sunburst

I remember reading (can't remember where) in one of the researches I have done for Paris and Rome that the people especially in Paris, wear only neutral colors. Is this correct? Do I take along my hot pink,yellow, light green etc tops.. I don't want to do something that will offend the French. Is the same true in Rome? I know when you visit churches (St. Michael) you need to wear pants below the knee and have no shoulders showing. Same goes for my husband. Any other info regarding dressing in Paris and Rome? Thanks!

quokka

No one will care. If you look great and feel great in a hot pink top, wear it. Wear what suits you best, your natural colours and body shape and personality.

You are right about the dress code for churches in Italy. That one should be observed, it's a question of respect. Carrying a light jacket or a scarf and putting it on when entering a church can solve the problem of covering shoulders and upper arms if it is a hot day and you want to wear a light top.

adrienne

There are thousands of threads on this board alone asking this same question. The answer is that no one will care. The only rule is that you must cover knees and shoulders in Italian churches.

There are 62M people in France. I'm sure that there isn't one particular thing that will offend all of them.

Don't know what the St. Michael reference to churches means. There is a St. Michael's in Paris but don't know of one in Rome.

Pegontheroad

I wear what I want to where, no matter where I go. That said, I don't want to look like a stereotypical tourist with shorts, funny-looking hat, white sport shoes, and a camera slung around my neck. That's just me, though. Nothing wrong with it if that's your look.

I wear the same things I wear at home, which means dark pants, a matching or coordinating jacket, and tops to match. I carry a large tapestry bag in which I keep my camera, guidebook and various odds and ends. I wear dark walking shoes during the day. Since I take only a 22 inch suitcase, I try to coordinate everything. No one would ever call me a fashion plate, but I'm comfortable and I generally fit in.

Christina

Nobody in their right mind would get offended because a tourist decided to wear a green top rather than neutrals.

You might rethink the "hot pink", however, but a hot pink sweater with black pants could look fine, actually.

You obviously like your colors and what you wear, and that's what is important. Locals really dont' care much about tourists, believe it or not. I live in a city with a huge number of tourists and believe me, I don't ever care what they wear or think about them.

Dress the way you would to go to any large cosmopolitan city, that's all I can say. If you think you look great, fine. Some of these statements about how Parisians only wear neutrals are a bit overstated. It's like any big city (except maybe not like the US in the south or Florida, or any beach resort for that matter).

charnees

I don't like to see other tourists looking like a bag of rags, or for women, like a hooker, and I do think you should be somewhat stylish. it doesn't hurt to be a little understated in your dressing. But don't worry about whether Parisians or Romans like hot pink.

After walking and walking for hours, likely in the heat, you want to be comfortable. So wear what is comfortable for you.

rmw555

Agree with previous posters. You shouldn't feel like you need to purchase a new wardrobe to go on vacation, but as Christina notes, "Dress the way you would in any large cosmopolitan city." I think the issue is less whether you willl "offend" total strangers (aside from respecting church dress codes as noted), and more the degree to which you would prefer to blend in, vs stand out as a (n American) tourist. Shorts, t-shirts with slogans, baseball caps, sweatpants, sneakers -- European teens may wear this sort of stuff but adults, especially in the cities you mention - not so much, in my experience. This matters a lot to some people, and others not at all. Re colors, greys, blacks, navy are easier to mix and match and show dirt less. As others have said, wear what's comfortable - That said, I would recommend bringing at least one fairly dressy outfit (and your husband to bring a sport coat) if you plan on going out to any halfway-decent restaurants for dinner. In Paris and Rome people definitely do dress for dinner and you'll feel out of place otherwise.

nytraveler

I don;t understand people who get entire new wardrobes for travel. If ind that, by and large, what I wear at home works just find when traveling, except for a ocuple of things

1) I use a small Sportsac rather than a regular shoulder bag - since is it much lighter and expands to hold everything you need to carry for the day

2) I bring 2 or 3 pairs of comfy flat walking shoes - plus flats or wedges for going out in the evening (I have yet to manage 4" heels on cobblestones - and do that only for a special event when we do cab only)

that said, living in NYC what I wear every day is probably closer to what women of my age wear in paris and rome that it is to what they wear in smaller towns in the US.

IMHO as long as you're not wearing cut off jeans, tee shirts with cartoon characters or stupid sayings and giant white clown sneakers - people are unlikely to really notice you. (If you dress as described above - be prepared to avoid the gigglers.)

A_Brit_In_Ischia

>>> I don't want to do something that will offend the French.

Clearly you're not one of our English members, for whom - from the original two-fingered V sign onwards, perhaps - it's a long-established national sport!

But seriously, a few specific visits aside, no one is going to give a fig (leaf) - so wear whatever makes you comfortable, in all senses...

Peter

StCirq

It's not even conceivable that "the French" will notice, never mind be offended by, anything you're wearing unless it's some sort of clown outfit.