Anonymous
06/10/2023 09:32
Subject: How does somebody "look American"?
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.
Anonymous
06/10/2023 09:27
Subject: How does somebody "look American"?
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.
He was suckering you for a bigger tip. And it worked! “We just aren’t like other Americans…”
This.
It’s akin to your waiter complimenting how well behaved your children are or a salesperson complimenting your shoes/jewelry/haircut/whatever.
Anonymous
06/10/2023 09:24
Subject: How does somebody "look American"?
Anonymous wrote:Europe isn't even the fashion capital of the world anymore.
Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai, and Bangkok have way, wayyyyy more fashion forward people who push the envelope with interesting styles. They have much more interesting smaller designers in Tokyo and Bangkok, and the clothes often fit supremely better in Tokyo as long as you aren't obese.
If you want to see very attractive people and ma y people who, on average dress better, try going to Tokyo or Seoul. Europe as a fashion capital is sooo 1970s, 80s, and 90s. Their fashions are either obnoxiously gaudy or staid. Stale and has beens. Actually, the styles in NYC and LA/California are even way more interesting than most of what you see in Europe.
Good People of DCUM aren't interested in interesting street style. They want to be appropriate and invisible, but in that invisibility to pass for rich.
They are terrified of being noticed, because in their heads the only thing that happens when you're noticed is that someone will judge you as less-than - usually for not being wealthy enough, or having the right class status.
It's a very small, reactionary approach to life. I don't think it accounts for most people - and probably not even most people on this board - but it does account for most posts about what to wear and how to behave in various situations.
Anonymous
06/10/2023 09:22
Subject: How does somebody "look American"?
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.
He was suckering you for a bigger tip. And it worked! “We just aren’t like other Americans…”
That's one of the lines in his script. He tells all the tourists nobody can tell.
Anonymous
06/10/2023 09:19
Subject: How does somebody "look American"?
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.
He was suckering you for a bigger tip. And it worked! “We just aren’t like other Americans…”
Anonymous
06/10/2023 08:50
Subject: How does somebody "look American"?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Also white people focused:
Openness and friendliness to strangers is a very American thing. I’ve noticed that Europeans rarely walk up and make small talk with strangers.
When traveling in European cities, i also notice The cut of clothing. American men rarely well clothing that is really well tailored to their body type, while that is the norm in most big cities in Europe.
Very white teeth is often an American giveaway.
I’m not so sure if it’s a white person issue. I’m Mexican, but grew up here in DC. When I go back home to visit, people know just by looking at me, that I am not a local anymore. I look like everybody else, so it must be the way I’m dressing or maybe my haircut? Something about me screams American.
When my family visits extended family in india (my family of four were all born and raised in the US), any local can pick us out immediately, even if it’s just me and my daughter wearing Indian clothing and not speaking. I have no idea how.
Anonymous
06/10/2023 06:19
Subject: How does somebody "look American"?
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.
Anonymous
06/10/2023 00:02
Subject: How does somebody "look American"?
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.
Most Brits have straight white teeth now too. You're tossing a 1970s and earlier cliche around.
We didn't find that to be the case. We have a lot of friends in the UK and most haven't had work on their teeth.
Anonymous
06/09/2023 23:57
Subject: How does somebody "look American"?
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.
Most Brits have straight white teeth now too. You're tossing a 1970s and earlier cliche around.
Anonymous
06/09/2023 23:32
Subject: How does somebody "look American"?
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.
Anonymous
06/09/2023 23:22
Subject: How does somebody "look American"?
Athleisure clothes, very very very loud voices, and American accent of course.
Anonymous
06/09/2023 23:18
Subject: How does somebody "look American"?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:And no, Americans aren't they loud. Like are you f'in kidding me?
Chinese?
British?
Aussies?
Russians?
GTFO. Americans are way better behaved than those groups and are no where near as loud as a bunch of obnoxious Aussie/Brits or Chinese tour groups swarming areas loud AF.
This I can attest to! 🥴
One unique trait about Americans is we are very self-critical. Having travelled abroad a fair amount, I’ve realized we are not so bad. Every country has people who are rude, greedy, pushy, loud, overweight and so on.
Americans are generally friendly, polite, curious, open minded and try their best to enjoy other cultures.
Completely agree. I also think most Americans are acutely aware of the "ugly American" stereotype and so bend over backwards to be gracious and quiet. That stereotype now belongs to the people of many other countries.
Anonymous
06/09/2023 23:16
Subject: How does somebody "look American"?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Americans eat on the street. Japanese people do not.
Europeans are less likely to eat on the street.
Europeans love their gelato walking down the street as much as anyone else.
But that's about the only thing they will eat walking down the street. They will stop to drink a cup of coffee.
Sigh. Someone has never been to Europe.
DP
Anonymous
06/09/2023 23:10
Subject: How does somebody "look American"?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Americans eat on the street. Japanese people do not.
Europeans are less likely to eat on the street.
Japan had one the great street food cultures of the world
The posters point is that Japanese people do not walk and eat. Which IS true. It's a huge cultural norm in Japan. While their is street food in Japan, you do not.walk around and eat it. It is a major faux pas.
But waking and eating is not an American thing. Chinese people, Thais, Vietnamese, and Indonesians give zero craps about that. It is not an American thing to walk and eat at all.
Oh, this is just too easy. DP
Anonymous
06/09/2023 23:02
Subject: How does somebody "look American"?
Anonymous wrote:Americans eat on the street. Japanese people do not.
Europeans are less likely to eat on the street.
Interesting. You sure about that?
Czech Republic:
UK:
France:
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