How To NOT Look Like a Tourist in Europe This Summer
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- čas přidán 11. 06. 2024
- Packing for Europe this summer? Discover essential travel outfits and packing tips to help you blend in! Avoid rookie mistakes with our practical style advice on how not to look like a tourist in Europe. Dress comfortably and stylishly to fully enjoy your European adventure without standing out.
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⏰ Timecodes ⏰
0:00 How to Not Look Like a Tourist in Europe
0:37 Europe Travel Safety
1:28 Avoid THIS Clothing Item in Europe
2:21 Colors and Patterns to Pack
2:52 What I Pack for a Trip to Europe
3:16 Unbound Merino Review
4:06 Europe Fashion Faux Pas
4:49 Modesty
5:48 Best Shoes for Europe Travel
7:03 Best Bag for Europe Travel
7:46 Avoid Wearing THIS in Europe
#traveltips #packing #europetravel
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It doesnt matter what you wear because as soon as you talk, take photos, look at a map and carry around luggage, you are going to be spotted as a tourist even if you wear the right clothes.
Sorry, but I really have to disagree with a lot (not all ) of your suggestions. I’m an American living in València, Spain. Here it is very common for native Valencia women to frequently wear leggings and tights. Short skirts, cropped tops, spaghetti straps, and no bras are very, very common. Running shoes? All the time for everyone. Men, boys, girls, kids, adults, often wear logo, USA team, and fan group tee shirts. Bright colors? Yep. I will agree that in Spain baseball caps are not that common, but many hair-challenged males wear them. Finally, we see this type of dress in many cities all around Spain, large and small. This appears to be the norm, not as you suggested.
#2 takes precedent here, if you're blending in by following the things you've said here then you're good to go. Plus, you LIVE there, you're not visiting, so you know best obviously.
My wife and I just got back from a week in Valencia, and your observations are spot on. Leggings and tights were just about as common as they are in the United States. Baseball caps, while not as ubiquitous, are certainly not rare. The only significant differences I noted were the Breton stripe shirt/sweater, which is worn by both sexes in Valencia, and the puffy vest, which is almost a uniform for Valencian males, particularly when paired with a checked button-up shirt, jeans, and tennis shoes.
I agree. You see "influencers" all over social medical platforms say the same things which causes stress for some travelers about what to buy, wear and pack. Its ridiculous. And I am a tourist! If I get pickpocketed it has nothing to do with wearing leggings. It has to do with giving them an opportunity to steal from me. You often see these types of questions in trip advisor forums and thankfully people such as yourself try and debunk it as much as possible.
I was born and raised in Europe, having lived in multiple European countries and fully agree. It's easy to tell who's an American tourist, but trying hard to dress local doesn't change a thing.
Plus, as always, Europe is one country. The cultural difference between Poland and Spain is arguably as big as between say the US and Switzerland. So people dress differently.
how tacky!
It used to be true that European’s and Brits didn’t wear running shoes (trainers) as day wear, but having just returned from several months in Europe and the UK, running shoes are EVERYWHERE. New Balance running shoes seem to be particularly popular.
You can’t really generalize Europe as a whole. People dress a bit different depending on where you are. Athleisure is common in Germany but not necessarily in France. Agree that loudness makes you stick out more than anything in most places.
Biggest mistake Americans make is talking too loud. Really stands out. I have US family who are lovely low key people. They’ve had to learn to turn it down when they visit.
When I lived in Washington, D.C. on the metro, it would be so quiet until European tourists were on the train and they were pretty loud.
okkkk so An Irish living in London and travel, just have to point some things out is being loud in your behaviour attracting attention. we wear leggings and ripped jeans and we wear jogging shoes/trainers for sure especially stylish ones and baseball caps when its sunny,. yes definitely more classy clothes but dont over do the change. because your behaviour is going to get you spotted. dont hold your phone out to much or an expensive camera. think items for antitheft. maybe I need to make a video of how we dress haha
The advice on leggings seems very wrong here in the UK. Been traveling around and I see them everywhere and they aren't Americans. The ones I hear are speaking with British accents. Leggings are very popular in the UK.
Not the classy ones.
Who cares about class??? I’m on vacation for my comfort not anyone else’s.
Gym clothes are good for gym
@@szudy76depends on how you want people to respond to you as well ( note : depends on your complete outfit as well not just the Leggings)
If you really want to know how people are dressing in other countries, watch "walk through ( insert city here ) in ( insert date ). There are tons of them on CZcams, and you can see what people are currently wearing. It helped me realize that what I wear while traveling wasn't actually that big of a deal. It did help me dress for the climate though, lol. Bonus: helps find nice places to visit, too.
I love those videos!
Active wear absolutely is a thing in Europe, I see people in leggings everyday. Modesty is off the mark too. The women here dress a lot more sexy than they do in the states. Heck, many of the parks and pool areas are topless. I just saw women without their tops on at the local city park. I live and work in Europe and hang out with a ton of Europeans. They also wear baseball cap, logo shirts, athletic shoes. Been living here a year now. One of the biggest things I see just in my local area is logo shirts with references to NYC.
At one time baseball caps were not that common - and were a marker that you were American - but that is changing fast and they are becoming more popular in many parts of Europe. I no longer hesitate to wear a baseball cap although mine is plain with no logo. 😊
But I am a tourist. They have second hand shops in Europe and get some local type items. Just avoid talking loud and obnoxious behavior and although you might stand out you will probably still be accepted. Show respect and learn a bit of the language of the country you are in, it goes a long way to be accepted. Even if you don’t speak perfectly at least you can get points for trying.
Be yourself!
I don't give a damn if I'm not accepted, if I'm paying my trip I will be myself. If I don't know the language they can suck it.
Great tips!
My French niece told me that a common rule for dressing is never to mix more than 3 colors. It makes deciding what to pack so easy and everything matches! Thanks for the videos, guys! Woo pig!! 😊
I spent 6 months in Europe visiting 5 countries last year and saw plenty of Europeans wearing baseball hats. Formula 1 has really popularized them in recent years. So they are not out of place at all, IMO.
Agree 100%.
Agree, been living here for a year now. A lot of the things mention I think are off the mark.
We do wear active wear. And logos
Good advice...except the hat bit at the end. We might not watch baseball but baseball-style caps are very common in Europe, especially when it is bright & sunny.
Not common in UK
I would not recommend using a baseball cap in Europe.
In bright and sunny weather just wear sunglasses
@@patfernandes7741 My friend and his buddies on the Isle of Lewis wear them. Possible up north they're more common? Took me forever to realize what he was talking about when he mentioned 'skip caps', haha.
Very, very useful and realistic advice. Thank you for the practical information. It is important. All the trouble to go to Europe, why tempt fate. Better to help trouble look somewhere else. Blending in is a far better way to safely enjoy yourself.
I agree that if you are out in museums and sightseeing in cities and towns maybe leave the leggings in your suitcase but I can't see what else to wear if you're out hiking etc.
It seems people from the United States have a hard time blending in anywhere. Here in Costa Rica you can spot them very easily, because they wear very short dresses or shorts and flip flops, anywhere, anytime. We don’t dress like that unless we’re at the beach … and Costa Rica has many things besides beaches!
Weird how Europeans don't care about looking like tourists when they come to the US. They are easy to spot too and they don't seem to care. Look, I'm gonna wear my trail runners everywhere and if that makes me look like a dork, so be it. I live in Montana and hiking is my life and that is how I dress. I am in Lisbon right now and there are a ton of gals wearing crop tops and booty shorts walking around. If some specific venue requires specific apparel I'll either wear it or not go there, but I'm not gonna wear uncomfortable things in some asinine effort to blend in. It's the big camera around my neck that mostly gives me away but it's a film camera from the 90s and I wear it around at home so sorry not sorry if anyone has a problem with it.
You can spot the Europeans because they don’t wear American styled clothes. They seem to wear nicer clothes that are neutral.
Love Nik rockin the Razorback gear!! Go HOGS!!!
I saw tons of logo t-shirts and sweatshirts when I was in Europe in the fall of 2022, particularly in Ireland. Not the sort of thing that I would ever wear, but I think they are fine these days. Packing some athleisure is OK too, but time and place do make a difference.
On the subject of hats in general, not just baseball caps. Please do not ware them indoors, especially in churches or at the dining table as it is considered rude and disrespectful. The only possible exception is woolly/beanie hats in say skiing resorts or similar.
As someone who recently traveled to Italy for 14 days this year I have to disagree with some of these suggestions. I got lost in the weeds with these "travel bloggers" telling us not to look like tourists. To be honest, y'all wear what is comfy and bring nice things to wear to museums and dinner. Americans know how to dress. We are not bumbling idiots. We never got "targeted and wore nice but comfortable clothes. In my opinion Birkenstocks are not stylish and look sloppy. I would opt for some Tory Burch Millers for a comfortable sandal option.
I like some Birkenstocks, but some of them rub my feet raw :D
Unfortunately many American tourists are bumbling idiots. Clothing is part of this, but more glaring is being oblivious to the culture, especially food. I cannot count the number of people who complained that the only thing that they liked on a tapas menu in Spain was jamon and patatas bravas.
So my SO has no hair and burns easily (even with sunscreen). What type of hat would work for Europe?
I did notice a lack of hats in sunny Madrid and Segovia a couple of years ago. I wore a woven hat to protect my face and eyes from the baking sun but I was definitely one of the only women wearing one.
The baseball hat really hurt. But I tend to wear chelsea boots with my jeans. And I'm working on wearing solid t-shirts. But my go-to is a button up with either dark wash jeans or black chinos. What hats do y'all recommend? I'm Andrew. I live in the Washington, DC area (Fairfax County, Virginia).
I have a pair of solid white Hokas would that stand out?
Good advice. I've been to 60 countries and sadly, I can always pick out my fellow Americans. Europeans and South Americans are pretty forgiving of us and some of our clothing choices, but the ones that make me nuts are folks that go to Middle Eastern countries and dress in tight leggings and tank tops and then are shocked when refused entry into a place. Last summer I saw one Karen lose her cool when they made her put on a shawl before she could visit a mosque for a tour.
I'm going to a festival in NL where most everyone is in costume, so I can wear whatever I feel like. I don't follow any trends, so I'm pretty bland on the streets. Yeah, I might be walking around with my bags but since it will be in August so will a lot of other people (on their way to the train station).
I just got back from Porto and I saw many Portuguese guys wear baseball caps. They are more common than you think
Curious how many times you have been to Europe and where you've been?
Last year while traveling in Europe I noticed many Europeans wearing baseball caps so maybe they are copying our style a bit 🤷♀️
Another thing, running shoes are more common. Our guide in Albania said he could pick out what country you’re from by the brand you’re wearing. He said Americans like Hokas, most Europeans were wearing adidas.
As a french 65 lady, well, I don't think there is a "european" wearing style. At least because the weather is so different from Portugal to Iceland. And I'm very surprised about your advices about all those forbidden things in Europe that european actually wear all the time 😂😂😂 The biggest difference I think is in behaviour.
That makes me feel a lot better. I dress modestly for the most part. You are right Americans can be loud. I say that as an American. At restaurants at times, my family is just sitting there eating and eventually we are like guess we are boring (we don’t talk a lot and know how to use indoor voices). 😃
Europeans wear cargo pants and athletic shoes. I feel like a lot of these how not to look like a tourist videos are outdated.
Love your channel but any tips for Europeans on packing for and travelling in America?? 🙏
Just wear what you’re comfortable in. No need to dress a specific way.
Just wear what you are comfortable in. It would depend on what area of the country you are visiting.
this was so helpful
I liked your shoulder bag rather than a day pack, do you have suggestions that are masculine.
Try a larger 6-10L sling from brands like Aer, Nomatic, Alpaka, Peak Design, or Evergoods. Well designed with great features and utility. FWIW my EDC bag is a 1L from Nomatic I take either my 3L Aer Sling or Aer Go Pack backpack when I travel internationally.
My husband carries a messenger bag.
Many Europeans wear baseball caps, especially younger guys in Germany and Austria who love American baseball team logos and NBA team logos. Fashion choices vary across each European country so I disagree with generalizing certain fashion styles as being acceptable across all of Europe. European themselves will be quick to tell you they are not all the same and shouldn’t be lumped together. I think this a great video for starter guidance but people can and should feel comfortable wearing whatever they want so long as it doesn’t break any local laws or be viewed as offensive by religious or cultural standards.
dress for the weather. Dress to avoid chafing, blisters, sunburn and overheating. Dress to avoid ironing, dry cleaning. then I might bother to worry about whether some stranger thinks I'm a tourist or an accountant or a Protestant or a college graduate or single.
Being bald I have to wear a baseball cap.
completely false about the caps.
Great advice! What kind of hat could a man wear if he's addicted to baseball caps? I need to re-train my husband (70 yo). Thanks!@
Tell him if he wants to Be Home, he should Stay Home, and you have a ball traveling and being chic! (At 66, I am my best travel company, and have never worried about safety.)
@@cjyreed8321 I was actually just asking about hats. 😂
Let him have his hat and enjoy himself. Hats are very common. We are not as strange as this video makes us out to be. In fact, most of this advice is inaccurate. The one thing we care the most about is your attitude, don’t be too loud and you will blend.
Wear a baseball cap if he wants to, I live here, it’s really not an issue.
Americans uses sunglasses all the time. Not just while driving or on the beach.
Also, they have white shoes.
People also wear white shoes in Europe... I saw people wear them in Rome in March 2023, in France in the summer of 2023, and in Athens, London and Northern England in the last few months. And I have very light sensitive eyes, and it can get VERY sunny in Finland (where I live) in the spring and summer, so I wear sunglasses regularly in the warmer months.
Europeans also wear sunglasses and white shoes.
I'm from Brazil, and in train I was only guy with sunglasses 😂
I would add do not talk over each other in a restaurant, or anywhere for that matter. Nothing identifies you more than this as an American than everyone talking at once!
I think that is just common curiosity. I’m American but that is just rude to do that sort of thing.
Shocking the amount of locals wearing leggings and athletic gear in Warsaw Frankfurt, Lublin and Krakow so far. I think it is becoming less of an issue. Also men wearing ball caps and khakis is not that unusual for Europeans. Not everyone or everywhere but also not so rare as to stand out. The rest is pretty spot on for blending in.
Is there a companion video in German that says “don’t wear Speedos on American beaches?”
Based on the comments I conclude that this video content is a wide miss. Sounds like another merino wool commercial. Also having just returned from Greece and Italy I saw lots of non-American folks wear g ball caps.
I live in Rome and Romans and southern Italians in general wear lots of color, especially in the summer. You’ll roast to death here if you wear black in 104 degree weather. And EVERYONE wears sneakers, otherwise you could literally kill yourself on the old, cobblestone streets of Rome. Even in fashionable Milan, sneakers are literally everywhere. Birkenstock are more common in the summer, but Italians wear their beautiful outfits with sneakers. This is the 2nd CZcams I see telling American tourists not to wear sneakers. I really don’t understand what these CZcamsrs are seeing when they come here. Given how treacherous some of the old streets are, this is actually very unwise and potentially dangerous advice.
In Europe you need a good sneakers or you feet will bleed :(
Overkill on Merino wool advertising. I realize it pays your bills, but it’s expensive!! I buy different clothes for each trip, and I don’t want to be wearing the same thing all the time.
I only wear gym clothes at the gym.....but I am part French, part Japanese.... so....
LOL
Why not say North America? You might have gotten a sub.
I would say the biggest thing is not dressing to your class. Certain clothes are associated with certain social background. Nothing screams American more than sneakers on the over 35. Or with "smart" pants
I am European and have both travelled and lived in many European countries. 80% of what’s in this video is so inaccurate and so typically American to assume about Europe. Europe is such a vast continent and one rule does not fit all. If you try to bend backwards for every country you visit in Europe you will get nowhere. We don’t care about your looks as long as you are a nice human being.
Leggings shouldn’t be worn here either. And if you must wear a long sweater or shirt, please.
Also just being in shape. Most Americans stand out just based on general fitness compared to the typical European
Who can afford unbound Marino? 😂😂
I looked it up for a possible Mediterranean cruise that my dad and I are thinking about taking next year. Saw the price tag and I was like hell no that is toooo pricey for me. 😂
@@HollyPlake It's easy to promote when you get it for free! I'm sure they're awesome...but its a no for me :(
I completely agree about needing to up your game. I insisted with our teenage girls in 1996 that they leave all those baggy sweats & ball caps at home, and find some black, nicely fitting clothes. They squawked, "I just want to be comfortable!" but complied. We went to France during April break, and they were mortified by the loud, obnoxious American school groups of baggy-clothed teens slouching around, and were so happy that I Forced them. Through the decades, they share my love of adventures in traveling, and we avoid Groups like the plague. Folks can still spot us as Americans (my chubby cheeks!), but how nice to be considered a good-will ambassador, willing to speak (or at least try) other languages, and observe our surroundings rather than insist upon American ways reigning. Women? Learn to tie a scarf in interesting ways. Men? Dump those embarrassing caps, ESPECIALLY in restaurants!!! If you underpack, you can always bring home some sartorial souvenirs! (And in French-speaking lands at least, ALWAYS give a Bonjour monsieur/madame when entering ANY business, even busses. It tops every survey of what French folks resent about Americans, that we don't greet them politely.) Bonnes aventures !
If you see someone with leggings in Portugal, have 90% chance of being a Brazilian LoL And so I learned to wear gym clothes, only in the gym 🤭
But I’m Asian. How tf am I supposed to blend as an European? I bet local Asian European get ask where you from.
Damn, why does Europe have to be such a buzzkill? Guess I won't be going there anytime soon... 😂
Really doesn’t reflect what we wear
While I think that some of this is over the top if you think that Europe is a buzzkill you might be better off at Disney or someplace like Branson.
I honestly don’t care
To debunk this bullshit - people around instantly know you are a tourist - of different race, different features, looking at the map, or looking around confused, taking photos of anything that local guys don't care about, not to heading somewhere (bar, work, bus stop) straight ahead. Athleisure is the trend all around Europe, ripped jeans fall slowly but still here, graphic print is very popular, designer's logo can be seen anywhere, people don't know about the difference between athletic and casual shoes, bum bags never die and the last - European are not idiots. They cover their heads with various hats or caps. Baseball caps are not just American fashion only. You are not at the Paris Fashion Week, you are in Europe, among people who are dressed as good/bad as you. I don't like all these I-Know-Better-Than-You-Peasants-And-I-Will-Tell-You people.
If you want to go somewhere and not be dressed like an idiot - check information about climate and recent weather predictions for the given location. Pack clothes according to it but be prepared for unexpected changes - lighter clothes, warmer clothes, raincoat, sun crea,m and shoes. Just comfortable low-heeled shoes or flat shoes will be fine. Don't be afraid 10000 steps a day in the city is not a Himalayan trek.
Sorry, this look is boring
I walked around Europe with a speedo and a wife beater T shirt. EVERYONE came over to get a picture or say hello. I got so many free drinks I was plastered half the time and more women went out with me than I can count. Women said they were tired of uptight European men in their chinos and sensible shoes 💁♂️🩲