How do French teenagers dress?

Question

I'm going to spend part of the summer in Lyon as part of an exchange program and I don't want to stand out as really American (of course I'm not going to change everything about me) Do they wear sneakers? Shorts?

Answer 1

it is rare to wear shorts except for jogging or at a beach. French people tend to not wear synthetic materials much either. A lot of blue jeans and collared shirts with plain, dark sweaters.

And yes, sneakers are not popular, except for sports. Brown shoes are more popular.

You definitely don't have to look rich, just not "loud" and obnoxious.

Wearing a yellow nylon jacket over basketball shorts would be the exact opposite of cool.

Answer 2

Being an old geezer perhaps I am not aware of fine points of teenage attire but it seems to me that they don't dress all that differently than American teenagers.

Answer 3

I'm a french teenager and of course we wear sneakers and short. If you want more information : [e-mail]

Answer 4

We dress like americans...Jeans, Converse, etc...It depends more on what kind of music you like.

What landwish say is so true!!!! So you don't need to make much efforts...Just be yourself!

Answer 5

The french don't wear shorts much and I've found they don't really wear sneakers but instead both guys and girls tend more towards tennis shoes (i.e. not shoes you would run in but the more casual puma type tennies).  Also I don't really see girls in things that don't flatter there figure or masculine type clothes (i.e. no uggs and no hoodies or oversized sweatshirts).  

Of course more likely to make you stand out as an American would be your actions.  Things like being loud and obnoxious when you're out in public or at a bar are a common giveaway.

I think it also has to do with the way we carry ourself.  When my ex-husband and I were in Paris one year we got stopped by the metro security to verify our passes and he talked to both of us in English without even trying French (he's French  and I'm fluent in French so we found this a bit amusing).  Guess his time in the States gave him that American look! haha.

Enjoy your summer! I haven't spent much time in Lyon but I know lots of places that connect through Lyon so an SNCF hub you can go many places without transferring!

Answer 6

You will stand out as an American no matter what you do. I'm telling you, they can pick a single American out of a crowd of thousands!