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?
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!
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.
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.
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.
What a great collection of pictures! I love the wedding party from behind.
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.
What a great idea for a photo essay. Now I’ll have to dig through my dressed up people pictures. I’ve taken it as a challenge–although I know you win because I don’t take that many of people.
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.
Fun photos of strangers across the world other than the lady with Santa
Thanks. I actually used that photo to send as Christmas cards to a few family members. They liked it — I think.
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.
Haha! But, I’ll bet the kids love having their pics taken with those folks.
What a fun post! I love the kids dressed up at Heidelberg Castle – so adorable!
Thanks, Laurel — they were cute and seemed to hang on every word the guide was saying.
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… 🙂
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. 🙂
I like that idea for a post. 🙂
Thanks, Abby. 🙂
Everyone here’s really dressed to impress, Cathy!
Great shots.
Thanks much. Glad you liked the pics I chose.
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.
The model pic is one of my favorites for that reason — that it’s a different perspective.
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.
Thanks, Mary. I always enjoy seeing wedding parties while traveling. Puts a smile on my face.
St. Nick with that good-lookin gal was my favorite and the Soho model was a close 2nd !
Blushing here, Mike. Thanks!
Fun post, Cathy!
I’m old enough to remember Checkpoint Charlie with real guards. No popping over for poses, back then…
Must have been quite the experience to be there back then. I can only imagine.
Love the historical costumes, they make it easier for visitors to step back in time when visiting a palace or an ancient city.
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.
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.
Thanks, Jackie. Plenty of people dressing up in Vegas for all kinds of reasons! 🙂
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.
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!
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.
Interesting collection of images. I like the expression on the guy’s face in the first photo. Looks very cold too!
What a clever idea for a post! 🙂
Great Santa shot, Cathy! Lots of performers in Spain performing for tips. I never knew what I was going to see on the next corner. Lots of fun.
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!
Checkpoint Charlie is so cheesy but I love it anyway. 😉
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
After the one of you with Santa, the model pic is my FAVORITE! …Also, she needs to eat a sandwich.
Clever idea for a photo essay! I love the model shot. You’ve exposed the industry’s pinning secrets!
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)
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.
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!
What a great collection! I love the one of you and Santa in Switzerland…sometimes you just have to, right? 😉
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.
Don’t know how I missed this one the first time around, but I did. What a fun topic. You’ve given me ideas to file away for future use (if you don’t mind, that is).