wrote:
    >
    > I lived in Europe for eight years, mostly in England. By the end of the
    > period my clothes, haircut etc were all British made, with a touch of odds
    > and ends picked up on the Continent. But people knew at fifty meters that I
    > was an American. (Until I talked -- then some thought me Irish.)
    > I spend much time in Venice, and find that even from behind, when I am
    > sitting still and not talking, people address me in English.
    > It is more than clothes.
    > rjf

Are you perchance overweight? {;-)

John Bermont

Miguel Cruz wrote:
    >
    > John Bermont wrote:
    > > My page http://www.enjoy-europe.com/hte/chap05/clothes.htm has the info
    > > you are looking for. Others on this forum have criticized it but I just
    > > came back from Amsterdam, The Hague, and Brussels and I assure you it is
    > > valid. Dress sharp and pack light.
    >
    > For many years my personal preference was a pair of black slip-on shoes,
    > wool/polyester blend slacks, turtleneck shirt, and sport coat. This
    > ensemble will get you through almost any door in Europe with reasonable
    > respect, keep you comfortable under most weather conditions, and allow
    > you to blend in without being instantly identified as "the American." A
    > shirt and tie for men would be more acceptable than the turtleneck in
    > some establishments, but are not necessary except in business offices.
    > [...]
    > Levis and other brands of denim jeans became fashionable in Europe in the
    > 1990's. Levis are now accepted in many cafes and restaurants during the
    > day. However, regular slacks are much more acceptable as street wear in
    > major cities throughout Europe.
    >
    > Perhaps you should temper this advice with an age range as well. For
    > 50-and-up, maybe it's correct. Below that, jeans are the number one choice.
    > I, too, have just returned from Amsterdam - I wouldn't have dreamed of
    > standing out from the crowd with a sport coat and wool slacks.
    >
    > I could just as easily write a treatise about dressing for Washington DC
    > that implored visitors to wear double-breasted suits and have shoeshines
    > each day... sure, if I hung around the right places I'd find that. But the
    > average Joe on the street is wearing dockers if it's lunchtime or jeans if
    > he's had a chance to go home and change after work.
    >
    > miguel
    > --
    > Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu
    > Latest addition: 80 photos from Guatemala

Miguel,

Because the clothing thing is a frequent and controversial topic on this
forum and others I stood and examined the clothes in the Amsterdam train
station for about 15 minutes one afternoon a couple of weeks ago. Yes,
denim is worn by some but that is the minority, about 15%. And about 25%
of the jeans people wear tennis shoes. Black slacks for men and women is
the norm, young and old. I don't think there was one woman wearing
jeans. Young women sported high back boots, slacks, and long coats as a
rule.

As for "after work" you are partially on the mark. Right after work the
crowd in most cafes comes in from the office still wearing their
business clothes. Later in the evening and on weekends people tend to
dress down when going to their cafe for a beer. But it's OK to dress
well at any time. Why not? Or, maybe we go to different cafes?

John
--
------------------------------------------------------
* * * Mastering Independent Budget Travel * * *
http://www.enjoy-europe.com/
------------------------------------------------------

Terry Richards

Wolfgang Schwanke wrote:
    >
    > "Mike Jacoubowsky" wrote in
    > news:[email protected]:
    >
    > Well, isn't it obvious? 16C is too cold to wear shorts. Why did you even
    > do it? I don't think anyone in Europe would seriously consider wearing
    > shorts when it's below 25ish C, and even then not necessarily. 99% of the
    > time, long trousers are the norm. Is there a cultural difference there?
    >

It may be a cultural difference. When I was growing up in England we had
to wear school uniforms. These included short trousers until we got to
high school (age 11). Thus, long trousers were "grown up" and shorts
were for children. I haven't owned a pair since then.

I have no idea if this particular brand of humiliation is still used on
children or if the rest of Europe was the same.

Terry.

Susan Wachob

And by many Americans as well!

Susan


    > Although GW and his politics are held in wide contempt and ridicule by
    > substantial proportions of the population of Europe,