Looking like a foreigner

[cruizes]

Dnt forget north face jacket and colorful air jordans= north american tourist

Wait a minute! They have North Face at Alto Palermo. So that would make every Argentinean a target.

 

[PhilipDT]

Camera, guide books, safari clothes etc will id you as a tourista.

BA is a pretty cosomopolitan city and a lot of the upper middle class shop for clothes in the USA and Europe so if you dress pretty normally, I don't think you'll stand out too much as a tourist.

 

[Napoleon]

Try not to be fat.

 

[2GuysInPM]

forget about the clothing. if you want to fit in, get a mullet. none will pay attention to what you're wearing then.

 

[trennod]

As others have said, I definitely wouldnt recommend saving your money to buy clothes here. I enjoy shopping for clothes and trying to dress relatively sharp, but have been extremely disappointed by the price and value for money (ie cost / quality) of stuff here, and thats coming from Australia, where prices and options are well below the US and Europe, for eg.

If you dont want to avoid looking too much like a tourist, my advice would be to avoid speaking english too loudly or trying to speak it at all costs, get your spanish up to speed asap, dont bring too many pairs of thongs, board shorts and singlets and try to dress relatively smart. The fold out map in the middle of the street and the big day pack with waterbottle are other giveaways.

Many locals (particularly middle to upper class) love their blackberries and portable music players and iphones (for those that have them) but are careful with them. Having said that, I know porteños that have had them stolen from the subte stations and bus stops respectively.

Personally, I use my iphone from home (because I need to) and my nice watch (because I love it and want to wear it) and sunglasses, but I am very careful with these on the subte, busy buses and public places (ie try to avoid showing them) and depending on where I am going, often leave them at home.

If you are going to bring and wear expensive things, you should be much more careful with them than back home, thats the key!

 

[g_c]

you guys crack me up. do any of you experience a normal day in capital federal? people where hats. i've seen jordans and some other shoes that i couldn't even find in the US during my lunch breaks in the microcenter. same goes for colors... it's not just black and white clothing.

 

[Ries]

People look at me funny where ever I go- more in the USA than in Argentina-I never guessed it was because I am a foreigner.
Although I did spend a few quarters at the University of Mars...

I think its completely irrelevant what you wear.
Its how you rock it that counts.

much more important than clothes, a few things that will get you in trouble in Buenos Aires- most of which will get you in trouble in LA, Rome, Bangkok, or Atlanta, too.

Dont wander around drunk out of your mind at 4AM.

Dont try to buy drugs on the street, or in clubs, from people you "just met".

Dont flash your Rolex or your fancy DSLR in poor neighborhoods, after dark, or in crowds.

Maintain what they call in the military "situational awareness"- which means- pay attention.

I have had my bag slit in Rome, my wife's purse grabbed in Madrid, my wife's purse snatched out of her convertible in LA, a pickpocket try to grab my wallet on a bus in Bandung, Java, and people flash knives at me in Seattle.
There is nothing unique about Buenos Aires, and the pickpockets are definitely worse in Naples.

If you dont do stupid stuff, 99% of the time you will be fine.

Now if you want fashion advice, thats different- I, for one, will tell you that you look like an idiot wearing those cargo shorts past your knees, the OBEY T shirt, and the Tevas, but thats just me.

I also have bought lots of perfectly good clothes in Argentina- I just dont buy cheap crap at chain stores. There are some great quality mens clothes out there, if you look. Same for womens. I have certain pieces of clothing I bought in BsAs that I wear the shit out of, all the time, and they hold up fine.
I have other stuff I bought at Zara that fell apart after a few washings.
Good stuff is there, if you look for it...

Oh- and I wear hats every day. Everywhere I go. Never had a problem with it, except some cab drivers compliment me on my sombrerito.

 

[Fabe]

Dont wory about looking like a non local .
The few times i get to leave my place ,and find myself in public, the one thing I always make sure I wear is my New York Screwface. It serves me when Im in NY and it serves me when Im in BA.
I do my best to make anyone aware that Im AWARE they are in my vicinity.

 

[steveinbsas]

If you are a man and wearing a shirt, especially with long tails, tuck them in.

Buenos Aires really isn't Paris.

 

[Ries]

heres a great little photo blog of what REAL portenos wear, every day.
Of course, they break every stupid schoolmarm rule that has been listed above by various posters.
Love the way that dude looks on the first page with his shirt tails untucked.

http://onthecornerstreetstyle.blogspot.com/