Khakis??

I was reading a humorous article in a recent Budget Travel email discussing clothing items that define a tourist in Paris. I can understand that a baseball cap, white tennis shoes, and a messy sweatshirt probably would definitely define a tourist. The article also mentioned that khaki pants are rarely seen on Parisian men. What do you think of that? They are such a wardrobe staple here that it seems to be a strange concept.

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I think the article is right. I seldom see khaki here and I love it. The one time I wore a pair of khaki pants I fell very out of place. My French husband, however, occasionally wears a pair he bought in the States. He is one of those who wears what he wants.

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When my Parisian cousin visited New York last year, one of his priorities was purchasing Dockers. If I remember correctly, he bought 4 pairs. Needless to say he%26#39;s not really into fashion.

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It%26#39;s just so interesting to me. Are corduroys routinely worn by Parisian men?

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You may not see %26quot;khakis%26quot;, but I have seen khaki colored jeans and many other colors of jeans for that matter. Not a big fan of the tan jeans. Just my opinion though.

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There was a funny thread about this last summer--

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187147-i14-k66554…

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One hardly ever sees khakis being worn by men in Paris. Pants in khaki or beige color are acceptable and common, but they%26#39;re not generally made from cotton twill.

Corduroys are common.

Dockers are sold at the major department stores such as Printemps and BHV (can%26#39;t remember seeing them at GL), but they%26#39;re not the same as those sold in the US. They have a different cut and fabric.

The key between American and French casual/business wear pants is the cut and fabric. French pants make use of a much wider array of fabric textures, and they are never pleated. A man wearing pleated pants in Paris might as well have %26quot;American Tourist%26quot; tatooed on his forehead. French pants also tend to have a tighter fit in the seat and thigh, often have pocket openings that sit closer to the waist, and pockets that have a less angular slash than most American pants.

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Annette - that link was great! I%26#39;ve worked retail for many years so this topic is quite an education. American men of %26quot;a certain age%26quot; have great difficult letting go of their pleated, cuffed khakis. My husband is going to need a little guidance with his packing for our trip in a few weeks. He likes to feel that he looks nice, so will appreciate your input.

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From reading the posted thread, and other sources as well, can I conclude that %26quot;khakis%26quot; are defined not by so much by color, but by being a combination of: (a) pleated front, (b) cuffed, (c) cotton twill?

For older men who are not into jeans, what%26#39;s a good all-round pant type to not stick out as an American--dark, dress-pant type material? Here (U.S.) my husband is usually dresser than many of his colleagues (university), and continues with coat and tie for his teaching days. In warmer weather and when we%26#39;ve traveleled, he does wear something along the line of the infamous %26quot;khakis,%26quot; albeit he hates pleats and generally wears an uncuffed version. He likes and wears corduroy too, but for warmer weather and lighter travel, corduroys are defintely out.

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Who cares?

The key is that American men are not known for fashion coordination. The French and Italians put the idea to an entirely different level though. They have a habit of looking almost formal a lot of the time.

Even with khakis, it can be done, however. For an easy solution, walk into a Men%26#39;s Wearhouse. Their sales droids go through classes to figure stuff out.

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It%26#39;s weird, all this trouble to conceal our tourist condition?...I don%26#39;t think so.

I dress as comfortable and elegant as my luggage allows me.

Jeans, Khakis,Courduroy etc...as long as you know how to match, colors/fabrics/shoes/weather....you will blend in painlessly.