To believe that Brits stand out a mile when abroad?

[ChickenSkin]

And I don't know why!

When we were in Florida we were walking through a mall and people definitely look twice at us. Little kids especially stared at our kids like they KNEW they were different.

So what is it about Brits that make us stand out so much?

I get spoken to in Dutch in Holland, have been mistaken for German in France and Australian in Bali.

Round shoulders, self-conscious posture, cheap "holiday" clothes that are trotted out year after year, usually overweight, fiery-red sun burn.

Yes and No. I think all nationalities have an uncanny knack of spotting their own, even among a sea of people who are for the most part, the same colour, and wearing loosely the same style of dress.

I live in a Gulf Arab country which is absolutely heaving with expats from just about everywhere in the world you can think of.

I can usually tell in the blink of an eye whether someone is British, even though I am surrounded by Canadians, Dutch, Aussies, French, etc, etc. It's usually easy to spot an American, but less easy to tell a south African apart from a Brit, or an Aussie for some reason! Interestingly, if I see a black person I can also usually tell whether they are Black British, or American or whatever, rather than from an African/Arab country, even if they are in 'western' clothes! I don't know how - perhaps we develop cultural body language similarities as well as sharing dress styles.

It's the little subtle differences that give it away.

In contrast, I am also surrounded by hundreds of different 'types' of olive or brown or black skinned people, and sometimes I can tell from what they are wearing (the ladies' headscarf style for example) and in the case of the Gulf Arab men I can spot usually an Emirati or an Omani in a sea of Qataris (again, it's very subtle difference in dress style, even though to the untrained eye they all just wear the same white 'dresses' every single day!) but other times I have no way of telling whether someone is Syrian, Egyptian, Lebanese or whatever, especially as they all speak Arabic, but I bet they can tell one another apart easily.

I can always spot the British before they even speak - I don't know how but I think it's the "recognising your own" thing rather than something distinctive about brits.

Last week I flew from Singapore to Australia. The Brits faded in to the background compared with (some of) the Australians. I am always amazed to see Aussies (men usually) waiting to board a plane wearing scruffy shorts, flip-flops, singlet vests - AND THAT'S IT (well apart from the tattoos).

I have been stopped and asked for directions just about everywhere I have ever been. I am fair skinned with freckles and don't tan easily.

I have no idea why someone in Israel for example would think I look local, but hey ho! I suspect it might not happen in Ghana though!

In a hotel lift in Belgium I asked an American couple just getting in which floor they'd like. Exchanged a few pleasantries and, as they got out, they remarked 'your english is really very good'. :) I don't think we stand out all that much.

In France and the med I always get taken for a local, but Dh always gets taken for German.

I think most nationalities do.

The Brits with their no-nonsense comfy clothing. (although the only men I've ever seen in vests are Italians)

The Italians with their skintight white trousers and jackets and Nancy Dell'Olio lipliner and permatan. (or if it's not yet summer their red/blue/orange trousers)

The French with their navy and moccasins.

The Russians with their blue eyeliner.

The Japanese with their teeny tiny Minnie Mouse t-shirts.

The Spanish, still showing a penchant for the double denim look.

(these stereotypes all based on empirical observation of my students btw. )

We went to Nice last year and my french dp was congratulated on his excellent french by several locals who assumed he was british

It's not just Brits, at airports you can tell other nationalities quite well too - hair, clothes etc,

Male Brits always wear trainers with no socks. Brit women usually wear frilly per una clothing and cropped pants. Japanese women would opt to wear stilettoes to climb Ayers rock with white gloves.

I find groups of French teenagers very easy to spot. There always seem to be hordes of them at the UK seaside resort we go to

Having Been to very central London tourist spots I can tell you the British were the most stylish. Sheesh those Italians. Not as glam as they think.

Agree. French and German teens have bad white trainer vibe.

I can tell Polish/eastern european women usually by what theyre wearing. They usually have a late 80s/early 90s but very glamourous/groomed look going on

In deepest, darkest southern france, the brits definately stand out at the markets. Always well groomed by local standards. Even brits wearing shorts and t-shirts.

Perhaps they have a holiday groove going on too - wandering around aimlessly. Locals have purpose.

Generally British people like trainers, jeans, sportwear and logos. We might not like clashing colours but we end up wearing them because that's what our shops sell. We have clothes that are specifically intended to be worn on holiday and sometimes hurt your eyes in strong sunshine.

British men have shorter hair than the average European man unless he's on national service, just out of prison or is a neo Nazi. Women tend not to bother with hair and make-up during the day.

We carry WH Smiths bags we got at the airport with our newspapers until they break. Then we replace them with flimsy ones from local supermarkets.

If we have a bag we bought for itself rather than the item that came in it it's a black, nylon rucksack.

We tend to overdo the sun and inappropriate clothing while walking around town because we don't get much sunshine here.

Italian standards of grooming and selection of clothes are definitely better but can be a bit dull. The women wear more jewellery. Most men have haircuts long enough to require the purchase of a comb.

Italians grow up learning how to put things together. Style-consciousness hits us from about 14. Therefore more young Italians look middle-aged and there is no such thing as the Italian goth (generally).

Italians of both sexes receive a navy Husky jacket on their 35th birthday. Men love pastel cashmere that they wear draped around their shoulders at home and shiver in here.

The 'English' look is popular with Italian men - brogues (often in tans that only work in southern light), tweed jackets, check shirts - basically not English at all.

Italians have more footwear that you can't wear to play sport than we do. The women spend a lot more on beachwear and accessories. Bikinis veer towards the Nancy Del'Olio look - padded cups and gilt trims. Italian women do not go topless. If British women spent that much on a bikini we'd probably wear both bits too.

Italians move in groups. They stop dead in groups too. Teenagers, but many older people who should know better, clutter up doorways dithering over the menu when northern Europeans are trying to get to the bar.

Italians don't drink nearly as much as British, Germans, Dutch and Scandinavians. They are generally fussier. Consequently big groups of Italians aren't as welcome as you might think in restaurants.

Haven't really made a detailed study of other nationalities beyond the observation that Germans, Dutch and Scandinavians tend to be tall and Eastern European women favour hair dyes in colours that are not found in Nature.

I lived abroad for a while in a very touristy spot and it became really easy to spot the Brits, Americans, Germans and Spaniards. Everyone else was a bit harder :)

The British either look really well organised or like complete yobs (cringeworthy behaviour from football fans at the main train station), the Americans were characterised by sunhats, 'fanny packs' and maps (and the moaning about having to wear disposable cover-ups when attempting to enter places of worship in hot pants and vests ), the Germans by either too-tight shorts or bright hoodies with black patterns, and the Spaniards by being naturally tanned as opposed to perma-tanned and carrying enormous rucksacks.

I can spot English and American when abroad, though the loud voices usually mean you can hear the Americans before you spot them visually. Germans also seem to love the "three quarter trouser with birkenstock and white sock" look, so that makes them easy to spot too.

We normally get mistaken for Italian when we're in France, and French when we're in Italy, which is odd as I have very British colouring (reddish brown hair and pale skin which never sees the sun), but it's something to do with the way we dress.

Well, I definitely agree that Brits stand out to other Brits. It is not necessarily that obvious to other nationalities, as other posters have pointed out. . .

The overweight, bad hair, terrible clothes combo is a dead giveaway.

I live in France near a campsite - only the Brits wear very tight clothing when grossly overweight - this especially seems to apply to teenage girls. Can easily spot holidaying Brits from local brits who blend in with the French (at least we like to think we do).

Limitedperiodonly - not all of us! Looks lovingly at Radley Handbag and lovely Tote bag from Oliver Bonas.

Not me either, married? I blend effortlessly when abroad