Souvenirs: Do you buy clothes with the place you're visiting written on them?

[J-rap]

Totally unimportant and irrelevant thread!  ?  We love to travel but I generally don't get any souvenirs at all;  I'd rather spend money on experiences or eating out.  But now and then, if I actually need a sweatshirt -- for example, I might buy a sweatshirt with the name of the national park we're visiting written on it.  It's a fun memory for me then every time I wear it.

I was talking to a friend recently who told me that she believed people only bought clothing items with the names of places they visited written on them as a form of bragging or showing off:  "See where I've been??"  That thought never occurred to me.  To me, it's only for my own pleasure and the memory is brings me.

Wondering what others think about this.  ?  

[SKL]

Yes, I like to remember my travels.  Sometimes it's a logo or picture but sometimes it's the location name.  I really don't care what others think of my souvenir choices.  ?

Usually a t-shirt is the only souvenir I buy.  I pack light because I know I will buy some T-shirts.  Then I *gasp* wear them in later tourist stops and people can tell I'm a *gasp* tourist. Horrors!  Without the t-shirt and the white shoes, they'd never guess and I would not have polluted their lovely land with my American ugliness.  ?

[catz]

I think if you're analyzing other's clothing like this, you're very sensitive and over thinking.  We've brought t-shirts back for friends that say Italy or Yellowstone National Park, etc.  I don't read anything into what anyone's clothing says.  So many teen/young adult clothing stores have random print on their shirts too.  My daughter when she was younger wanted a bunch of clothes printed with the Eiffel Tower, Paris, etc.  She's never been there.

If I need t-shirts, sure I'll buy them on vacation.  My son basically lives in his t-shirts and hoodies so he almost always gets one on a vacation.  He also wears a lot of theater shirts because he does a lot of auditioned theater.  Now I wonder if that's bragging too? LOL.  People thinking that hard have too much time on their hands.  

[Pawz4me]

I don't, because I generally don't like clothing with words/graphics on them. DH and the boys often do buy souvenir clothing. We've never thought of that stuff as anything other than a souvenir.  It never would occur to me that clothing like that could be perceived as bragging. Most of the items they've bought in our travels have been less expensive--often far less expensive--than non-souvenir items we might buy at home. A tourist t-shirt or sweat shirt is usually less expensive than a Patagonia item (DS22's favorite brand) or even LL Bean (where I'm prone to order for DS19 and DH). Plus at least some of the profits from souvenir clothing sometimes go to help support that attraction (some of the national parks, etc.).

[Amira]

I don’t, but dh does.  I’m a little hard-pressed to think anyone is bragging when his most recent shirts are from Uzbekistan, Qatar, and Iraq.

[J-rap]

4 minutes ago, SKL said:

Yes, I like to remember my travels.  Sometimes it's a logo or picture but sometimes it's the location name.  I really don't care what others think of my souvenir choices.  ?

Usually a t-shirt is the only souvenir I buy.  I pack light because I know I will buy some T-shirts.  Then I *gasp* wear them in later tourist stops and people can tell I'm a *gasp* tourist. Horrors!  Without the t-shirt and the white shoes, they'd never guess and I would not have polluted their lovely land with my American ugliness.  ?

I tried to change my reaction to this as a laugh because it really was funny!  Ha!  Made me laugh.  ?  

[Bluegoat]

I don't usually.  I might, if I liked the design - with many shirts like this I find the design isn't great and sometimes they are not great fabric or cut either.

If I want something I am more likely to buy some craft or art item.  The last time I went far it was to Alberta, and I bought a small watercolour.

[alisoncooks]

I have tons of shirts with place names. Most were bought at thrift stores, though, lol. 

I never even considered that people would think things I wear are from travels. I have an "Ireland" tee that I bought at a big box store.  It was cheap and a nice shade of green. I've had soooo many people ask if I've been to Ireland.  Nope -- I just like tshirts. 

[Targhee]

Yes, I do. But not to brag, and only if the clothes remind me of my experience and are things I like. Funny, I was visiting back home this week for a niece’s graduation. I bought a locale TShirt, not to show off but definitely because I identify with this place (I grew up here but haven’t lived here in a while). And the style of shirt is very much reflective of the place.

I don’t think I’d buy clothes that don’t reflect place.  For example I wouldn’t buy a sun hat that said Seattle on it ? Maybe a “Seattle sombrero” rain hat.  I also wouldn’t buy a beach towel that said Alaska on it, or a western style shirt that said Minnesota on it, or a jacket that said Honolulu on it.

There is some “showing off” with clothes, of course. When I was 14 the cool thing was one of the Banana Republic T-shirt’s of a 3rd world remote location that you had to buy in a Banana Republic store (which there were none of in a 300 mike radius) - it was a way to show off that you went to the big city and had $$ to spend on a pricey T-shirt ? 

If you buy it for YOU, who cares what anyone else thinks your reasons are!

[catz]

As an aside, one of my favorite things to do on vacation is find a locally owned craft store and buy some yarn.  Preferably something locally spun!  I am knitting/crocheting all the time anyway and I might make myself (or someone else) a little shawl or pair of socks and remember my vacation!  A thought for other crafty folks.  ?

[Jean in Newcastle]

Usually only if I packed inappropriately and need either something warmer (sweatshirt) or something cooler (t-shirt).  Most of my clothes though are "dead people clothes" (ie. the clothes that friends have given me from their relative's estates).  One lady had a ton of t-shirts from locations she visited.  Whenever I wear those someone asks me about my vacation to "Montana" or wherever.  Instead of telling them that I've never been there I just say "it was lovely".  ?  (These are strangers asking and I don't want to stop and explain.) 

[RoundAbout]

I've done it a few times - mostly because I need something. I once bought a hat in souvenir Cambodia because I had lost mine. It was an amazing conversation starter when I went on other trips and hikes. I love hearing about other people's trips. If people think its bragging that's their issue.

[lavender's green]

My parents bought souvenir clothing specifically for bragging rights. That was their stated purpose for doing so.

For a long time I didn't like it. I'm introverted and never liked people striking up conversations about it, and didn't like the bragging aspect.

I've outgrown my dislike for it, though. I can't be bothered to analyze someone else's clothing decisions, and I don't care if they're analyzing mine. And I'm not terrified of random conversations anymore. ? I usually don't buy that type of clothing, but I do have a small stash of Minnie Mouse gear from my Disney trips!

[J-rap]

1 minute ago, FuzzyCatz said:

As an aside, one of my favorite things to do on vacation is find a locally owned craft store and buy some yarn.  Preferably something locally spun!  I am knitting/crocheting all the time anyway and I might make myself (or someone else) a little shawl or pair of socks and remember my vacation!  A thought for other crafty folks.  ?

That reminds me of something we did for my dd...  She had the opportunity to travel in college as part of a semester abroad program in Africa, and it was the highlight of her college years and very impactful.  She picked up pieces of fabric along the way, and saved them, not really knowing what she'd ever do with them.  We ended up giving the fabric scraps to a friend who turned them into a quilt for her 21st birthday.  

[gardenmom5]

no.

 

depending upon location - I might buy a christmas ornament.    it's a bad habit I know.

dudeling has occasionally wanted a cheap souvenir pocket knife.

[BarbecueMom]

No.  We've only been on vacation twice and didn't buy any souvenirs.  I'm too cheap to buy anything non-edible when traveling.  And I'll even bring that stuff from home.

I do find myself irrationally irritated at all the "salt life" or mountains or whatever non-Midwestern geographical region stickers on everyone's cars in this landlocked area.  Oh so you escaped the humid and allergen filled air at least once and found it pleasant?  Good for you.  Although, I find all stickers on cars irrationally irritating, even if I agree with them.

[SKL]

9 minutes ago, RoundAbout said:

I've done it a few times - mostly because I need something. I once bought a hat in souvenir Cambodia because I had lost mine. It was an amazing conversation starter when I went on other trips and hikes. I love hearing about other people's trips. If people think its bragging that's their issue.

Right - a travel-related label can be a great conversation starter.  How will other people know you are interested in their travels if you hide all evidence of yours?  ?

[J-rap]

6 minutes ago, BarbecueMom said:

No.  We've only been on vacation twice and didn't buy any souvenirs.  I'm too cheap to buy anything non-edible when traveling.  And I'll even bring that stuff from home.

I do find myself irrationally irritated at all the "salt life" or mountains or whatever non-Midwestern geographical region stickers on everyone's cars in this landlocked area.  Oh so you escaped the humid and allergen filled air at least once and found it pleasant?  Good for you.  Although, I find all stickers on cars irrationally irritating, even if I agree with them.

I haven't seen those salt life ones yet!  (I'm in the land-locked Midwest too.  :))

[wintermom]

No. I don't usually like the style of those kinds of touristy shirts. I prefer to buy an item that is more typical of what the local people to the place I'm visiting would wear or use. Stuff like shoes, handbags, scarf, sweaters, glass wear, dishes, decorative pieces, etc.  I use them and love them, and they bring back wonderful memories for me. These items rarely shout out where they are from.

[Katy]

I buy them as souvenirs for kids who didn't go on the trip. And the last time I was in the keys I bought a really soft t-shirt for myself that is now one of my favorite sleep shirts, but I wouldn't wear it in public.

I don't judge t-shirts on others, but when I wear place name shirts it does feel like bragging if I've been there. It would be like wearing a Harvard shirt in public - very few people who went there wear one. I also don't hang my own art in my house, even though I love to paint.  I also don't put many travel pictures on social media.  It also feels like bragging.  I suspect this is a family culture thing more than anything else. 

[Ellie]

32 minutes ago, J-rap said:

Totally unimportant and irrelevant thread!  ?  We love to travel but I generally don't get any souvenirs at all;  I'd rather spend money on experiences or eating out.  But now and then, if I actually need a sweatshirt -- for example, I might buy a sweatshirt with the name of the national park we're visiting written on it.  It's a fun memory for me then every time I wear it.

I was talking to a friend recently who told me that she believed people only bought clothing items with the names of places they visited written on them as a form of bragging or showing off:  "See where I've been??"  That thought never occurred to me.  To me, it's only for my own pleasure and the memory is brings me.

Wondering what others think about this.  ?  

Not often. But then I don't buy clothing very often that has words on it, so there's that. :-)

I have a Disneyland Christmas sweatshirt, and a Disneyland Christmas t-shirt (bought at different times). Of course, I only wear them at Christmas. :-) I also bought a Dooney & Bourke 60th anniversary purse when I was there...for the 60th anniversary. It has Disney characters all over it, but it's a beautiful cobalt blue, and from a distance it is not obvious that it's a Disney thing. And I have a Dooney & Bourke wallet and a sunglass case, a Minnie Mouse watch, and several pairs of hidden-Mickey earrings. I love me some Disney, but again, they are not all obviously Disney.

Otherwise, if I buy anything, I tend to buy something more like a souvenir, but actually useful. For example, I have a tea caddy and three tea cups that I bought at Williamsburg; I use the tea caddy daily, and I remember Williamsburg every time I do, besides which it's beautimous. I also have a big-brim straw hat that I bought at Williamsburg; a big-brimmed hat is almost a necessity here in Texas, lol. I also buy Christmas ornaments from places I visit (there might be a few from Disneyland!). All of them have memories of the places where I bought them.

But yes, wearing clothing that has the name of the park or whatnot is considered bragging by some, as is wearing clothing that is pretty much advertising for the designer.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I find it weird to consider it bragging.  It seems like sour grapes to put a negative spin on what really is a benign and neutral purchase. 

[Annie G]

Rarely do I buy souvenir clothes. Usually I buy postcards which I then use as bookmarks. But it would never occur to me that wearing souvenir shirts was bragging. 

[J-rap]

10 minutes ago, wintermom said:

No. I don't usually like the style of those kinds of touristy shirts. I prefer to buy an item that is more typical of what the local people to the place I'm visiting would wear or use. Stuff like shoes, handbags, scarf, sweaters, glass wear, dishes, decorative pieces, etc.  I use them and love them, and they bring back wonderful memories for me. These items rarely shout out where they are from.

Those are the things I like too.  I bought a hand-made straw-like bag that holds my computer perfectly.  No one would guess where it's from, but it makes me smile to use it, and I use it a lot!

[Momto6inIN]

I don't unless we forget to pack warm/cool weather clothes and have need for a sweatshirt/Tshirt. Usually I make a big thick expensive scrapbook out of all my photos when I get back and I consider that our collective souvenir ? Sometimes I'll buy a Christmas ornament. It would never occur to me to think someone was bragging about their travels with their clothing, though, that's really weird ...

[regentrude]

DH and I like T-shirts from National Parks and other natural areas where we hiked and climbed, and we wear them for hiking and climbing for the next decade(s). 

I am not sure what's there to brag about having been at the Grand Canyon or ito Colorado.

[marbel]

We did when the kids were little.  Now, I find most stuff like that too expensive to bother with.  If one of the kids wanted something, they would buy it themselves but I don't think they have ever wanted one.  Oh, we did have to buy a souvenir t-shirt in Gettysburg because my then-17-year-old  forgot to pack any shirts.  :-)  We always look for floaty pens and will buy one if available, and on rare occasion I've bought a mug.  

I don't think of it as bragging; I've never thought of it that way and I admit I find it kind of odd.  But, I have my own oddness: I wouldn't wear a shirt unless I'd been to the place.  I remember about a hundred years ago going to the Salinas Rodeo (CA) and buying a shirt. One day a guy asked me if I'd really been to it, and I said of course, why would I be wearing a shirt of a place I'd never been?   But that is my own quirk and I don't police other peoples' souvenir shirts.  :-)

[J-rap]

2 minutes ago, marbel said:

We did when the kids were little.  Now, I find most stuff like that too expensive to bother with.  If one of the kids wanted something, they would buy it themselves but I don't think they have ever wanted one.  Oh, we did have to buy a souvenir t-shirt in Gettysburg because my then-17-year-old  forgot to pack any shirts.  ? We always look for floaty pens and will buy one if available, and on rare occasion I've bought a mug.  

I don't think of it as bragging; I've never thought of it that way and I admit I find it kind of odd.  But, I have my own oddness: I wouldn't wear a shirt unless I'd been to the place.  I remember about a hundred years ago going to the Salinas Rodeo (CA) and buying a shirt. One day a guy asked me if I'd really been to it, and I said of course, why would I be wearing a shirt of a place I'd never been?   But that is my own quirk and I don't police other peoples' souvenir shirts.  ?

Oh my goodness..  this made my day.  I grew up in Salinas and my job every summer was selling programs at the Salinas rodeo.  ?  

[regentrude]

4 minutes ago, marbel said:

 But, I have my own oddness: I wouldn't wear a shirt unless I'd been to the place.  

That's not odd. I'm with you -I'd find it weird to wear a shirt from a place I hadn't been. (Or even worse, wear a college shirt from a college to which I have no connection myself or through my kids)

[carriede]

Anytime we go somewhere, we buy a magnet. We have them lined up on our fridge in chronological order. Every once in a while, we get that feeling to "get another magnet". They're mostly from state parks (camping) and museums.

DH and I do have a few souvenir shirts (we never buy them for the kids, they grow too fast). It's fun when people notice and ask if we've seen to the place. Beyond that I never would have considered it bragging.

[TABmom]

Grandparents have bought my kids shirts from tropical locations. Sometimes people ask and I just shrug and say "Oh, grandma went there." We live in a touristy place and people wear shorts from around here all the time. You can't go to Wal-Mart and not see someone wearing a "salt free, shark free"shirt! And I might be the only person I know who doesn't have a sticker of the outline of our state in the window!

[Big Buckin' Longhorn]

My spouse and son always get a T-shirt, because T-shirts are their THING, my goodness. So. Many. T-shirts. 

My daughter always gets a shopping bag, because shopping bags are her thing. 

I always get a refrigerator magnet, because refrigerator magnets are my thing. I am mad for 3D and/or glittery refrigerator magnets. 

We are a totally touristy family.  We love our souvenirs, LOL. 

 

 

[Acorn]

16 minutes ago, TABmom said:

Grandparents have bought my kids shirts from tropical locations. Sometimes people ask and I just shrug and say "Oh, grandma went there." We live in a touristy place and people wear shorts from around here all the time. You can't go to Wal-Mart and not see someone wearing a "salt free, shark free"shirt! And I might be the only person I know who doesn't have a sticker of the outline of our state in the window!

I bet that is the state of my heart.

[flyingaway]

Thinking of it as bragging wouldn’t have occurred to me. We don’t buy them because I have an aversion to owning lots of stuff and don’t really like t-shirts, especially if they have writing on them. 

[Kassia]

Two of my kids love souvenirs so we almost always get them something and it's usually a shirt or a cap or something like that.  The souvenirs bring back nice memories for all of us and I never considered it bragging.  

[madteaparty]

I think your friend is being silly. I don’t buy T-shirts and sweatshirts because I don’t wear them. But I’ve bought other clothing by the suitcase (also for gifts). Little DD wanted a monkey forest tshirt from Ubud and it was a pain to find but find we did.

[Dmmetler]

DD often does, and part of a college visit is getting a shirt with the school’s name on it-if they didn’t give you one as part of doing the tour :). We both have a large collection of conference shirts that have both place and event names. Which could be something like “Houston, TX or Bejing China, -but can equally be “Horse Creek Nature Preserve”. (Which is on numbered only state roads somewhere near the TN/MS border).

[thessa516]

I get a sweatshirt. It's my thing. Some people collect spoons, I collect sweatshirts. When we go on vacation, the kids look out for sweatshirts they think I'd like. Then I wear them all winter long because I'm always cold.  I think it's weird that someone considers wearing a shirt with the name of a location on it as bragging. But I also admit that I love looking at people's vacation photos when they share them with me. I don't have much of a brag-meter. In most cases, I'm genuinely happy for them.

[Cosmos]

I never buy things like that. It's one of those things that I think I've put in a category of "things other people do that I don't" like going fishing or wearing sunglasses. It just doesn't appeal to me for whatever reason. (Also, I don't really wear t-shirts or sweatshirts, so doesn't really make sense for that reason either.)

But I have never thought it was *bragging* when other people wear location t-shirts. Never even remotely. I don't think that's a common reaction at all.

[Rachel]

I don’t usually buy t-shirts for myself from places I have been, but I do on occasion. I do usually buy them for my kids if they weren’t there and sometimes if they were. Our go to souvenir is a postcard, they are inexpensive and I can buy one for each kid at every gift shop without going broke. 

[Cosmos]

I just remembered that I do have one sweatshirt that my dad gave me as a gift. He got it on HIS vacation, so it's from a place I've never been. And dh has a t-shirt from Stanford because they were giving out free shirts at a conference (he works for a different college). So, ironically our only place-name clothing is from places we have no connection to. I use mine for gardening when it's cold out.

[goldberry]

I used to buy shirts, but I didn't wear them much then felt bad getting rid of them.  Now I sometimes buy jewelry or a bookmark, something that still reminds me of the trip. I like the idea of a postcard/bookmark above!   I would not consider it bragging though (that seems odd that someone would think that), and also vote on not wearing shirts to places I haven't been.

[Wheres Toto]

I do because I like them.  I have a long sleeve tshirt from Pisgah National Forest, had a fleece jacket from Disney (bought partially because it was way colder than expected but then DH left it in an airport in China), a couple hoodies from New Orleans.  I LOVE my hoodies and long sleeve tshirts since I'm cold all the time, and buying them from places we visit seems better than just buying random ones at Walmart. 

[HomeAgain]

I never thought about it as bragging! ?
In our house it's a family joke.  Dh and I will have the exact same conversation while packing every time.  He looks up the weather and tells me what the highs are going to be. So I pack a range of clothes with that in mind.  Then he packs....for the high temps, forgetting that nighttime is often much lower. ?  And he laughs at me for packing long sleeves.  We get to our destination and it never fails - by the second night he goes looking for a sweatshirt.  So we have several from all over the place.

I figure if people like that for their souvienir, cool.  Mine tend to be other specific things, like we have street art from many of our stops now decorating our walls.  But I guess that would be bragging, too, lol, for the people that come into my home and see the views that we've collected on our trips.  I don't think I'm going to think that hard about it. ?

[Ravin]

I'm partial to magnets, because they last quite a while and don't take up a lot of space.

Of course wearing a shirt is boasting, but I don't see anything actually wrong with boasting about something you've actually done! To me, immoral bragging is when you make claims you can't actually back up.

[happi duck]

I'd never consider it to be bragging.

I often wear a hoodie from my favorite state park.  People either have never heard of it or they love it.  It starts interesting conversations!

I also love to send post cards.  I hope no one sees it as bragging!

[JayneJ]

Honestly, I have never heard of buying clothing for bragging rights. We buy clothing from places we've visited often. My kids love buying t-shirts with graphics from parks, museums, nature centers, and aquariums. We buy them for the same reason you do, memories! So many times, one of us will be wearing a "visited place" shirt and it will spark a conversation that often leads us to talking and reminiscing for hours. These memory conversations often make us realize we need to go back to the place OR that it's time to make plans for another adventure so we can make more memories together!  

My youngest is 7 and doesn't like when he out grows his clothes because I don't keep them. I donate them or sell them at a local consignment sale and he is a bit of a hoarder.  So we started saving all of his too small to wear "visited place" shirts. I honestly thought one day I would be able to get rid of them but then I realized he has memories or the baby sized ones I and DH have memories from. 

So I have decided that when I get enough to make a t-shirt block style quilt I will cut them up and make one. The only kicker is I don't know how to quilt! It's always been something I would I would LOVE to learn but I have been telling myself that for over 18 years and still haven't taken a quilting class. So my backup plan is to send them to a quilt maker  who will make the quilt for me! I think it will be a fun graduation present when he is older! But I am not sure it will ever leave our house, since my DH is very sentimental, I see him wanting to keep it for himself ? 

[Garga]

Last year, I hosted a Spanish student.  There’s a long convoluted story around that, but bottom line, there was another student who was supposed to stay with me, but got pneumonia and couldn’t come.  I bought the student who did come a hat with my town’s name on it, and I also bought a 2nd hat for the student who couldn’t come, because we’d emailed a few times and I thought it would be nice for him to have a hat from us since we were almost his host family.  

But when the student who came saw the second hat for the other student, he said he wanted to be the only person in Spain with a hat with my town on it and sort of asked, without asking flat out, that I not give the other kid the hat.  He was only 17 and I thought it was a little silly, but I wonder if it was part of bragging rights for him?  He was a bit snooty about wearing name brand clothing.  (I ended up sending the other kid something else to remember us by.)

I kept the hat and I’m the one who wears it now.  ?

[Pen]

5 hours ago, J-rap said:

Totally unimportant and irrelevant thread!  ?  We love to travel but I generally don't get any souvenirs at all;  I'd rather spend money on experiences or eating out.  But now and then, if I actually need a sweatshirt -- for example, I might buy a sweatshirt with the name of the national park we're visiting written on it.  It's a fun memory for me then every time I wear it.

I was talking to a friend recently who told me that she believed people only bought clothing items with the names of places they visited written on them as a form of bragging or showing off:  "See where I've been??"  That thought never occurred to me.  To me, it's only for my own pleasure and the memory is brings me.

Wondering what others think about this.  ?  

 

I don’t travel so not personally applicable. Though I do have a   Few things with place names that were given to me by someone who does travel 

I would not tend to think someone wearing such an item is bragging and might appreciate it as a conversation starter. 

Our local school has had some kids who have had blankets as their only coat (they are now given a jacket if so, hence the past tense) and it might be painful to see others with conspicuous signs of travel and other disparities, even if the item itself is not expensive—but that sense of conspicuous disparities also can come in many forms that have nothing to do with place names on clothes. 

Bragging to me seems to be a matter of deliberate intent and I’d not assume it to exist, though perhaps some people might be using such items to brag. 

[marbel]

About outgrown t-shirts - I used the kids' little souvenir shirts as wrapping/packing material for stuff we don't use often and keep packed in boxes. Like, seasonal decor items.  So when I bring out the glass pumpkins in the fall, we have a look at some old shirts, and when I haul out the Christmas boxes, we see some more.  They don't get wrecked, so if the kids ever want to pass them along, or make a quilt or whatever, they will be available.  In the meantime, they are useful.