European Summer

[hursteller]

I'll be spending a significant amount of time in Europe this summer (a reward for college/ high school graduation) and was curious whether or not anyone knew the style that will help me blend in the most? I know the basics -- no fanny pack etc, but I'd like some more specifics as I'm largely ignorant on the issue.

Shorts and polo? I'd of course like to look well-dressed, but comfortable as well as I'll probably be moving around a lot. Any comments/suggestions on a wardrobe? Thanks

(or am I completely wrong in assuming that Europeans dress that differently than I normally would?)

 

[J-Dandy]

Save your money. Pack a minimal of your own clothing. Go shopping when you get there. You will be able to experience the culture and shops in whatever country you'll be in, and what better way to blend in than buying the same clothes as those around you. Just my two cents though. Have fun!

 

[TyskJohan]

Excellent advice from J

H&M and Zara are your friends, as are Esprit and Benneton if you're willing to go one price point higher.

In some parts of Europe, laudromats are hard to come by. (Not quite sure why I'm writing this but it seems related).

You will also note that styles differ quite a lot within Europe. What looks sloppy in Stockholm may look over-dressed in Berlin.

 

[Britalian]

Welcome.
Leave the basball cap at home.

Buy when you're here. Sale season in July and August, here at least; in London, year round.

 

[epa]

Europe?
You mean London? Some village in northern Norway? Marbella? Albania?
Also, what kind of crowd will you mix with? English upper class? Spanish "pijos"? Finnish heavy metal guys? The Berlin gay scene?
What people wear varies a lot throughout Europe and throughout the European social groups and social stratums...

 

[drizzt3117]

Wow that's a pretty damn general post.

As epa said, Europe is a big place, and quite diverse. I would plan on doing a lot of shopping there. Just bring some comfortable clothes to travel in, and a nice camera

 

[lakewolf]

Certainly.

You'll not find so much diverse cultures, styles and people, concentrated in that small space that is Europe..

I live in Switzerland that is the point where French, German and Italian cultures crosses, and yet the french swiss are different from the french, the german swiss are of three different kinds and different form the germans, same for the Italians... and this is a country 450 Km wide, 400 Km tall... we even have a region here that speaks a language not spoken anywhere in the world ( Romanche in the Graubunden).

Europe is a place in which you go in your car drive 3 hours and you step down your car in a whole different culture, language, customs etc..

And the urban cultures differ a lot whitin the same city.

I live in Geneva the international city with 40% of the population being foreigners from 102 countries... so you can imagine.

way different from Texas I guess

 

[epa]

Originally Posted by lakewolf

and this is a country 450 Km wide, 400 Km tall...
400 km tall? You may have some of the highest mountains in Europe, but 400 km sounds a bit excessive...

 

[philosophe]

Tell us more about where you'll be: cities? beach towns? north? mediterranean? etc.

 

[lakewolf]

Originally Posted by epa

400 km tall? You may have some of the highest mountains in Europe, but 400 km sounds a bit excessive...

ha, well I meant north to south

 

[lakewolf]

Originally Posted by epa

400 km tall? You may have some of the highest mountains in Europe, but 400 km sounds a bit excessive...

ha, well I meant north to south

 

[hursteller]

Thanks for the great advice, sorry I wasn't specific enough, but I'm still not entirely sure where I'll end up as my destination might be determined by a whim. But since it's in the summer, I'll most likely be in coastal areas, possible in the Northern and Southern regions of Spain and Italy. I don't plan on spending any time in the Nordic countries nor England. Portugal perhaps. As I'll be covering a lot of ground I suppose I just need the generics.

 

[redmania]

Originally Posted by lakewolf

Certainly.

You'll not find so much diverse cultures, styles and people, concentrated in that small space that is Europe..

I live in Switzerland that is the point where French, German and Italian cultures crosses, and yet the french swiss are different from the french, the german swiss are of three different kinds and different form the germans, same for the Italians... and this is a country 450 Km wide, 400 Km tall... we even have a region here that speaks a language not spoken anywhere in the world ( Romanche in the Graubunden).

Europe is a place in which you go in your car drive 3 hours and you step down your car in a whole different culture, language, customs etc..

And the urban cultures differ a lot whitin the same city.

I live in Geneva the international city with 40% of the population being foreigners from 102 countries... so you can imagine.

way different from Texas I guess


Screw that mate drive from Manchester to Liverpool. Now that is scary.

 

[Christofuh]

Bring along comfortable shoes. You'd thank me later

 

[epa]

Originally Posted by hursteller

Thanks for the great advice, sorry I wasn't specific enough, but I'm still not entirely sure where I'll end up as my destination might be determined by a whim. But since it's in the summer, I'll most likely be in coastal areas, possible in the Northern and Southern regions of Spain and Italy. I don't plan on spending any time in the Nordic countries nor England. Portugal perhaps. As I'll be covering a lot of ground I suppose I just need the generics.
Coastal areas... I would suggest bringing a swimsuit.
Otherwise, the way you dress will depend on what kind of people you intend to mix with. In Spain, sometimes a Polo shirt will look OK, sometimes it will make you look too "pijo" (basically, posh). Also, the coastal areas in southern Spain are full of toursits in summer, wearing really weird outfits. If you wish to look like a German tourist, make sure to wear socks with your sandals. When I travel in Spain in summer, I like wearing denim and long-sleeve cotton or linen shirts. I find it more versatile than short-sleeve shirts, tee-shirts or polos, for example, if you want to drop into a nicer restaurant. A cotton sweater can also be handy, if the restaurant owner has the airconditioning working at full performance, which he normally has.