Now that you have all met my youngest sister-in-law, H., she’d like me to ask our far-flung and well-traveled readers a question on her behalf.
She is shortly embarking on a several week-long trip to Italy and France with the rest of her senior class. So what are the chic young ladies wearing in those countries this time of year? What comfortable, packable clothes should H. bring with her to appear stylish and not like a tourist? Are there spring trends that have emerged in Europe that have not enjoyed similar popularity in the States? She’s been dropping in on some European street style sites, but specific examples or concrete suggestions would be much appreciated. Can you all help her out?
This is a very good question. I wish I had asked before I went to Europe. While I have never been to France and Italy, I did spend a couple of months in Germany. My experience was pretty surprising for a Florida girl. I wouldn’t say that European style is completely exotic, just that certain staples in my Florida summer wardrobe were sure ringers for being “American”. Saying no to flip flops was particularly hard. Clothes are incredibly expensive and they are willing to pay for it, so quality counts. Which actually makes sense when I consider how bad my feet hurt walking on cobble stone streets in cheap sandals. Also girls do not wear your standard tennis shoes outside of the gym. For casual “street shoes” I would suggest looking for ecco or puma brand. You’re sister in law seems like she has pretty good fashion sense so I doubt she will have to much of a problem. Other than comfortable well-made shoes, I will just suggest the obvious… a neutral palette while chic and European and is easily accessorized with light weight scarves or a funky belt. Because of the price of clothes, the people I met were not afraid to wear the same item twice in a week but keeping within the neutral color scheme mixing and matching will be much easier and make you seem all the more stylish. I also look for inspiration here when I’m in a rut: http://fabfindsunder50.blogspot.com/search/label/Reader%20Question
Good luck and have fun!
That’s true, we europeans don’t wear gym trainers as street shoes as often as you do.
Anyway, if you she is stylish, she would be worldwide. There’s nothing to worry about! :)
When I read your question this morning I was really looking forward to the answers from fellow Europeans.
And it is true, shoes make a huge difference! I live near Munich and there are lots of tourists groups in the city every summer. And you can say by looking at their feet if they are American, or not. In almost every group there is at least one woman wearing white keds sport shoes!!
Another thing is, that some of them are dressed as if they are spending time in some kind of disney theme parc.
(But German tourists do not dress very good or appropriate while in vacation too!).
Some tipps from me: Use an nice bag, not a backpack. Shirtdresses in neutral colors are seen a lot now. Dress as stylish as at home, do not wear vacation stuff!
I’m in Europe for a couple of months and visit every year. For shoes, converse or puma are good for this time of the year, but Italy and France do get hot in June. Stylish gladiators and even birkenstock sandals are everywhere. You can also have cork wedges and espardilles for easy walking. Neutral skirts and dresses with bright accessories like scarfs, beads, belts and large totes are wonderful options. For pants, either skinnies or really wide legged pants are fitting.And of course, stylish sunglasses are a must in Italy! :)
Here’s some inspiration on the Dutch style I’ve been blogging on: http://www.legacyofpearl.com/tag/Look+Book
The most important thing is to dress in a comfortable way. (which means the right shoes and also the right cap. she will look much better in a nice straw sun hat, they are called pamelas, rather than in a bright-coloured basketball cap). She might need also a few cardigans and foulards (sometimes it gets chilly in the afternoon)
Besides, I do agree with the idea of the neutral colors, specially if it is a long travel and she doesn’t want to wear lots of luggage. In addition, she must take into considerations that European people and pattern mixing are not very good friends yet.
Finally, I’ve been reading you for a while and I am sure that your sister in law, as much as all of you, will look great!
Just one last thing, tell her to wear a lot of sun protections cream, tourist people usually become red, and I mean REALLY RED, which is not very stylish, and it is not healthy either!!
Hope she has a lot of fun, and my best whishes for the baby!!
I find that the Topshop website gives the best idea of what is going on in the UK – their stock changes so quickly and they have a very accurate sense of what is in (as well as determining it themselves to a certain extent). They do shoes too, so she can see what’s in from top to toe! For slightly dresser things, Ted Baker. I got a gorgeous waterfall cardigan (very in this spring) there this week.
On the continent, well, you still can’t go wrong dressed from Topshop to be honest. French high street fashion, such as Zadig & Voltaire is wildly expensive, although gorgeous.
No training shoes, no rubber flip flops! Pack lots of nice little flat sandals and ballet flats.
For the time of year I would suggest smart cotton sundresses with nice accessories, tailored shorts and light sleeveless blouses or linen blend trousers or skirts with a nice plain t-shirt. Pashminas are great for covering up at night and they look smarter than a cardi or sweater!
Interesting question! I live in Greece and some personal recommendations for traveling in Europe in the summer would be:
-No baseball caps & flip-flops: not very stylish (or practical) and they are a dead giveaway for “American tourist” :)
-Flip-flops are good for the beach and only there, otherwise try a nice sandal. Flats are the most useful, cork or espadrilles are nice too. Canvas shoes (Keds, All Star etc.) are good for walking. Ballerina flats are also a good choice, they are comfortable and look good with almost everything. Birkenstocks are rare here, in fact I think that almost always only tourists wear them and I am certain that one can find better looking, comfortable shoes. And please, never, never wear sandals with socks…
-Sunscreen: essential for the southern parts of Europe, i.e. in Greece it is over 30C all summer. Straw hats are nice too but keep in mind that most people, at least here in Greece, don’t really wear straw hats outside the beach but I find them very useful and stylish. They would be quite useful while waiting in line at the famous museums in Rome.
-I would suggest wearing lightweight clothes made from natural fibers, synthetics are very uncomfortable in the heat. Shorts, t-shirts, dresses, skirts, pants are all good. Patterns are not very big in Europe, opt for neutral and solid colors, preferably not very dark. Avoid things such as tracksuits…
-It might seem obvious but if you are visiting for example the Vatican in Rome, you should avoid wearing hot-pants, tank tops etc. And try to not exclaim loudly at everything interesting you might see :) Politeness will always impress people.
-A nice bag that holds essentials such as wallet, water, camera is very useful. A messenger bag or a tote are good choices or something similar.
-Pack a cardigan, a light cotton sweater and an umbrella. Sometimes, espcecially if is windy, it can get chilly during the night. Rain is rare in the summer but you never know.
Most of the styles that I have seen here in Academichic would not look out of place in Europe. Zara, Pull & Bear, Bershka and H&M are very popular shops. Topshop and ASOS are well known British shops, not my favorite but very popular in general. Most GAP styles would not look out of place. A shop I like very much is A.P.C., apc.fr, and I would highly suggest visiting its Paris stores, it is quite pricey but well worth it. Check also this blogs for some inspiration: thisisnaive.com, garancedore.fr, thecherryblossomgirl.com. A Greek style blog in english that is quite good is fashionarchitect.blogspot.com. Also, a personal favorite is blouses with nautical stripes, blue and white, red and white etc.
Above all have fun, it is not a fashion contest!
I should also mention how enjoyable I find your blog. I am also a PhD student and while the posts are not always my style, they are interesting and witty.
My situation is the other way around. I just moved to chicago from europe, and europeans and americans have a complete different way of dressing. I would recomend Shirtdresses, nice leather gladiators and sandals, wide legged dark jeans, or dark skinny jeans, capri’s. Simple cardigans or jackets and a lot of chic day dresses. A simple and flattering bikini. Nothing crazy. Colors like black, tan, brown, creme, gray and navy. Accesories like a big cuff bracelet, simple diamond stud earrings, pearls,a nice pin or broche. Scarfs in colors and patterns. No flip flops, and no backpacks. Wear big sunglasses, or aviators of wayfarers. and do not wear baseball caps, bring a nice handbag. Remember to wear sunscreen. nothing says tourist like a sunburn :) Try to look well groomed and clean at all times. natural make up, simple hair.
Fabrics like linen, chiffon, matte silk.
Wedges and espadrilles, ballerina flats.
Look for inspiration in Carla Bruni Sarkozy, Emmanuelle Alt, Caroline of Monaco (in her younger days), Audrey Tatou and Charlotte Gainsbourg. Hope it helps, and HAVE FUN!
she needs a classic Eastpak backpack. heehee
My impression is that Europeans wear shorts a lot less than Americans do. I’m surprised no one has mentioned this, so maybe it’s not true anymore. If your sister doesn’t want to wear skirts or dresses every day, she might want to consider capri pants.
If you are travelling in a group there is no chance you will not look like a tourist. There is however a good way to look like a tourist. Neutral colours, skirts and dress are a must, no baseball hats, no backpacks, nice purse, no North Face (when I lived in Spain this was an American red-flag), leather sandals. Keep your camera in your purse and always carry a scarf in case you need to cover your head in a church. Have a great time! Italy is amazing in the summer!
I agree with Amy – I’m surprised no one’s brought up the topic of shorts. I never pack shorts for Europe because it seems that no one wears them, I would wear skirts or capris instead. But since shorts have made such an appearance in the fashion world this spring, are they “in” in Europe now too? S.
Amy, it is true. With shorts I mean something like a sleek bermuda, tailored shorts etc. Something city-appropriate.
I’ve just come back from a year abroad in Spain. I would say no short shorts, no tennis shoes and no Old Navy flip flops. They wear scarves and their beach cover-ups are much more stylish – no old tees and workout shorts. They wear dresses, scarves, leather sandals, nice tops. I would also get a nice across the shoulder purse. You’ll feel a tug on your shoulder if someone tries to unzip it on the metro – it saved me from being robbed twice! Have fun and I’m jealous! Bring some money to shop there, still some of my most-worn clothes are things I bought in Spain and Italy.
I went to France after I graduated high school too! It was a great experience and I did learn a few things:
The shoes are very important, again no rubber flip-flops or tennis shoes however, when you are decided on which stylish sandals to take make sure they are durable! You’ll be walking everywhere and (as in my experience) it’s pretty embarrassing to have your delicate gold thong sandal break on you and having to walk around like an absolute idiot! haha, good times,
ALSO
don’t pack too much! You will want to spend money on tons of things to bring back that no one else has. Take skirts, dresses, and multiple lightweight blouses and tanks to mix and match, also pack a few light cardigans for evenings! sunglasses, bags, swimsuits, and jewelry and your done!
Have a blast!
I am a student studying in Paris right now. Here’s my take on the shorts situation: shorts and tights are very in right now and have been all through the winter and spring — people wear a lot of semi-sheer black tights with black shorts and black flats, or variations on this. So I think if she wears shorts, as long as they are a dark wash denim or a neutral color (white, black, khaki, brown) they would appear very French, especially for our age group.
I studied in France during college and it was really easy to tell who was an American or a tourist by their clothes. Do NOT wear jeans, sneakers, Ts, a Colombia/Northface jacket, and backback all together, it just screams tourist. I’d skip short shorts and flip flops too.
In Paris, wear neutral clothes that fit well — striped shirts, well-tailored clothes in gray, black, cream, white. You’ll fit in that way. I like jersey dresses, they pack well and are more elegant than jeans and a T.
I went to Italy around this time 5 years ago. Take some warm clothes to layer for night. It gets a little chilly there. I wish I had known and I would have taken some sweaters. Definitely do not wear anything with a label on it if you want to fit in. Make sure you take a bag that you can carry close to you so you don’t get robbed. Maybe something shorter that you can keep your hand on at all times. A friend of mine traveled more after I went home and she got robbed in Rome. But she wore stuff like a college t-shirt and carried around an authentic Louis Vouitton (sp?) barrel bag. As far as jewelry, make sure you take things that are replaceable in case of robbery or losing it. Do not take anything that means anything to you. I’m sorry I don’t have more advice along the lines of fashion, but have fun because it was the best experience of my life!
I’m Italian and I’m doing a Ph.D. in a University in the Midwest. My family still lives in Italy, so I go back quite often.
The main trend for 18-20 year old girls right now seems to be jeans (or shorts) + some “cool” top or shirt.
Here are some websites with examples (sorry, all the pages are in Italian, but there are quite a few pictures you can look at):
1) Shorts and pants
http://store.diesel.com/searchResult/realgender/Women/category/Pantaloni/tskay/6383154F/gender/D/c/cat_144/areaid/7/layoutType/1
http://store.diesel.com/searchResult/realgender/Women/category/Jeans/tskay/6383154F/gender/D/c/cat_136/areaid/7/layoutType/1
http://www.style.it/cont/moda/accessori/ricerca-guardaroba.aspx?IDSS=145&IDC=14
2) Tops:
http://www.style.it/cont/moda/accessori/ricerca-guardaroba.aspx?IDSS=145&IDC=17
3) Sneakers
http://www.style.it/cont/moda/accessori/ricerca-accessori.aspx?IDSS=143&IDC=11
If she is going to visit churches, tell her to wear something that covers her shoulders and her legs down to the knees, otherwise they won’t let her in.
I hope she has fun!
I am American, living in Switzerland. I’ve visited France, Germany, Italy and Monaco so far. It’s interesting, you can always spot an American, so don’t try to hide it.
You need a pair or two of dark, well fitting jeans, leather shoes, a smart coat/jacket and a sophisticated bag. Big trends here are the jeans tucked into boots, large scarves, sunglasses.
Hope that helps!
I live in Dublin and there are always tons of tourists around- after a while you can differentiate between their coutries of origin. Americans tend to wear very casual clothes, sweaters, hoodies and jeans. As a poster above mentioned, the white sports shoes are a definite giveaway of American origin. Skinny or straight jeans are often worn here with ballet slippers or converse shoes. The Italians tend to wear a lot of leather and the spanish canvas. The french wear a lot of cardigans and very neutral colours. Ireland and the UK tend to wear more patterned clothes. Big scarves (like handkerchiefs) are worn everywhere. Few people wear clothing with brands across the front. Shirt dresses are your best bet, they blend in well everywhere.
P.S- I’m not quite a postgrad yet, I’m still in the final year of my second undergrad degree, but I love your blog nonetheless!
Puma sandals are very beatiful and particular.Many people like them.
you know what? the hell with what you think I should be wearing, wether handbags, shoes or clothing. I am on vacation and spending a pretty penny in your country!! As long as you don’t look like a bum, it should not matter.
For me, there are more important things in life than what label you wear. Get a life; a real one and get it thru your head that life experience is far more valuable than what you wear on your body!
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