How To Not Pass For A Tourist?

[Ries]

I was down at San Telmo market yesterday, and there were quite a few obvious tourists.
some signs-
Huge camera. nobody local carries a visible camera.
Dressing like you are going on an expedition or safari- I saw a couple of dozen people wearing ripstop beige pants with zip off legs, dozens of pockets, and multi-strap Teva sandals or river rafting shoes. nobody local would wear Tevas- they are UGLY.

In fact, I can almost always tell an argentine from a tourist just by looking at their shoes. Tourists wear clunky, "sensible" shoes a lot. Mens shoes, in particular, are always made in China, and either excessively sporty, or look like something a geriatric banker would wear.
Argentines wear much more unusual shoes, and most are made here- and there is a distinct argentine shoe design theme, which is pretty easy to spot after a while.

Other tourist give-aways- Men looking the least bit hip or femme or in any way non-macho. Argentine men are extremely insecure when it comes to clothes, and strive to be as preppy as possible 90% of the time. Even better, if they look like english teenagers from the 1950's at a fancy school. Loafers with tassels, or futbol shoes, sweaters tied around the neck, plaid button down shirts, bermudas, pleated slacks. Just like they pick their futbol club and stick with it for life, they pick their outfit and stick with it too.

So if you see a man wearing actual fashion that isnt suitable for a polo match, odds are, hes not from here. Germans and Dutch, for instance, stand out in a crowd- especially if there is any ambiguity in their fashion, any goth, punk, or gay influences. Ric Owens doesnt exactly sell well here. I leave my Walter at home when I come down.

 

[Montauk_Project]

My argie hubby and I often play "guess where they are from" when we walk around San Telmo/Puerto Madero. I can not only tell who is or isn´t porteño, but also if they are from Brazil, US, UK, Scandavia, France. Still working on South American countries, and the Italians are the trickiest to identify, very close to porteños in fashion and hand exp<b></b>ressions.
I actually got good at passing as a porteña until I open my mouth, but I got too lazy to keep doing it:
1) buy local clothes
2) buy local shoes
3) long, dangling earings
4) tight jeans
5) stick your butt out when you walk. This is what nails it! Girls from the US stick their butts in
6) only wear jeans, skirts, shorts etc that give you a nice butt. Even if they make you look fat, or don´t flatter your front side, it is the back that matters
7) follow trends, don´t dress in last year´s style
8) slightly stick out your lips. Each language leaves it mark on your face, Spanish causes you to pronounce more with your mouth, thus developing frontal facial muscles more than English speakers
9) in winter, no bright colors, unless you want to be a "hippy porteña"
10) cute ballet flats are your friend, so are hawiana flip flops and fringe leather sandals. No tevas!
11) if you get cat called, enjoy it but ignore it
I stopped doing this when I began to get stomach problems from the jeans. I also married the one Argentine who doesn´t give a shit about fashion and would live in sweat pants if he could (but if he goes to the bank, he will change into something nice). But fun while it lasted! I new it worked when I would go to bars (when I was single) and talk to me who were convinced that I was a porteña and my accent was a pathetic attempt to meet men.

 

[TomAtAlki]

While walking yesterday I checked out the feet, (have no idea who was attached to them). About 1/3 of all people (men, women, children) wore some sort of tennis shoe, 1/3 all people wore flip flops. Then the rest, women wearing shoes and sandals that can break a leg, twist a ankle (definitely Portenas), and guys wearing assorted loafers, etc. My point is that really there weren't any shoes that stood out as local or tourist, everybody is wearing everything.
The big cameras and safari clothes are a definite give away. Other then that, wear what you normally wear, you will feel comfortable, look comfortable and not stand out. Oh and of course Hawaiian shirts (which my husband loves!).
Nancy

 

[tangueraintrepida]

If you were going to a gym, or run in a park, or a milonga (tango dancing), and needed to leave your purse behind , either at home or at your table in a crowded milonga - what do you do? Keys, credit card, ATM card, driving license/ID, cash? You are a woman and are wearing a skirt, no pockets?

First off, you will pack your purse completely differently here than from whereever you are from. No need to carry credit cards, ATM cards, driver's license, etc.. Make a copy of your passport and carry that instead. I don't even use a wallet here, just a little coin purse big enough to hold enough cash for what I am doing for the day. My Sube card (which never has more than $20 pesos on it) goes in a little inside pocket along with a tiny notebook which I write down the buses I need to take to where I want to go.

Never leave your purse on the back of your chair anywhere you go. People get them snatched from the back of chairs in cafes ALL THE TIME even when they are sitting right there. Usually don't realize it until they go to pay the check. Keep it on your lap, on the table where you can see it or put the strap on your knee and cross your legs over it.

At traditioanl milongas, women put their purses either under the table or on the table. (A few tourists will wear their purses, but it looks pretty silly.) There is sort of an unwritten codigo to watch each other's stuff when the others are dancing. I am sure people occassionally get things stolen at milongas, but I have never heard of it happening at a traditional milonga. Since there is an entry fee, it tends to keep the riff-raff out and if you go to milongas filled with locals that all know each other, they tend to watch out for each other. But, again, don't bring a bunch of extra stuff, just the essentials. I typically carry enough pesos for the entrance fee and a drink (about $50-60); if you are going to eat something add another $20-30 more. If I am going solo I also put an extra $40-50 in my bra just in case the bus stop seems scary and I feel the need to take a taxi home (although in almost six months, I have never taken a cab.) I also bring my iPhone if I am alone so that I can text my boyfriend when I arrive and leave. I usually text him from the bathroom where every good tanguera should be be changing her shoes anyway.

If you go to an outdoor milonga or one that is very non-traditional with lots of people lurking about and the lighting is low (Plaza Dorego, Catedral, Ideal, La Glorieta, La Viruta, etc.) pack light and wear your purse while you dance. Better yet, leave the purse at home, put the necesities in your shoe bag and sling that over your shoulder while you dance. It's not ideal or very comfortable, but it works. We went with a small group to an Alberto Podesta concert the other day that had a milonga in the lobby afterwards. We took turns watching our pile of bags, and I even got a tanda during my turn watching, because a man suggested we just dance right there by the bags. It was actually better than dancing in the swarm on the dance floor.

For running, I use a traveler's money belt and keep it tucked inside my shorts. I put my iPhone in it (for music and my GPS tracking app), keys and small amount of cash in case I need a bottle of water on my way home. I start my music and apps before I leave the house so I don't have to take my phone out while on the street. Just like if you are running anywhere else, keep your music low so you can still hear what's going on around you, don't run after dark, stay in "safe" areas and just be aware of your surroundings.

I take pilates classes and we just leave our stuff on a shelf in a tiny dressing room, but there aren't people roaming around the facility, just whoever is in the class (5-6 people) and we all go back into that area at the same time. I imagine most gyms will provide you a locker which is probably as safe as any gym locker anywhere else.

Honestly, there is no need to be paranoid here. Just be aware of your surroundings and don't let yourself get distracted.

 

[EricLovesBA]

They also make a fashionable little gadget here to hang your purse under the edge of the table. Not sure what it's called.

 

[clooz]

where does a necessity like a sun hat or a map/guidebook come in, how do you incorporate it in the above paradigm?

Nobody wears sun hats in the city. Maybe there are a few baseball caps. In Summer the sun is brutal, but there is shade on one side of the street or the other, and you figure out the times of day when you can move around and find shade.

Potenas use a pocket-sized map book called Guia-T mostly to find bus routes, They stuff it into their bags. They sell these maps at corner newspaper kiosks. This has been obsoleted by several web sites that show bus routes more accurately.

There's also a free tourist map on a single sheet of thin B4 size paper. I fold it up and leave it in my back jeans pocket. This map covers more barrios further out, has the subte lines marked, and when you lose it you can pick up another for free. You can find this free map in 2 places: Galeria Pacifica info desk, and inside the free monthly Tango Map Guide booklet that you can pick up at entrances to some milongas.

 

[Cialu]

Nobody wears sun hats in the city. Maybe there are a few baseball caps. In Summer the sun is brutal, but there is shade on one side of the street or the other, and you figure out the times of day when you can move around and find shade.

Potenas use a pocket-sized map book called Guia-T mostly to find bus routes, They stuff it into their bags. They sell these maps at corner newspaper kiosks. This has been obsoleted by several web sites that show bus routes more accurately.

There's also a free tourist map on a single sheet of thin B4 size paper. I fold it up and leave it in my back jeans pocket. This map covers more barrios further out, has the subte lines marked, and when you lose it you can pick up another for free. You can find this free map in 2 places: Galeria Pacifica info desk, and inside the free monthly Tango Map Guide booklet that you can pick up at entrances to some milongas.

i have a Guia T, it's useful absolutely. i also really like larger maps w general orientation/like those in guides, or the milonga map which essentially shows entire city center w landmarks, so as a newcomer/tourist you feel like you understand where you are going. I walk a lot, you see, and don't have internet on the street, only in wi-fi spots. also i like to do the 'walking tours' in some of guide books - eg museum/landmarks/ cafes etc which gives you a certain path to follow. Or when you are looking for a certain shop.

Actually, HATS. i really need suggestions here. I have fair skin, use spf and all, but will absolutely have to wear one, with brim to cover as much as i can would it counter the 'portena attitude' recommended above?
oh dear...

 

[Cialu]

Cool ideas, keen observational skills , -- Thanks Everybody! Oh dear, it's hard to be a woman in BsAs... Or perhaps to be in BsAs in summer... So, specific/concrete questions based on above:

1. A hat. i will wear one. have 2 cotton ones : lilac 20s style cloche from a London designer; and a cheap beige wide brim Italian/SLoren/ 50s reference. Which?

2. Vibram 5fingers? si o no? they are really comfy and universal, if you haven't tried - do so. can run, walk, swim, and dance in them
or suede keds.

3. shorts??? (not hotpants, nor bermudas) - regular shorts, like you would associate with apple pie and day of independence?

4. attitude. studied nonochalance has been suggested. it does not go with image of cute bohemian yuppie. what do we do?


Thanks everyone! and have a great week!

 

[Cialu]

Hi tangueraintrepida - many thanks, it is really helpful info and it totally makes sense and very detailed! so if i understand you correctly , money /keys inside bra, take minimum w you, taxi back, phone to let someone know where/when

-i used to leave purse under table. but frequently most women around your table are dancing too .
-i would not feel comfortable dancing w purse on my shoulder, but will try and maybe get used to it , eg outdoors?. it kind of defeats the purpose and experience, for me...
- what if your outfit calls for a no bra look? using undies for keys - it will show up under skirt?
- been suggested to use a wardrobe check in , which in US is more dangerous than leaving your stuff at a table? no scams there? usually a sign here says' not responsible for things lost or stolen, do not leave valuables" at check in

 

[xtrasback]

so basically the footwear is the dead giveaway? I guess I'm f#@$ then I rock my white crocs 'round the streets of recoleta ...oh well but hey if you see me pass by feel free to high5me!