Spot the American!

What is so rare as a day in June?
Then, if ever, come perfect days.

This year, along with the not-so-perfect days of Paris's June weather, a lot of American tourists are here for what feels like the first time in a long while. Of course, as the number one tourist destination in the world, Paris has always had its share of American visitors. But in the past few years they have been more on the line of the tourists in Woody Allen's movies about Paris, who always seem to be staying at the Bristol or the Plaza Athenée.

The dollar is going up against the euro again, though, and this year is a more favorable time than last. So like the summer flowers... peonies at the moment... Americans are springing up around town. In the past few weeks, I've seen more people I know from the States than in whole years before.

Most Americans who visit Paris make an effort and don't just go out looking like slobs. But it is still pretty easy to spot them. How? (Note. There is nothing wrong with any of these looks. They're just not Parisian.)

Khaki pants or chinos are the go-to choice of the American male who wants to look nice without wearing a suit.

Just about 100% of the people you see in Paris wearing these are American. Usually they are learning French or already speak it a bit.

Big hair, lots of makeup, and big eyes. (As on Miss Texas 2012, above, whose name, unsurprisingly, is Brittany.) 

Parisian women often have long hair, even tough businesswomen. But big hair is not their thing. Theirs tends to be lank. They do wear makeup. But you won't notice it.

And they keep their eyes at half-mast. 

Seersucker is a very respectable Southern choice for suits and New Orleans businessmen wear it all summer long. Personally, I love it... I am from the South. But in Paris, the most melting July day will still see French businessmen going off to the office in... wool. Respect!

T-shirts with French on them. 

 T-shirts that say "I love Paris" or "Rock and roll is not dead!" must not sound as lame in French, because all you can find in Paris are English-language t-shirts. If you see someone wearing one with French words, you are probably looking at a foreigner. (The website for the one on the left is in English.)

Button-down shirts. With or without tweed jackets.

Americans from the less dressy parts of the U.S. often dress up in Paris by wearing a button-down shirt and a tweed jacket. But to a Frenchman, or indeed an Englishman (like the one in the photo), Italian, or German, button-downs and tweed are casual, country, or weekend wear and you probably won't be seeing them in the city.

Shorts

In the past, it was pretty much a given that if you saw a grown man in Paris wearing shorts, he was a foreigner. This is changing (maybe it's global warming) and you do occasionally see real Parisians in shorts, especially pretty girls, because it's been the style since last summer. But on the whole, shorts in the city are a foreign look. Most Parisians, including almost all men over fifteen, reserve shorts for sports and the beach.

Huge sneakers

After a day walking around Paris with an old classmate of mine who had never been to Europe, I had more sympathy for the American tourists I see, all wearing enormous white sneakers. Tourists walk more than anyone else, and sneakers are the most comfortable shoes. Still: not a Parisian look. If you want to look French, wear sandals or Converse. Black Converse. (Why Converse, I don't know. It's like a law.)

How do you spot an American in Paris?

Comments

[Accius]

The other tell-tale sign: baseball caps. Only North Americans wear them. And if you can't spot a maple leaf somewhere on their body, then they are most definitely American.

[chrissoup]

Rick Steves guidebooks.
LOUD VOICES.
And on very young women, very tight, very short shorts.

[Sedulia]

Aww, Chris! I have Rick Steves guidebooks myself-- they're the best!

(And does anyone really mind cute young girls in short shorts? Maybe the operative word is cute.)

Well, the loud voices is certainly true. I don't know why Americans are so much louder than the French. Spaniards are, too. But here I was trying to talk about what people are wearing so I didn't mention other differences, like.... weight.

[Lisa, a.k.a. The Bold Soul]

Yes, what IS it with the French and their passion for Converse? They are the most uncomfortable sneakers, no arch support and if you're on your feet all day they're probably not the best choice. I always thought of them like the Keds - for kids. But here, you can find people of nearly all ages wearing them.

The other ways I spot my fellow Americans in Paris are: fanny packs (leave them at home and get an across-the-body carrier bag, much cooler and more Parisian); and people talking very very loudly in places where no one else is talking loudly (why do we do that, we Yanks? I don't know but after living here for going on 6 years I've learned to exercise volume control, and sometimes my husband STILL says I talk too loudly - usually when I'm on the phone with my family back home!)

[Lisa, a.k.a. The Bold Soul]

I meant MESSENGER bag, not carrier bag. :)

[chrissoup]

I'm a big fan of Rick Steves too. I don't think Rick Steves is bad (actually, I greatly respect him), only that it marked you as an American.

As for the short shorts: I started noticing the tight and short shorts because the locals were staring, and not in a friendly way.

[CBRetriever]

Sweat pants

Sleeveless T-shirts on men

Painted fingernails (for some reason most Parisians just paint their toenails)

Facial makeup on women, especially the type applied with a spatula

[Sedulia]

That's funny! I just paint my toenails too. To be fair, manicures cost a lot of money here and no one looks closely at your toenails so you can do it yourself.

The other day I DID, however, see a tableful of retired French men and they were all wearing khaki pants. Brooks Brothers recently opened on the rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré. Coincidence?

[Dovid]

I can spot Americans by how they will stop in the middle of the sidewalk to check their phone or get their bearings. They don't make an attempt to step out of the way of other pedestrians.

I have seen a fair number of Parisians going to or coming from work in suits with plastic, white sneakers.

Quite a few German and Spanish tourists in Paris wear fanny packs.