Europeans, at least the French and Italians, are often very sensitive about style in clothing, shoes, hair, appearances. I wonder if that focus is related to this generalization. My best efforts to "look European" fall short.
They spend a lot of effort on this, not just the women. My wife gets a bit annoyed with me when I wear sweats around the house, and out. She's sorta learned it's part of the deal.
My observation as well: As unsurprisingly fashionable as French, Spanish, and Italian women are, the men invest plenty of their own effort into a polished style that distinguishes them from their American counterparts.
The men (and women) wear coats, tops, sweaters, and pants of mostly darker shades/leathers – blacks, grays, suedes, and mochas. Black dress boots. Black puffer jackets are prevalent, as are longer, buttoned peacoats. And unlike American men, scarves and turtle necks are worn.
I also can’t instantly pull off dressing “European.” Theirs is a honed style making formal dress appear natural for everyday, casual settings.
To go more casual, two standard American articles are turned to: jeans and sneakers (referred to as trainers). Jeans and white sneakers are about as casual as it gets in Italy. Never baggy sweats, surf shorts, excessive tatts, skater shoes, or tighter yoga wear, which in the U.S. is a public norm in grocery aisles, airports, schools.
The two articles of everyday streetwear giving me away as American are baseball caps and hoodies. I’ve seen a few Yankees caps worn; interestingly enough the Yankees logo is worn not as a sports logo but as an accepted American
fashion symbol similar that of the few U.S. fashion brands popularized in Europe, logos like Ralph Lauren, Hilfiger, Coach, and Kate Spade.
black dress boots, darker overcoats and pants, no baseball caps:
