Every weekend, I see floods of tourists passing through the city, walking the flat streets of this seaside city carrying backpacks big enough to haul their full body weight. Curiously, they clad themselves in traditional Andean patterns spruced up for a commercial market, perhaps thinking that if they wear these items, they can camouflage themselves with the locals. But in Lima, they stick out like a herd of cowboy hats in New York City.
In practical terms, their attire is understandable: most are only passing through to Lima on their way to the highlands or the jungle, where they will spend their time trekking, rafting, and climbing. Still, I have to wonder: Isn´t there space for at least one pair of jeans and T-Shirt in that enormous backpack? Here are a few fashion faux pas to avoid while traveling through Lima:
1.) The Stereotypical Poncho
A poncho in Lima is a loud declaration of your gringo-ness: “I´m here, and I know nothing about Peru except ponchos and Machu Picchu.” You´d be hard-pressed to spot a Limeño wearing a poncho. That´s because they—like Europeans and Americans—sport leather jackets, dress coats, pea coats and bubble jackets on the darkest winter days.
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| Stop in the name of fashion! |
2.) The Mystical Gringo Pants
There´s no escaping (or excuse) for this one: gringo pants are undeniably gringo. They come in the loudest colors and most obnoxious patterns—a puzzling combination of stripes, checkerboards and dots. But what exactly are these mystical pants? Pajamas? Exercise gear? Hiking pants? I´ve never seen a native Peruvian hiking the Inca Trail or climbing Colca Canyon in gringo pants. But I have seen plenty of gringos do it. Case in point.
3.) The Almighty Hiking Boot
A necessity for outdoor expeditions in the Andes and the Amazon, the hiking boot is impractical footwear in Lima. Here, the streets are flat and the vegetation could hardly be described as wild or lush. Indeed, the posh leather member of the boot family or the proletarian tennis shoe will suffice.
4.) The Gringo Bill
A sure-fire way to identify yourself as a gringo is to clad yourself in an American football team jersey or baseball cap. The use of baseball caps in Lima is particularly strange because five months of the year (May-September), the sun simply never shines. So gringos: surrender your hats! I promise, not one ray will touch your pearly white skin.
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| Take a look in the mirror before you put on the hat. You'll be appalled, too. |
5.) The World´s Favorite Chullo (not to be confused with cholo)
While the chullo—a knitted woolen hat with quirky earflaps—is a smart investment for traveling to the highlands of Peru, where temperatures can drop below freezing, not even the coldest days of Lima winter (about 60 degrees Fahrenheit) warrant its use. Thus it´s best to save the chullo for the mountains, or as a conversation piece when you get back home. (¨Whoa, sweet hat, dude.¨)
