Dressed for the UK

[MilStachian]

I'm off to visit friends and family in the UK (England and Scotland) for the next two weeks.  We'll be in London, Manchester, and Edinburgh.

We'll do quite a bit of walking, as well as pub visiting in the evenings.  Any unique restrictions on pub-wear I should take note of?  How do I not look like a tourist?  =)

[lizzzi]

Don't wear white or wildly-colored athletic shoes. Obviously you're probably going to have some kind of Nikes, Reeboks, whatever...but try to get them in a quieter, neutral color...you won't be screaming "American tourist", and they'll go with more of your outfits. I'm a girl, so I don't know exactly how to tell a guy to dress in a pub...others will probably be along with good ideas. In the U.K. and Ireland, first with my dad and in later years with my husband: They just wore the same things they wore in the States. They looked like everybody else. Let's see....collared shirts tucked into belted, casual slacks. Comfortable, leather walking shoes. Hip-length casual jacket, water-resistant, in a conservative color. They had a sports coat to put on in the evenings, which didn't get a lot of use. A tie...ditto. Make sure you have rain gear...but you know that.

[Alchemilla]

Don't wear a union flag t shirt?
Bring waterproofs, shoes you can walk in for miles, and spares for when they get soaked.
Don't wear pale colours, London is grimy!
Next time, come to Devon instead!!

[Paul der Krake]

How to not look like an American in the UK (or really anywhere in western Europe):

- don't tip more than pocket change
- don't wear running shoes unless you're running, or you strongly identify with at risk youth
- don't stop in the middle of the street, or at any choke points
- don't ask where "downtown" is
- don't try to pay with dollars
- don't ask where people are from, or where their ancestors are from
- don't ask for "authentic" anything
- temperatures: 15-25 is warm enough, 25+ is a heatwave, there's no need to ask for translation
- don't ask how people are doing unless you know them
- if people want to know how something is different in America, they'll watch movies or ask you directly, there's no need to volunteer information

[Argyle]

Edinburgh will be chilly.  It has been getting down to 47 F at night.  Bring a jacket.

[daverobev]

Mostly people don't care about trainers but restaurants, some pubs and nightclubs etc will have a dress code. Any non-city pub won't care.

Yeah don't tip. If you're in a pub you can tell the bartender they can get one for themselves too... they basically take that (drink) as a tip.

Light jacket, north face or whatever is fine everywhere. If you're doing hiking then you'll fit right in - pubs cater for tourists, tourism is a big thing. Just say excuse me and sorry a lot :)

No right (or left) turn on red! And pedestrians do not have right of way crossing side streets.

Um. Drive on the other side of the road. Steering wheel should help with that one.

Buy train tickets in advance - most expensive to buy at the station.

Most big places take Amex. AFAIK nobody takes Discover... maybe because of Diners in some restaurants. VISA and MC everywhere, though some places only on sensible transactions - if under say £3 just do cash. If you have BofA checking I think they are part of the global ATM alliance, use Barclays ATMs to get cash.

In London get an Oyster card, don't pay the stupid cash price for using the tube! You get the deposit back when you turn the card in.

Sunglasses indoors = no. Luggage unattended = no they'll call the police.

[Letj]

I'm off to visit friends and family in the UK (England and Scotland) for the next two weeks.  We'll be in London, Manchester, and Edinburgh.

We'll do quite a bit of walking, as well as pub visiting in the evenings.  Any unique restrictions on pub-wear I should take note of?  How do I not look like a tourist?  =)

I have been to the UK 5 times. They don't dress any differently from Americans unless you plan to dress in the US flag. Generally, people in developed countries dress pretty similar some more chic than others. Americans can be more casual at times with tee shirts and baseball hats but if you avoid that most of the time you should be fine.

[Friar]

Try at all costs to avoid wearing a "fanny pack".

And if you do, don't call it a "fanny pack" - It's a bum bag.

[Bardo]

I used to live in the neighborhood, and it's easy to spot American tourists.  The giveaways?  Baseball caps and khaki trousers. 

[crazy jane]

Don't tell anyone you like their accent. You are the one with the accent.

[lizzzi]

Handy tip for converting Celsius to Fahrenheit with rough accuracy:  Double the Celsius number and add 30.

[nobodyspecial]

Edinburgh will be chilly.  It has been getting down to 47 F at night.  Bring a jacket.

And  wear a kilt to blend in with the locals

[Alchemilla]

Try at all costs to avoid wearing a "fanny pack".

And if you do, don't call it a "fanny pack" - It's a bum bag.
[/quote

Yup. A fanny is a hole different thing here.]

[MilStachian]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate all the advice.

Paul der Krake - you take the cake (see what I did there?!) for the comment about running shoes.

How to not look like an American in the UK (or really anywhere in western Europe):

- don't tip more than pocket change
- don't wear running shoes unless you're running, or you strongly identify with at risk youth
- don't stop in the middle of the street, or at any choke points
- don't ask where "downtown" is
- don't try to pay with dollars
- don't ask where people are from, or where their ancestors are from
- don't ask for "authentic" anything
- temperatures: 15-25 is warm enough, 25+ is a heatwave, there's no need to ask for translation
- don't ask how people are doing unless you know them
- if people want to know how something is different in America, they'll watch movies or ask you directly, there's no need to volunteer information

[Rosbif]

And pedestrians do not have right of way crossing side streets.

If pedestrians have started to cross, they DO have right of way. https://www.gov.uk/using-the-road-159-to-203/road-junctions-170-to-183

All the advice here is good! Don't claim to be Irish/Scottish/Welsh unless you were born there. What counts as Irish in the US doesn't cut it in the old country ;)

I actually tip in restaurants (just ask if service is included if you want to tip). Table staff get about three times what they do in the US as basic hourly, but it's still not great money. Restaurants take up to 10% of card tips as an admin fee, so cash is king. If a cab fare in London is £9.50, a ten and 'keep the change' is nice.

Don't take suitcases on the tube in rush hour.

Have fun!

[MMMaybe]

Try at all costs to avoid wearing a "fanny pack".

And if you do, don't call it a "fanny pack" - It's a bum bag.

Was just going to say that!

[JJNL]

+1 for the khakis, running shoes and baseball caps - I live in a very touristy town in Europe and they're dead giveaways that you're an American tourist. Jeans are a much better choice for fitting in. Also:
- wearing white socks is only OK when you're actually participating in a sporting event on running shoes. Otherwise go with no socks or a darker colour. If you're wearing sandals (which is a tourist giveaway, but nice and breezy), do NOT wear socks as well. Of any colour. Ever.
- you won't be needing a dress jacket or a tie unless you expect to go to a very formal event or a very high end restaurant.
- I would bring 1 or 2 nice dress shirts for when you go out. This will make you stand out in a positive way :). No loud colours though.
- If you want to fit in with the locals, you might want to pay attention to your volume when you're speaking. Americans tend to be a lot louder in conversation than British (unless theyve had a fair few to drink). Also, don't comment loudly to each other on the people you see around you or the things that are weird and wonderful about their country while within earshot of strangers. Keep the 'this is really weird, why is everybody X, it's dirty here and in our town it's much cleaner, this money looks like monopoly money' conversations between the people you're actually travelling with.

[Flynlow]

If you want to fit in with the locals, you might want to pay attention to your volume when you're speaking. Americans tend to be a lot louder in conversation than British (unless theyve had a fair few to drink).

This!  One of my favorite parts of meeting with British colleagues when I am over there is quiet conversation over beers at the pub after work.  I was very impressed with how many people can be in close proximity and not be continually talking over one another.

As far as dress code, I typically wore a plain black, grey, or blue t-shirt, dark blue jeans, and dress shoes outside of work (work was dress shirt/dress pants).  Never felt like I stood out in a glaring manner.