Mexico City Advice - July

[Starbreaker]

Thanks for the various input guys. I may just play it easy and go with some dark denim and throw in a variety of button downs/layers and a light sweater or two in darker tones. Most evenings will be fairly casual with just my project team, with perhaps one "big wig" dinner for which I'll just stick with my daytime suit or something. Will possibly have some daytime hours free, so will likely opt for lighter denim and t's or button downs with the good old navy Vans or trusty desert boots. On the safety front, I've traveled pretty extensively to some shady parts of Africa and South America (plus I live in Atlanta, haha) so I've gotten pretty good at being anonymous and nondescript and, everything I've read seems to indicate the part of FD I'll be in is pretty tame (relatively speaking).

[dancinginyourhead]

Yeah, I think safety issues, while not to be ignored, would not be a major concern. Follow the usual precautions and you're no more likely to be the victim of a crime than many places in the United States or elsewhere in Latin America.

I spent a month in Mexico City in October 2010. October is certainly even cooler and grayer than July, but I would still steer away from brighter colors/looking like I'm going to a party in Nantucket. The weather won't really call for wearing shorts, boat shoes, or polo shirts IN THE EVENING if you're going to restaurants, clubs, bars, music, etc. But then again, I wouldn't wear that stuff out in the evening in a cosmopolitan U.S. or European city either. (Well, maybe a polo shirt. But probably more likely either an OBCD or a solid color t-shirt.) During the day, during your off hours, wear whatever you want.

[BillN]

If you look like you have money, i hope you have armed escorts non-local in origin.

Be safe. Head on a swivel.

This is totally false. Like any big city on the planet, there are places best avoided in Mexico City, but the DF is safer than most of Mexico and a whole lot of the US. There is far more crime against Americans/tourists in Cancun and Acapulco than there is in the DF.

As in any urban environment, be aware of your surroundings and don't be a moron about personal safety, flashing cash, etc, and Mexico City is just fine. Mexico City doesn't even make the Top 50 of cities with the highest homicide rates in the world (but New Orleans, Baltimore, Detroit and St. Louis do). Even the State Dept doesn't have a warning against Mexico City, and they're generally pretty alarmist (Mexico City (also known as the Federal District): No advisory is in effect. See also the discussion in the section on Estado de Mexico for areas within the greater Mexico City metropolitan area.)

[C.Dubs]

If you look like you have money, i hope you have armed escorts non-local in origin.

Be safe. Head on a swivel.

I'm not saying Mexico City is necessarily the safest place on earth. But, I think the first line of self-defense is a realistic assessment of actual (rather than perceived) threats. Sicario was a great movie though.

"Mexico City (also known as the Federal District): No advisory is in effect. See also the discussion in the section on Estado de Mexico for areas within the greater Mexico City metropolitan area."

[armedferret]

If you look like you have money, i hope you have armed escorts non-local in origin.

Be safe. Head on a swivel.

[BillN]

Hey guys,
I will be travelling to Mexico City for work this summer. When I first heard I would be going, I had visions of intense heat/sun and going with light colored cottons/linens with tan brogues and no socks. I was surprised to see the weather for July is actually typically very, very mild (highs in the low 70s) and relatively wet. Any advice on what would be suitable attire for the city during this time of year? For work, I can manage fairly well with a conservative set of suits, but more so I am thinking about off-hours, casual wear. Are traditionally brighter summer colors still worn, or is it more of a subdued palette given the weather?

I have to go to Mexico for work a couple of times per year, but tend to spend more time in GDL than in the DF. A lot will depend on where and what you will be doing socially during your off hours. Mexico City is a very cosmopolitan place, with a distinct European influence in the more upper class districts with obvious differences in different economic strata.

Brighter summer colors should be fine, but I would look at sharper tailoring, especially if you're going to be out with colleagues or business contacts during the off hours. If that's the case, yes to the colors, but think creased trousers and a sport coat (not necessarily wool in either) and not relaxed chinos and a cardigan. If you are more on your own time, leaning more to the causal end of biz casual is probably fine.

[Starbreaker]

Hey guys,
I will be travelling to Mexico City for work this summer. When I first heard I would be going, I had visions of intense heat/sun and going with light colored cottons/linens with tan brogues and no socks. I was surprised to see the weather for July is actually typically very, very mild (highs in the low 70s) and relatively wet. Any advice on what would be suitable attire for the city during this time of year? For work, I can manage fairly well with a conservative set of suits, but more so I am thinking about off-hours, casual wear. Are traditionally brighter summer colors still worn, or is it more of a subdued palette given the weather?