Does Wearing Bright Colors Make Me Look Like a Tourist?

I guess that Flamingo print collared shirt from Tommy Bahama that my wife got me for Christmas isn't going to fit in. How dull can people be? What a silly thing to worry about on vacation. I'm no fashion icon but I'm going to dress for comfort and my personality, not someone else's. And if they still haven't figured out I'm a tourist, then my Blue Jays ballcap may be a hint.

I've never understood the desire to appear to be something one is not.

What do I wear on vacation? Clothes that I would also wear at home in SoCal. Whether the French can immediately peg me as an American by virtue of my clothing is immaterial; they'll know anyhow the moment I speak.

To blend in, I only wear zebra striped outfits. If the camouflage works for zebras, it works for me.

I say have fun when you travel!

Happy travels!!!

You can always tell tourists even if they’re from the same country.

It’s the way you look around, check maps and so on. You tend to walk more slowly, taking things in rather than rushing to a destination. You probably have a lot more stuff with you than you would carry if you’re just out and about in your home city.

I agree, Allan. If my stopping every few minutes to take photos doesn't give me away, my speech/accent certainly will.

I wear what is comfortable for me.

That said, I do dress appropriately when touring churches, temples, etc. And I don't walk around a city centre in shorts, but then I don't do that at home, either, unless I'm in a beach town.

American's always stand out! And the places where I'd worry about that (for security reasons) are not places I'm traveling. Just by virtue of my very straight & very white teeth, clothing, and decidedly American accent, there's no mistaking my nationality!

We were in Rome two years ago and saw many Americans wearing U.S. flag type clothing in support of the Ryder Cup. They looked a little outlandish and were drawing serious attention to themselves, but to each his own. Adults are going to adult however.

”You tend to walk more slowly, taking things in rather than rushing to a destination. You probably have a lot more stuff with you than you would carry if you’re just out and about in your home city”

Helen, that’s an interesting comment about rushing. When I was in the heel of the boot of Italy last year, I took a cooking class in Lecce. I arrived at our meeting spot, first, and the chef said he could tell immediately that I was in his class because I normally walk faster. Then he proceeded to pick out anyone else walking faster and said they were tourists…and yes, they all walked over to us eventually for the class.

Although my looks show my generational heritage, so I will never appear as an Italian (my favorite country to visit), I don’t carry any extra stuff - water bottle, backpack, etc. when exploring a city - just a small crossbody purse that I would carry at home. Some of that may be due to the fact that I don’t take day trips. I just return to my nearby B&B if I suddenly need my rain jacket.

And to answer the bright colors topic, I absolutely wear a similar color palette as I do at home. Black makes me look older & dulls my skin tone. I will be packing turquoise prints, a plum color top, and a solid color dress with a few scarves for color and/or to dress for dinner.

Does Wearing Bright Colors Make Me Look Like a Tourist?

Don't know about that. But it will attract mosquitos.

Wear a bright colored scarf in the metro, and it’ll draw frowns.

In Paris, not as many frowns as talking loudly to your partner or on a phone.

I wear what I wear. I like color and look best in jewel tones. My Italian friends always complimented me on my choices because they were bored with wearing black, gray, and beige. Plus, when I wear a bright color my husband can find me (5'2" if I stretch) in a crowd.

-----Does Wearing Bright Colors Make Me Look Like a Tourist?----

Not in Marseille where even the great-grandmas are wearing bright colored tops and hot-pants in summer.

Going through Copenhagen CPH airport on Friday, I noticed many women were wearing springtime brighter colors, patterned pants & OH so many leopard prints of every variety, top to bottom, which I also saw for sale in shops. I saw a number of younger women carrying Swedish passports getting onto my connecting flight wearing yoga pants. Would they wear those outfits in Paris, who knows.

Being a tourist is a problem because...

You are a tourist. Enjoy.

But if you are worried that the locals will treat you badly or take advantage of you because you are a tourist. Go someplace else.

A little more seriously. I live in a major European city. People dress however they want to. European wear black ended 15 years ago (if it ever existed). I cant really tell the American tourist from anyone else (except the Americans are more prone to carry hydration devices, while the locals carry bottled water).

These kind of articles are ridiculous. Of course I look like a tourist, and I'm sure I look like an American. I don't change how I act or dress just because I'm traveling to a different country (unless for those rare times when you need to cover shoulders and or knees out of respect). Granted at home I don't stand on the street corners looking at a map, but I never even consider how to "blend in".

When I was in Paris last summer, I didn't notice that the Parisians all wore black. Hmmmmmm...

At my age, all black looks like "widow's weeds".

I like color. I like fun prints. But unless I'm going to a tropical vacation resort, I'll leave the flamingo embroidered pants at home.

I also want to be seen if I'm crossing the street in front of traffic because I'm used to looking left-right-left instead of right-left-right in a drive-to-the left place.

Maybe that targets me for thieves, but . . . .

Spring-Summer is pastels and bright jewel-tones and primary colors.

Fall-Winter is jewel tones.

It also makes things more visible when packing up in a dimly lit hotel room.

@Sandanisco, oh yes! I saw leopard/cheetah prints in the store windows of southern Spain in February. I have one that packs well that I’m probably bringing to Italy. It’s a favorite and is in 2014 photos when we were in Switzerland & Italy.

Does Wearing Bright Colors Make Me Look Like a Tourist?

Not at all. I mostly wear colorful clothes. It's completely normal here in Munich. Everyone should wear what they want on vacation.

What it does is make you look like a target.

In Paris there are so many people from different backgrounds having different outfits, I wouldn’t worry much how to look.

But it weren’t bright colors that caught my attention years ago in Alsace. At the parking of the Mont Sainte-Odile Abbey a bus stopped in front of me and as soon as the first passengers got off I had the immediate idea that this were not European tourists. The whole group was dressed for a hike, khaki outfit including aussie bush hats like they were ready for an adventure in the Outback. I really was thinking if they had missed the plane to Australia or something. It were American tourists, sorry to say but I had a good laugh. But they were nice people and certainly enjoying their trip there.

Wear a bright colored scarf in the metro, and it’ll draw frowns.

I saw this and was going to immediately object - but the quote comes from a woman who lives here, so who am I to argue.

It's the north Americans of a certain age wearing full-on hiking gear that catches my eye in London too Wil. I saw someone in a thread here recently assert that hiking shoes may be needed in York because there's some streets with cobblestones. Huh? :)

The talk of wearing black made me think of an RSE tour group queuing to get into Berghain in Berlin. "Sorry, not tonight folks." :)

Evidently there are people in Europe who actually care what the others are wearing.

I choose the path of willful ignorance and will cling to my belief that nobody in Europe cares about my fashion choices.

We always try to blend in, so I wear pants with zip off legs. My wife wears Lulu leggings. We can wash these anywhere, even in a fountain. I like to wear Aloha shirts in the summer. We normally wear white Nike socks. I like to wear them in my white New Balance Velcro close sneaks. My wife usually has sandals or heels on, especially on days when we will do a lot of walking.
I like to wear a backwards ball cap, NJ Devils or Raiders, or sometimes we wear our Tilleys.
I always accessorize with my white patent leather belt. We both wear Rick Steves fanny packs. We both make sure we have our passports hanging in a neck pouch.

I saw leopard/cheetah prints in the store windows of southern Spain in February. I have one that packs well that I’m probably bringing to Italy. It’s a favorite and is in 2014 photos when we were in Switzerland & Italy. @Jean, Wow, you're really getting a lot of use out of your trendy travel outfit!

Evidently there are people in Europe who actually care what the others are wearing.

There are, for sure. I'd encourage people to pay no mind to me and my opinions though and wear whatever they want.

For me, it's a fun part of living in a big dynamic city to observe what others are wearing and make a choice of what I wear when I'm out where others will see me.

To be or not to be.. someone completely different... I always try to be a tourist, especially at home. That way the usual environment turns unusual and improbable. To prove the impossible really exists. What is behind the door you pass by so often throughout the months and years? What is the countenance on the face of the naked statue in the park? What does it feel?
Just a few weeks ago an Italian man told me that appearances are extremely important in Pisa (he lives here now) and that there are so many ways in which Italian, perfectly spoken by a native, will still be classified and assessed by other locals as déclassé or otherwise, due to any number of minute nuances. He was saddened by this, and regretted having had to be subjected to it in his youth.

I saw this topic covered on the local news this morning here in LA. Had never really thought about it.

If it's true that having bright colors on in the summer when I'm there, betrays you as a tourist, a blatant outsider and all that. then I had better do that instead of opting for the alternative, that drab, dark, or black, neutral look.

Since I take the view that I have that obvious tourist written all over me anyway assuming I'm in the target hairs of the bad guys, wearing the light colors makes it more obvious, doesn't it?

Bottom line: Is this a matter of concern or so what?

Parisians are not necessarily the arbiter of all things in France. Out
in the country where I live near the Channel, there’s not the kind of
concern for attire.

I'm not one to pay much attention or care what others are wearing but in Beynac in the Dordogne last Fall I did see some locals sit down on the patio near us at a riverside restaurant wearing rubber boots, dressed very much like rural farmers everywhere. I'm also pretty sure I didn't see a scarf-colorful or otherwise the entire week we were there.

American's always stand out!

This is way too self-conscious. I’ve been spoken to so many times in foreign languages I’ve long realized nobody knows anything about you by appearance. I’ve also been assumed to be British many times by non-English speakers from hearing my English, and there’s nothing British about it.

Really, people have no idea, and hardly care anyway.

Will.
When my wife and I arrived at Monte Sainte Odile Abbey neither of us were wearing our Akubras despite being Aussies. We had however hiked up from Barr via Chateau du Landsberg so we did look a little less fashionable than some other arrivals.
I typically average over 25 000 steps per day when travelling and that particular 35 deg C day we were both over 45 000. I wear what's comfortable and practical with no thought about fashion or blending in. I am after all a tourist, I don't need to try and look like a local.

Toby nailed it. Americans do need to let go of the attitude of self importance and somehow being unique in the world. No one notices us more than anyone else in a crowd. Actually, our numbers and our contribution, positive and negative, to tourism is pretty insignificant.

American's always stand out!

This is way too self-conscious. I’ve been spoken to so many times in
foreign languages I’ve long realized nobody knows anything about you
by appearance.

What the poster may have noticed, are the Americans who DO stand out, not the dozens of us who don't. I too get spoken to in Northern European languages wherever I happen to be.

And back to that Paris metro comment - Just realized I received a gorgeous, bright pink / multi colored scarf that looks like a meadow from an Italian friend, who bought it in Milan.

My earlier somewhat facetious post aside, in my travels in Europe, I have often been approached by other tourists and spoken to in whatever the local language happens to be, asking questions or for directions. In Germany I can respond in German, but elsewhere I do the best I can with whatever the language happens to be.
This concern about blending in is a comical one. I have had reasonable success in many places in Europe, but not as much in Asia. I recall a subway ride in Hong Kong about 45 years ago when a colleague and I were going to look at a machine down in a computer manufacturing operation. He was tall. His head was level with the overhead hand holds and sticking way out above everyone else in the train. The hand holds were like pool queue balls on springs. I lined one up on his head and let it go... thunk. We laughed about that for years.
You won't always blend in. Dress appropriately. That means whatever you think makes sense. That means not being deliberately offensive. I Would never wear a hat into a church or restaurant here, and I don't do it when I'm travelling. I do not like to wear advertisements. My name is not Nike or Abercrombie. I'm not going to wear my hunting gear on Champ d'Elysée and I think I would look really stupid in shiny new lederhosen with a brand new Tirolerhut......

In Amsterdam I've regularly been mistaken for Dutch, I think because I'm tall enough to pass. Less so in Spain where I'd imagine I stick out a bit more amongst locals.

My uniform for many of my visits to Amsterdam and Barcelona consisted of a plain tee (usually black) and combat pants in green camo or olive green. Dutch Army surplus was what I favoured over British Army because of the cut and I still have a couple of pairs in my wardrobe I haven't worn for years. I've never been a shorts guy around town, mainly because of being self conscious about my pasty twiglet legs. Nike AirMax were my go to for years and I've been wearing bold black framed glasses in one shape or another since I first needed spectacles in my late 20's. If I need to carry a bag, I have a Jansport backpack (worn with long straps so it hangs low) or a Dickies courier-style shoulder bag.

Talking of camo combat pants, an acquaintance of mine (proprietor of a record shop in Glasgow) was refused entry at the border in Detroit many years ago while travelling in said garment. He reckoned that it came down to his attire and the fact that he (a white Scottish guy) was lodging with black friends in the hood.

Today at lunch in a wonderful restaurant in Modica in Sicily, I came close to photographing the all-Italian diners who were all dressed in very casual, even kind of slobby, clothes. I believe they were all tourists, not Rick’s beloved locals. Dressed for comfort and the weather and a lot of walking around, just like we were.

I'm another person who commonly gets mistaken for being a local in whatever European country I'm in. I think it's partly because I'm small, and Europeans generally think Americans are taller! Also, my general outfit at home or traveling is a dark-colored trench coat or similar, and I usually don't wear extremely colorful clothes. And, I do like to generally fit in, within reason, wherever I am - I realized in thinking about it.

Where I really notice this is when I drive from my office in a city, where I wear business casual clothing, usually including black ankle boots, black leather jacket with a scarf, etc. to our place in the Rocky Mountains. If I stop at the grocery store on the way in, I am definitely not wearing what the locals (which I am) are. My usual clothing there, along with most locals, is whatever outdoor gear I was most recently wearing to do my outdoor activity of choice. For me at this time of year when I'm not coming from the office, that's generally cross country ski pants or tights, a half-zip mid layer, a puffy coat, Skida hat. It makes me smile to see everyone else's activewear clothes.

With the exception of my liederhosen and blue Bavarian check shirt, everything I wear in Europe is black, grey, or white. Not becasue I am trying to fit in; it's because I'm lazy and it so much easier to pack when I limit my color choices.

Americans do need to let go of the attitude of self importance and somehow being unique in the world.

Americans who have these attitudes should indeed let go of them. And those who attribute such attitudes to all Americans should probably keep those thoughts to themselves. We're not all Philistines, believe it or not.

having bright colors on in the summer when I'm there

Fred I don't think you'll remember what colors I wore when we met in Munich. I remember it so clearly because I often wore my orange hat (you know why I had to). So, I wore orange, and you wore more muted colors :-) It also looks like I was the tourist and not you, doesn't it?

As I wrote, I love color—the more colorful the better. Even the traditional Bavarian Dirndl is colorful. So always wear what you like.

I only "dress up" on vacation when I'm out taking photos and lie down on the floor. Then it should be functional clothing that dries easily. I'm also not one of those Germans you immediately recognize on vacation because they wear functional clothing everywhere. Well, that, or men with sandals and socks... brrrr.
I look the same as always. By the way, I can also go to the office in Jeans and Sneakers as well as business outfit of course. Anything is fine, and colorful is great too.

Eatsrootsandleaves

It was the whole group that was dressed the same way. Ususally I don’t care how someone looks, but this caught my attention. It were actually not the clothes but more the meaning of this, why are you dressed in a way that fit in for a country completely at the other side of the planet, but standing out here. And they were certainly not dressed for a party, the weather wasn't a reason too and seemed serious about what they were doing. This and the absence of awareness standing out made it so funny to observe.

Btw the French in general are not so fashionable to my opinion, that's more for higher middle and upper class people in Paris for instance.

GerryM - It seems I am not the only one with this experience.

From the article:

Generally, as a guest in someone else’s country or culture, the goal
is to behave as respectfully as possible, which is to say: Don’t make
it all about you.

The minute you begin to worry about blending in, youi are making it all about you. The fact is that no one cares about how you are dressed or the colors you are wearing and to believe they do is to believe that for some reason you are more important than the other 2000 on the street and because of such, you must adhere to a higher standard. Rubbish

That means, when it comes to dress, try, at least in the beginning, to
blend in.

Dont be offesnive, but if you blend in, how will they know you are not native? There are some real advantages to them and for you if you are identified as not native. It doesnt have to be a flashing sign that can be seen from a distance but when you walk into a shop, much easier for the sales person and for you to be addressed in English as opposed to Hungarian, to be brought the right menu instead of the waiter having to make two trips to bring you the english one, to have a local person see you walking in circles and offer assistance .... Dont shove it in their face, but no need to completely hide it either. After all you are a tourist and you might want to be honest and sincere about that and enjoy the good folks that will respond to you accordingly.

We need to quit flattering ourselves. Americans are not the loudest. Americnas are not the worst dressed. Americans are not the most rude. And if we were any of that, we just dont exist in sufficient numbers to make a difference to anyones day. Many Americans need to quit thinking like they matter in the big picture. They just dont.

Dress what you are comfortable in. Good advice. I usually wear a lot of black at home too. We often travel in the fall, so the black works. In the summer, I switch it out for navy or khaki. When you are minimalist packing, I find these colors the most practical, especially for bottoms. Black jeans, khaki skorts, and/or Bermuda shorts depending on the season, are always are in my bag, but no more than two. You can wear all of them with lots of stuff—jewel tones, white, pastels, more black. Fall/winter, I go with layering turtlenecks; in the spring and summer, it’s polo shirts and/or long sleeve tees. I’m always cold, so a black or navy cotton cardigan also goes in the bag, regardless of the season. Early last spring in northern England my bag and body did just fine with 2 pairs of black jeans, 4 turtlenecks (white, grey, black and one with a little pink and grey print), and a black cardigan. My trench coat or jacket are also black or navy. I did break my routine and included a pink pullover sweater which worked with everything. One caveat— we generally go for a month or more and stay in bigger cities a week or more (adding day trips) and stay in apartments with washers, so this might not work well for everyone. The point is black isn’t a no-no if you are comfortable with it and perhaps supplement with coordinating colors.

I remember encountering a young man last summer, I believe in Munich. He was wearing full bright orange and blue Illinois Illini gear, including the fan ball cap. As a graduate of two different Big Ten universities myself, I called out to him, expecting to meet a fellow tourist and Big Ten alumnus.

Nope. He was a German who had spent time the previous summer in Chicago for a work function and made friends with a bunch of Illinois alumni, who urged him to buy a bunch of Fighting Illini gear.

You never know, especially in this increasingly global age.

I wander around Budapest in a Texas Aggie cap. But after reading this, maybe I should blend in a bit more. So I am going to go buy a bright blue NY cap. Then I will look local.

I see people here in the states visiting wearing colorful robes and headdress.
We don't expect them to blend in like locals here, so obviously we can wear what we wear here at home
over seas.

When I travel in Italy the German tourists stop me and ask me if I speak German. I actually speak more Italian than German. But, I can tell Europeans from Americans by their body language since they all seem to be dressed similarly especially the hikers.

I wander around Budapest in a Texas Aggie cap. But after reading this, maybe I should blend in a bit more. So I am going to go buy a bright blue NY cap. Then I will look local.

Perhaps. But if you want to look FANTASTIC, and at the same feel the admiration, nay, adoration, from those you pass, I would suggest wearing one of these:

https://shop.texaslonghorns.com/texas-longhorns/hats-college-baseball-gear/t-24686447+d-31666653+c-456257+z-9-2626119606?_ref=p-CLP:m-SIDE_NAV

You know what, it would be a second choice that I would be proud to wear in Europe.

You're welcome!

Posted by Mr Ë Republic of Texas / U.S.A. / Magyarország / Hungary

You know what, it would be a second choice that I would be proud to
wear in Europe.

Really Mr. E?

Burnt orange would be your second choice over this beautiful, vibrant red and black Double T?

Double T

Guns up and Gig 'em! ; )

How could you possibly know about Tech?

Posted by Mr Ë Republic of Texas / U.S.A. / Magyarország / Hungary

How could you possibly know about Tech?

Alum.

Sister of an Alum.

Cousin of several Alums.

Niece of an Alum.

Personally, I don't pick on Tech folks - no actual rivalry there.

No, khansen, I thought you knew my dark personal secret .... I have a degree from Tech too. I thought you outted me. Looks like i did it to myself LOL. I like to say I got a degree from Tech and an educaton from A&M.

@ Mignon....Yes, I do recall why you had a hat on. That's different since it was for a very personal reason.

If my colors appeared less striking, then they were not so obviously that of an outsider. Egal !

Egal !

Genau du sagst es :-)

Because of this thread, I paid attention the last few days.

In the tourist districts, which are at least 90% European tourists or locals (so this is what Europeans wear in town and on holiday): No less than a third of the men and women were wearing blue jeans a third in black jeans or trousers of those stretchy things ladies wear. The remainder tan or grey trousers. Ocassionally, rarely someone will be in a different color but it is subdued colors, not highlighter yellow, except maybe one in 500. From the waist up, not much more variation than the trousers and pants. Most popular cap here is still NY.

Its sitll a bit cool here, I know that in the next 30 days there will be a lot more skirts and dresses, locals and tourists alike. Things will be a little more colorful. And Budapest is a young city, but despite that it appears to be a city that dresses conservatively.

BUT, pointing this out doesnt mean that anyone cares how you dress. I really doubt that they do. And it doesnt mean that anyone would assume you are a tourist for red trousers, as locals sometimes are unique in their personal expression as well.

Its sitll a bit cool here

That's probably it. In winter in Munich, you see a lot of people wearing darker colors. Germans are usually very practical, and a dark winter coat doesn't get dirty so quickly. Well that's Germany, after all :-) :-) I always stand out in winter with my colorful coats, scarves, hats, and gloves.