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A question for Europeans and Asians
- Thread starter iMacZealot
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L
Lau
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I think it's one of those things that you can just tell. There's times I've looked at people my age wandering around and thought – I bet they're Northern European, or they're definitely from the US. And they were. There's just subtle ways people wear things that mean you can tell, and there is an element of wearing clothes/shoes/bags that you haven't seen for sale in your country. Like hoardes of french schoolkids with those giant garish Invicta rucksacks. 
Having said that, I'm sure there's plenty of people that you don't realise are tourists because they do fit in well, and so you never know that they are. You always notice stereotypes more.
One thing that springs to mind is that a lot of Americans do is wear sporty/performance clothing casually – like hiking waterproof type jackets or cargo shorts, or running-type sneakers for walking around in. There's a bit more of a trend in mainland Europe for wearing, say, a second-hand cord jacket or certainly a non waterproof/performancey type one.
I think the UK is kind of in-between mainland Europe and the US in terms of that kind of trend, so both ends of that spectrum stand out a bit. People here do still wear sporty stuff, so I don't know why some people stand out as being American and some don't. Maybe the brands? Maybe it's more sportswear overall? Maybe they just look cleaner?
I think the only way to tell is for you to post a picture of you in the kind of clothes you would wear and we can tell you if you look like a tourist or not.
Having said that, I'm sure there's plenty of people that you don't realise are tourists because they do fit in well, and so you never know that they are. You always notice stereotypes more.
One thing that springs to mind is that a lot of Americans do is wear sporty/performance clothing casually – like hiking waterproof type jackets or cargo shorts, or running-type sneakers for walking around in. There's a bit more of a trend in mainland Europe for wearing, say, a second-hand cord jacket or certainly a non waterproof/performancey type one.
I think the UK is kind of in-between mainland Europe and the US in terms of that kind of trend, so both ends of that spectrum stand out a bit. People here do still wear sporty stuff, so I don't know why some people stand out as being American and some don't. Maybe the brands? Maybe it's more sportswear overall? Maybe they just look cleaner?
I think the only way to tell is for you to post a picture of you in the kind of clothes you would wear and we can tell you if you look like a tourist or not.
I think it's one of those things that you can just tell. There's times I've looked at people my age wandering around and thought I bet they're Northern European, or they're definitely from the US. And they were. There's just subtle ways people wear things that mean you can tell, and there is an element of wearing clothes/shoes/bags that you haven't seen for sale in your country. Like hoardes of french schoolkids with those giant garish Invicta rucksacks.
Having said that, I'm sure there's plenty of people that you don't realise are tourists because they do fit in well, and so you never know that they are. You always notice stereotypes more.
One thing that springs to mind is that a lot of Americans do is wear sporty/performance clothing casually like hiking waterproof type jackets or cargo shorts, or running-type sneakers for walking around in. There's a bit more of a trend in mainland Europe for wearing, say, a second-hand cord jacket or certainly a non waterproof/performancey type one.
I think the UK is kind of in-between mainland Europe and the US in terms of that kind of trend, so both ends of that spectrum stand out a bit. People here do still wear sporty stuff, so I don't know why some people stand out as being American and some don't. Maybe the brands? Maybe it's more sportswear overall? Maybe they just look cleaner?
I think the only way to tell is for you to post a picture of you in the kind of clothes you would wear and we can tell you if you look like a tourist or not.
Hmm...I don't really have any good recent photos that show my wardrobe accurately and something I want on here, but I'll describe what I wore almost everyday for the last summer:
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>As for jeans, I usually wear dark skinny jeans or light painter's jeans.
I usually wear Urban Outfitters or American Eagle. I'll occasionally wear something from Gap or Abercrombie as well.
As well as some of the above, checked or plaid shirts... or checked or plaid trousers.
But yeah, anything too preppy is an almost instant giveaway.
Leave it at home.
But yeah, anything too preppy is an almost instant giveaway.
Leave it at home.
Yes, all Americans are in shape. Unfortunately, it's an unpleasant shape.
Well for one thing, Europeans wear clothes that fit.
Also, whether they're back home or travelling abroad, always wear tan/khaki coloured shorts with lots of pockets on the legs.....
>Dark cargo shorts that fall just a little below the knee with a canvas belt. I don't wear my pants really low like most people.
.....like these, for instance.
So incredibly American. I know how Americans dress because Canadians don't dress much differently.
I guess I dress slightly differently because I've travelled a fair bit and have lived in other countries.Americans
I have to agree with this for older Americans. Also, they usually wear baseball caps badly, which I find strange as they originate from America. Actually, ill-fitting clothes in general. I live/lived/visited quite a few trourist traps; London, Bath, Edinburgh, Oxford, etc. and they all look like that.
However, if they are 20-somethings/students, they usually look rather smart, in an American kind of way. Something out of Gant/A&F catalogs. They are okay, it's usually the older Americans who can be anooying.
No offence to any Americans, I love you guys. On the flip side, I can always spot a European and in particular the English. Depending on which country/area, they're usually the ones you tend to avoid
I have to agree with this for older Americans. Also, they usually wear baseball caps badly, which I find strange as they originate from America. Actually, ill-fitting clothes in general. I live/lived/visited quite a few trourist traps; London, Bath, Edinburgh, Oxford, etc. and they all look like that.
However, if they are 20-somethings/students, they usually look rather smart, in an American kind of way. Something out of Gant/A&F catalogs. They are okay, it's usually the older Americans who can be anooying.
No offence to any Americans, I love you guys. On the flip side, I can always spot a European and in particular the English. Depending on which country/area, they're usually the ones you tend to avoid
I don't like plaid. My sisters tell me that I look so good in it, but I don't really like plaid button-ups, and I don't like those plaid shorts. A lot of guys my age wear them with a polo.
I used to wear tons of preppy Abercrombie unbuttoned button-ups. Now, whenever I wear a button-up, I button it up. I don't wear polos too often anymore, but I now must wear a collared shirt for school, which is a shame because this summer I've gotten so used to just putting on a t.
My color scheme used to be very bright, but I've now gone to earthy tones: brown, cream, purple, white, etc.
Leave it at home.
What's wrong with my Union Jack shirt?
I suppose it would be a dead giveaway. I only sampled it in there because I found it on the Urban Outfitters website and I wore it today.
L
Lau
Guest
Yeah, I suppose you wouldn't see that many people wearing that kind of stuff as they're American brands, and that preppy look is very American.
And listen to the teh BV.
Having said that, though, if you like the way you look in those clothes, and they make you feel good, I wouldn't worry about it too much. If you look street smart (ie don't brandish maps, cameras or bundles of cash) there isn't a safety issue, and if you speak to anyone they're going to know you're American anyway. Nowt wrong with a young American guy travelling around, is there? (Assuming you're polite and nice and open to new experiences.) Just relax and enjoy yourself.
Edit: That last bit sounded really pervy. I didn't mean it to.
And listen to the teh BV.
Having said that, though, if you like the way you look in those clothes, and they make you feel good, I wouldn't worry about it too much. If you look street smart (ie don't brandish maps, cameras or bundles of cash) there isn't a safety issue, and if you speak to anyone they're going to know you're American anyway. Nowt wrong with a young American guy travelling around, is there? (Assuming you're polite and nice and open to new experiences.) Just relax and enjoy yourself.
Edit: That last bit sounded really pervy. I didn't mean it to.
What's wrong with my Union Jack shirt?
As we're not an insanely patriotic country, it's a dead give away of a foreigner trying to look local.
What's wrong with my Union Jack shirt?
In the US, what kind of people wear a big, clear and plain Stars and Stripes on their Tshirts?
obesity is an issue in the states. but i think the worked out americans usually have larger body frames while the asians/europeans tend to have smaller muscles and smaller frames.
guilty
another easy sign are baseball caps
around here nearly nobody older than perhaps 30-35 wears them especially not women
if you see a group of 4 people all with baseball caps and aged older than 40 it's a dead give away
and i have to second choice of shoes: wearing normal clothes combined with white running shoes (white shoes aren't that popular for normal street clothes except the hip hop crowd)
younger people are normally more difficult but another local signal are (a lot americans are coming here for summer school or whatever that is)hicking shoes .. because "innsbruck is in the alps -> i need big shoes"
edit: about short kahki cargo pants: they aren't a problem if you are young... after all i'm 24 and i also wear shorts with cargo pockets since years... actually i'm doing it right now (i also have grey and black ones) but i guess it depends with what you combine it with
_high_ basketball shoes for example (in white to top it off) wouldn't be the best choice
around here nearly nobody older than perhaps 30-35 wears them especially not women
if you see a group of 4 people all with baseball caps and aged older than 40 it's a dead give away
and i have to second choice of shoes: wearing normal clothes combined with white running shoes (white shoes aren't that popular for normal street clothes except the hip hop crowd)
younger people are normally more difficult but another local signal are (a lot americans are coming here for summer school or whatever that is)hicking shoes .. because "innsbruck is in the alps -> i need big shoes"
edit: about short kahki cargo pants: they aren't a problem if you are young... after all i'm 24 and i also wear shorts with cargo pockets since years... actually i'm doing it right now (i also have grey and black ones) but i guess it depends with what you combine it with
_high_ basketball shoes for example (in white to top it off
) wouldn't be the best choice
I cannot stand the white puffy gangsta tennis shoes at all! I wear flip flops 9 months out of the year (in a place that snows a lot too), but regular shoes are usually dark brown Puma's or Converse.
I'm getting tired of wearing everything everybody else wears. Every guy my age either sports a preppy polo with plaid shorts hung below their crotch or white or black t's that are so large they could be classified as dresses.
I'm getting tired of wearing everything everybody else wears. Every guy my age either sports a preppy polo with plaid shorts hung below their crotch or white or black t's that are so large they could be classified as dresses.
My favorite are the americans that will travel to europe to experience the culture then eat at mcdonalds and tgi fridays the entire time they are there.
(Englishman in the US craving a chippy and a greggs)
(Englishman in the US craving a chippy and a greggs)
It really is something you can just tell, during a visit to Blackpool Tower a bunch of people caught my eye. There was something different about them. They were all slightly overweight, but it wasn't that as such. It was the specific shape of them.
Then they started speaking and it gave them away.
I think faces give it away too.
and
are 2 perfect examples of an American face.
easily distinguishable from folk like-
(anyone else get me?)
Then they started speaking and it gave them away.
I think faces give it away too.
and
are 2 perfect examples of an American face.
easily distinguishable from folk like-
(anyone else get me?)
edit: about short kahki cargo pants: they aren't a problem if you are young... after all i'm 24 and i also wear shorts with cargo pockets since years... actually i'm doing it right now (i also have grey and black ones) but i guess it depends with what you combine it with
_high_ basketball shoes for example (in white to top it off
I don't think I've ever seen what you just described anywhere in America, either. That just sounds ugly!
American/English
I think Matt Damon looks like a classic good-looking American: preppy, defined, not overly muscular jock. When it comes to the English, there seems to be a more "natural look" instead of the "perfect look" about them. Of course, this is in movies. In real life you get all sorts and it depends on mannerisms and clothes mainly for me to spot the difference
I think Matt Damon looks like a classic good-looking American: preppy, defined, not overly muscular jock. When it comes to the English, there seems to be a more "natural look" instead of the "perfect look" about them. Of course, this is in movies. In real life you get all sorts and it depends on mannerisms and clothes mainly for me to spot the difference
Not sure I agree with this. Was it last year that all of the high street brands rolled out lines of Union Jack clothing? You still see a lot about - I'm thinking of places like Burton, **** and Next. One of those shirts and a pair of jeans, you'd fit right in until you spoke.
Actually - that's another good indicator: don't speak to, or smile at, anyone in the UK. American teeth are a dead-giveaway.
Since some think we're flaming
rolleyes I'll elaborate:Europeans actually do wear hoodies. But they're usually the front zip up type and looser. Not the giant bagggy college hooded sweatshirts that most Americans wear.
Re Polos and such, iMacZealot, you will stick out. There are subtlties to the clothes. First of all, it's not Lacoste or something and yours are probably more loose fitting than the European variations. The shorts, as someone already pointed out at cargo shorts, which means you're definitely American. In Germany, some German boys wear caprees, which I think is a faux pas, but that's me.
When German guys wear shorts, they're not cargo and they'll also wear sneakers (lacoste or pumas) with short socks, not flip flops.
Shirts are also tucked in.
Re: shirts. American shirts look "more" plaid. European patterns are subtler and the colors softer. Compare the American Eagle shirt with the Marc O'Polo model, who's also wearing a sweater over his dress shirt. People here also tend to wear sweaters over dress shirts and even polos.
I think you asked what teens wear. Well kids look like the Lacoste model, at least my students do. They're more dressy than Americans. In general I find that Americans own more clothing, but they're cheaper overall. Here people buy nice clothing, Diesel, Lacoste and whatnot and it's perfectly normal to wear the same thing 2 days in a row or 2 days during the week. Own less but nicer.
[PS, I'm not flaming and stereotyping Americans. I am an American living abroad and speaking from experience! and my favorite stupid American question that I've overheard: Why is the river so brown and dirty? They should clean it..."]
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I would say that just about anybody can spot a foreigner in their own back woods.
Anyhow, I think "I'm German!"
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=LCEPO3-OkDo
Anyhow, I think "I'm German!"
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=LCEPO3-OkDo
I don't get what some people are implying. Are you suggesting that you do everything in your power to "fit in" in hopes that no one will know you are from somewhere else? I don't recall being treated badly because I was an American traveling in Europe. If anything, the people I talked to were glad that there are some people out there willing to travel and broaden their experiences. I think tourists who dress overtly "touristy" are not there to gain experience, but just for the sake of being able to say they were there, but going so far as to hide your teeth is ludicrous.
I think this thread has done a good job in showing that we are all human and hold stereotypical views of everyone who is different
. IMO, more traveling helps in erasing some of our formerly held misconceptions.
Out-of-touch Republicans?
This thread makes me want to travel so bad.
A side story: I was in Canada a while back with some friends, and we were walking down the street in what I thought was normal clothing - nothing obviously American - and some kids driving down the street said something to us negatively about being American. Not sure what it was exactly, but it made me confused. Maybe our style of clothing was obviously American? I guess I didn't think Canadians and Americans dress that different. Any Canadians want to offer their viewpoint?