We’re traveling to Germany at the end of the month. We’d like to “blend in” and not look so much like Americans. Hub is 64 and is wondering what German men of a certain age wear on their heads this time of year?
Any other words of wisdom for international travel would be greatly appreciated.
I can’t really think of a particular hat style that seems very widespread. Not a baseball cap, though.
And not white gym shoes, nor a shirt or jacket with words on it. And German men of that age usually don’t walk or stand with their hands in their pockets. They walk with them behind their backs.
Black jackets, or at least very dark or subdued colors.
Tourists usually stand out not by their clothing but by typical behaviour - not moving purposefully, walking five abreast, taking at American/Chinese volume, that sort of thing. People don’t mind tourists, of course, so it doesn’t matter if you look like one.
German urban men at this time of year usually wear a dark overcoat (mostly dark blue/black), blue or black jeans, (as if the time of year were not gloomy enough); usually no hat or cap even in the current nasskalt weather. The few who wear something on their head usually wear some kind of dark flat or knitted cap. (I usually wear a Kangol cap myself, if only to cover the bald spot on my crown 
) - Women are a bit colorful but not much; you’ll see no candy colours on the street at present.
The above goes for men from the age when they have outgrown hoodies to old age. When you are out of hoodies you also don’t wear anything with words or slogans anymore.
You’ll have researched what the temperatures in late November are in Germany. Plan for mostly barely about freezing (with the very occasional warm and sunny spell - so use layers), possibly down to freezing at times, with some rainy or drizzly days.
You might be as well not wear Trump/Pence campaign gear in Germany 
I think it was George Mikes who said that in Germany, even the beggars dress well. Older German men dress slightly formally, with long pants more than shorts, very clean and ironed clothes, darker coloured shoes and jackets.
This is true all over the world. You’re going to stand out anyway.
Why try to hide it?
The local people are going to work, etc. Not looking around at the sights, not stumbling over how to insert the bus ticket into the reader.
Smile nicely, and you’ll discover that foreign people are pretty nice most of the time, too.
But do keep a lot of 50p coins in your pockets. In Germany, you have to pay to pee.
The most common suggestion I’ve heard for mature men traveling in Europe is to not be quite so casual. Athletic shoes are for the gym, shorts are for children, jeans are for farming, plain or logo T-shirts are also for children.
Here’s an English language news site for Germany. It sometimes has tips for foreigners traveling there.
As Basil Fawly would say, “Don’t mention the NAZIS.”
Thanks, all. Hub has no hair left on his beautiful head so going hatless is not an option. I think we’ll stick to a dark knitted hat. For some reason he’s anti-Kangol even though he looks quite handsome in them. I’m afraid we may be relegated to tennis shoes, though. He’s a size 15 and diabetic with orthotics. Tennis shoes are one of his few, comfortable options.
…try the beer.
It’s pretty warm and flat by now.