Hi! I am departing for a study abroad and some extended travel in two days and was curious as to whether or not Europeans (Traveling primarily through France, UK, and the Netherlands) wear skinny jeans? As I own multiple pairs in multiple colors, it was my first go-to for pants, however, I don't want to stick out like a sore thumb. Any tips on sites to look at to get an idea of European fashion in general?
Thanks!
-Hope
I was in Southern Germany last year, the year before that I was in Northern Germany and Amsterdam. What I noticed most of all about European fashion is that the teenagers were incredably hip and good-looking ie., very fashionable and sexy and they did wear skinny jeans. Anyone older, or not so tiny, did not. But I wore jeans - regular ones, not-so-skinny ones, all the time, they were all I brought, and I didn't feel out of place anywhere. I don't know about France, but anything goes in Amsterdam. If you're young and can carry it off, I'd say go for it. It did seem to me that there really weren't alot of stylish clothes available to anyone over 18.
Any other tips on fashion that does or doesn't transfer from US to Western Europe? I know I will stick out anyway, but figure that I might as well minimize impact, especially since I am traveling alone for a portion of the time.
Thanks!
I am guessing you are probably already on your way, but the only other tip I have is to take boots if you are going to be there into the fall. Boots of all sorts are extremely popular. Skinny jeans are a must. Scarves of all types, a stylish jacket is good, while it is summer, sun dresses are very popular right now, as well as all types of sandals, especially the gladiator type.
Bring a bit of money with you to go shopping in the 2nd hand stores in the UK. My 20 year old daughter went wild in Edinburgh as there were so many of them and the prices were fantastic. Could barely pull her out of them. So, count on getting some clothing there.
We were in Vienna two years ago and went into the H&M Store. Same clothes as we saw in the H&M in San Francisco.
Yas, by all means a stylish jacket is indispensable. In a nuetral color to go with everything.
"We were in Vienna two years ago and went into the H&M Store. Same clothes as we saw in the H&M in San Francisco."
Absolutely! The truth is, fashion these days is so international, there isn't that much difference between what people wear in Europe and in the USA. If anything, Europeans tend to dress a little more formally than some Americans, especially in the big cities. Regardless of how you dress, however, they will still know you are a tourist, so don't worry about it.
The boot/skinny jean has been a trend for so long in Paris at least I was worried last October that it would finally have died (and that was my fall uniform, so I hoped not). But no, it was still "in." We usually go in fall and I feel like every year my skinny jeans and boots get to go on vacation.
I would say there is actually a difference between what you see in Paris vs. what you might see in the UK or Netherlands, but I think the advice that "fashion is fashion" is generally good. No one accessorizes like the French, and you don't generally see the variety of styles (especially the cutting edge styles) that you'd see in London, in Paris. But that's getting nitpicky. You don't need to dress exactly like the natives to not stick out.
I feel like the trend towards baggy jeans was only a brief wafting of influence from the U.S., and that skinny/fitted jeans were more of a normality anyway.
Lots of skinny jeans. I notice in some catalogs now that the trend I frequently saw in London & Paris in early spring has arrived here. Cuffed boyfriend shorts with tights and boots (and other footware also).
Aaaaaah, why are the 90s coming back???
Women paint their jeans on in Europe!
