Dressed to Impress

In our travels, we often see people who are dressed to impress. Some of them are part of the entertainment or education at popular tourist attractions. Others are celebrating special occasions, donning uniforms as part of their jobs, or just having fun playing dress-up.

Just for fun, I’ve selected a few photos of people I’ve come across while traveling who were dressed to impress for a variety of reasons.

Photo ops at Checkpoint Charlie

Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin

At Checkpoint Charlie, the former border crossing between American and Soviet sectors of Berlin, you can pay to have your photo taken with this American soldier, dressed to impress the many tourists who visit every day. I did not have my photo taken with him, because I just don’t do those things.

Well, maybe once in Switzerland

St. Nicholas at Mt. Pilatus, Switzerland

Playing for tips in Bruges

Bruges, Belgium

I don’t remember what tune these girls in their pretty dresses were playing, but they were talented musicians and the music seemed fitting to the fairy tale image of Bruges, Belgium.

Royalty and weddings at Heidelberg Castle

Heidelberg Castle

Chatting with a visitor, this guide in period clothing looks the part of a lady of Heidelberg Castle.

Bride and Groom at Heidelberg Castle

This bride and groom in their finery couldn’t have asked for a more impressive place to have their wedding photos taken. We saw them quite often as they strolled the grounds and posed for portraits.

Heidelberg Castle

In this case, the guide left the dressing up to the children as she told them tales of regal life at the castle. Did you notice the wedding couple in this photo, too?

All in a day’s work in New York City

Model in Soho, New York City

This fashion model makes a living of dressing to impress. On a walking tour of Soho, we came across a photo shoot and watched some of the action. I don’t think the model usually gets photographed from this angle. As you can tell by the clips and safety pins, things are not always what they seem in the fashion magazines.

Where have you seen people dressed to impress when you were traveling?

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49 thoughts on “Dressed to Impress

  1. Jeremy Branham

    I love the look of the night watchman in Rothenburg, Germany. He dresses the part for the era. I am sure many other people do this in all sorts of tours.

    As for the photos here, I never would have guessed a fashion model uses all those pins. Very interesting!

    1. Cathy Post author

      The funny thing is that the clothes are probably already a really small size and they still have to pin them on these models to make them fit better.

  2. Leigh

    Interesting look at people. I’ve seen the dress to impress theme in Louisburg, Nova Scotia – at a historic old fort. It sure gave the place a different feel and made me thankful for my fleece and GoreTex on a particularly rainy day.

    1. Cathy Post author

      That’s a good point about some of the folks who dress up as docents or reenacters — the weather doesn’t always cooperate for them, I don’t think.

    1. Cathy Post author

      Thanks – I kind of liked that one, too. I had another of them posing, but didn’t want it to look like a wedding portrait.

    1. Cathy Post author

      Would love to see your pics, Vera. I don’t take as many pics of people as I’d like to. I want to be careful not to be intruding on anyone.

    1. Cathy Post author

      Thanks. I actually used that photo to send as Christmas cards to a few family members. They liked it — I think.

  3. Lisa

    Great photos! I don’t take photos with people dressed up either – I make my kids pose with them instead! 🙂 I love the pic of the little girls all dressed up in their princess dresses to visit the castle – reminds me of when mine were little.

  4. Sabrina

    The girls playing music in their dresses are awesome. I think it’s too funny how one of them has a T-shirt under the dress 🙂 And the model? How did you get that? No wonder the pictures always look better than the real deal… with that many safety pins in the right places I might pull it off in a picture. Mind you, not in the same size, but… 🙂

    1. Cathy Post author

      It was pretty cool that day in Bruges, so I can see why she was wearing the t-shirt! The model — just snapped her from the back while the real photographer was shooting from the other angle. Good timing. 🙂

  5. Anwar

    Such a cool topic for photos! I like the checkpoint charlie photo, and the model in the last photo. that is interesting to see “behind the scenes” there.

  6. Mary @ The World Is A Book

    What a great idea for a post and a wonderful set of pictures.I love the little girls and the bride and groom and of course, the model from a different angle. We saw a few wedding parties dressed to impress in their traditional attire in Tokyo’s Meiji Shrine last summer.

    1. Cathy Post author

      It really can add something to a place & help tell a story at times. But sometimes, it can be so sad when the “entertainers” just turn it into too much of a “tourist trap” and take away from the essence of the place.

  7. Jackie Smith

    I agree, great series of photos. Reminds me of the street photo ops in Las Vegas where you can have your photo taken with Darth Vader, dancing girls, or a dancing M&M depending on what section of the sidewalk you happen to be walking along.

  8. Jenna

    The last one made me smile 🙂 I always kind of enjoyed looking at the guards at Prague Castle, Buckingham Palace, etc. because they always look so serious and have beautiful uniforms.

  9. Alexa Meisler

    The tour guide looked very appropriate for living in a castle. She looked like a princess with the way she was holding her dress and how everyone was following here. LOL. Great post!

  10. Steve

    Love the fashion model picture. So cool to see what really holds those outfits together. Explains why my pants never fit right anymore (Yes, that’s the explanation I’m going with). Great idea for a post.

  11. Ayngelina

    You know this was exactly why I liked Latin America so much, I didn’t feel like such sludge because no one was really dressed up except for in the cities. I wish I knew what to wear to impress!

  12. Turkey's For Life

    Loving these themes you;re coming up with. First it was the stairsand now the outfits. Can you believe we went to Berlin a few years ago and were that carried away by the whole city, we forgot to go to Checkpoint Charlie! We’re not good at being tourists! 🙂
    Julia

  13. Annie - FootTracker

    It is funny to see how the back of the fashion model clothing is all pinned!! I also love that Santa Claus, I think he fits into that outfit perfectly (some Santas are too skinny, some too short…he is perfect)

  14. Christy @ Technosyncratic

    When we saw the Checkpoint Charlie guy he was eating a cheeseburger from the McDonald’s across the street! So all our photos have him noshing on a burger. It was too funny.

  15. Cathy Post author

    Thanks to everyone for your comments. Although I didn’t get a chance to reply to each one, please know that I’ve read every word. Thanks for coming by!

  16. Lisa

    I love these photos, especially the musicians in period clothing and the guide at Heidelberg Castle, what beautiful dresses. At Sansoucci in Potsdam they used to do that.

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