Independent Travel in Europe
Ladies - In general, European women tend to dress up more than North American women, so having a few accessories will go a long ways to adding flair to your travel outfits. Scarves are probably the simplest to use and will definitely do the trick. If you haven't already tried a Pashmina, you may want to experiment with one before you go - it can be worn as a scarf or a shawl in a variety of ways.
Dark, travel skirts and casual pants work really well because you can create a number of outfits just by switching tops. You shouldn't have to bring a dress, even for going to fancy restaurants or concerts. Jeans are definitely okay for cooler weather, as long as they are a medium to dark shade and are not baggy or shabby - they need to look neat and fashionable. You can easily pull together a stylish look with your jeans by wearing a white blouse and a blazer (or dark, tailored jean jacket) and a scarf - it's all in how together you look - you don't want to feel frumpy.
A note on shorts: You won't see very many European women wearing shorts, unless they're on the beach, jogging, or on a hiking or cycling trail. In a nutshell, if you want to be identified as North American, wear your shorts!
Gentlemen - In general, European men tend to dress up more than their North American counterparts. You won't see many of them wearing shorts, unless they are on the beach, jogging, or hiking or cycling. Having said that, on hot days you may see some of them in walking shorts (knee length). In warm weather, it's definitely okay to wear shorts, as long as they are not too short and they are clean and tailored - you may prefer shorts that allow you to wear a belt. One easy solution is to have a pair of pants that quickly converts to shorts - there are a number of travel pants with exactly that feature. Or, in warm weather, just wear, light-coloured lightweight pants.
Packing both crew neck and golf t-shirts is a good idea. There's no need for a dress shirt and tie for restaurants - casual shirts are okay as are medium to dark jeans that look neat or a pair of dark, casual pants. Ensure that clothes are neat. A dark turtleneck for cooler days is also a great choice.
