The thought of Summer 2021 is starting to come to many’s minds, especially after such a chaotic year. We all deserve a break from the nonsense of COVID-19, and that is why you booked a trip to Greece this summer, correct? If being in a Country with low COVID-19 numbers and great safety measures was not the reason you traveled to Greece, I am sure it has to do with the beautiful beaches, delicious food, rich culture, and many other fantastic features Greece offers its tourists. Now, the biggest unknown of your trip, what are you going to wear? Once you are done googling all the temperature averages for your island stays and scrolling through instagram outfits, you will find yourself where you started: lost. I am here to guide you on what to bring, what to wear at what event/place, and of course, what you may need to buy once you are here. Follow me as I direct you through how to dress like a well put together model for your summer trip to Greece.
Do not overpack. Such words are always used for every trip wherever you go, but in Greece, keep it simple and travel light. Why? Reasons being 1. In Greece you will have to do most of your laundry by hand, as the washing services are purposely ridiculously overpriced (for tourists) 2. In Greece, your bedroom will have a closet the size of your suitcase for your entire family, so limited space is going to be an issue you have to deal with here. Homes in Greece are much smaller than the USA, and not as spacious, so keep that in mind. Because you will be wearing nicer clothes than just a cheap t shirt and flip flops, hand washing is already how you will be taking care of your clothes. It is also faster to hand wash and dry clothes outside than to put them through the washing cycle and dryer for 3+ hours. Greece is a hot environment and things dry quickly here. 3. Versatility: You will be likely going from beach to bar, then a quick turnaround to the club or dinner. So wearing an outfit or two all day is what you are going to do. Thus, packing too many outfits will just have them go unused. What’s next? What types of clothes to bring.
In an earlier article I wrote, I mentioned black is a must have to every Greek’s wardrobe. That comment applies to Europeans too. So, in order to be “cool” and fit in a little more, try to pack black. This means black shoes, pants, swim trunks, shirts (t shirts and button down), etc… You wardrobe should mimic your destination for vacation. If going to the islands, wear linen shirts/pants, swim trunks, t-shirts, long pants (jeans acceptable too), closed toed sneakers (non-athletic sneakers). You ideally want to dress as hip and formal as possible, minus the jacket and tie. Usually people walk around wearing espadrilles, button down shirts and long pants when not at the beach (this is for men). Women are equiped with high heels (be prepared to walk around town and clubs in them), and dresses too. When at the beach, of course, wear your swim trunks and you must wear sunglasses, sunglasses are worn practically every time of the day here. Even if it’s at night, put them on your shirts pocket to complete the look, trust me on this one. T-shirts are acceptable, but nothing too flashy and informal. For example, wearing a Nike swoosh or athletic team apparel (NBA, MLB, NHL) is not acceptable here. People will treat you differently if dressed sloppy. Remember, here in Europe and Greece, athletic clothes are only worn when working out, not to dinner. So if you select a t-shirt, make it a plain linen t-shirt, slim fit v-neck, or something that is not too baggy or flashy. Here in Europe and Greece, we wear clothes that fit, nothing is large. Long pants are worn year around here, and it does not get hot while wearing them in the summer, as the cool breeze from the wind can be felt everywhere in Greece all day. Keep your shoes to flip flops (for beach), maybe athletic sneakers (if you are an avid runner), high heels (women), loafers (men), non athletic sneakers (sneakers that aren’t Nike, Air Jordan, rather Ralph Lauren and Toms if you catch my drift…), and boat shoes (men) and casual shoes (women). In total for men, pack 4-5 casual button downs, 4-5 t-shirts, 3-4 pairs of shoes, 3 bathing suits, and 4-5 pairs of pants. Substitute socks and underwear for your own preferences…
Now more specifically, what material should our clothes be? Already slightly touched upon in the previous paragraph, opt for linen and cotton, no wool. It does get to be hot here in the summers, and you do not need to find yourself in the emergency room for heat exaustion for wearing wool from head to toe. Light colors like white, blue, and grey are fine for the islands and main land (sort of). If going to the islands pack light and dark colors like black and grey. When on the maindland, stick to black and grey, and some white. In Europe and Greece, our shoe color and shirt colors matches, so black shoes mean black top, white shoes mean white top, etc…
Avoid all baseball hats and sandals with socks. This advice is not only given to protect you from being obviously a tourist (they take advantage of “lost” tourists everywhere on vacation), but to also look your best. Sunglasses and sunscreen will do the trick here, so I suggest wearing sunscreen under your sunglasses to protect your face. Other items to avoid wearing is any type of athletic clothing (when not working out), clothing with athletic teams (specifically from American leagues like NBA, NHL, NFL, and MLB) and shirts with your name and athletic number on them (yes, all us athletes have those). Otherwise, you are in good shape by just eliminating these nonessential articles of clothing.
Lastly, act comfortable. This means walk loosely, do not be all hunched up and look nervous because you are in a different country. Us Greeks do no bite, and we are very friendly to all. Walking loosely does not mean walking all over the sidewalk, rather, walk around with a smile and say hello or “Γεια σας” to those around you. We love it when our visitors are polite and friendly, and you will be treated better if you yourself are just that. Even if your Greek is subpar, which it is unless you are Greek, the fact that you tired to speak to us in our native tongue is a wonderful thing. We take pride in our beautiful and difficult language, so taking the effort to know just a few words would make our day.
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SKG.7 