why do americans dress like tourists?

[lesleyfb]

I come from Scotland and for me its all about comfort and practicality. I know I'll be on my feet for 12 hrs or so sightseeing and want to be able to walk at the end of it. That means trainers, socks, shorts & a t-shirt. I also wear a bum bag because I want to be hands-free for any eventuality. I don't wear this at home because I am at work, food shopping or walking the dog - none of which means I'm on my feet for any great length of time. My husband wears Clarks comfy shoes, jeans & sweat shirt - he's comfortable in that. Besides, I always like to think people are glad you are visiting their country and understand you wouldn't ordinarily be dressed like that.

[yara]

Thanks to greatam ! I live in one of the greater cruiseharbours of Europe and sorry to say: I can spot an american cruise tourist miles away. I could put money on a bet that in 9 of 10 times I could come up to someone and ask "What ship are you on?" (and they would not even think it was a strange question), and get the answer I wantet.

 

Another thing I have wondered about is why, if some locals don't understand what the American asks for, you do just turn up the volume and ask the same again... (And why should it be nessecary to keep the voice at a high volume most of the time)?

[mundaetraversa]

My opinion appears to be unpopular on this thread, but I agree with the OP. This is my personal experience, and others have different experiences. That's okay. However, in various countries I've traveled in, I've met some of the most interesting local people because they didn't realize I was a traveler. I try to research a little about what people in the country I will be visiting might wear (a quick Google search for local clothing stores makes it easy, and interesting to see what they sell in other places) and pack some multi-use pieces that are similar. There are many types of comfortable shoes that are not sneakers. I don't think I even own sneakers, but I can do a ten-hour day in god-knows-what-country :).

 

Last year, I was traveling in Germany for work, and I needed to take a train from the little town where I was staying into Munich to meet up with a colleague. When I got into the station and went to the ticket machine, I realized there were about 25 stations I could request a ticket for - all in Munich! I was standing there, trying to figure out what to do, and a German girl walked up to me and said something to me. I had to apologize and say (in some sad version of Bavarian) that I could not understand her. She happened to speak English very well, and laughed that she had asked if I had change for her five-Euro note. We got to talking, and she helped me buy the correct ticket. She was headed to the city also, and we chatted all the way to Munich. She turned out to be a PhD candidate who had traveled to lots of places I haven't been. She was so interesting! If she had known I was a tourist from the start, I would bet she'd have chosen someone else to ask for change.

 

Anyway, just a story...just one opinion. Happy sails to you all! :)

[paul929207]

Thinking about OP's original question which I think is more why don't Americans try to blend in when traveling in foriegn countries?

 

- I guess the first thing is to dress like the locals. In many places the locals are wearing coats and ties for the men and dresses and high heels for women. We can't get people to dress up for 2 hours for dinner, you think they will dress that way for 6 hours in Paris?

- But lets assume the americans dress like the locals. Now we have to sound like them. First most americans do not speak anything besides English. Speaking English is Spain or Germany or most other countries is a clue that you are not a local.

- Even in English speaking countries, the Americans have a different accent than the locals. Any local knows we are not natives.

- Many of us travel on buses that have the name of the Cruise Line.

 

Seems we will have a difficult time passing for a local

[stowaway2k]

I live in one of the greater cruiseharbours of Europe and sorry to say: I can spot an american cruise tourist miles away.

 

I live in a US city that is a major international tourist destination. Foreign tourists and US tourists alike can be spotted a mile away...

Most of them wouldn't be caught dead looking like the locals :eek: :rolleyes:

 

What difference does it make? A tourist is a tourist.

[sapper1]

The cruise ship passengers are easy to spot in our city but if you asked me how I can tell if someone is not local I could not explain it. I just somehow "know".:confused:

[beach grandma]

We had a passenger on our Canada cruise in May who had 2 rubber tarps, green and blue!, that he wore the entire cruise. They were long and he held them on with a wide belt. Very strange:rolleyes:

[OCruisers]

We dress like Americans because we ARE Americans.

 

Never, would we expect those from other countries to dress differently when they visit the USA!

[Cuizer2]

We had a passenger on our Canada cruise in May who had 2 rubber tarps, green and blue!, that he wore the entire cruise. They were long and he held them on with a wide belt. Very strange:rolleyes:

 

I agree, he should have used a narrow belt.

[Briarbruin]

What a snotty, elitist attitude. I live in Palm Springs, CA, where we get all kinds of international tourists, and I can assure you American tourists are not the only ones who may not dress appropriately.

[mikewrit]

We had a Buddhist monk (native of Las Vegas) on our last cruise. One robe, one pair of shoes. That's light packing! Heavy packing would be loading up enough garb to take a shot at appearing local in every new port. To what end, I wonder.

[jademongoose]

Actually, the worst dressed people in England are Brits - if you ever ride the underground, take a look around

 

How dare you Sir/Madam! - I have a mind to administer a sound verbal fustigation for such a comment! Do you care to step outside?!?

 

Just kidding, but you can always tell an American tourist from half a mile away. Usually the bright, matching day-glo leisure clothing is a dead giveaway, coupled with a stunning lack of any knowledge whatsoever of the country they are visiting, for instance a comment once made to a friend of mine: "Oh, you mean you're from Wales in England"

 

I rest my case.

[Cruisin-Geezer]

Actually, the worst dressed people in England are Brits - if you ever ride the underground, take a look around.

 

Hey NavyBankerTeacher, when did you last ride the London Underground? You'll be lucky to find a Brit - its all foreign tourists and illegal immigrants!

 

But the most stereotypical cruisers I have come across can be pigeon-holed as HAL passengers. Now I wonder why. Its not just the bright white sneakers and windbreakers . . . there are other give aways, but I'm sure I don't need to spell them out.

 

But we love them all - Americans are usually great company on a cruise and if possible we like to sit at table with them in preference to others - even if some do think that Wales is in England, or ask if we personally know the Queen!

[MiamiMom87]

Why are you so concerned with what others are wearing? If YOU don't like white shoes and windbreakers then don't wear them. I don't see that it's any of your business what someone else chooses to wear.

[Heatherpmk]

How dare you Sir/Madam! - I have a mind to administer a sound verbal fustigation for such a comment! Do you care to step outside?!?

 

Just kidding, but you can always tell an American tourist from half a mile away. Usually the bright, matching day-glo leisure clothing is a dead giveaway, coupled with a stunning lack of any knowledge whatsoever of the country they are visiting, for instance a comment once made to a friend of mine: "Oh, you mean you're from Wales in England"

 

I rest my case.

I couldn't agree more!

Respect for the locals and a friendly attitude go a long way.

British-Canadian with many lovely US friends...

[Cruisin-Geezer]

Why are you so concerned with what others are wearing? If YOU don't like white shoes and windbreakers then don't wear them. I don't see that it's any of your business what someone else chooses to wear.

 

Oh dear I hope you were not offended - I was actually supporting you guys in my wry sort of way.

 

Anyway, I notice from a previous post of yours that you and your husband are advocates of Sketchers Shape Ups. Being a little ignorant of footwear (I prefer bare feet!) I had to google this and learned that Sketchers Shape Ups are a fine brand of footwear, majoring on sneakers/trainers. Well good on you MiamiMom87 - I get where you are coming from. Don't concern yourself at what others may say - just keep wearing and enjoying your great footwear, wherever you may be.

[LRGidget]

Considering trendy shoe styles might make for really sore feet:D I might tend to look like a tourist in my less stylish sandals but I hope my husband never shoes up wearing black socks with his sandals!!!!

[suzyed]

I've travelled in the States from coast to coast.

The only folk I met there that weren't dressed as tourists, were Americans.

How strange :rolleyes:

JB :)

LOL!

It almost doesn't even matter how you dresss...I was in Paris years ago and I tried to dress like the French....I even wore a a sassy scarf around my neck....but they knew I was American...no idea how they knew, but people spoke to us in English, so they knew I wasn't French! Darn, and I thought that the red beret I was wearing would really make me look French...LOL!

[suzyed]

yes i do know what a spring jacket is, i have a few. when i purchased these at a clothing store they are always called a JACKET. windbreaker is something i never seen labeled in our clothing stores. must be a southern or western USA thing. i honestly have never seen a piece of clothing labeled as a windbreaker. i guess i am now officially a tourist, because i own and wear both...

I thought everyone knew what a windbreaker is....:confused:

[suzyed]

I kinda like my bright, white sneakers. They make me feel...touristy.

and how else am I going to protect myself when my DH breaks...well...you know...:eek:

[suzyed]

i'm still waiting what part of the USA i can find a clothing store that has windbreaker on the sales label. no one has yet given us a location. where i am i can only find jackets. that's why i couldn't figure out what a windbreaker is.

:confused::confused::confused:

Windbreaker

[Cuizer2]

test

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Did we pass?

[Onessa]

I've found that when I am alone in some European countries (mainly in Italy, France and Greece) - locals address me in German. One gelato salesman in Venice explained that I'm obiviously not Italian (I have red hair and very fair skin) -- I don't dress American (no athletic shoes, no jeans), I don't dress British (I have taste -- HIS words, not mine), and I couldn't be French because I was too nice (AGAIN his words, not mine!) -- so he concluded I must be German.

[Onessa]

. . . Just kidding, but you can always tell an American tourist from half a mile away. . . . , coupled with a stunning lack of any knowledge whatsoever of the country they are visiting. . . .

 

It's amazing that you can detect a "stunning lack of any knowledge" from a half mile away. Generally I need to talk to someone or at least overhear their conversation prior to making any judgement as to their level of knowledge of anything!

 

Most Brits I've run into while I've been travelling seem to think all Americans live in New York city or California. Simply because my husband could identify Madison Square Gardens from the NY skyline while atop the Empire State Building a pair of British Airways flight attendants assumed he was a native New Yorker. When he indicated he was from the MidWest (puzzled looks) from somewhere north of Chicago (vague recognition), their reply was that they knew someone who once had a flight to Chicago and that it was cold. One asked how could he drive his car through all the snow -- didn't it just sink into it? :eek:

 

So if we are going to generalize ANYthing here, let's generalize that most people in the world are blissfully ignorant of all other places and cultures than their own and few tourists really bother to learn anything about the places they are about to visit!:)

[EdSails]

Leaving for my Panama Canal cruise next Friday. Thinking of doing the rainforest village tour. Does anyone have some suggestions where I might find a loincloth before I go? I do so want to fit in.....