How does somebody "look American"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's increasingly difficult to stand out as American, but wearing distinctively US/Mex things can help. For example, cowboy/western themed clothes. This is your chance to be the exotic foreigner-- don't waste it.

Omg I want to cosplay a cowgirl on my next trip to London. I’ll go fullblown Nashville bachelorette party garb.

Which is exceedingly funny to me, as a native Nashvillean. Nobody wears boots or cowboy hats in Nashville, we're not in Texas!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's increasingly difficult to stand out as American, but wearing distinctively US/Mex things can help. For example, cowboy/western themed clothes. This is your chance to be the exotic foreigner-- don't waste it.

Omg I want to cosplay a cowgirl on my next trip to London. I’ll go fullblown Nashville bachelorette party garb.

Yes! I remember the first time I dressed like that in London, and people were totally delighted. I got a bunch of smiles and waves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's increasingly difficult to stand out as American, but wearing distinctively US/Mex things can help. For example, cowboy/western themed clothes. This is your chance to be the exotic foreigner-- don't waste it.

Omg I want to cosplay a cowgirl on my next trip to London. I’ll go fullblown Nashville bachelorette party garb.

Which is exceedingly funny to me, as a native Nashvillean. Nobody wears boots or cowboy hats in Nashville, we're not in Texas!!

Y'all are doing it wrong, then.

[Anonymous]

Sometimes by the hairstyles. Sometimes it's the shoes. Sometimes it's the backpacks. Style of glasses. White socks. Tucking shirts into trousers. General style of clothing.

When I go back to England in the summer, I see lots of older women wearing summer dresses. Here, women of a similar age will be wearing more casual clothes. In Germany, lots of the American women I knew would wear leggings during the day. Germans (that I knew) would only wear leggings to the gym.

But on the whole, I'd say that it is easier to spot an older American than a younger one. Especially if they are from a city.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As several have pointed out, Americans are not the loud travelers. That stereotype needs to stop. American travelers are overly self conscious about being loud. Families across the globe have embraced the sneakers and shirts with tourist destinations they've been to. American teens are the most obviously American due to dressing with trends.

I was just abroad and the (well to do) girls dressed like American teens! Sweatpants/cargos, tank tops and Nikes, lol

How on earth did you know they were “well to do?”

That’s a different thread! How did I know English teens were well-to-do? They were thin, wore expensive sneakers, air pods, clear skin, had bags from pricey stores, out with their girlfriends who all looked equally well off. Some were shopping with their mothers and it was very obvious they were rich.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As several have pointed out, Americans are not the loud travelers. That stereotype needs to stop. American travelers are overly self conscious about being loud. Families across the globe have embraced the sneakers and shirts with tourist destinations they've been to. American teens are the most obviously American due to dressing with trends.

I was just abroad and the (well to do) girls dressed like American teens! Sweatpants/cargos, tank tops and Nikes, lol

How on earth did you know they were “well to do?”

That’s a different thread! How did I know English teens were well-to-do? They were thin, wore expensive sneakers, air pods, clear skin, had bags from pricey stores, out with their girlfriends who all looked equally well off. Some were shopping with their mothers and it was very obvious they were rich.

Meh, conspicuous consumption is quite often the purview of the lower classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As several have pointed out, Americans are not the loud travelers. That stereotype needs to stop. American travelers are overly self conscious about being loud. Families across the globe have embraced the sneakers and shirts with tourist destinations they've been to. American teens are the most obviously American due to dressing with trends.

I was just abroad and the (well to do) girls dressed like American teens! Sweatpants/cargos, tank tops and Nikes, lol

How on earth did you know they were “well to do?”

That’s a different thread! How did I know English teens were well-to-do? They were thin, wore expensive sneakers, air pods, clear skin, had bags from pricey stores, out with their girlfriends who all looked equally well off. Some were shopping with their mothers and it was very obvious they were rich.

Meh, conspicuous consumption is quite often the purview of the lower classes.

I don’t find this to be true at all

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Americans wear shorts during the summer months when visiting international locations. Locals rarely wear shorts, especially men.

Also, American kids are easy to spot because they either have 1) braces or 2) perfectly straight teeth and always, always have a hoodie on.

Americans, even when they try to look chic, still end up looking sloppy for the most part because the clothing is cheap fast fashion type pieces. It's never tailored.

And finally, Americans love their sneakers! When walking along the streets, it's easy to spot who is a local going about their day in loafers or a nice pair of sandals versus an American tourist in their clunky bright sneakers.

I just got back from Portugal. I can't tell you how many of the local men were wearing jean shorts. We commented on it frequently because it was so prominent.

[Anonymous]

Good teeth

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:African American woman here- I was in Portugal last May and everyone I engaged with from restaurants to boutique employees thought I was from Lisboa. I think it was because I didn’t put my hair in braids which is very typical for me when I travel- making me look very “American.”

American+ Brit traveler. Relaxed hair is a giveaway as well in the UK.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Loud slobs who think they own the place and are oblivious to those around them.

That's working class Brits.

Oh, yes, Brits much worse. And more likely to be drunk, at any time of day.

[Anonymous]

We are in Tokyo now and you can obviously spot the tourists from the locals due to extra baggage and backpacks they carry. Plus it’s a no brainer if they are not East Asians. The whites that we see aren’t necessarily overweight. But they are taller, has bigger build and therefore stick out from the crowd. Only way that I can distinguish Americans from the Europeans is from the speech.

We were shopping in a thrift shop in Harajuku today and ran into very loud young American men. They were white college aged boys and had that (once called) all American look. They were very boisterous, laughing and carrying on without regard to other shoppers. My hats off to those Japanese store clerks for keeping their composure and remaining polite.

We also ran into other Americans who typically do not fit the stereotype. A group of Indian family with three generations and an East Asian family (possibly Koreans) with two teens. We noticed that they were Americans by their speech. I was happy to see fellow Americans like us.

[Anonymous]

It’s all in the countenance and carriage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I recently went to the UK and our tour guide told my family that we easily blended in and it wasn't obvious we were American. We wear tailored clothes and not athletic wear like shorts and leggings. We do have white straight teeth though.

You fell for the oldest line in the book. Lolz.

Want to know if you blend in? People speak to you in another language because they assume you speak the language. Happens to my DH all the time. He’s a Jewish guy from Jersey, but he’s a chameleon with curly black hair and olive skin. He is routinely assumed to speak Spanish, Italian, and Greek when we travel. He’s also been asked if he’s French or Russian.

And he dresses like all American guys/dads. FTR: he wears sneakers when traveling unless we are going to dinner or a wedding, in which case he wears leather loafers.

Have same experience except this time it's Germany and Austria. For some reason I look very German. Shopkeepers automatically address me in German and I've had strangers ask me questions in German, including other Americans looking for directions and practicing their college German. I find it funny.

I *do* speak German but don't look it (am Southern European in heritage). In Germany/Switzerland people speak French to me. Lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are in Tokyo now and you can obviously spot the tourists from the locals due to extra baggage and backpacks they carry. Plus it’s a no brainer if they are not East Asians. The whites that we see aren’t necessarily overweight. But they are taller, has bigger build and therefore stick out from the crowd. Only way that I can distinguish Americans from the Europeans is from the speech.

We were shopping in a thrift shop in Harajuku today and ran into very loud young American men. They were white college aged boys and had that (once called) all American look. They were very boisterous, laughing and carrying on without regard to other shoppers. My hats off to those Japanese store clerks for keeping their composure and remaining polite.

We also ran into other Americans who typically do not fit the stereotype. A group of Indian family with three generations and an East Asian family (possibly Koreans) with two teens. We noticed that they were Americans by their speech. I was happy to see fellow Americans like us.

It’s Harajuku. Everyone there is loud in that craphole part of Tokyo.