How to recognize nationalities through clothes?

[Fabienne]

One of the little games I play at airports and in big cities is trying to figure out the nationality of people without listening to the language they speak.  I do this mainly by observing their body language, their overall appearance, their behavior.  I am not an expert on men's clothing, and I am trying to educate myself thanks to this forum, but I was wondering if some of you can guess someone's nationality merely by assessing their clothes.  It would be interesting to me if you had stories.

 

[uppercase]

The first image which comes to my mind is the French with a scarf tied around their neck in a certain style....

 

[gorgekko]

Well Alexis, what experience have you had judging nationalities by clothes?

 

[Nonk]

Mullet haircut, 70's Appreciation star moustache, lilac sports jacket over a lemon shirt and baggy plaid trousers, with slip on shoes- a classic German.

 

[Torque]

Mullet haircut, 70's Appreciation star moustache, lilac sports jacket over a lemon shirt and baggy plaid trousers, with slip on shoes- a classic German.

I haven't seen such an outfit on a German in the last 10 years.

 

[ViroBono]

Quote:

(Nonk @ 18 Dec. 2004, 01:47) Mullet haircut, 70's Appreciation star moustache, lilac sports jacket over a lemon shirt and baggy plaid trousers, with slip on shoes- a classic German.
I haven't seen such an outfit on a German in the last 10 years.
Clearly you haven't visited Osnabruck recently.... The other German outfit consists of mullet haircut, 70's Appreciation star moustache, shirt and tie worn with jeans and, occasionally, the jacket sleeves turned back in the style of an 80s pop star. Don't forget the accompanying female, who will usually be wearing something unfeasibly tight and in leather, and have a skintone the colour of a ripe pumpkin.

 

[Manton]

Shirt collar with 4" points, enormous tie knot loosely tied and not pulled up into the collar = Italian.

 

[Manton]

Dark DB suit with stripes so loud they're practically neon, super wide-spread collar shirt whose collar points curl under at the ends, fraying woven silk tie = Brit.

 

[ViroBono]

Dark DB suit with stripes so loud they're practically neon, super wide-spread collar shirt whose collar points curl under at the ends, fraying woven silk tie = Brit.

Have we met?

 

[ernest]

One of the little games I play at airports and in big cities is trying to figure out the nationality of people without listening to the language they speak.  I do this mainly by observing their body language, their overall appearance, their behavior.  I am not an expert on men's clothing, and I am trying to educate myself thanks to this forum, but I was wondering if some of you can guess someone's nationality merely by assessing their clothes.  It would be interesting to me if you had stories.

American adult with their track suit, cap and banana bag.

A French who has enough money to go to America will never wear a track suit in a trip braod.

 

[Manton]

SB blue blazer cut so slim you can see the outline of the rib cage, gray trousers, pale blue shirt, Hermes or Lanvin or Arnys printed silk tie = Frog.

 

[Nonk]

Short greasy hair, with a stick down fringe. Pale and/or spotty complexion. Constantly spitting needlessly. Clad exclusively in man made fibres, usually an originally white in colour (although now extremely dirty) tracksuit from some obscure manufacturer, ditto the "training shoes." Hands, neck and wrists covered in 9 ct gold "jewellery", possibly wearing a baseball style hat from some previously acceptable brand. Quite possibly drunk and/or high, and certainly swearing profusely, during the conversations with it identical peers.-Any teenage male from the British Isles.

The specific country can be determined by the accent, however please note-Jamaican accent = teenager from London or surrounding counties.

In addition the shirt can be used as a good guide-
Glasgow Rangers or Glasgow Celtic football shirt-teenager from Northern Ireland, (Rangers-Protestant, Celtic-Catholic) or in rare cases Scotland.

Gaelic Athletic Association football shirt-teenager from the Republic of Ireland or Roman Catholic from Northern Ireland

Any item featuring numerous red crosses on a white background-English teenager.

Any other English Premiership football shirt-teenager from any of the 5 countries, although it should be noted that a Manchester United shirt is virtually guaranteed to indicate the wearer is not from Manchester and has never been there.

In addition it should be noted that frequency of participation and level of ability in sports is inversely proportional to the amount of sports clothing worn.

 

[Manton]

In addition it should be noted that frequency of participation and level of ability in sports is inversely proportional to the amount of sports clothing worn.

I think this is a universal constant that transcends all lines of nationality, culture, and religion.

 

[Fabienne]

OK, let me redirect this. The last two contributions were more along the line of what I am interested in. Details such as shirt collars, colors, types of shoes, etc. For example, I have seen, recently, a few European men (especially Belgian, French and Italian), "wear" their sweater on their shoulders (I hope this is clear). I don't think Americans would do that. Or: although I couldn't describe to you what kind of shoes they are, I usually recognize younger German men by their shoes (the soles are often rubber). Also: Americans seldom venture into bold color choices. But see, my observations are not that of an expert. Some of the conversations I see on this forum are so detailed, so informed, that I wonder if you can tell yourself: This man is wearing that type of a suit, it can only be bought in Milan, therefore...

 

[Nonk]

A male in either cords or moleskins in some never before seen colour such as purple, pink, scarlet or bright yellow- Brit. You again ViroBono?