Common Attire

[xipher]

Sergio, that being said, will I look like an outsider with Jeans and a golf shirt? Should I forego designer jeans and bring khaki's or dress pants? I pay attention to my dress as well, but since the culture is different, I dont want to stick out any more than I have to.

Thanks
-k

LiX .... Your comments surprise me. I don't know where you're hanging out. I find that throughout the prosperous or relatively prosperous parts of the city and suburbs people pay a lot of attention to their dress. There are more and more dress down days however the dark suit is still common for business. Casual dress, though casual, is carefully studied here. I find Porteños very attentive to the way they dress, whether it is casual or formal. This is a very class/status oriented society and one is immediately judged by appearance. Those who belong to the professional/upper classes are careful how they look in large part because they want to make their social class apparent at first glance. Personally I find the attention paid to clothes and grooming one of positive aspects of the society.

 

[balle13112]

In my opinion, Argentines do not dress fashionably like you see in Paris, NY and LA. The older ones dress 'properly'.

- they tend to wear darker color clothes
- the clothes are form fitting versus baggy or loose
- folks up to the gae of 35 do not dress nicely at all
- late 30's and up dress properly but they are far from being fashionable
- folks above 35 do not wear shorts
- if you don't want to look like a touris then don't have a camera hanging from your neck, hold a Berlitz travel book or walk around with a street map fully open. Study your map before you venture out.
- best not to keep a bag with you. all you need is a map and then can be in your pocket
- wear very comfortable shoes and good socks as you will walk alot!!
- for some odd reason some women wear dark undergarments with light color clothes
- yes, quality of clothing is less than in the U.S. and not cheaper. Including the outlets along 4000 block of Cordoba.
- small % of people wear sunglasses, mostly women.
- keep the jewelry to a bare minimum
- wearing perfume and cologne is fine. Pls do as it's warm right now!!
- like I did, pack light and if you need more then buy over here
- side note, bring your own medicines

 

[HDM]

I don't think that Buenos Aires, at least the parts of it I've seen, and that excludes all the villa miseria areas, is all that different from any other large city I've lived in or visited, although I do think it is distinctly different from any and all of the rest of what is called Latin America that I've seen. The same styles of dress seen on the streets here mimics the same styles of dress you will see in any comparable world city ... from the most casual of flipflops, shorts, and tee-shirts, and yes, ball caps, up to suits and ties. I have noticed two particular differences: there does not seem to be much in the way of gang or rap clothing here, and women of all ages often dress more openly exhibitionistically than I am used to (which proves there is a god). Whoever has the pushup bra franchise here must be a billionaire.

In other words, if you dress the way you would to go about your day in Houston or Los Angeles or Toronto or Berlin or Madrid or Rome ... etc., etc., then you will fit in just fine.

One thing from balle13112, I would much prefer that one takes a daily or at least every other day bath than load up on perfume to cover up. It doesn't work. All you end up with is a smelly body reeking of smelly perfume.

It is infinitely correct to point out that the 110% sure way to mark yourself as a tourist is a camera around the neck and a map in the hand. But then, you ARE a tourist, and of course you want to take home photos of your vacation. So be a tourist, because, well, that's what you are.

 

[criswkh]

Where is the dark clothes coming from? I live in Olivos, hardly any expats, ..most of the women I see dress with pants/skirts (colors: white or brown) and colorful tops. (Casual style). Their hair is mostly styled and perfume seems to be the trend. I agree with Lix on the shoe comment. The shoes are more dresser than those in Chicago and the shoes look more to impress than for actual comfort. The men wear either jeans, khakis, or dress pants and a colorful shirt with a color usually unbutton down three. When it is hot out I have seen men in shorts and women in capris/skirts. If the men are going to work they sometimes carry a messenger's bag. I have not seen backpacks expect on the school kids.

 

[LiXueLee]

LiX .... This is a very class/status oriented society and one is immediately judged by appearance. Those who belong to the professional/upper classes are careful how they look in large part because they want to make their social class apparent at first glance.

Good grief, through school and personal acquaintances, we know some very wealthy Argentinians...I would say that my experience is that they dress as casually, or more casually, than we do. Not a one would you look at and say "wow, he must be one of the richest people in Argentina."

 

[LiXueLee]

In other words, if you dress the way you would to go about your day in Houston or Los Angeles or Toronto or Berlin or Madrid or Rome ... etc., etc., then you will fit in just fine.

HDM, I couldn't have put it any better myself.

Is it possible the "dressy" meme about Buenos Aires stems from expats in the tango community? I imagine that folks are more dressy when attending classes and milongas than they are when completing the tasks of every day life, like picking up kids from school and grocery shopping -- no matter how much money you have!

 

[Moxon]

I think you're on to something there. There are certain expats and tourists that want to live in some idealised Buenos Aires of yore and no amount of reality will persuade them that they live somewhere else. I saw someone post on a blog that they had not seen one obese person in the several months they had been here (how?). Apparently diet and lifestyle are so different here when compared to the United States - the fact that the difference in rates of obesity when compared to the US is negligible was just one of those truths getting in the way of a good story.

 

[Davidglen77]

I have lived in Buenos Aires full time for about 2 years now and had travelled here prior to setting up house permanently. In the past year especially, the number of overweight / obese people has increased significantly. It's also affecting the school aged youth, who now have diets which are exclusively north american style. There are many people here who never eat fruit or vegetables. A typical middle class kid´s diet is now facturas (greasy sugary pastries) and milk or soda in the morning, hot dogs / hamburgers / milanesa sandwich / miga sandwich with more soda for lunch and dinner is usually pizza or meat and french fries. Oh and don't forget the merienda which is usually more facturas or the after office crowd which chows down on picadas (cold cuts consisting of greasy sausage and full fat cheeses) If they are not careful soon the good health system here will become over taxed with the cost of treating juvenile diabetes, just like in NYC where I am originally from. It's an epidemic there. Nothing wrong with SOME snacks and sweets, but regular meals should consist of somewhat healthy and nutritious foods.

Here's a list of food items to avoid or eat sparingly in Argentina:
Panchos
Choripan
Moripan
Achuras
Facturas
Miga Sandwiches
Ensalada Rusa
Empanadas de jamón y queso
Empanadas caprese
Flan con crema chantilly

Here are some better alternatives:
Vacio sandwich w/ lechuga y tomate
Pollo deshuesado grillé
Bife de chorizo
Merluza con puré de calabaza
Pizza de anchoas
Empanadas de pollo o verdura
Tarta pascualina
Chocolate semi-amargo (Agulia brand)
Helados al agua (frutales)

 

[Conorworld]

It all depends on your age too and what time of the year you are visiting.

 

[sergio]

"Will I look like an outsider with Jeans and a golf shirt? Should I forego designer jeans and bring khaki's or dress pants? I pay attention to my dress as well, but since the culture is different, I dont want to stick out any more than I have to"

Jeans are popular here. Lacoste (if there is an alligator! - status symbol) shirts are popular here. Is that what you mean by a golf shirt? If you are middle aged or older, kachis and light weight dress trousers would be suitable.

As for some of the other posts, I agree that women of all ages can dress provocatively here. I disagree that most Americans can easily blend in. An overweight woman in a styleless pants suit, for example, will stick out like a sore thumb.

It's true that Argentines can dress casually, especially in this hot weather, but I stand by my comments that there is a strong interest in fashion here, obsession with brand names and any number of dress codes that indicate social class. On the low end of the social scale you'll see kids from the poorest neighborhoods or villas wearing the most ostentatious brand name sneakers/trainers.