Wholesale Travel Clothes

What will you wear to Europe? This is a major concern, but it is secondary. The real question is — how much? You are infinitely better off going with nothing but an umbrella and a toothbrush than with the load you would typically throw in the trunk of your car and bring on a vacation in the United States.

Pack Light

As every traveler and chronicler of the subject relates, pack light. Seldom does anyone define the meaning of pack light, except to present a list of clothes and accessories to bring, no such list ever being universally practical. To enjoy travel, you must pack light. To define pack light, travel with your chosen load and see for yourself if it is convenient and gives you the freedom you need.

Dress Sharp

It pays to be well presented, with a European flavor. Europeans are clothes conscious. Northern European clothing is somewhat somber, while brighter colors are more common as you go south. Clothes represent personality and social status. They say "This is me." Europeans seeing you briefly for the first time will judge you completely by your appearance and will behave accordingly. Unfortunately for the traveler, most of your personal contact in Europe will be with hotel clerks and cafe waiters. To secure a good room, good table, and good service, dress as if you deserve it. In fact, you may be stopped and turned away at the door of some places if you are not properly dressed.

Be Comfortable

In addition, you must keep yourself comfortable. Northern European weather is generally cooler, wetter, and more variable than in the United States. South of the Alps and Pyrenees it can be warm and stuffy just about any time of the year. Walking in and out of museums, restaurants, and stores may force you to off and on your coat. In stores the heat from those little halogen lamps can be very uncomfortable. Be ready for rain or shine, morning chill or afternoon heat. In addition to your toothbrush and umbrella carry a light weight windbreaker at all times. See "layers" below.

Go Like a Local

For a number of reasons you are better off looking like a local citizen rather than a standard American tourist. Don't misinterpret this. I love the USA and all that it represents, but I try to avoid being an American billboard when I travel overseas. The primary reason is to avoid being a target of pickpockets, a breed endemic in Europe. You might also think that it could avoid being caught up in terrorist bombings as London had in July 2005. That is probably not an issue since the murdering sons of bitches just kill anybody, including fellow Muslims praying at their local mosque.

For many years my personal preference was a pair of black slip-on shoes, wool/polyester blend slacks, turtleneck shirt, and sport coat. This ensemble will get you through almost any door in Europe with reasonable respect, keep you comfortable under most weather conditions, and allow you to blend in without being instantly identified as "the American."

I have worn out a couple of sports coats in my travels. I prefer the black/gray herringbone style with as many inside pockets as possible. This travels very well without showing wrinkles or minor stains. If you don't want to buy a new one go to a Salvation Army store in an upscale neighborhood. There will probably be a selection in the mid size ranges going for about $25. The wool/polyester blend slacks look more like wool than plastic, but they wash drip dry. You won't need to iron these if you care for them according to the label. Levi Strauss has introduced a new Dockers line available in several colors besides the normal khaki. A couple of pairs of the dark charcoal served me well throughout Europe on my recent trips.

Turtleneck shirts are ideal for the cooler climate in northern Europe, but they are not common in America. In fact I couldn't find a single one in my hometown in Michigan as I packed for a recent trip. The men's shops all said that they weren't in style this year. Booosh! You can find them in ski clothing shops, but if you are not in ski country get catalogs from Lands End and from L.L Bean for a good selection. I ended up buying a couple of good cotton T-necks at the V+D department store after I arrived in Holland. An open collar dress shirt is a good substitute for the turtleneck in warmer weather. In very few restaurants is a tie required, though you'll see them often in better establishments. For winter travel, I also bring a lightweight turtleneck sweater. When it is really cold I put on an extra t-shirt or two.

Levi's

Levi's and other brands of denim jeans became fashionable in Europe in the 1990's. Levi's are now tolerated in many cafés and restaurants during the day. However, regular slacks are much more common as street wear in major cities throughout Europe. Based on my observations of people walking through the central train stations of Europe, less than 20% were wearing denim jeans. The preference for the vast majority, men and women, young and old, was black slacks.

Slacks are also much more in harmony with packing light. Levi's are heavy and bulky, and take a day to dry out when they get rained on. If you do wear denim, select a lightweight pair with a bit of fashion. You might want to consider wearing Levi slacks rather than Levi jeans. Levi Strauss makes a good looking line called "Action Slacks." These are 100% Dacron and travel very well. Wash them off in the shower at night and hang them to drip dry by morning. I have a couple pairs in black. I recently switched to another Levi Strauss product for my European travels and everyday wear. These are charcoal Dockers, 55% cotton and 45% MicroPolyester, style number 405189256. They are very comfortable and look like dress slacks.

When strolling in major cities in the summer a lightweight pair of black slacks or skirt plus a white top will serve you well. This is standard unisex attire for a large percentage of the native populations, and tourists from other European countries.There are some people who wear blue jeans as if it was a religion. They insist on wearing them everywhere. I wear jeans if I am out on my bicycle or going to local pubs in Holland. There is a picture of me wearing jeans in Budapest in chapter 9 of the print edition of HOW TO EUROPE. But normally I dress a bit more upscale for the benefits it gives me. Fashions do change and fashions are different in different cities, but slacks, a dress shirt, and street shoes are always accepted.

I have no ambition of being a clothing cop so accept this chapter as you will. The advice is based on years of personal experience in Europe. Yeah sure, you can wear your back yard jeans or shorts, t-shirt or no shirt, sneakers or flip flops, and that is the way you will be viewed and treated in the cosmopolitan cities throughout Europe. Expect no respect.

Dressing well does not have to apply only to Europe. I had drifted into wearing Levis at my local pub in Michigan a few years ago. One night last summer I was returning home from an event where I was wearing a jacket and slacks and decided to stop in at Oscar's, my regular place, to shoot some eight ball. It wasn't long before a young lady about half my age started bumping into me and making strong eye contact. After that I started wearing slacks and a dress shirt when I went to Oscar's. Approachments by young dames has happened again and again to the point that it has become embarrassing, but I won't brag on it. Guys, listen up here! Dress sharp and you won't need all those bull drop lines to meet a girl in Europe, or anywhere.

I would expect that a woman dressed in grungy denim would normally be approached by a man in more or less the same low-life outfit. It's only speculation, but I guess that if you want to meet the prince of your dreams in Europe you would dress to the nines. Why not? Besides, women in Levi's are about the most asexual creatures on the earth. I don't know why girls wear Levi's. They are so unflattering to the derrière. And it won't cost you much to dress better. It will probably cost you less than that name brand stuff. Think, have you been to your local second hand store recently. They have some great stuff at laughingly ridiculous low prices. You will want to tell your friends, as I have just done. Male speaking, I bought a London Fog brand, zipper-in liner, trench coat for $40. It looks better than the the one in my closet that I bought 15 years ago for $140. Well, I must admit that it is a bit out of fashion. Most coats in Europe are black and the length is just above the knee, so this thing is the wrong color and a foot too long per current styles. I had a seamstress cut a foot off. Another of my Salvation Army store buys was a $60 London Fog windbreaker which I bought for $3. Perfect.

I came back from Amsterdam on May 4, 2008. The city is full of tourists due to the annual Queen's Day party on April 30 and the blooming tulips at Keukenhof during late April and early May. It appeared that about 80% of the tourists of all ages and 95% of the young locals are wearing Levi's or something similar. Girls wear very tight jeans with a prominent belt around the hips. There is no excess fat on the Dutch girls. Men are wearing various sorts of jeans in various colors, black being very popular. I stick to my loose slacks with pockets that I can get my hands into. My Dockers "Pleated Classic Fit" charcoal slacks from J.C. Penny were perfect. I asked at a clothing store for the price of Levi's in Amsterdam. The whopping answer is $140 a pair and up. You can get 4 pairs of Dockers for that in the USA.

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