Blending in - tips for foreign residents

[las2137]

Originally Posted by sylindr

that would be my question.... my sister-in-law who is dominican wears shorts all of the time.... not sure what that has to do with blending in. their whole family wears flip flops also.

From what I have seen here in Santo Domingo and from what has been confirmed by female, Dominican friends and coworkers, most women do not wear shorts/flip-flops outside the home in formal occasions.

Wearing shorts for quick errands, gym, to the beach, etc. would be accepted of course. But wearing shorts for more "formal" occasions like a trip to the mall, dining out, etc would raise eyebrows and certainly scream extranjera. In other countries where I have lived (Latin America and Africa), flip-flops are considered to be household shoes, like slippers.

I can only speak for Santo Domingo, but I rarely see Dominican women wearing shorts, unless at the gym or running down to the colmado. Or if they are 16 and younger.

[JDJones]

Another quickie, if someone unknown comes to your front door or gate, talk to them from a distance. Don't walk up to them to speak with them, and NEVER at night.

[minerva_feliz]

Originally Posted by sylindr

that would be my question.... my sister-in-law who is dominican wears shorts all of the time.... not sure what that has to do with blending in. their whole family wears flip flops also.

Most people do not wear them outside of the house, yard, gym or beach, it's a fact. You sister in law probably wouldn't go to any place requiring a remote degree of formalilty wearing shorts and flip-flops. You will find exceptions, in tourist areas, wealthier families, Dominican-Yols and people emulating U.S. dress style. But the thread is about blending in, and since most people don't do it, you won't be by doing so. There are Dominican's with piercings and tats (see above group, include rebelious youth) but that isn't the norm either and you won't blend in by having one visible.

You CAN wear shorts, but someone a mile away will spot you as a foreigner. If the shorts don't give it away, the exposore of all glaring white skin on the legs will, not to mention draw even more unwanted attention. Make sure you put on a fanny pack and visor too so I can get a good laugh.

[KateP]

Man does this bring back memories... 12 years ago my mom and I used to go to calle Duarte in shorts and sandals. From the little bit of spanish I knew back then, we were able to figure out that the men were offering us everything from their car to marriage for us to look at them...lol What can I saw? It was hot! Que inocentes eramos entonces!

Now, it's jeans or at best capris whenever I leave the area. In Punta Cana you see plenty of people in shorts but in Santo Domingo? Oof! Pssst! Americana!...Chula!...Diache que mami!...

[MikeFisher]

yeap,
it is a big difference if you talk about that in case of a city like st dgo or about a more rural area or like in my case a beach area.
the usual behaviors vary on such.
for my dominican wife, her sisters, dominican neighbours aso aso within the pueblo it is usual to wear shorts and 90% wear flipflops in the near area around the house, including a walk to the colmado, and sure on the beach of course.
it is different when leaving the "near the house area", like driving a few minutes up the road to the bigger supermarket, for that my wife would never go in shorts or simple flipflops, for such the usual female 20 minutes 'change' is appropriate, ha ha.

when living in the City i could not imagine that my wife would leave the house in shorts/flipflops or such.
those things are only used within the 'private sphere', like in the house/garden/beach in front of the house/walk around the corner to the colmado(only if it is AT HOME at the Colmado around the corner).
Mike

[sylindr]

Lol... that was my point.... I am not sure about others by I am white everywhere not just on my legs!!! So not sure how that would help me to blend in... I wear what I want wherever I want. That means when I am going somewhere more formal I dress accordingly but won't be uncomfortable because someone thinks I should have on long jeans in June.

[Lambada]

Just to remind people, if you're visiting Governmental offices, there's a dress code. Cédula office in PP applies it to the last detail, DGII is more flexible (but then you're usually going there to pay taxes ).

[MikeFisher]

ha ha ha
if this is all about "not to be seen as a non dominican",
just forget about it.
locals will always see that you are not local,
dress or hat or sunglasses or shorts make no difference.
and it's like that everywhere on the planet,
locals will always see from far that you are not from "here",
it is not just the way you dress, it is also the way you talk, the simple way you walk, like you behave.
where ever you are,
locals will always notice right away that you are not from there, lol.

anyways,
why to hide/camouflage such??

we are who we are,
from where we are,
the way we are.

the basic of that theme of course is clear and has all it's reasons to get informed about, like the kind of "appropriate" clothing a women can wear when going for some smokes to the colmado, or for a walk in the city, or for a stroll on the beach aso aso.
or just for a visit to a bank or gubmin office aso.
at home i would not enter a bank office or pay my taxes at the gubmin office in a bayhing suit neither.
but hey,
that's just my own given education,
i see on weekly/nearby daily bases that there are differences depending where people come from, lol.
Mike

[sparky11867]

There was a comment made earlier about tattoos and piercings. I'm just curious about the attitudes in the DR about these things as I visit often and have both exposed. Is it offensive? Or just a little weird? I've only had one dominican point out my lip piercing, and I just blew it off. Didn't want to make a bigger deal out of it than it was.

[MikeFisher]

depends where they are placed and how they are styled.
tattoos are a sign of low key/ex-cons have tattoos/hookers have tattoos, not many dominican women would do that. but times are changing here like everywhere else, the acceptance of such depends always on the exact spot where you are/surroundings.
Mike