Looking like a foreigner

[PhilipDT]

To fit in either way over dress or way under dress (there is no middle ground here).

If you are a guy don't shave...ever...a clean shaven man is clearly foreign.

Don't comb or wash your hair.

Use way too much cologne as well.

You will fit right in.

Also, cut your hair everywhere except for in the back.

 

[Ries]

This thread comes up again about once a year, and every time, the posters purport to tell you how to dress like an Argentine- but what they really do is tell you to dress like they, themselves do, and then they list the stuff they wont wear, and tell you not to wear it.

Obviously, this is all bunkum.

You can dress any way you want. It wont increase, or decrease, your chances of getting robbed.

people who get robbed have valuables visible, or look like they are really affluent, and are not paying attention in dicey locations at odd times.
If you have no laptop with you, it cant get snatched.
No watch, ditto.
I have a really nifty watch I bought on Billinghurst, It cost me around 150 pesos. It keeps time, and stays on my wrist, and tempts no one.


Anyway, I have been tromping the streets of BsAs since about 2007, although not full time- but I walk a LOT, and go everywhere- things like taking the bus to Avelleneda to see the train museum.

And I have never been robbed.

So, obviously, you should wear what I wear- its crime resistant.

My fashion rules-

Always wear at least a little leopardskin. A lot is better, but, at the least, cuffs or a scarf.

Gentlemen wear hats. I prefer a porkpie, rocking that popeye doyle look, but if its cold, I go for hand crocheted extravaganzas with horns or tails.

Suits are never out of style. While I have yet to wear my lime green zoot suit in BsAs, I have been seen in my sharkskin, or my green pinstriped western style suit from the rodeo tailors.

Scarves are always tasteful. Vests are good. I actually live in Palermo Chaleco, where pretty much anyone over 40 wears a sweater vest at all times- Rick Santorum, eat your heart out.

Good shoes are a must- I prefer extremely pointy ones, or bright colored ones. Cowboy boots are good.

Local eccentric fashion gets you past the doorman- I have a nice T with rubberized razor blades silkscreened on it, for example that I bought from a short lived zany boutique in Palermo. Hermanos Estebecoreno anything is styling, and will get you in faster.

I always get positive comments when I wear velvet. I tend to wear a lot of jewelry, although no gold or diamonds. Plastic, robots, ball chain and strange charms, chunky bracelets. The plumbing supply guys remember who I am.


The fact is that Argentines, like big city people everywhere, have 100 and one styles.
If you dress like a skateboarder, or a punk, that is 100% authentic Argentine.
Nothing is more "local" than a heavy metal T shirt, especially if Metallica or Anthrax is playing in town.
Argentine men ALL wear really long hair, or shaved heads, or mullets, or crewcuts, or lots of product, or dye their hair, or are natural.
Argentines wear jeans, and suits, tuck in their shirts, and dont, they wear flip flops 24/7 in the summer, they wear very high heeled boots, they wear athletic shoes, they wear hippie sandals, they wear high fashion shoes, they wear rubber boots.
I see hippies every day with dreadlocks. Tattoos are huge. Multiple piercings, especially cute young girls. I see old guys that havent changed their style since 1950, I see middle aged men looking like they just walked off the polo court. I see ties, and gold chains. Sweaters tied around the neck, and drag queens tottering around in high heels. It seems like every other girl wears converse sneakers, and, this year, the other ones are wearing gladiator style lace up platform sandals. Or really pointy high heels. Or clunky goth boots.

The point being, everything is permitted. Any rules you follow will be your own.
Just dont get too drunk, dont carry valuables on the Subte, and you will be fine.

Oh, and just in case you dont believe me about the zoot suit, here is a picture. There is only one place left that I know of that makes zoot suits to order, in Denver, for cholos. I could not resist...

 

[walkingtwig]

<3 bow ties

 

[Napoleon]

Constantly throw $#!+ on the ground. I mean litter like your life depends on it. In fact, put stuff in your pockets in your apartment so that you can throw it on the ground whenever you are in public parks. This will clue robbers into the fact that you're local and no better than to have money on you.

 

[Quaho]

you guys are a case... like the girl that wanted to dye her hair dark, but then she realized it was her ipod.. lol we have blondes, morenos, asians, etc argentines!! you all dont get we are a big mixed culture?

thieves want your money, and if you are showing an ipod, iphone, laptops, dsl camera, a watch, you're gonna get robbed.. plain and simple, in every city in the world. some of the posters seem like they were born yesterday from a repollo.

 

[Delfina]

lol we have blondes, morenos, asians, etc argentines!! you all dont get we are a big mixed culture?

don't. go. there.

 

[walkingtwig]

you all dont get we are a big mixed culture?

You are not really all that mixed in my honest opinion... just a mini version of old europe, with some gringos and asians thrown in.. I've yet to see see any sikhs, hijabs, or mre than a handful of "coloured" to name but a few, like amy k.kaminsky says, argentina is beter descrbed as "melting-pot europeanness"

 

[PhilipDT]

if you are showing an ipod, iphone, laptops, dsl camera, a watch, you're gonna get robbed.. plain and simple, in every city in the world.

Thats actually not true. You should try going to some other cities.

 

[jevalove]

I have found quite stylish and nice quality clothes in BA - you have to hunt down the outlet shops but you can definitely get quality clothes here. There are about 30- 50% more than in the USA though (in an outlet). But the women's shoes here are fun and I would recommend buying them here. Its hard to find nice quality LEATHER shoes and purses in the US too really without paying top dollar. That is one of the few things I found here were really a good deal.