US Tourist Thinks S’poreans Only Wear Suits & Ties, Locals Say It Only Applies In The CBD

American Tourist Thinks People In Singapore Only Go Out In Formal Business Attire Like Suits & Ties

Think of a typical Singaporean outfit for men, and a Uniqlo Airism tee and shorts or jeans would probably come to mind.

However, this wasn’t the impression that one foreign tourist got when he recently visited our city.

In a five-minute video posted on YouTube, American content creator Camden David listed five things he loved and hated about Singapore.

One of the things he said visitors might not like about the Lion City is the “typical attire”, which he described as “either a suit and tie” or “dress shirts”.

Tourist dislikes high prices & long traffic wait times in Singapore

Right off the bat, Mr David touched on how notoriously expensive things in Singapore can be.

He stated that prices can be on par with most major cities in the United States (US) if not a little higher.

Drinks and food are costly, he noted, claiming that you can’t even get an ice cream cone for less than S$5.

“Don’t expect this to be anything like the rest of Southeast Asia or even parts of Europe,” Mr David warned. “So make sure you budget accordingly.”

In addition, he pointed out that the traffic lights were unnerving, especially for him as an American citizen.

This was primarily due to the time needed to wait for the lights to turn green, which he was unaccustomed to.

Addressing Singapore’s small size as well, he said,

This is a really tiny island… you don’t have a lot of places to escape [to].

Tourist thinks everyone in Singapore always wears formal business attire

The fourth aspect of the city he did not seem to appreciate was the formal business attire residents here apparently favour.

“Everyone is walking around in a suit and tie [or] dress shirts, basically everyone has at least a collar on,” he said, adding that Singapore seems to be a “business district”.

For those used to being in just flip-flops and T-shirts, Camden noted that might be a bit of a culture shock.

While he didn’t feel particularly “judged” for his casual outfit, he said that the attire might make tourists feel out of place.

As such, he urged them to pack “collared shirts” and “closed-toe shoes” to fit in, especially at restaurants with a dress code.

And finally, Mr David had an issue with what he dubbed the “7-Eleven effect”.

He said that the number of 7-Eleven outlets here far exceeds that of those in New York City and Los Angeles, where there were 105 and 144 stores respectively.

Singapore, which is much smaller than both those cities, has a whopping 422 stores — and counting.

“That’s just nuts,” he said, shaking his head.

Loves the city’s food & architecture

On the other hand, there was plenty that Mr David loved about Singapore, such as its street food and hawker centres.

Stating that the food at these locations was especially cheap, he said, “That’s where you’re going to get the local cuisine.”

He praised the fine dining culture as well, noting that Michelin-star fans would have no shortage of restaurants to try.

Mr David also was an admirer of what he called the city’s “futuristic architecture”.

“The buildings are unlike anywhere I’ve ever seen before,” he said. “It really feels like you’ve jumped 50 years into the future.”

He went on to compliment the order maintained in Singapore, which he said contributed to its cleanliness and greenery.

“There is green everywhere, on the building [and] on the streets,” he enthused. “It feels like you’re walking through… a futuristic jungle.”

And of course, Mr David couldn’t help but highlight Changi Airport as the final thing he loved about Singapore, which may warrant a trip on its own.

Commenters correct tourist’s perception of typical Singapore attire

Now, back to Mr David’s observation of Singapore’s supposed dress code.

Many people wasted no time in pointing out that the people that he saw in business formal attire were only dressed like that because they were going to the office.

This user said that it’s common to see locals in casual wear due to the hot and humid weather.

Another person said that Mr David would see plenty of Singaporeans in shorts, slippers, and T-shirts if he ventured out of the city into the neighbourhoods.

Correcting Mr David’s packing advice, one commenter said that bringing formal business attire is unnecessary unless one is in Singapore on a business trip.

They added that while some restaurants do have a dress code, they’re mostly just the really high-end ones.

Other than the clothing issue, do you agree with Mr David’s observations? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

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Featured image adapted from Camden David on YouTube.