What should you wear when you are a tourist?

[gnatty8]

Pants?

 

[dragon8]

shorts, a polo shirt,which my gf says tourist, but i think holding a camera is a dead give away

 

[epa]

Nothing wrong with using a camera, irrespective of whether you are a tourist or a local. A curiosity: if I die tomorrow, those who eventually will have a look on my photos will get the impression that I spent the last decade in the mountains, with some short periods on a beach somewhere. A lot of goretex and mountain boots, not many traces of cities, suits, ties, dress shirts, oxfords or derbies.

 

[Tarmac]

of course the challenge when on vacation is packing (shoes take up ridiculous amounts of room) and comfort (im guessing nothing short of the perfect shoe would be comfortable for 12 hours of walking, which happens quite a bit while on vacation).

Faced with these challenges, even I will look like a loser tourist at times.

 

[dragon8]

as long as you enjoy your trip it doesn't make a difference what you wear

 

[epa]

Originally Posted by dragon8

as long as you enjoy your trip it doesn't make a difference what you wear

Right. Don't care about what the stupid locals may think about you.
And once back home, why bother dressing up? If you feel OK walking the streets and shopping in your training outfit, just do it. Why bother about the way you look? By the way, why spending time discussing clothing in this forum?

 

[mensimageconsultant]

epa makes various good points. On a less abstract level, there are places in which people who look like foreigners are targeted by locals.

 

[muelleran]

Originally Posted by mensimageconsultant

epa makes various good points. On a less abstract level, there are places in which people who look like foreigners are targeted by locals.

But then against these kinds of locals you don't stand a chance anyway. The'll spot you no matter what you look like, just by the way you walk, where you are looking at etc.

 

[Thomas]

Originally Posted by muelleran

But then against these kinds of locals you don't stand a chance anyway. The'll spot you no matter what you look like, just by the way you walk, where you are looking at etc.

True, but if you look less like a turista, you might look less like an easy target. There are always targets out there.

 

[mensimageconsultant]

That's a bit defeatist. In a crowd of people, the most clueless-looking tourist is probably the predator's first choice. Avoid walking alone in secluded locations, obviously.

By the way, much of the common desire to fit in visually in any gathering probably is related to innate fear of predation.

 

[JetBlast]

I'll add to this, make sure whatever you wear would not be considered offensive to residents of where it is you are going. No short skirts in the middle east for ladies, etc.

JB

 

[katon]

Originally Posted by thewildpig

I like color, so when I'm a tourist, I wear a high-quality Hawaiian shirt. Also, Bermuda shorts, black wing-tipped shoes, and mirrored aviator sunglasses.

Seconded. Don't forget the OTC black socks & 70s Nikon camera. The more exotic the locale, the more likely you'll be immediately identified as a tourist no matter what you do, so why not have some fun with it?

 

[LabelKing]

 

[DocHolliday]

Very nice, LK. I was thinking of Duane Hanson earlier.

 

[LabelKing]

Nobody, however, should be wearing fanny packs.