Medellin for 4 days - what to wear?

I live in NYC and will be arriving in Medellin noon this Friday for a four day weekend.

Although I'm a tan guy, look Italian, and Spanish people in the city think I’m Cuban (?) and are constantly walking up to me speaking in Spanish, I know I'm easily spotted as a tourist in Colombia. I am not trying to get around that. However I am interested in not sticking out like a turd in the punchbowl.

What are some usual types clothing to wear while bumming around town? Jeans and old Converse sneakers? Do they wear ripped jeans? Should the approach be to just wear average, non noticeable, drab clothes? I'm not really a t-shirt guy and would prefer not to just buy clothing when I'm there - otherwise the clothing will look brand new and I'll really “look like a tourist�? trying to NOT “look like a tourist�?. Just want to blend in as best as possible. I guess my goal is to look like an expat.

I prefer jeans, black shoes and an untucked button down white long-sleeved cotton shirt with a slightly wrinkled linen look. Maybe?

Also I will be spending a night or two with a local in a somewhat questionable neighborhood during the day time. I dread showing up in a cab.

I know not to wear a watch, jewelry or flash anything. I'm just trying to spend a few days taking in the city, hopefully being able to pull off the Juanes show and try to get a preliminary impression of this country I've heard so much about. Although they are highly unlikely, I don't want any hassles.

Any advice on safety and ropas is greatly appreciated.

By rocinante on Oct 10, 2005, 06:53 in Friendly Talkzone.

Hunter says on Oct 10, 2005, 07:16:

rocinante on "I prefer jeans, black shoes and an untucked button down white long-sleeved cotton shirt with a slightly wrinkled linen look....."

Sounds OK to me.

Hunter

kat1 (Moderator) says on Oct 10, 2005, 08:47:

sounds good to me too Hunter jejej :-)

engage brain before opening mouth

Colombiche says on Oct 10, 2005, 09:30:

Relax Bud I don't think you will be spotted as a tourist unless you go around talking loudly in English. If you are tan skinned and Italian looking, you will blend in in medellin, there will be a lot of people in Medellin who are whiter than you too, there are a lot of fair skinned people there. I am a whitish colombian, and a lot of my Colombian cousins poked fun at me because coming from Canada with my tan and all, my skin was like 4 shades darker than theirs.

Don't worry about the clothes, people in colombia don't walk around with ponchos and carrieles, at least not in the city. For my entire stay in Medellin, I actually wore a gucci watch on my wrist, didn't show it off too much, but the watch is back home with me today. I am not advising you do this, I am just telling you that not having been in Colombia, you probably have this idea that you are heading to some backward land, populated by little brown peasants, once you are there you will be surprised at how utterly "western" looking everything is (even the people).

It all comes down to how you behave at the end.

No me den trago extranjero, que es caro y no sabe a bueno.... (Rafael Godoy)

johnboy77 says on Oct 10, 2005, 10:03:

Yes, I'm as Gringo as they get, blondish hair, blue eyes, and over 6 feet tall.

I got starred at in Medellín when I first arrived here, and I thought it was because of my skin. It wasn't, I was wearing shorts and sandles. Paisas are generally light skinned, and its not rare to see someone with very European features, including blond hair and blue eyes.

Typicall dress in Medellin is pants (clean, no rips, preferably ironed), shoes (no sneakers), and a button down shirt (ironed). They also rarely go unshaven. You may not be allowed in some places with shorts on. I went to the DAS once with shorts on and they would not let me in (although, on other occasions, I have seen people with shorts in the DAS office)

Since I started dressing like everyone else, no one looks at me anymore, and I get people stopping to ask me directions (in Spanish) and are a little shocked when I give them the "no intiendo mucho español". They then smile and say goodbye.

I honestly beleive foriegners stand out because of the way they dress (Medellin has a lot of Gringos these days, and you can spot them with the white t-shirt, shorts, tennis shoes with white socks, and the 5 o-clock shadow)

treeshark2 says on Oct 10, 2005, 13:14:

Agree with Hunter what you prefer will work fine.
I would suggest that you take a light coat with you. Can get a bit cool at night and more so if you go up the mountains a bit.
I was with my Colombian novia and she kept me out of the bad areas of the city. With your NYC street smarts, you should be fine.
Since Hunter told me it would be OK, I just wore my Harley ropa most of the time. Harley bluejeans, belt, t-shirt, hat and boots. Real easy to tell that I was a gringo. I had almost no problems during 3 weeks.

caslug says on Oct 10, 2005, 13:18:

you caught me! LOL! "I honestly beleive foriegners stand out because of the way they dress (Medellin has a lot of Gringos these days, and you can spot them with the white t-shirt, shorts, tennis shoes with white socks, and the 5 o-clock shadow)"

Just for the record, I only wear that during the day while i do my sightseeing or shopping!

johnboy77 says on Oct 10, 2005, 16:10:

caslug... so that was you I saw today walking down Ave El Poblado! LOL!

Even though I try to blend in more (because I hate people staring at me like I just flew in from Mars) I can't help but go out the odd time with shorts, sandels, and a Toronto Maple Leafs shirt on, speaking English as loud as possible.

Honestly, not a day goes by when I don't see a gringo (American, Canadian, or European).

In El Poblado, people really aren't surprised to see gringos anymore. I just paid my EPM bill at the Exito, and bought a couple beers... the bag boy tried to speak English with me, and the people in the Pago Servicio Público line didn't stare at me at all.

But, if you go on the Metro, people 4cm away from you will stare at you like you had lava pouring out of your eyeballs.

Honestly, I don't think its anymore of a risk being a gringo in Medellin than being anyone else, and I know a lot of Gringos, and Colombians who feel the same way. Colombia is a risky place for everyone.