Or how to not look American lol ______________________________________________ Subscribe: / @ajonwebb Twitter: / ajonwebb Snapchat: / ajonwebb Instagram: / ajonwebb
All of this is so true. Although people here (I'm from Poland) are getting more and more comfortable with colorful clothing. But you're totally right: neutral colours are the safest and, in my opinion, more classy option. Great video c:
You can pop a color here and there, but usually european males don't wear bright red, they opt bordeaux which is less bright or deep green, light blue. Women wear more bright colors than men in usual here.
+Morgana Talks I've been in the the US and i kinda doubt that. I'm pretty sure it's really popular in the US too since Nike is an American brand (obviously). But i've noticed that people in the US dress often more baggy and don't like dressing too tight. While in Europe you see these tight style Nike tracksuits literally everywhere you go.
I agree theres not as much Nike in Europe I only spent a week in The Netherlands and a week in Warsaw Poland, but from what I seen Nike is def. Less prominate there then what I see here in Orlando Fl everybody wears nikes like to me it seems like 95 percent of shoes are nike running shoes.
I am currently studying abroad in Madrid, Spain and this video RREEAALLLYY influenced my fashion decisions before I left the states. You did an amazing job here. Thank you so much!
Christopher O'Grady Hmm not really don’t base your opinion from chavs, many Londoners and Brits are fashionable, sadly it’s Essex chavs and uneducated reality tv stars like people from love island etc, that are tacky and low class
It really depends, as an italian I almost only buy british clothes, Saville Row is the Mecca of anyone intrested in classic style. I have been in the UK just once so I could not tell how people dress but for sure they make great clothes. Suits were born there not by chance.
I'm french and I recognize american tourists pretty easily. They usually wear big hooded sweatshirts, Baseball caps, larger tshirts etc... But they also have different haircuts, and overall different faces (more nordic let's say than in France).
I would say that you should probably get some scarves too. Scarves are so useful especially if you are going to wear solid and neutral colors. Europeans, mostly French I would say, love wearing them.
Where psound system? That's completely silly, people wear tight scarves during winter and loose scarves the rest of the year if it's not too hot just for the looks. Of course don't wear a scarve during hot days, and specially in Southern Europe when it's too hot.
Joseph Marks As a gay person living in Norway, unless winter, scarves are not trendy anymore, and not even I’wear them if out of season. A big no no. Maybe many years like 2009. But not in 2018 lol.
you can wear bright colors if you want! but you have to be mindful. for example a yellow t-shirt with an open black leather jacket, slim jeans and dark shoes can be a great combination and you'll look fashionable, but wearing the same yellow t-shirt with shorts will make you stand out as someone that lost his way going to the beach. the concept is measure, you want bright colors, patterns etc to be small details that enhance your whole outfit, not make you stand out :)
Don't wear baseball hats! Not popular at all! The hole point is to look slim and tall with somewhat tight fitting clothes! If you dress a 5 foot 6 person with baggy clothes he will look even shorter
I've travelled throughout Europe for many years. Your observations are spot on. Very well done, sir! Two additional comments: 1. Europe is not North America. Accept the differences with a positive frame of mind. 2. Many European men carry a small over-the-shoulder bag. A great accessory! No bulges in your pockets and your hands are always free!!
for a first video on the Euro=American you have just made an amazingly simple, accurate and usable video. My husband who does not think clothing is important was impressed....(thank you).....we learn so much more from experience than from reading etc. Its American to respect other cultures, to. be good guests and not offend our hosts. Americans are decent people - but sometimes they think everyone is like them....Amazing video. Thank you. Make more and in more detail. Best of luck, G
You did a really nice job Alex. I just returned from Europe and you nailed it. My 20 YO is leaving soon to study in Spain and I sent this to him. Very helpful. Thank you.
In usa you can get h&m, zara, clothes from there. That ways you're already prepared in Europe! One thing I noticed is that USA is sadly more conservative than one might think. The men are dressed sexier in europe than the average joe in the US. And here it's seen as fashion=gay. There's nothing wrong with being gay, but that's the mindset here.
+Sir Billy McTip Go tell that to some Italian Camorra or Cosa Nostra member who usually wear designer clothes, bags and have hairstyles that Americans consider as "gay".
Anonimato Vato Fashion = Normal in Europe. Not being fashionable = being poor. If you don’t look fashionable as a teen in Europe, and say you don’t really care about how you look, you’re not seen as straight, but as a gay hobo, lol.
I lived in Euro for a total of 10 yrs. Once in Paris I saw all the women and men very fashionable dressed. I was wearing jeans. A couple of years later this time I took black pants. All of the women and men were wearing jeans! But I could pick out the American tourists- shorts with white socks and ball caps.
I believe socks+sandals are a german/nordic invention, at least among the tourists coming to Spain. As for fannypacks, wear them not around the waist, but across the chest.
Oy vey. Okay. 1. To everyone worried that Americans think Europe is a country, this guy is trying to help out Americans who actually want to acclimate to styles that are generally popular/accepted within Europe. He never said that all of Europe is exactly the same, but he is giving some tips for styles that will generally be accepted as "chic" around the many countries/different cultures in Europe. Honestly most of these styles would be accepted around the United States as well, so it is NOT an attempt to say all European countries are the same. It is more to help people who need to be generally appropriate across many different cultures. If you are going to be traveling around Europe and wanting to fit in, I would say as someone who has traveled to many different European countries, these are good basic tips. 2. To everyone who is at war on here with "America is the best" and "Italy/other country is better": everyone has a culture. There is no such thing as not having a culture. How you are raised, your values, your experiences, the products available to you, the pop culture of your country - this all plays into your culture and everyone has one. The thing is, rather than insulting each other, ask yourselves what underlying values and perceptions of the people in another country would drive them to prefer one thing to another. What is really sad is that through insulting each other and claiming how you are the best, you are actually just showing how you are the WORST because you are the ones spreading cultural stereotypes, ignorance, and negativity. Ask questions - don't make judgements. Realize that different doesn't mean worse. It is 2018 - open your mind a little. 3. Non-Americans, please realize that there are many of us who would find some of the trends mentioned here just as abhorrent as you do. Socks and sandals are NOT generally accepted except by people who know nothing about fashion. There are plenty of trends in America that are loved by teenagers and young adults that are mocked by the rest of America. Not all Americans care though - there are plenty of things people here do while laughing at themselves. Day to day fashion in the US is not quite so serious. The thing is, here it is accepted to choose comfort over fashion in a lot of cases unless you are attending work or some kind of event or occasion. Also, it is more of an accepted attitude here that you wear what you want and do not worry about impressing the people around you. It is less out of a disrespect for culture and more out of the fact that our culture does not get as caught up in what is "taboo" or behaviorally "unacceptable" as some of the more traditional European cultures. We tend to be more accepting of individualism, casual styles, and comfort. The hopes of this video (from what I can tell) is to help people avoid being overly casual when traveling abroad. Wherever you are traveling, you should try to learn about the culture of where you are going and appreciate/participate in it rather than making judgement calls on the differences.
My son travelled around Europe for 2 months after living in London for 2 years. He really loved Poland and the people. He said they were very friendly :) He is from NZ
These are good tips. For dressing in very cold climates I'd suggest getting sports thermal wear as the first layer then dress normally on top of that but have a well insulated coat and gloves for outside in the neutral colours suggested. You can get gloves with rubber fingertips so you can still use a smartphone and take pictures. "Decathlon" is a good store for this sort of gear. By the end of my first winter there I got it worked out but I was wrestling with many layers until I did, switching to and fro the freezing streets to the heated interiors. Probably not an issue for the Americans used to cold winters but I came from the southern hemisphere.
Great video! Sweet and simple. I travel to Europe as much as I can and there are a few things that are absolutely true: class over comfort, gym clothes for the gym only, and NEVER flip flops with socks! Now, one thing: cargo shorts. I love them and I bought my best pair in a very nice place in Liverpool. However, I'm over 60. For young guys it is probably better to go with the shorter ones. People like my wife and I, in that range of age, I mean, have to be very mindful of what to wear in Europe. Of course, what I love in the US is that everybody wears whatever they want, and it is OK, but in Europe, if you like to blend and not to look cheap or even ridiculous, you must follow some rules, particularly if you are over 50.
I did. Brought the clothes I was in and 2 changes . The rest I got in the us - tjmaxx dmw ( i Think they are called for shoes) and Nordstrom rack it was great because I would wear things that to the locals were way to extra and had some really unique stuff when I got back . That is probably a good way to do it the other way around also because you will get really portable souvenirs , make-up, scents etc music is perfect for that also .
Most people where I live don’t care about style and DO NOT LAYER layering is like a sin in my town. You look insane if you are wearing more then 1 layer and it’s not winter. These things stick out in Europe but Europeans don’t stick out that much in the U.S
As a French, I love how Americans behave in France. Most of Americans visiting France tends to love the country and the people and they are nice. SO I really don't care how they look. (most of the time look great anyway).
Weirdly you are the first american talking about how to act/dress in Europe, that could actually pass as a European here in Europe, both in terms of looks and demeanor.
Very good video. All your tips can be recommended. A little addition: It is important to choose the right clothes to wear at the right place/ location/ event. (Don't misunderstand, it needn't to be brands, or expensive clothes, but they have to be clean and fit and correspond with the event/location.) If one wears the wrong clothes (e.g. sport dress while shopping), it will be seen as that whether the person is ignorant or doesn't care/value himself and doesn't value the other ppl. If you are invited to a persons home and you show up e.g. in jogging pants it will be seen as very disrespectful. You are able to insult ppl by what you wear. Ppl will judge you on what you wear and on your table manners. Especially elderly. (The youth always trys out to find the limit 😉)
In your photo you wear clothes that are more fitting than regular US clothes. European and US designs are simply different when it comes to baggy and fitting.
You are right. I tried telling my wife last year, but she insisted on getting new clothes to “blend in” with the rest of the public when we travelled to London. She did not want to look like a tourist. Yet she was going to touristy locations with a camera and taking pictures of everything 🤦🏻♂️. I wore my cowboy boots, plaid shirts, wranglers, and mesh ball cap. Went to a pub there in Greenwich called the Spanish Galleon or something like that and got served a room temperature beer in a glass that literally felt like it just came out of the dishwasher (it was hot). I asked the bar tender, “What is this?”. He says “British beer is traditionally served at room temperature”. I turned and looked at my father-in-law and said “See, thats why we left this country”.
You're SO right, Alex. I live in sunny Portugal and everything you said equates to "our" European dress-style. Another dead giveaway that you're American is college t's and sweatshirts - avoid anything with college logos like: Illinois, Harvard, etc. OH and the caps - NO New York Yankees hats, especially worn backwards! Another big hit with the Europeans, regarding footwear, is Merrell - they're AWESOME for walking and they fit in with a real casual look. Also wear dark short socks - ankle socks - with your footwear. White socks is a definite NO-NO!! I can't really remember anything else because you pretty much mentioned everything. Just thought I'd add these little tips, too. Have a great one! And good (future) travels \m/
Maggie Santos Too bad that it has become a Trend in Europe to wear American college hoodies like Stanford or Harvard. You can buy those in Primark or H&M
Timon The thing is, between a European wearing one and an American wearing one, you can still tell the difference. I think it's safe to say that Europeans can still get away with it 😂😂
Never seen those @ H&M thou.... But I think it also really depends on where you go. When I was an undergrad at Duke, everybody was just fine, i.e. shirts, polos, khakis, seersucker shorts...Now I'm in central Illinois, full-blown towny style😂😂
Ok, except for not wanting to be cheated and harassed, why shouldn't we wear our national "costume" when we are abroad? Isn't it cute and quaint enough? Jokes aside, I was a punk/goth 22 year old when I first went to Europe and even the Americans didn't know I was American. I was first mistaken for German, lol. No, I didn't wear sportswear or baseball caps. I thought Europeans underdressed, as everyone wore jeans all the time. Actually, I thought everyone was copying ugly American style while I was much more glamorous in my outfits and doc martens.
I agree. I’m here in Rome and you are spot on. Nice fit clothing for men and neutral colors. Plain sneaker or boot for winter and a nice wool jacket below the waist.
cute video! I think you really nailed it. perhaps I may add two things: don't wear socks with shorts and sneakers (only the unvisible ones), and (besides summer) scarfs are a necessity. Also bags are very fashionable.
Ulrich Lehnhardt If you decide to wear socks (and are in your late 10’s or early 20’s): wear white fashionable socks from Adidas, Tommy Hilfiger, or Vans.
If u want to dress like a European hipster.. Yeah you are pretty much spot on. xD And the pick pocketing or security has very little to do with clothes. As a potential target by criminals you can choose to be a "soft" target or a "hard" target. A "soft" target has no awareness of their surrounding, only looking in to their phones, doesn't hold eye contact for more than half a second, have valuables in outer pockets and wear handbags etc so they are easy to pick or snatch from you. A hard target has awareness, makes eye contact, protect their personal space and keeps valuables and bags close to their body and in eye sight. Unless you come across a violent armed robber, just being a hard target will keep you from being pick pocketed or scammed etc.
You do have a good point about jeans and being able to wear them a couple of times without washing. 😂 seriously good to pack and wear with different tops.
It's interesting how fashion trends change over time internationally. Even H&M in the US only sells mens shorts that are above the knee. By contrast, when I visited Germany and Italy during college in the early 2000s, German and Italian men only wore Capris, but no men in the US wore shorts other than board shorts or basketball shorts. BTW, everything said in this vid is true in my travel experiences. Easy tip, shop at H&M not the GAP or Nike Town. Graphic T-shirts and athletic clothes are a relatively recent (i.e., historically recent, like 20 years) and IMO bad fashion trend in the US.
This is the first video of this kind i saw which gives advices which are true :) Only exeption are graphic tees, at least in germany they are very common...
hahaha, wow, it's so weird I dress too European then, and I'm not even american nor european. Glad you did this vid, it's like a cultural stuff that comes from observation which gives us like a more broaden view. cheers!
My compliments, your suggestions are really good. I would agree that as a European, we tend to be classically stylish in dress. We also like to be refined in terms of our behaviour in public, in that we like to speak discreetly, and not be overly loud when we speak in public.
Wow, I never realised we have so many rules, but as you explain it, you are probably right. On the other way round, if you are wearing only these clothes that are common, you might miss some really funny people ( with my friends, what you describe are work-clothes or to visit museums etc.). But if you visit the really interesting parts of town, places tourists normally don't find, you will find a lot of people wearing bright colors or printed shirts etc. In Germany I think this is a bit of a subculture thing, but it gets more and more popular.
Totally agree! This is a prime signal for pickpocketers to take advantage of you in Paris. Also, don't walk around with a Starbucks To Go cups in hand -- especially if you want to avoid the pickpocketer (based on personal experience).
do you stand out in US now, when you dress European? another thing I noticed and it is really important (of topic) is that Americans don't use commas and sometimes you have to read over the same text to understand it. but overall, great video, keep going :)
a lot of people were commenting on how black I was dressed. in my Spanish class my teacher showed us the Spanish website of zara and talking about how not much of color is worn in europe
Mantas Barcys Whenever I go to the US I stand out because of the way I dress (I'm half french, half american but live in France)... People stare at me and my cousin is always like "why are your outfits so fancy ?" (I wear dresses etc and she and her friends wear sport shorts...) In the end I give up and become tired of the staring so I just wear shorts and a plain t-shirt ahah (When I go, I stay like 10 weeks so being stared at for 10 weeks uh no thanks ahah)
Idreamedadreamlastnight Where did you go? To the south? Dressing like that is totally normal in the Northeast. I wouldn't have looked twice at you if I were to see you here
All those rules depends where you go, which country and as well it depends whether you go to city or town. In towns, in Czech Republic, "dress code" is more relaxed. Well no one wear work out clothes beside working out or cycling, that's true, on other hand you can meet locals with cargo pants/shorts or in t-shirt with some graphic on it or with not exactly fitting jeans... But it greatly depends on what they do at the time, but generally we wear those things when we don't plant go to restaurants, city centre or so. On other hand you can meet people wearing this in hardware store, grocery and in work days in commuter train. At private events on gardens or cottage or just somewhere outside of town we really don't care much about clothes, whether they are fashionable or not. Bright colours... well you were perhaps too west and too north, you can get bright coloured t-shirts and so, but it is mainly in summer.
Great video dude. But my pet peeve is Americans saying "I went to Europe" when European countries are so different from each other. I say this as a Norwegian who's lived in Italy and the UK as well :)
This made me chuckle, UK is in Europe but gym clothing is virtually a uniform in some areas. I must admit I agree with the French though (having French ancestry), never to wear gym clothing outside of the gym. They may feel stretchy & comfortable, but yesterday, after a personal training session, I had to nip into Aldi in my gym gear, and at almost 60, I can tell you I've never felt so uncomfortable in my life! Lol....😁😆
intresting. so everything you are used to wear in America when going out is what i use in Romania when i go work and my work uniform needs a wash.straight jeans with some old sneakers and some t-shirt with graphics on it you can find in trift shops,second - hand shops.and that fanny pack! you see those here on people that sell tickets to a parking lot or in amusement parks .or on Americans :)) .
Thanks Alex, great video. I'd also add for older men, the expectation for fashion gets higher, especially if you are in a fashion city like Paris or Milan.
Nice vid. Oddly enough tips here can also be found on men's fashion sites that usually are run by Americans. Before I went to Europe I knew that in everyday fashion they were a bit more fashionable, but I didn't know the exact ways they were. I went on American fashion sites to "upgrade" my wardrobe and they worked.
Thank you. My family and I are going to Rome in the spring 2019. I would like to try to fit in to culture norm. My wife thinks I obsess too much on what to wear. Great video.
where am I meant to keep plastic bags for picking up my dogs shit ? should I leave it for you to step in or wait till I get arrested for not cleaning it up ?
I don't own other kinda pants than cargo pants... in fact I only have one pair and they have lasted me 4 years already. Not going to buy another pants until I actually have to, that's the way I see it.
This is a great video. Turns out my 14 year old has been dressing european for a while-haha , but he got made fun of here in the states. I can't wait to show him your video. Thanks and make some more. Also maybe make a video about the places that you visited and how you are so glad you went and why. How it has opened up your mind and made you appreciate other cultures and made you more worldly. Thanks and great job!
I live in Roma. American tourists are embarassing . They are just covered , Not dressed . Without style on clothes and With flip flops At The feet at the restaurant ! I think it s not a question Of comfort But a question of lack of style and culture . Fashion and food in My country Are culture . And we want respect of out lifestyle and tradition .
Mark BestBuddy who Is The best ?? No culture no elegance no History no style no art only Ugly and fat people with disgusting eating habits , ignorant about other cultures . We see you all around the World with your flip flops on feet and Vulgar leggins in Your fat ass : What a ugly and Sad people !!!
The lesson here would be not to hang out with shallow/empty people who judge you on the clothes you wear... I mean who wants the approval of people that would say straight to your face "What are you wearing?!" ? And I'm a native Parisian. Please tourists don't change your style when coming to France and be proud of where you are from and who you are. If somebody makes fun of you then good riddance, there are A-holes everywhere.
See you are actually intelligent. So many Americans are so insecure. Yet they would call me racist if I expected anyone to assimilate to American culture. There actually used to be one. But they don't realize that. Look at any photo pre 1959
Hm, spotting "the American" used to be easy when i was a teenager .. but now, it has actually become a challenge (until you are in listening range...) Americans used to dress in terrible colours and baggy clothes. When i was in school, we sometimes (often) made fun of Americans and their rather unfitting clothes .. with trousers that showed a butt crack and baseball caps sporting their team on the head. But it has become much better. Most tourists that come here now dress much more appropriate. Its not their clothing that stands out anymore .. but rather their behaviour.
Yea, i would not really disagree .. culturally, the US has been a front runner (that is in the 70s and 80s) .. but there has been a cultural decline in America - or so it feels. Less cultural impulses come from there .. and there has been a shift to Asia. Meanwhile Europe is still trying to build its own cultural identity (again) But all in all, yea - sure, America has been hugely influencial (well, except in fashion and food that is - thats what we have France and Italy for)
The Reckoning you are so stupid... I'm Spanish and. Can tell you that alot of the music and style that americans do, Europeans copy because America is seen as a great cultural country. LOok at the music lol we know every American artist and listen to it.
not really. Europeans copied Americans in the 80 and 90s but not anymore. Nowadays European have their own style, it has really nothing to do with the US anymore.
As a "general rule"/current social norm, I'd say this is kind of spot on - at least in the northern/northwestern countries. You'll definitely find deviations from country to country (i.e., at-knee/slightly below the knee shorts in Sweden and Germany [in my experience]), and person to person (of course), but [most people that I interact with] definitely in the cooler months follow a "dress to impress" look. Also, scarves not only keep you warm and keep you from getting sick, but are a great fashion accessory (if that's your thing). In the warmer months, at least in the Netherlands, people will still kind of follow the "rule", but also throw it out and wear whatever. In the end, wear whatever you want, it's your style and personality... just leave your cargo shorts and socks with sandals behind (I'm looking at you, Germans - even my German friends don't understand it though). And in regards to footwear, just wear nice sandals (without socks) and Nike is visible here, just not as common like in the US (or maybe it is and I just don't care to stare at people's shoe preference).
My biggest piece of advice about clothing for those visiting Spain is: It's cold in winter here . I'm sick and tired of seeing tourists in winter freezing becouse they only have shorts and flip-flops, and maybe a hoodie. So, if you are coming in winter, you are going to need a coat, or at least a nice jacket, long pants, close shoes or boots, those things, becouse it's not always as warm and sunny as tourists believe.
I agree that it is generally a good idea to check the weather of where you are traveling before hand and pack appropriately. This goes for anyone going anywhere.
