www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I will be going to CR in September on my first trip. i would like to know what to wear to blend in with locals . I am 50 . Are sneakers and shorts worn by locals ?
Thanks,

If you are going to San Jose I think you'll find the locals don't really wear shorts. They also seem to wear leather dress shoes more than sneakers, unless playing sports or working out. At the beaches shorts are fine. However, you can wear whatever you are most comfortable in and you certainly won't be the only tourist in shorts and sneakers if that is what you prefer.

I was told by a chica "shorts are for Ch*ldren and the beach and white sneakers are for gringo tourists." (I wore shorts and white sneakers my first trip)

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Living well is the best revenge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwUtj_YnNoY

If you are the typical looking gringo YOU WILL STAND OUT no matter what you wear. The thing to remember is that you will be less of a target for the beggers and street people if you dress and act like you belong here. Shorts are a absolute NO NO in any latin country except at the beach or if you are under 20. Loud shirts, flip-flops, white tennis, fanny packs, cameras around the neck, crazy hats, gold necklesses and other expensive jewerly are just billboards saying "Here I am, the rich gringo. Please come rob me"

Casual dress--conserative shirt and dark pants, dark shoes (black/gray with some white, tennis shoes are ok and popular here with the locals), an inexpensive watch (leave your jewerly at home, it will not impress anyone here), camera in your pocket; in other words nothing that will make you stand out any more than necessary in a croud, and you will be fine.

All that said, many guys come here with nothing in their luggage but shorts, tee shirts, and flip-flops and they have no problems other than a lot a stares and laughs from the locals--They also seldom, if ever, leave the Del Rey.

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

Screw you guys. I'm on f*ckin' vacation and I'll wear whatever I f*ckin' want to wear. You self-proclaimed local experts make me wanna puke. Shit, i look better in a jock strap and pith helmet than most of you guys look in tuxedos.

Get this, I'm a tall, fat, blonde, sloppy-ass norteamericano. Ain't no way I'm going to blend in with the locals anyways. Besides, if they don't like the way I look, screw 'em. I'm the one with the f*ckin' money, dig? They should be kissing my fat gringo shorts-werain' ass, becuz I bring down so much f*ckin' cash to help support their pathtic turd-world city with their morally-bankrupt c*cks*ckin' b*tches, their lousy, infested paint-sniffing street k*dz and their underdeveloped city. Oh yeah, like these little brown turds are cosmoplotiain trend-stters. Shit, I look better in a f*ckin' mu-mu than any of these dumb-ass locals in their Sunday best (and what's that? A lousy white shirt worn outside their pants, not even tucked in, over some drab-ass Bolivian army surplus pants?) Yeah, they're my fashion consultants, Phuck tem all. *


* The above is a distillation of comments previously made on this topic by less culturally-adaptable members of CRT. The above comments do not reflect my own views. I dress in long pants, sometimes hjeans, subdued colored shirts with collar, black walking shoes or brown Rockports. YMMV.

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Pura Vulva! Wandering through the dark, I am El Ciego.

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Secret Asian Man ( here to inspect all the chicas)

Your going to stand out regardless. Trying to look like the average tico that makes his 20$ a day or whatever is ridiculous.

Absolutely. That is why I wear red shoelaces.

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

Yea don't worry about sticking out (because you will) just don't act like a drater and you'll be alright.


Cujo

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"Pain is the fuel that fans the flames of my pyre. A battle plan is only as good as the general carrying it out on the field. This is my war son, and I have the biggest bombs and the smallest conscience"...

EL C your are you saying that your not tall overweight and blond.

Perfect and the message could apply to many other threads as well

Oversize cargo shorts with elastic waist band, Haband velcro sandals with bllack socks, a cheap hawaiian shirt from Walmart, drink a lot and make an ass of yourself.

Wear whatever you want man. It's not like you're gonna disguise yourself, you're gonna stand out. I usually wear cargo shorts, a button down w/ the sleeves rolled up, and fresh low tops. Or just some casual t-shirts. I'm on vacation, and the ladies arent going to be impressed w/ my style, they're gonna be impressed w/ the cien they're trying to get out of my pocket.

Thanks to all who responded.
Reason for wanting to blend is that i enjoy walkin in the city and want to look like I live there . I know that I will be sticking out due to my physical appearance, just don't want to look like a tourist.

What CLN20 said.