Why You Should Ignore Bullsh*t Advice About What You Should Wear When You Travel

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Always wear black in Paris. Never wear sneakers in Europe. Women in New York only wear high heels. Jeans aren’t allowed in Asia. White t-shirts are considered trash in Italy.

Disregard it all. Not everyone in Paris only wears black. That’s ridiculous.

We’re not saying to reject real practical advice. There are some destinations where your wardrobe requires careful planning in order to be culturally sensitive. That’s the case for when you visit churches, mosques and synagogues, and there are many destinations where the climate dictates what’s comfortable to wear. Those are great tidbits and tips. We’re arguing to ignore all those bullshit takes on your personal style.

If you find yourself on a random street corner in New York City, even in the fancy schmancy Financial District at rush hour, you will see plenty of women in flats. Wandering for miles through a cobblestoned city requires a different type of footwear than a location that only requires short commute to a sedentary office job. Tourists in Manhattan and Paris and Rome and Tokyo need arch support.

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Here’s the deal, you’re not going to blend in like a local simply because you’re not wearing a pair of Converse. Unless you speak the language native to your destination with a perfect accent, you’re going to be recognized as a visitor. You’re going to be flagged as a tourist. So why not dress how you want while doing your thing?

Here’s the secret about Parisians’ enviable style: The coolest outfits incorporate color. Street style is all about personality and breaking the rules.

What we’re saying is don’t take the “what not to wear” advice to extremes. While you don’t have to buy an entirely new wardrobe before you go abroad, you do still need to be mindful of dress codes and use common sense. Five-star restaurants won’t seat you in cargo shorts and a tank top.

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Here’s some fashion advice we do stand by when we’re traveling:

Wear what makes you happy. It’s your vacation. Wear what makes you happy and forget about what everyone else thinks is cool. You’re the one in the travel photos. Wear the outfits you love the most.

If you feel unsure, dress up. The rumor about Americans dressing more sloppily than the rest of the world is kinda true. If you don’t like being the most casual one in the room, elevate your favorite outfits with some simple jewelry, swap out shorts for dresses and skirts, or just throw on some lipstick.

Half the fun is shopping while you’re there. You don’t have to mimic a destination’s style from home. You can shop at the same stores as the locals when you arrive. Talk about amazing souvenirs.

Wear comfortable shoes. You do not want blisters to get in the way of your dream vacation. If your cutest pair of heels cut you up after 30 minutes, leave them at home.

And a piece of hard-line advice: Skip the flip-flops unless you’re on the beach. The click-clacking noise is just plain bad, and they’re terrible for your feet. Ditch the flops!