How to Not Look Like an American While Traveling

For God's sake, skip the tube socks
By Kate Seamons,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 17, 2010 5:17 AM CDT
How to Not Look Like an American While Traveling
Baseball cap Ed Hardy = fail.   (?www.VoteJoeC.com)

One of the greatest thrills Seth Stevenson had while traveling was being mistaken for a German, in Germany. "Now, I can hear you asking: Seth, why would you want to pretend you're not American?" he writes in Newsweek. He doesn't—he loves the US!—but wants to remind us that the natives should inflict their culture on us, not the other way around. To best let that happen:

  1. Ditch the corporate logos: Shocking as it may seem, that Ed Hardy tee is a dead giveaway that you hail from the US of A.

  1. Skip the wild colors, too: Black and white are classics for a reason.
  2. Do not ever wear white tube socks: "I can't emphasize this enough."
  3. Avoid these other sartorial giveaways: Knee-length shorts with uber-fancy running shoes, baseball caps, saggy khaki pants.
  4. Try not to walk like a barbarian: Reel in the swinging arms, wide stance.
Click here for more of Stevenson's travel wisdom.
(More Travel stories.)

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