women in shorts

Just got back from Germany and Italy. Come on American women...unless you are a supermodel leave the shorts at home. I wanted to die of embarresment in Venice traveling with my German friends. I saw lime green terry cloth short shorts on a 60 year old woman..two women marched into Prada in their shorts and loud voices and demanded service. Wear skirts, capris or long pants/jeans and you will look and feel much more comfortable. I know this topic has come up over and over again but until I experienced it for myself I could not believe the outfits I saw. And actually I did not see supermodels in shorts either...they had on gorgous skirts or jeans.

|||

Are you sure the 60 year old was an American and not just one of the many Europeans who don%26#39;t bathe or know how to match???? I can see you were truly offended ...LIVE in Europe for awhile ... I%26#39;ll take lime green shorts over smelly ANYDAY!

|||

I am not currently living in Germany. But I am German and I am afraid I have to agree with KG. Shorts should remain in the US. You can spot an American lady a mile off, shorts (yes, usually match the lime green T-Shirt and socks) and white sneakers, loud voice telling everybody what she had for breakfast...

Now, I do live in the US and I experienced bad smelling people over here just as I have in many other countries.

In any case, if shorts make you happy, so be it.

|||

Everybody should wae what he or she wants.

Considering shorts I%26#39;d only recommend to look where you are going. If you visit churches or memorials (as Dachau koncentration camp) I and some others may dislike people in shorts.

|||

I just got back from Germany and live in Europe right now. I am an American woman and I do not wear shorts but I have to say that they are not the only ones who do. I am not sure if people have changed in the past year but shorts and tennis shoes are common place for people from everywhere. I am not talking about short shorts but, if you are wearing the bermuda shorts or long shorts then it shouldnt be a problem. I live in Italy, a place of supermodels and i have seen here Italians, British, Germans and French in shorts and, in Germany I have seen Canadians in shorts. I believe it is an unfair statement now to say you can point out an American by their shoes or attire. Although, I do think we stick out but for our looks and not dress all the time.

However, yes it does look tacky when you are walking around in little shorts and tennis shoes. I believe that while traveling you should look conservative so you do not stick out. But come on, if you are visiting Germany there should be much better scenery to look at than the way people are dressed...but it is kind of fun.

|||

I lived in Germany for 6 years as an American service man. I do not remember shorts being an issue. In the 70%26#39;s, the only negative comments that I heard about American dress was regarding jeans. I guess times change.

One of my favorite pictures in Salzburg was of a older man walking about town in an introspective mood wearing leather SHORTS and a small brimmed hat.

We usually travelled in the cooler months to avoid crowds, so I do not know what tourists were wearing. But, I wore shorts at home in Bremerhaven, Landstuhl, Wuerzburg and Nuernberg, and never felt out of place. Yes, I looked liked an American but that was me.

The best thing to wear is a smile, which is what this topic deserves.

|||

I think it may be a question of the shortness of the shorts, not the shorts in themselves. In this case I%26#39;m sure the colour didn%26#39;t help either!Europeans do wear shorts but not generally the really short ones (especially if walking about town) even if they have the legs for it. Shorts which are essentially a divided skirt shouldn%26#39;t be a problem.

Here in Spain, Spaniards wear shorts only in high summer and when in very casual mode (weekends, beach). Tourists are recognisable because they wear shorts in May, October (occasionally even December!!).

IN Italy there are signs saying you can%26#39;t enter a church in shorts, nor with bare shoulders. I interpret that to mean not showing acres of flesh. I agree too that visiting a concentration camp should demand similar sensibility.

|||

Ha, got a good laugh out of this one. Come on American women, leave your shorts at home?! I think the original poster might have a personal problem with women in shorts.

I have been LIVING in Europe for about a year now. I have seen many cultures make fasion faux pas. Yes the French, yes the Italians too. Yes, even the German make fasion mishaps occasionally. Geez. So some retired broad wanted to show off a little leg while on holiday. Tell me, what concern is it to you? So I guess its only acceptable when some Euro-skinny lady want to wear a miniskirt that shows the bottoms of her bun. OK, but American women... leave the shorts at home. PLease. Wear whats comfortable to you, and unless you%26#39;re in a consrvative religious country who cares what other people think?

I mean, please have a fashion sense, but don%26#39;t leave your favorite pair of shorts at home because this person cares too much about what people think.

|||

Go easy on me....this is an old topic..I am suprised they brought it back...I am so much older and wiser than I was in June....

|||

Being a German who lived in America some time, I had to smile at this discussion.

Of course, we wear shorts, too, Bermudas and short shorts.

No-one will pay attention when you work in the garden or go to a super-market round the corner in shorts. Generally speaking they are (in most part of Europe) a pure leasure outfit for the sport%26#39;s club, biking or the beach etc.

But shorts (and on the same token trainers!) are not appropriate in any kind of more serious, official or business environment, not when you go for dinner to a restaurant (we%26#39;re not talking coffee shops etc), nor to concerts etc.

However: it all depends on where you are (in the city or the provinces), whether you are in a tourist site or not.

And I agree, most important: it all depends on the individual behaviour and tactfulness on how the environment feels about foreigners...