Afraid of looking like a tacky American?
Here are some tips to add some style and stay packable.
Fashion designers in the U.S. always look to countries in Mediterranean Europe for inspiration. There is a reason for this. They are very snazzy dressers, both men and women. From a European’s point of view they dress with style, and we simply dress. Europeans seeing you for the first time will judge you completely by your appearance, and behave accordingly. In fact, you will be stopped at the door of many places if you are not properly dressed. In this country, we are noted more for a casual appearance. If worn abroad, you will draw attention to yourself as a tourista.
To avoid this, start with a solid core of basic items, in classic styles, that can easily be mixed and matched to create a variety of looks with the minimum amount of garments. These should be in neutral tones (khaki, olive, navy, grey). Reversible items are a good pick to lighten your load, maybe a print on one side, and a solid on the other, giving you two different looks. Items that make the switch from casual day wear to elegant evening wear will give you the maximum versatility.
Here are some more specific fashion tips for men & women.
Women
Choose dresses and skirts. Our Indispensible Black Travel Dress can be worn casually during the day. Accessorize with a string of pearls or other jewelry, and you’re ready for an elegant evening out.
Our world class All-Seasons Blazer is a perfect choice for Mediterranean Europe, especially during the summer months, as it can get very toasty there.
You can add a little color to your basic neutral tone palette by accessorizing with a colorful scarf, which is extremely packable, and can be stowed in a purse. This can be worn in a variety of ways, can double as a swim wrap, and is often required to cover your head or shoulders when visiting churches.
Choose comfortable shoes for walking, visiting museums, climbing around on ruins, etc. Avoid sporty type running shoes.
Accessorize with costume jewelry
Men
Blazers/Sport Coats paired with complementary slacks.
Under your blazer wear colored or striped collared shirts. Avoid white.
As far as casual attire, think “business casual”, polo shirts, paired with khakis, etc.
Except at the beach or pool, shorts are not generally deemed acceptable attire. If you wear shorts; make sure they are the dressy type.
In general European men wear more fitted clothes. Leave those trendy, baggy, American styles at home.
Avoid baseball caps, especially worn backwards, running shoes or socks with sandals.
