Wearing Jeans In Europe (just got back)

[justhavingfun]

Hello , I just returned from Europe on the Grand Princess Transatlantic. I had read all the post about not wearing jeans or sneakers in Europe. I am here to tell you , all of that is wrong. Wear your blue jeans and your sneakers yes even white ones. In spain (Barcelona) I went to the bank to exchange money and the tellers and even the VP was wearing jeans Unbeliveable i thought. Spent 4 Days in Barcelona The local people was wearing jeans and sneakers just like we do over here, Visited 2 schools there kids just like our kids do in school about 80% wearing jeans. Local people walking , shopping, and just hanging out they all wear jeans , just like we do in America. I am a 47 year old male and I read all the post how you will stand out wearing jeans and sneakers so I took none . wanting to respect there culture. Boy That was Wrong. Wear your jeans and enjoy Europe

[QueenofScreen]

what a relief... my jeans have a bit of spandex in them!! whoo hoo:D

[PTC]

Honestly, I laugh everytime I read one of those posts by some "fashion" expert here on the board who says you shouldn't wear jeans in europe and the "white" sneakers. I wonder sometimes how many of the "experts" have actually lived or traveled in europe in the last century.

 

PTC

[Hlitner]

I posted a message back in May where I said that the latest fashion in Italy and most of Europe is jeans. In fact, my wife was a bit disappointed in Rome when she discovered that many of the Italians have traded in their fashionable clothes for jeans. Well, i got flamed by some who said they did not want to "stand out" as tourists and would never wear jeans. Wow! I have seen many fellow Americans who try to dress properly (which is never proper) and than act like ugly Americans by speaking loudly, acting rude, etc. And of course the quickest way to appear like a tourist is to travel in groups with tour guides. By the way, when we were in Capri this past May we noticed a pair of ripped jeans for sale in a boutique for 600 Euros.

 

Hank

[WELSH WIZARDS]

I have just read this thread with total amazement. !! Do Americans really believe that we dress any differently to them ?. I have worn jeans since my teens, and I am 61. Some of the older people in Europe, especially in the more under developed countries do wear black, but that is dying out and certainly not in the UK. Here everyone wears just what they like, so we have the best and the worse of fashion. !!

[Hlitner]

Welsh, do not be "amazed" because there is a degree of travel ignorance in the hearts of many Americans. It is amazing to see how Americans dress in foreign countries... and while they are trying not to look like tourists they have "American" written all over their clothes. Of course there are also the older British ladies who wear their silly skirts/dresses from the 50s (sorry Welsh Wizards), and the Japanese who do not seem to have a clue (bright colored striped shirts with checkered pants...etc). Have I now offended everyone? And my favorite are the "cool" travelers who wear nice sandles with "socks." Oh heaven forbid. Our favorite activity in Rome is to spend a couple of hours sipping coffee or beer in the Piazza Navona while watching the various tour groups go through the piazza. On our most recent visit there was a young Italian couple at the next table and there were some "knowing smiles" as we all snickered at the "properly" dressed tourists. Of course we are also tourists and probably not dressed any better (jeans, sandals or boat shoes with no socks) but its fun to gawk with wonder.

 

Hank

[WELSH WIZARDS]

Hank. No offence taken . The only way to offend a Welsh person is to tell us we stink at Rugby !! Best bit of a holiday is sitting , watching and then talking about everybody else !!

[CTKath]

Best bit of a holiday is sitting , watching and then talking about everybody else !!

 

I couldn't agree more!

 

Welsh - what part of Wales? My mom was from Cefn Mawr.

[WELSH WIZARDS]

I couldn't agree more!

 

Welsh - what part of Wales? My mom was from Cefn Mawr.

Dora Da , KATH. That's "Good day" in Welsh. One of the 3 or 4 words of Welsh I speak. We live in Mid Glamorgan, South Wales. Its wonderful. ! I'm 30 mins from wonderful mountains . 30mins. from beautiful beaches, and 30 mins. from one of the best cities in the U.K. We have more castles per acre than anywhere in the world, and I call it Gods Little Acre. I don't know where Cefn Mawr is , but I will look it up and get back to you. I just wanted to reply quickly. Is your Mum still with you ? If she is you now know what to tell her from me..... Yes Dora Da !! :D

[WELSH WIZARDS]

I couldn't agree more!

 

Welsh - what part of Wales? My mom was from Cefn Mawr.

DoraDa , KATH. That's "Good day" in Welsh. One of the 3 or 4 words of Welsh I speak. We live in Mid Glamorgan, South Wales. Its wonderful. ! I'm 30 mins from wonderful mountains . 30mins. from beautiful beaches, and 30 mins. from one of the best cities in the U.K. We have more castles per acre than anywhere in the world, and I call it Gods Little Acre. I don't know where Cefn Mawr is , but I will look it up and get back to you. I just wanted to reply quickly. Is your Mum still with you ? If she is you now know what to tell her from me..... Yes Dora Da !! :D

[WELSH WIZARDS]

So good I did it twice !!! Sorry, sorry .... :o

[grannynurse]

We wore jeans all over Europe on both transatlantics 2003 and 2004 and will again next October. Where on earth did you read that we shouldn't wear them? My goodness, the fashion police are at it again.

GN

[laughoutloud]

http://www.danvebber.com/museum/artifacts/americans.jpg

 

If you are traveling to France, here are a few tips to help you be more respectful of the culture.

• Speak quietly. It doesn’t matter if you’re on the metro, at a café, or in a park, you should lower your voice at least a notch from the American standard volume. Conversations should be kept between those taking part in the discussion.
  
• When in doubt, dress up. American dress is generally much more casually than the French counterpart. Items to contemplate carefully before wearing include sweatshirts and sweatpants, t-shirts, shorts, flip-flops, or any clothing that looks like it was designed for the gym.
  
• Bonjour. This little word is of great importance. When entering a store or beginning any kind of interaction, open with, “Bonjour, madame,” or “Bonjour, monsieur.” Other key words to learn are merci and pardon.
  
• It won’t take long to notice that personal space is viewed differently in France, especially if you take public transportation. As previously mentioned, do keep your voice down, but also be aware of your eye contact. French people refrain from making eye contact with strangers. For women, be especially careful not smile at strangers as this can be considered a come-on.

With these in mind, you should be able to blend in a bit, without wearing a beret or carrying a baguette under your arm.

[/indent]

[PTC]

http://www.danvebber.com/museum/artifacts/americans.jpg

 

If you are traveling to France, here are a few tips to help you be more respectful of the culture.

• Speak quietly. It doesn’t matter if you’re on the metro, at a café, or in a park, you should lower your voice at least a notch from the American standard volume. Conversations should be kept between those taking part in the discussion.
  
• When in doubt, dress up. American dress is generally much more casually than the French counterpart. Items to contemplate carefully before wearing include sweatshirts and sweatpants, t-shirts, shorts, flip-flops, or any clothing that looks like it was designed for the gym.
  
• Bonjour. This little word is of great importance. When entering a store or beginning any kind of interaction, open with, “Bonjour, madame,” or “Bonjour, monsieur.” Other key words to learn are merci and pardon.
  
• It won’t take long to notice that personal space is viewed differently in France, especially if you take public transportation. As previously mentioned, do keep your voice down, but also be aware of your eye contact. French people refrain from making eye contact with strangers. For women, be especially careful not smile at strangers as this can be considered a come-on.

With these in mind, you should be able to blend in a bit, without wearing a beret or carrying a baguette under your arm.

[/indent]

 

Don't mean to argue but your points are not on point.

Many french citizens do speak loud as do many europeans and love to talk with people they don't know and be part of the conversation, they do have eye contact with you without it meaning they want to take you to bed and if you say hello in french or english or italian or german or dutch, etc they will not perceive you as ill mannered. Just treat them with courtesy and respect and that goes a long way with anyone in any country.

No one needs to "blend in". You are who you are and pretending to be something else is more entertaining to the locals.

 

PTC

[NAS-KARR]

Next time don't believe everything u read........especially if it sounds POLITICALLY CORRECT...........

CIAO,

[Karamel2373]

I, too, read the posts about NOT wearing jeans in Europe and let me tell you how wrong they are! We were in Spain, France and Italy at the end of October and Europeans of all ages wear jeans. So bring your jeans and enjoy Europe without worrying about if you'll stand out!

[CruisinGerman]

Dear friends:

 

From a European perspective, of course you can wear jeans in Europe. As far as the white tennis shoes are concerned, if they look like they belong in a gym, then they probably should be left there. The tennis shoes or sneakers you will find on the streets in major cities here are more of the urban design type, and not the basic white ones which obviously look like they are for the gym. Of course, you will see those on the streets as well, but not as many.

 

I will now come to the part of my post where I will be blasted. So be it, and please remember these are generalizations and stereotypes and not a description of all Americans. That is, I think there are two differences to be kept in mind:

 

1. While naturally the world is more or less the same nowadays and, of course you will find jeans all over Europe, I do think that the interpretation of this extremely casual mode of dress is different between the United States and Europe, the difference being not what you are wearing, but how you are wearing it. That is, in the United States, the word "casual" is taken to such an extreme extent that if you walk around many supermarkets, shopping malls, and other public places, you find people dressed so casually (jeans, sweatsuits, etc.) that sometimes they look like they are inside of a gym or even in their pajamas at home. I do not criticize as to whether this is bad or good, but that is how casual has oftentimes come to be interpreted in the United States.

 

Here in Europe (I live between Paris and Barcelona), you will of course find people wearing jeans, t-shirts, "sneakers", etc., although I believe the difference tends to lie in how they wear these items, because casual is not taken to the far extreme as it is in the United States.

 

2. The second item relates to about how American tourists are often worried about standing out. Dear friends, you do not stand out because of the clothes you wear, you stand out because of the things you say, how you say them, and how you conduct yourself. Very recently here in Barcelona, I have witnessed the following:

 

An American shouting at a shopkeeper: "How much is that in REAL money?"

 

An American yelling at a Spaniard smoking in a place where smoking is permitted in Spain, just because smoking is not permitted in the same place in the U.S.

 

An American screaming at a restaurant manager outside of the restaurant at 7 p.m. because the manager politely explained that the restaurant didn't open until 9:30 p.m., with the American screaming that the restaurant should be open earlier to accommodate American tourists because every country in the world despearately needs U.S. dollars.

 

An American trying to barter with a department manager at El Corte Inglés department store in Plaza Cataluña offering about half of what was printed on the price tag screaming that it would cost no more than that at Walmart back home.

 

An American screaming at a shopkeeper in a small clothing store because the store would only accept payment by credit card or in euros, and would not accept U.S. dollars in cash, with the American screaming that the U.S. dollar was the only real currency in the world.

 

The list goes on, but I think you get the picture. Dear friends, it is not what you wear, but rather how you wear it and, most importantly, how you act which is what makes you stand out as American tourists.

 

In any case, you should not be ashamed of standing out for who you are, since you are obviously foreigners. But you should also try to stand out in a polite, admirable way, and not in the same manner of the ugly stereotypes some of you have acquired, rightly or wrongly.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

[laughoutloud]

Bravo!!

 

;)

[aprildream]

That is so sad. I will do my best to put Americans in a better light on my trip next year. I'm kind of shy so I don't yell much anyway. However there are boorish people all over the world, not only America. I do hope that in your observations you have seen many neatly dressed, polite Americans too. Have a nice day.:D

[Normandie-BCN]

CruisinGerman, after reading your interesting posts here, I tried to send you a private mail but you have no private mail in this forum.

 

I would like to meet you in Barcelona, where I live, together with soms other members of this forum... who live in Barcelona or their therabouts.

 

In case yo so desire, please send me a private mail.

 

Alberto "Normandie-BCN"

[edinburgher]

Without getting flamed, I would like to point out that some of the past CC posts on the subject have advised people NOT to wear jeans in southern Europe at the height of summer because the extremely high temperatures mean that those wearing jeans suffer and lightweight and loose fitting clothing is advised as an alternative......dress as the locals do.

 

In autumn and heading into winter when temperatures are considerably lower, of course many locals will wear jeans.

[PTC]

Dear friends:

 

I will now come to the part of my post where I will be blasted. So be it, and please remember these are generalizations and stereotypes and not a description of all Americans. That is, I think there are two differences to be kept in mind:

 

 

Here in Europe (I live between Paris and Barcelona), you will of course find people wearing jeans, t-shirts, "sneakers", etc., although I believe the difference tends to lie in how they wear these items, because casual is not taken to the far extreme as it is in the United States.

 

2. The second item relates to about how American tourists are often worried about standing out. Dear friends, you do not stand out because of the clothes you wear, you stand out because of the things you say, how you say them, and how you conduct yourself. Very recently here in Barcelona, I have witnessed the following:

 

An American shouting at a shopkeeper: "How much is that in REAL money?"

 

An American yelling at a Spaniard smoking in a place where smoking is permitted in Spain, just because smoking is not permitted in the same place in the U.S.

 

An American screaming at a restaurant manager outside of the restaurant at 7 p.m. because the manager politely explained that the restaurant didn't open until 9:30 p.m., with the American screaming that the restaurant should be open earlier to accommodate American tourists because every country in the world despearately needs U.S. dollars.

 

An American trying to barter with a department manager at El Corte Inglés department store in Plaza Cataluña offering about half of what was printed on the price tag screaming that it would cost no more than that at Walmart back home.

 

An American screaming at a shopkeeper in a small clothing store because the store would only accept payment by credit card or in euros, and would not accept U.S. dollars in cash, with the American screaming that the U.S. dollar was the only real currency in the world.

 

The list goes on, but I think you get the picture. Dear friends, it is not what you wear, but rather how you wear it and, most importantly, how you act which is what makes you stand out as American tourists.

 

In any case, you should not be ashamed of standing out for who you are, since you are obviously foreigners. But you should also try to stand out in a polite, admirable way, and not in the same manner of the ugly stereotypes some of you have acquired, rightly or wrongly.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

 

Hope this doesn't sound like a flame but just using the word "American" encompasses several countries in the true meaning of the word. Technical point but true.

As I've stated before, treat anyone with courtesy and respect no matter what country you are from (that includes germany as well my friend) and it goes a long way with the local.

Dress in jeans, white sneakers or whatever. No one will stare, no one will tell you to leave and no one will take a second glance at you.

 

Gunther and Uta: I'm a bit skeptical on some of your observations and leave it at that.:cool:

 

PTC

[camNaud]

I have just read this thread with total amazement. !! Do Americans really believe that we dress any differently to them ?.

 

On our Caribbean cruise earlier this year we were asked - 'Do you guys eat the same sort of food in Scotland as we do back home?'

 

Our reply was along the lines of 'No - it's a hard life having to go out and club a Brotosaurus to death every 2 weeks. By the way what are these metallic things on the table for.....?

 

I think lady who asked the question was rather emabarrased after that reply - but she actually turned out to be very nice - and by the end of the meal she began to enjoy my Scottish humour.

 

By the end of the cruise she even asked me for my Teradactyl Haggis receipe. :p

[elin]

Hope this doesn't sound like a flame but just using the word "American" encompasses several countries in the true meaning of the word. Technical point but true.

As I've stated before, treat anyone with courtesy and respect no matter what country you are from (that includes germany as well my friend) and it goes a long way with the local.

Dress in jeans, white sneakers or whatever. No one will stare, no one will tell you to leave and no one will take a second glance at you.

 

Gunther and Uta: I'm a bit skeptical on some of your observations and leave it at that.:cool:

 

PTC

 

Not sure why you are skeptical PTC.

I live in Canada, your neighbour to the north. I put myself through University waitressing. On the whole, most of the tourists from the South were quite nice, however, I still can't understand the obsession with US dollars and the attitude that every country not only has to accept them, but should change back in US.

A common comment, was "do you take dollars"? Now, living in Canada, yes, we do take Canadian dollars. We did take US and offer and exchange rate for it (not a favourable rate, like what you would get at a bank), but you would get your change back in Canadian currency. The number of people who would get so upset, that they were not getting US back, was staggering. (We would also always suggest that people pay by credit card as they would get a more favourable rate.)

The other popular comment, when tourists did have Canadian money on them was "could we take this funny money". As we deal with Canadian currency all day and every day, I could never understand what was "funny" about our money.

I'm sure that I will be flamed for this, but please, dear Americans, lighten up with the currency obsession. I doubt that there would any tolerance of Europeans travelling in the US wanting to pay for everything with Euros.

Elin

[viaggiatrice]

being an "American" who does quite a bit of traveling I can say I have seen many situations as described above (unfortunately) A very funny but sad one was in Venice and the very surprised people at the ATM when they recieved Euros and not American Dollars

 

My husband and I often get a good laugh at our fellow countymen. I am sure I have done things perceived as rude, it is hard to know all the intricasies of every culture but I have learned that learning at least 5 phrases in each language make all the difference--

Good Morning/Evening

Please

Thank You

I'm sorry

We would like a glass of wine/beer!!!