Before leaving America to study in Greece, I felt a frantic need to update and upgrade my closet. I opted for some online shopping and encountered a frequent search: “European travel clothing.” What does this even mean? What would make “travel” clothing “European”? Is the clothing in question a native product of Europe, or are there any other particularities about the pieces that give them a certain “European” edge?
My desperate need for new clothes did not emerge out of a random desire to refresh my wardrobe before going abroad – although this wasn’t completely out of the equation either – but a part of me had some sort of silent understanding that I would look very out of place if I wore what I would typically wear on a night out back home. I especially knew that my colorful attire and tropical prints would receive a different reception in Europe. For a variety of reasons, the last thing I wanted to do was look very American, though I mostly just wanted to be dressed for the occasion; it was about finding the right clothes to be on par with everyone around me.
Again, my greatest concern regarded nightlife fashion, though I was also warned about how I may stand out on the day-to-day. After asking a friend who had previously studied in Athens for some general tips, she felt inclined to advise me that “it is a European city, so people definitely dress a bit different, not the typical denim shorts and almost no athleisure on a daily basis unless you’re working out.” I have noticed the rarity of shorts on the average Greek.
It seems to be a common consensus that shorts are indeed an American form of dress. While definitely seasonal, where shorts may be prominently spotted on the hotter days, Travel + Leisure recommends that these be packed away after August, where “even in the Mediterranean, you won’t see anyone wearing shorts in October – even if it’s on the warmer side.” Now well into fall, I still wear my shorts, but every time I do, my friend’s words echo in my head and I remember that I may be especially prone to American profiling.
Moreover, the idea of “athleisure” is also very American. American styles of dress tend to be more laid back. It’s more socially and culturally acceptable to wear sweatpants, leggings, hoodies, running shoes and the like in public. Again, this is quite uncommon on the other side of the world, where the occasion tends to define the outfit, and one would thus not don activewear unless headed to work out. When chatting with one of my professors, she noted that American students prefer comfort during the school day, shamelessly wearing “sweats” to class. She complained that she wished for that kind of liberty to wear her leggings, because whether in a professional setting or not, in Greece, comfort is reserved for the gym or the home.
Before taking off, my social media feeds were dominated by peers currently abroad, seeing them posing in extravagant European clubs. Most obviously, everyone seemed to have suddenly traded in their colors for darker hues and plain prints, alongside an elevated sense of formality, leading me to deduce the most obvious contrast. America plays with lots of bright shades and it is not opposed to casually taking on nightlife. On the topic of shorts – many Americans even wear these to clubs too, and also sneakers tend to be more preferable, ditching dressier shoes and the typical black boot for shoes that people are not afraid to destroy while out on the town.
Styles in America and Europe extend beyond most general perceptions. Lots of factors are at play when considering why these continents have developed patterns of dress, especially considering the nightlife scene. For example, most European cities were constructed to be walkable – a stark difference, if not the most dramatic, to a vehicle-reliant America. A society that walks is one that likely does not wear heels very often, where even though I mentioned the preference for sneakers in American nightlife, heels are also not totally discarded.
This must be considered as weather joins the equation, alongside the cultural norms and perceptions of these respective continents. It is not uncommon to hear that Americans look “lazy,” or that Europeans “all look the same.” Likewise, statements about “fancy” Europeans versus America’s practicality are predominant, but these perceptions are not all-encompassing, and at the end of the day, are generalizations that do have more complexified explanations and sometimes, exceptions.
Natalia Rodríguez is an intern for Kathimerini English Edition, and a third-year student at the University of Notre Dame, currently studying abroad in Greece with the College Year in Athens program.