If you’ve ever spent time abroad, you’ve probably had to endure at some point all the usual, clichéd American stereotypes. And while politics and cultural differences may be one thing, it seems the disparity in our style choices can actually be the difference that’s as vast as the Atlantic itself.
Truth is, us Americans often get a bad rap from our European peers when it comes to everyday fashion. While studying abroad in Florence, Italy, I learned the hard way what would make me instantly stick out as a tourist (packing those denim short-shorts turned out to be a complete waste of luggage space), and over time, I incorporated pieces into my closet that allowed me to look and feel more genuinely “Italian”—well, at least as Italian as a pasty blonde American can ever appear to be.
The world may be more global and Americanized now than ever, but picking out an American in Paris or for that matter, European tourists on the streets of New York, can often be as easy as uno, dos, tres.
So, maybe you’re suiting up to study overseas this fall and don’t want to look like you just got off the boat, or perhaps you just want to add a sophisticated foreign twist to your everyday style—after all, weren’t we all inspired by the Middleton sisters this summer?
Fashion week may be over, but there’s always time to update your look. Check out what girls across the world are wearing—and what essential tips we can pick up from our edgy European peers.
