Okay, I could use the advice of the locals. Please advise me on the attire that most people wear in Prague for casualness and just walking around the city? I don%26#39;t want to stick out like a sore thumb being an American tourist in the jeans and tennis shoes (sneakers) as our reputation seems to be. Comments on how to not stand out and how to fit in would be greatly appreciated.
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LOL. As an American who has been there, trust me, you will probably stand out in some way. Just in mannerisms, facial expressions and the like. For instance, to me and many I%26#39;ve spoken with, Czechs are generally more solemn and reserved than Americans, from what I%26#39;ve seen. At nightclubs and bars it%26#39;s different but in day to day proceedings, the people are more %26quot;laid back%26quot;. Some might even use the word %26quot;sad%26quot; but I wouldn%26#39;t say that. Just more reserved in expression.
Just think about how you might walk around smiling and joking with your friends. Czechs do that but, from my experience, not as much as us Americans. They also wear more %26quot;European%26quot; type hairstyles and they might wear the same pair of pants you wear but more fitting. Again, this is what I saw when I was there, and I did alot of chilling out and people watching. I appreciate everyones differences and styles. That%26#39;s what%26#39;s beautiful about travelling.
Tex,
imagine me though. I%26#39;m a 6%26#39;5 black American and I stood out like you wouldn%26#39;t imagine. There are Africans there but the people I met who live in Prague told me that they knew immediately that I was an American when they saw me. Clothing, expression, even the way I walk. So, when I threw on my Merrell shoes, Kenvelo jeans and Clockhouse shirts, (mostly European companies) they STILL knew!! :) LOL. It was fine though. Most people will look because, just like you and I would, if you see something that you aren%26#39;t used to seeing, you look. And I must say that I saw hardly ANY rudeness from the people in the city when i was there. When they realized that I saw them looking, they%26#39;d look away. Very respectful in that regard. I still chuckle at the thought of the teenagers and younger kids staring at my sneakers. Just like I stared at some of the cool styles I saw for the first time over there.
Enjoy and don%26#39;t worry about standing out. You will but people won%26#39;t be pointing, laughing, threatening, etc... I%26#39;d suggest just being respectful of the city, it%26#39;s customs and it%26#39;s citizens. Also, learn some greetings and general expressions. It will be appreciated.
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Thanks - I%26#39;m not worried about standing out due to laughing, but as you said, more out of respect.
I once read an article that said - Americans dress to go to Europe like we are there to mow their lawns. I want to be sure that my attire is respectful of the culture and isn%26#39;t too casual to where someone might feel like I didn%26#39;t care about them.
Sound like you had a wonderful trip there - thanks for your advise.
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I think Prague is much more casual than other European capitals. In Paris, sneakiers and comfy jeans look so out of place, but not in Prague. Americans stand out as soon as we open our mouths, if not before. You show respect and kindness, you will receive it as often as you would here. I LOVE the city and enjoyed people meeting and watching...have a great trip!
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%26quot;I want to be sure that my attire is respectful of the culture and isn%26#39;t too casual to where someone might feel like I didn%26#39;t care about them.%26quot;
Just wear whatever you are comfortable in (shoes in particular due to shi**y cobblestone streets). Really. Nobody - especially in Prague - will care about what you wear.
Would not worry about %26quot;standing out%26quot; at all. You will stand out though. Any tourist more or less does.
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You are worrying too much. The only reason you should care about your clothes making you stand out is because it will make you a more obvious target for pickpockets.
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In the center of Prague the majority of people are Tourists, as long as you are not swathed in Old Glory and singing Elvis songs ,you will stand out no more than any other tourist.I have found in my travels that it is only the larger groups of older American tourists that stand out and yes it is usually because of the jeans ,white sneakers and fanny packs.
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I wish the Englishmen comig here would worry about dress code and respect when they come to Prague. They are the ones that rip of their t-shirts as soon as it get warmer and none of them can afford it! That is appalling.
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I agree with you Martina,keep that sort of thing for the beach.
decorum in dress is required for cities.I also hate the wearing of football colours that the British tend to do.
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LOL. Wow. They walk around with no shirt because it%26#39;s warm? That%26#39;s a little ridiculous. A tank top is even better than that.
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Alas, a portion of my fellow countryMEN aren%26#39;t much more than apes, wearing (or not!) team colours, getting drunk and speaking (well, they THINK its speech, they%26#39;re actually yelling and singing so loud the local Gargoyles on the rooftops are upping and moving to Vienna) in clear english.
Sadly, if theres one think a pickpocket likes more than an unobservant tourist, its a pissed, stupid, loud unobservant tourist, his bellowing voice giving the criminals a nice indicator of where he is...
In terms of clothing etc, when i go abroad i tend not to wear labelled clothing, or shirts with english phrases etc on the front - plain shirts with colours that arent loud (no pinks etc!), usually unpatterned stuff (no lumberjack shirts), jeans and shoes i can walk in comfortable, but can live with throwing away. This may sound a bit over the top or silly, but i%26#39;m often mistaken for a local in places like Warsaw for someone going to work or heading home!
I like fitting in, because if you fit in you can be a) less of a target and b) more approachable to other people, locals will feel more comfortable if you look more like them than someone who just walked out of a Timberland Factory shop (nothing wrong with Timberland by the way, i love their clothes, just illustrating my point!).
hope that helps mate, have a great trip!
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