Do You Dress Like An American Tourist Abroad? These Signs Are A Dead Giveaway.

HuffPost ^ | Dec 12, 2024 | Jillian Wilson

[where's_the_Outrage?]

If you’ve ever seen the iconic “Modern Family” clip where Mitchell is increasingly bothered that people in France know he’s American just by looking at him — that is, until he purchases an outfit from a local store and fits in with the locals — you’ll understand the plight of American tourists. Sometimes, even with the right language skills or a demure presence, our clothes alone give us away.

This is because Americans have a specific way of dressing, stylists say, whether they’re visiting Europe, Asia or another locale. And while fashion is different in every city and every country (and among different groups in said place), Americans still manage to stick out no matter where they are.

Below, stylists from around the world share the styles that make Americans stand out from locals and how to dress like an international traveler instead.

Wearing Athletic Wear

Being Too Dressy

Having Perfect Makeup And Hair

Wearing Too Many Logos

Dressing Too Beachy

Don’t be afraid to try out new styles and get inspiration from the world around you

[frank ballenger]

LOL

Don’t do anything Clark Griswold wouldn’t do.

[SaveFerris]

There is sauerkraut in my Lederhosen

[Repealthe17thAmendment]

Yet in Europe you’ll see NY Yankees hats and endless parades of print tops with ‘Imagined American’ themes everywhere.

A few years ago, I was in Germany, and was looking for a souvenir T-shirt to get for a friend. Every shirt I found with writing on it has some sort of English gibberish on it. No shirts that just said, "Mannheim", or "Deutschland".

[MRadtke]

I like this post!

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Back in 1975, I was working in Chile and met a nice young woman on a train. She invited me to visit her at her folk’s place in Zermatt, Switzerland. When I visited them later in the year, I wore a nice, dressy green polyester shirt with a gorgeous paisley design. I thought I looked great.

She disabused me of that notion. She basically said I stood out like a sore thumb in Europe.

She also didn’t like the way I cut my lettuce in the salad up to bite-sized pieces, either. You are supposed to fold and shove the entire large lettuce leaf into your mouth. Cutting it up is very gauche.

And, of course, you don’t hold the fork in your left hand and use your right hand to hold the knife to cut food up. Nope, the fork ALWAYS stays in the right hand — no switching knife and fork back and forth right hand to left hand.

I was in my mid 20s. How was I to know about proper European dress and eating habits?

That Miss Manners dinner was the last time I saw her.

[woodbutcher1963]

I was in Florence in October.
There were packs of cute Japanese girls all over dressed to the nines.
Most wore black leather combat boots with short skirts. Like they were going to some kind of fashion show.

Leather garments are very popular and cheap in Florence. It is the leather making mecca of Italy. There is a leather market there where you can buy almost anything made of leather. I bought a bison wallet there.

[NorthMountain]

And never wear a fannie pack.

If you're in UK, don't call it a fanny pack ...

[WKUHilltopper]

I don’t go any where if I can’t pack iron.

[x]

Wear old clothes like your grandparents did and you won’t go wrong — until you open your mouth.

[llevrok]

I don't mind looking like an American abroad or a tourist

Exactly. The Frogs would be speaking German today weren't it for America. Screw 'em

[where's_the_Outrage?]

No shirts that just said, "Mannheim", or "Deutschland".

Flew to Houston and stayed in Galveston last year, checked a lot of stores and the airport, could not find one refrigerator magnet saying "Houston, we have a problem."

[PIF]

Speaking American English;
Looking lost;
Rubbernecking.

[SkyDancer]

First thing to do is buy something to wear like a local.

[Repeat Offender]

At Disney - half the ‘muricans are wearing a “cute” shirt that says, “I’m just here for the treats.” It never dawned on them that by being 120lbs overweight everyone else already figured that out and the shirt was redundant.

[Feckless]

Our German landlord speculated that, based on our (young GIs) choice of footwear, we were all mountain climbers who were proud of our socks. He referred to them as curb climbers.

[frank ballenger]

I admit I had never heard of “dad pants” until AOC slurred men older than she by laughing about them.

One good thing about being older is you care less about what the sideline critics say after all the years of being so careful to look exactly right in your teens and later.
As long as we avoid the bright purple pants, red shirt and yellow hat.

Unless you’re Jimmy Failla.

[woodbutcher1963]

In your leather shoulder holster. Just like James Bond. While wearing his Armani silk suit, silk tie, linen shirt and calf skin shoes you got on Savile Row.

[central_va]

I met a German girl on a topless beach in France that spoke great English. She had arm pit hair too. Classic beauty and was really built, nice. She told me it was easy to tell an American because we all smell like soap because we shower every day.

[TexasGator]

“”Houston, we have a problem.”

It was “”Houston, we’ve had a problem.”

[Jamestown1630]

I was speaking of the natives in those cities.

Too many American men look all the time as if they’re living out of a carryon.