Crack

Why is it that I can always tell when a woman is European by the way she looks? Blond hair, brown, black, blue eyes, green, brown... It doesn't matter. Put here in an American Flag shirt and blue jeans, and I would still be able to tell! I am not speaking of race, and she doesn't even have to talk.

Why is that?

Granted, it's not 100%, but I would say it is at the very least about 95%.

I can't tell the difference between an Aussie woman and an American, until she talks. I have seen South African WHITE women that I would believe lived in Utah if you told me. English girls are usually distinguishable, but not always. Also, I have not noticed that men from different areas look so different as to be able to look at them and tell where they are from. Perhaps, because I am a man, I can only see it in women? Maybe one of the girls on here can let me know if it works the same way for them?

I do have a theory... People who grow up speaking a language develop distinct facial muscles that shape their appearance. One language brings about certain "typical" features. I have no clue if this is true, and I have not heard it anywhere else.

Can you look at a person, be it man or woman, and tell which area they are from?

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The_Dunedan

Certainly after living in Prague. But I don't think it's so much facial shape as attitude.

Reese

I feel like I can distinguish between American and Europeans too. I think it's just a case of remembering the times you've confirmed they weren't American and forgetting every time you're wrong.

It could also be that there are actually differences. The minerals in your drinking water can have an effect on your appearance. The food you eat and maybe even as you say, the facial muscles you use to speak the language.

I notice this a lot on shows like Cash in the Attic or that other auction show. I can change the channel, see someone and know if it's the American or UK version of the show without hearing a word.

I just kinda figured it was all in my head but this thread is making me think differently.

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Daniel_

Body language is a language, and there are dialects which you learn without realising.

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Allyallyally

If someone has a deep tan, they're not from the UK.

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jewels

I'm not sure, but I know exactly what you're talking about.

I always thought it was slight nuances such as the way they dress (European women seem to appear put together in anything) and their carriage. Perhaps we Americans are too cocky? Je ne sais quoi.

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stevie667

Well, that depends exactly how orange it is

There are differences in body language, in facial features, skin colour e.t.c. Generally it's not so much a case of 'shes european, obviously', but rather 'she's doesn't look american, so that probably means she's from europe'.

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Allyallyally

Touche.

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eribrav

Well put, and something I hadn't thought of.

highthief

Growing up largely in Quebec, it was - for the reason you mention - very easy to tell if someone was French or English, especially the women. The shape of the mouth and jaw is different, and most Quebecers will pribably tell you that.

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genuinegirly

Agreed - there's a grace, poise, and confidence for European women that is lacking in the upbringing of American women (myself included).

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The_Dunedan

That's it exactly, unfortunately. At least in the case of Czech, Slovak, and Polish women it seems to be largely composed of a kind of brassy self-confidence...I've known American ladies who mimicked the poise and dress of European-born women, but none yet who have learned that particular flavour of out-in-your-face self-assurance. Any woman can look like a Queen once she learns to act like one, and the current generation of young Central European women have grown up with memories of the end of Communism and the beginning of an era in which the world was their oyster and they knew it. They've witnessed, and been part of, one of the most astonishing social transformations in recent history, and I think the knowledge of this is a large motivator of this kind of confidence. Friends who've worked and studied in Russia report a much, much more concentrated and developed form of the same attitude, which makes even more sense.

Nothing against our American ladies, of course; the personally independent streak in American women is not something I encountered often overseas, and something I find very attractive. Most of the Czech and Slovak women I knew put a huge emphasis on having a family and raising children, usually starting fairly young by American standards (mid-20s or so), and sometimes go to rather extraordinary lengths to make sure such things work out. American ladies seem much more inclined to go it alone if needs be, and in some ways more emotionally secure in the absence of a husband and family of their own.

ratbastid

When I was in Europe, mostly walking around tourist attractions, I could frequently tell the European women by their lack of bras... I don't really think that's what we're talking about in this thread, but still.

Crack

It might not be, but it should be!

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Crack, you and I are long overdue for a vicious bout of mansex.

~Halx

Jetée

Is this what you mean (second case)?

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Zeraph

I don't follow OP. Maybe get some side by side pictures to compare so I understand what you mean.

dippin

When I first came to the US, I noticed 3 things about American women that were different, in general, than either Brazilian or European women:
- American women use more make up.
- American women do more things with their hair (painting it blond, perms, etc)
- American women use less tight fitting clothes, but more padded bras and such.

squeeeb

i think it's the hair and face, the skin and nose, that tell me they are not from 'meerka. and body shape as well, euros seem to have a different overall body shape. i'm not all that great with telling europeans from non euros though. oddly enough, i can usually distinguish asians, if they are from korea, japan, thailand, phillipines, or china. cambodians and laotians and others throw me.

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LoganSnake

Every region has its distinguishing features. Not that surprising. It's how you can always tell if an Eastern European is walking toward you.

Mannerisms play a huge role as well.

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KellyC

Yes.

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Strange Famous

Pretty much all the women I know are European...

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without being uncovered."

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LoganSnake

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Xerxys

spindles

not surprising, given you live in Europe!

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loquitur

it's not just the women. It's the men, too. When I was in Europe, people would speak to me in English without me saying a word. I think it's in the walk - Americans and Europeans have different gaits.

Zeraph

show me examples damnit! im curious..love ya

little_tippler

I really think this is quite a silly assumption. It's not at all as clear cut as you seem to think. Sure, there are cultural differences, but differences in appearance or attitude that are so accentuated that you can tell women's origin apart just like that? Methinks you bullshit a tad. A very large part of the American population is descendent from people from European countries, so how does this make any sense? It's stereotyping. Since I agree that this thread is useless without pics, and also, a lot less fun, allow me to try and prove you wrong.

Please tell me where these women are from, Europe or America:

If you need hints, I can tell you how many of them are American and how many are not. Let's see how good your deductive powers are

1 -



2 -



3 -



4 -



5 -



6 -



7 -



8 -



9 -



10 -

__________________
Whether we write or speak or do but look
We are ever unapparent. What we are
Cannot be transfused into word or book.
Our soul from us is infinitely far.
However much we give our thoughts the will
To be our soul and gesture it abroad,
Our hearts are incommunicable still.
In what we show ourselves we are ignored.
The abyss from soul to soul cannot be bridged
By any skill of thought or trick of seeming.
Unto our very selves we are abridged
When we would utter to our thought our being.
We are our dreams of ourselves, souls by gleams,
And each to each other dreams of others' dreams.

Fernando Pessoa, 1918

LoganSnake

Not silly at all and while you have some good information to share, you are wrong in this regard. This is not stereotyping at all and there is no bullshit. if you put an American born and a European born next to one another, you would be able to tell them apart easily. You can't bring descendants into this argument since they are already Americanized and have adopted American mannerisms which are vastly different from the European ones.

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Maturity is knowing you were an idiot in the past. Wisdom is knowing that you'll be an idiot in the future. Common sense is knowing that you should try not to be an idiot now. - J. Jacques

squeeeb

i don't think pictures prove anything. especially pictures of models. they are so retouched, modified, altered, that's not how they really look in real life. there is a huge difference between some random human on the street and a professionally taken picture of a model.

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onward to mayhem!

little_tippler

I don't think throwing out random statements that other people in this thread disagree with is proof of anything either. If you wanted to discuss the topic, then why not play ball? I'm European, and I don't get it. Not all of the women pictured are models. And how would retouching photos change that essential American/European quality you speak of? Well, I'm coming to the US in August and I will try and work out what this 'American' attitude is all about. I have plenty of American friends out here and I don't see it.

__________________
Whether we write or speak or do but look
We are ever unapparent. What we are
Cannot be transfused into word or book.
Our soul from us is infinitely far.
However much we give our thoughts the will
To be our soul and gesture it abroad,
Our hearts are incommunicable still.
In what we show ourselves we are ignored.
The abyss from soul to soul cannot be bridged
By any skill of thought or trick of seeming.
Unto our very selves we are abridged
When we would utter to our thought our being.
We are our dreams of ourselves, souls by gleams,
And each to each other dreams of others' dreams.

Fernando Pessoa, 1918

KirStang

This by no means applies to all Americans, but here in Taiwan, I see a lot of Americans act pretty rudely, which is to say, they choose not to be polite. My foreign born Asian classmates, who have grown up in a somewhat "americanized" household tend to be more crass--make sweeping generalizations, disregard other people's space, and order the taiwanese natives around. It's kinda sad. Off topic, I know.

On the other hand, there are other Americans here who're pretty cool.

squeeeb

what exactly did i say that seems to have pissed everyone off? what did i say that was rude or crass?

---------- Post added at 10:26 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:24 AM ----------

really? they are just average people on the street?

i'll play.

2, maybe 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, are european, although i thought 9 was australian

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onward to mayhem!

FuglyStick

I started a thread about this on another message board recently.

American women, the ones who are promoted as feminine "ideals," anyway, are generally more athletic than European women, save perhaps for the German and Baltic women who are considered "ideal." The French seem to put more emphasis on "feminine," and the Spanish/Hispanic and Italians put more emphasis on "sexy." The French, Spanish, and Italian "ideal" is softer than the American or German.

Of course, those are broad generalizations; one would not have to look very hard to find examples to the contrary, but I think it is fairly accurate on average.

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genuinegirly

LittleTippler - poise and grace are not always captured accurately by a photograph. Most people in this thread are describing a way a woman holds herself, or the way she respects herself. An American who has spent considerable time in Europe is more likely to pick up these dignified mannerisms, but will not always do so.

Funny how a thread that seems in my eyes to be complimentary toward European woman has been construed as derogatory.

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"Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq

"violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy

lostgirl

My heritage is Irish/German. I was born and raised in America.

Before I speak to people the often assume I am from Germany. I don't know why this is, except I am not a typical American woman.

Edit:

When I was in Germany, I had a few German guys that were very surprised I wasn't from Germany, and that I didn't speak German.

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Shell

...where in the US did you first come? I haven't noticed most American women to be so superficial as you are saying...some yes, but not "in general", as you have indicated....unless you've been hanging out in wrong places.

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dippin

For the record, I've been to every state east of the Mississippi except Maine, and I've lived in GA for 8 years now.

And at no point I implied that those things are "superficial," or that American women are more superficial.

Beauty standards are no more or less superficial, they just are what what they are.

And to back up my claim, as not to make my personal experience the norm, per capita spending on cosmetics and toiletries: US, 128 Euros, original 12 EU nations 98 Euros (at purchasing power parities, so this takes care of differences in price)


And as far as tight fitting clothes go, all it takes is a stroll to the mall to see that women's fashion in the US includes a lot less form fitting clothes than in Europe or elsewhere.

Shell

...i don't hang out at malls nor spend my time critiquing the women there, but i would hardly call the mall an accurate cross-section of the American woman.

...maybe you need to visit Rodeo Drive...well okay, that's on the other end of the spectrum but there is an average in there somewhere that is "generally" more accurate. You've been influenced by the not-so-kind media or just hanging out at the mall too much perhaps.

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dippin

I'm sorry, but I am not some bumbling idiot who is basing it all on some random observations while ogling others at the mall. I was obviously referring to the clothes for sale. And I also don't get how this is somehow controversial, as I am not judging either to be superior. And for the record, I am married, have an European female boss, and I have a sister in law that have tried to buy clothes at both continents. This is not by any means an attempt to generalize and say that "everyone here this" or "everyone there that," but I do think that there are differences in culture that can be noted in the aggregate without implying that everyone in a given place does the same thing.

All one needs to do is to compare swim suits in both continents, or look at how miniskirts were first popular over there, or how American pants tend to be baggier, etc. And this isn't to say that that is worst or best, just that there are differences that one can note on the aggregate (and it can be said for male fashion as well).

Most reviews of fashion in the print media carry the same opinion (about differences in fashion for both continents):

Review/Fashion; American Sportswear, French Elan - The New York Times

"Americans favor sportswear and simplicity, while the French, with few exceptions, still like to dress up."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/26/fa...=2&ref=fashion


"“The old idea of the American fit for pants is shapeless, almost sexless,”"

And we could go on and on about how they are becoming more alike, etc, etc. But I don't see how noting a difference is equated with somehow putting either side down. Or are you suggesting that there are no differences in fashion and casual wear between the two regions? Or that Ive gotten it backwards, and it is American women who in general prefer more form fitting clothes?

In any case, I think we are getting off track here. This was supposed to be a chitchat about differences and somehow is being construed as an attack in either. Ive stated my opinion about general differences, at no point implying everyone is the same or that a style is somehow "better."

highthief

Sorry, but you're off base here. Ask a Quebecer/Quebecois if they can spot the difference between a French or English Canadian woman and many if not most will say they can and will be accurate in doing so. We grew up with it and know - perhaps instinctively - how to tell each other apart. Personally, I think the shape of the mouth and jaw has a lot to do with it, but maybe there are other clues.

Recently, we've had an Eastern European invasion at my workplace and even without anyone opening their mouths, it's not hard to spot.

Perhaps it's easier for men to spot the differences - as has been pointed out many times, we men are visual creatures.

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