What should my teen boys wear in Paris?

[Anonymous]

Suits, murses and designer sunglasses, as mentioned, are required for any trip to Europe. If it’s your boys first trip overseas, it’s best to travel with an empty suitcase and buy all of your clothes after landing at your destination.

A quick immersion at a knife and fork school would also help. In addition to learning about table settings and dining etiquette, your boys can do cheese tastings and lean how to pronounce snooty wines.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They should wear whatever they want. We go all the time and my teen boys have a basic wardrobe of plain vuori joggers, shorts, t shirts. They wear khakis, golf shorts, quarter zips to dinner and suits for really nice dinners. The people recommending “stepping it up” by wearing jeans are dingdongs. Jeans aren’t worn a lot and they are uncomfortable for a day of sightseeing, of course, your kids can wear them if they like them.

FWIW Europeans always think my kids are German or British.

We're talking about "stepping it up" from wearing sloppy shorts and crocs in the winter in a major city. So, yeah, jeans are a small "step up" - clearly the bar is not high. Some are comfortable in jeans, some in khakis as you suggest. But really, what's this you say about packing suits for dinner? Who's the ding-dong....?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They should wear whatever they want. We go all the time and my teen boys have a basic wardrobe of plain vuori joggers, shorts, t shirts. They wear khakis, golf shorts, quarter zips to dinner and suits for really nice dinners. The people recommending “stepping it up” by wearing jeans are dingdongs. Jeans aren’t worn a lot and they are uncomfortable for a day of sightseeing, of course, your kids can wear them if they like them.

FWIW Europeans always think my kids are German or British.

Jeans are worn everywhere. They may or may not be uncomfortable. That's a pretty subjective statement. But I'm sure all of us "ding dongs" who are suggesting jeans as an improvement over shorts in the winter in Paris really appreciate you letting us know that our kids can wear them if they like them. Thanks! Now, off to pack suits for dinner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They should wear whatever they want. We go all the time and my teen boys have a basic wardrobe of plain vuori joggers, shorts, t shirts. They wear khakis, golf shorts, quarter zips to dinner and suits for really nice dinners. The people recommending “stepping it up” by wearing jeans are dingdongs. Jeans aren’t worn a lot and they are uncomfortable for a day of sightseeing, of course, your kids can wear them if they like them.

FWIW Europeans always think my kids are German or British.

It’s not worth much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have to admit when I watch the kids walking to school I'm always struck by how casual kids look today compared to when I was a teen in the 1990s. And we thought we were casual back then! Today's kids really do look like they just rolled out of bed and are going to school in whatever they slept in. At least in my day the boys would throw on a polo and khaki or jeans.

Anyway, from what I've seen/picked up from friends living in Europe, wearing athletic clothes as everyday clothes is very "working class" while the middle class kids wear jeans. Beyond that I wouldn't worry too much about it as long as you are well behaved and put in a bit of effort if going out to dinner.

I just got back from a week in London.
I was surprised how much everyone dresses alike, no matter where they are from.
I saw someone in Levis and cowboy boots, assumed he was American, and heard him speaking French.

I don't think it matters any more how you dress in Europe. Globalization has made everyone wear the same coats, hats, sneakers, carry the same bags, wear hoodies, baseball caps, etc. no matter where you are from.

Bring some nice pants and a dress shirt for going out to a nice restaurant, but for sightseeing, hoodies and sneakers/shorts are just fine.

Exactly this. And I can always tell who the try-hard tourists are because they cos-play the sterotypical "European sophisticate" and it's painfully obvious.

Exactly what does the stereotypical European sophisticate look like? I’m European and I have no idea what you are talking about.

Quite honestly, I have no idea. I'm going by what some fawning DCUM posters claim. IMO, Europeans dress exactly as Americans do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No advertising that you are an American. Keep your sports hoodies and hats at home.

It's not the sports hoodies and hats. Europeans can spot an American man from a mile away. They walk differently, carry themselves differently, etc., and one is highly unlikely to nail European fashion unless they've been living there for a while.

And really, trying to fit in in Europe is sort of cringey. Respect is what you need to aim for, not fitting in.

There is no distinct European fashion anymore. In the last 20 years, fashion has become homogeneous.

Hmm, disagree. I think there are pockets of fashion norms everywhere, even within the US. But the main thing that gives it away is the walk and the body shape.

Not anymore. Europe is rather rotund now.

36% of American adults are obese compared with 21% of French adults. 71% more adults are obese in the US.

Math isn't your strong suit?
DP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Suits, murses and designer sunglasses, as mentioned, are required for any trip to Europe. If it’s your boys first trip overseas, it’s best to travel with an empty suitcase and buy all of your clothes after landing at your destination.

A quick immersion at a knife and fork school would also help. In addition to learning about table settings and dining etiquette, your boys can do cheese tastings and lean how to pronounce snooty wines.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My teen boys dress really casually (think athletic shorts and tshirt/hoodie + crocs in any weather >20 gegrees). We have a trip to France and Germany coming up. Do I need to force them to step up their wardrobes? We’ll be doing the typical museum tourist thing plus visiting some distant relatives. What should they wear?

Get them cute little matching berets. Bon voyage!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let them wear what they are comfortable in. No reason to impress the French.

Lol I know that’s right

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They should wear whatever they want. We go all the time and my teen boys have a basic wardrobe of plain vuori joggers, shorts, t shirts. They wear khakis, golf shorts, quarter zips to dinner and suits for really nice dinners. The people recommending “stepping it up” by wearing jeans are dingdongs. Jeans aren’t worn a lot and they are uncomfortable for a day of sightseeing, of course, your kids can wear them if they like them.

FWIW Europeans always think my kids are German or British.

It’s not worth much.

Nah, your kids look American, absurd how Americans idealise Europe and Europeans

[Anonymous]

[img]

Anonymous wrote:Suits, murses and designer sunglasses, as mentioned, are required for any trip to Europe. If it’s your boys first trip overseas, it’s best to travel with an empty suitcase and buy all of your clothes after landing at your destination.

A quick immersion at a knife and fork school would also help. In addition to learning about table settings and dining etiquette, your boys can do cheese tastings and lean how to pronounce snooty wines.

This is funny except for the fact that kids need to learn how to use a fork and knife. DCPS should go over it each year. Would make America great again, truly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:[img]

Anonymous wrote:Suits, murses and designer sunglasses, as mentioned, are required for any trip to Europe. If it’s your boys first trip overseas, it’s best to travel with an empty suitcase and buy all of your clothes after landing at your destination.

A quick immersion at a knife and fork school would also help. In addition to learning about table settings and dining etiquette, your boys can do cheese tastings and lean how to pronounce snooty wines.

This is funny except for the fact that kids need to learn how to use a fork and knife. DCPS should go over it each year. Would make America great again, truly.

It’s called parenting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:[img]

Anonymous wrote:Suits, murses and designer sunglasses, as mentioned, are required for any trip to Europe. If it’s your boys first trip overseas, it’s best to travel with an empty suitcase and buy all of your clothes after landing at your destination.

A quick immersion at a knife and fork school would also help. In addition to learning about table settings and dining etiquette, your boys can do cheese tastings and lean how to pronounce snooty wines.

This is funny except for the fact that kids need to learn how to use a fork and knife. DCPS should go over it each year. Would make America great again, truly.

European here who is crushed that my kids eat "American style" with the weird fork and knife thing. I totally support this 100%

When I was dating my husband, watching him do the fork/knife switch-a-roo was one of the weirdest things ever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[img]

Anonymous wrote:Suits, murses and designer sunglasses, as mentioned, are required for any trip to Europe. If it’s your boys first trip overseas, it’s best to travel with an empty suitcase and buy all of your clothes after landing at your destination.

A quick immersion at a knife and fork school would also help. In addition to learning about table settings and dining etiquette, your boys can do cheese tastings and lean how to pronounce snooty wines.

This is funny except for the fact that kids need to learn how to use a fork and knife. DCPS should go over it each year. Would make America great again, truly.

European here who is crushed that my kids eat "American style" with the weird fork and knife thing. I totally support this 100%

When I was dating my husband, watching him do the fork/knife switch-a-roo was one of the weirdest things ever.

Please link a video of the proper European way to eat with a fork and knife.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have to admit when I watch the kids walking to school I'm always struck by how casual kids look today compared to when I was a teen in the 1990s. And we thought we were casual back then! Today's kids really do look like they just rolled out of bed and are going to school in whatever they slept in. At least in my day the boys would throw on a polo and khaki or jeans.

Anyway, from what I've seen/picked up from friends living in Europe, wearing athletic clothes as everyday clothes is very "working class" while the middle class kids wear jeans. Beyond that I wouldn't worry too much about it as long as you are well behaved and put in a bit of effort if going out to dinner.

I just got back from a week in London.
I was surprised how much everyone dresses alike, no matter where they are from.
I saw someone in Levis and cowboy boots, assumed he was American, and heard him speaking French.

I don't think it matters any more how you dress in Europe. Globalization has made everyone wear the same coats, hats, sneakers, carry the same bags, wear hoodies, baseball caps, etc. no matter where you are from.

Bring some nice pants and a dress shirt for going out to a nice restaurant, but for sightseeing, hoodies and sneakers/shorts are just fine.

Exactly this. And I can always tell who the try-hard tourists are because they cos-play the sterotypical "European sophisticate" and it's painfully obvious.

Exactly what does the stereotypical European sophisticate look like? I’m European and I have no idea what you are talking about.

Quite honestly, I have no idea. I'm going by what some fawning DCUM posters claim. IMO, Europeans dress exactly as Americans do.

I didn’t notice any fawning posters. It is pretty obvious some people have a big chip on their shoulders over the notion that ‘Europeans’ dress less casually or at least that people think that. Very judgemental and insecure.