• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

What should you wear when you are a tourist?

pspelly

Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2007
Messages
19
Reaction score
0
I always notice that it is ridiculously easy to tell who is and who isn't a tourist in DC. Tourists wear shorts, sneakers, polo or t-shirts, and visors or baseball caps. Non tourists wear suits or the dreaded business casual. Yet when I'm a tourist somewhere, I don't know what else I could wear that would be comfortable and yet not make me look like a tourist. I wouldn't want to sweat through a business suit in Rio just so that I don't look like a silly American tourist. Nor would I want to walk around in cap toe balmorals while fishing in the Florida keys. It is the tourists' conundrum: can you be a tourist without looking like a tourist? Thoughts?
 

Tibo

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2006
Messages
374
Reaction score
2
Wear khakis, a button down shirt, loafers and (time commanding) a lambswool sweater and you'll be fine in a lot of places.
 

compfi

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2006
Messages
76
Reaction score
0
Originally Posted by pspelly
I always notice that it is ridiculously easy to tell who is and who isn't a tourist in DC. Tourists wear shorts, sneakers, polo or t-shirts, and visors or baseball caps. Non tourists wear suits or the dreaded business casual. Yet when I'm a tourist somewhere, I don't know what else I could wear that would be comfortable and yet not make me look like a tourist. I wouldn't want to sweat through a business suit in Rio just so that I don't look like a silly American tourist. Nor would I want to walk around in cap toe balmorals while fishing in the Florida keys. It is the tourists' conundrum: can you be a tourist without looking like a tourist? Thoughts?

What's "wrong" with looking like a tourist if you are one? Personally, I'd go for comfort - but, I don't care if people know that I'm a tourist.
 

DandySF

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2003
Messages
908
Reaction score
115
Goodness, it's not that complicated. I just pack what I'd wear at home, given the weather and the itinerary. I don't maintain a selection of specific tourist clothes.
 

Tomasso

Distinguished Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2006
Messages
4,067
Reaction score
19
Originally Posted by DandySF
I just pack what I'd wear at home, given the weather and the itinerary. I don't maintain a selection of specific tourist clothes.

Ditto.
 

Teacher

Stylish Dinosaur
Joined
Apr 2, 2005
Messages
12,135
Reaction score
407
Ditto what the last three said. Just wear what you like. I don't see any problem at all. If people think I'm a tourist, then good for them. What do I care?
 

gdl203

Purveyor of the Secret Sauce
Affiliate Vendor
Dubiously Honored
Supporting Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2005
Messages
45,598
Reaction score
54,370
Originally Posted by DandySF
Goodness, it's not that complicated. I just pack what I'd wear at home, given the weather and the itinerary. I don't maintain a selection of specific tourist clothes.
Unfortunately it doesn't always fly if you're spending your entire day walking around in 90 degree (or 10 degree) weather (times however many days you're there). You need clothes that are comfortable enough to do that, not just the every day clothes you wear while spending most of the day sitting at your desk

I generally go for jeans or simple cargo pants and layers of tops that I keep in a messenger bag for when the temperature drops or rises
 

SoCal2NYC

Fashion Hayzus
Joined
Apr 8, 2007
Messages
12,139
Reaction score
10
You're a tourist...just suck it up and deal with it.
 

WSW

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2006
Messages
710
Reaction score
173
A fanny pack and a big floppy hat.
 

tiger02

Militarist
Joined
Nov 16, 2004
Messages
3,733
Reaction score
3
Originally Posted by DandySF
Goodness, it's not that complicated. I just pack what I'd wear at home, given the weather and the itinerary. I don't maintain a selection of specific tourist clothes.

Unfortunately, this is not always practical. I try to pack as light as possible--one very flexible pair of shoes, usually RMW Craftsmen these days. Jeans or slacks depending on the situation, usually bring one of each. dress shirts, or replace with t shirts or polos as the situation requires. Light sweater or jacket as the situation requires. It's really not that hard to avoid shorts and baseball caps.

I am approached in the local language in almost every country I visit, so I figure I'm doing ok.

Tom
 

royal618

Senior Member
Joined
May 23, 2006
Messages
174
Reaction score
0
Dress as you would back home (as long as you have that climate back home).

Otherwise use best judgement.

I'm off to Cambodia in 6 weeks but I live in Australia, so I just pack clothes that are appropriate for a 100 degree summers day. Now tell me, do you think I'll look like a tourist in Phnom Penh, being a caucasian, 6ft 2 and 205 pounds?
 

Bergdorf Goodwill

Distinguished Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2004
Messages
1,223
Reaction score
6
Originally Posted by LabelKing
I buy specific items for specific locales.

ESCADAROCKINRIObyEscada.jpg
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 35.5%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 60 38.7%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 17 11.0%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 27 17.4%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 28 18.1%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,162
Messages
10,579,047
Members
223,883
Latest member
Darru
Top