What should my teen boys wear in Paris?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can guarantee that very few, if any, Europeans are asking what to wear when visiting the US

+1. OP, do not miss this chance to be an exotic foreigner.

[Anonymous]

Do they have facial hair yet? They should wear striped Breton shirts with red bandanas and little mustaches.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do they have facial hair yet? They should wear striped Breton shirts with red bandanas and little mustaches.

Also teach them to say "hon hon hon" when they laugh

[Anonymous]

What a weird question.

You are a full grown adult who is outsourcing how to dress your teens?


So many posters on DCUM act like there is a rule book that other adults have, and they need us to look stuff up in it for them.

You are going in a trip. When you pack, consider the weather at your destination, luggage space, planned activities (are you skiing? Does the hotel have a pool?) . It is not rocket science.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It depends when you go. Who are these weird posters who think that teens in Germany and France do not wear shorts? Sure, going to a nice restaurant in the evening would need to wear pants, but for sightseeing shorts are acceptable attire.

I’m one of the “weird” posters who said I would have the boys leave the shorts home - based on the fact that the trip is coming up, according to OP, and so shorts in Nov/Dec/Jan would just look goofy and off-season right now in Paris, even if it’s unseasonably warm.

I don’t understand all the posters who think wanting to dress nicely on a vacation in a major European city (or any major city, anywhere) is some sort of weird cosplay. My family steps up our game a little on vacation - it’s a sign of self-respect, we look nice for pictures, get treated a bit more nicely in restaurants and shops. We’re not talking about suits, for god’s sake. We’re talking about pants/nice jeans instead of shorts in Nov/Dec. Is it really such a sacrifice to be less of a slob than you are at home? Have a sense of occasion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What a weird question.

You are a full grown adult who is outsourcing how to dress your teens?


So many posters on DCUM act like there is a rule book that other adults have, and they need us to look stuff up in it for them.

You are going in a trip. When you pack, consider the weather at your destination, luggage space, planned activities (are you skiing? Does the hotel have a pool?) . It is not rocket science.

What? Everyone knows that truly sophisticated people always cosplay the nationality they are visiting. What do you want to look like, some kind of freak?

[Anonymous]

I had my kids wear jeans, khakis, sneakers, and t-shirts walking around, and change into colored shirts for dinners. The oldest changed his sneakers to boots.

[Anonymous]

In Paris, we saw a lot of 90s style sweatshirts with "New York" on them. I was surprised to see this there, but there you go.

I spent two weeks in Paris and some smaller towns and didn't notice teen boys wearing the big basketball shorts and hoodies that boys wear here. I'd definitely go with jeans and a shirt that doesn't have words on it. My teens wore black stretchy pants (they hate jeans) and tee-shirts without words.

They will know you are American no matter what and bring you ketchup.

Other times, I was surprised to have French people start speaking to me in French. I think this is because I wore a scarf. Parisians love their scarves!

I also told my family they HAD to use knives. Americans tend to use their forks to cut instead of a knife. To be polite, I felt we should use utensils the French way.

[Anonymous]

Our HS hosted 2 dozen German students this fall. Honestly, dress wise, you really couldn't tell the difference when they were all together with their host students. When my son was in Germany this summer, he said the same thing. Be comfortable and no need to dress in a different style than here.

[Anonymous]

Your kids aren’t gonna look European, op, just give that dream up

[Anonymous]

https://youtu.be/32Sa_5RLS-k?si=2_OAM-EY3WKXKyN8

There’s a French YouTuber who interviews parisians on the street dressed in cool clothes. But you can see all the other people walking by in jeans, sneakers, etc.

They dress just like us. In fact, I saw a lot of white sneakers and faded jeans that aren’t on trend anywhere. And it’s doubtful these are tourists. She doesn’t seem to be in particularly touristy areas.

I thought it was funny that the first person interviewed was from Paris but had thrifted her entire outfit in Montreal when she lived abroad.

I bet you can find a video with people wearing shorts. This one is from winter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your kids aren’t gonna look European, op, just give that dream up

Not sure that’s the “dream.” It’s not so weird to want to have a sense of local norms. Some of you people are so militant about your right to look like slobs. It’s really not that deep. Go ahead, wear your pajama pants to the Louvre…who cares, I guess…?

[Anonymous]

Speak for yourself

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In Paris, we saw a lot of 90s style sweatshirts with "New York" on them. I was surprised to see this there, but there you go.

I spent two weeks in Paris and some smaller towns and didn't notice teen boys wearing the big basketball shorts and hoodies that boys wear here. I'd definitely go with jeans and a shirt that doesn't have words on it. My teens wore black stretchy pants (they hate jeans) and tee-shirts without words.

They will know you are American no matter what and bring you ketchup.

Other times, I was surprised to have French people start speaking to me in French. I think this is because I wore a scarf. Parisians love their scarves!

I also told my family they HAD to use knives. Americans tend to use their forks to cut instead of a knife. To be polite, I felt we should use utensils the French way.

LOL -Americans use their forks to cut? That’s a new one.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Not worried about fitting in or passing as French. Just don’t want to show up for lunch and museums with great aunt with kids in adidas shorts and crocs and come off as totally… dare I say it… gauche. These kids don’t even own jeans after years of buying them just to sit in drawers so I’m just trying to figure out what I need to buy and to pack.