cali88

I am coming to Rome in late May and I'm trying to figure out what to pack.. it seems that the italians are quiet fashionable.. i was thinking about bring dresses and skirts?

how about shorts?

or tank tops? no seleves? or with seleves? since it might be hot?

is there a dress code in churches? how about musuems?

and shoes? or tennis shoes okay? how about flats?

i'm in my early 20's and sorta want to blend in as stupid ass that sounds.. i don't want to be treat any differnetly if i what i wore is more "american" than european.

thanks in advance for your help!

vjpblovesitaly

www.weather.com and www.wunderground.com are good sources for weather averages and then you check closer to the date for a forecast.

Yes there is a dress code for churches. If you do some research you can find it. You can't go walking into a church with shorts on. I think they are inappropriate for spending a day in a city at museums and historical sites in any case.

charnees

Leave out the shorts. It may be hot, and skirts are more comfortable then. But if they are above-the-knee you will not be allowed into St. Peter's, for example. It could also rain and so not be as hot. layers are the answer. You could wear sleeveless or tank tops and bring a thin overshirt or sweater to put on when going into churches. Take one that can be stuffed into a tote without worrying about wrinkling.

Lots of Italians wear tennis shoes, regardless of what the fashionistas here say. Flats with a fairly good sole will help you avoid sore feet from walking, and you will do A LOT of walking in Rome. Flip-flops IMHO are too skimpy for all those cobblestones.

Iowa_Redhead

The general rule for any place of worship is chest covered to a certain degree (you don't need to wear a turtleneck but use common sense and be respectful), shoulders and knees covered. So while capris would generally be ok, shorts would not be. A mid-calf skirt would be safe. A skirt that hit at knee level would be iffy. When I was at the Vatican we watched an older man be turned away because his shorts didn't cover his knees. If you're in doubt, cover up more or take something to cover up more as appropriate.

If it's hot, a lightweight pair of pants or longer skirt are generally better for staying cool than shorts or a short skirt. I like linen/cotton blends for hot weather but a lot of people think they wrinkle too quickly.

If you want to wear a tank top that's fine if you take something to put over it before going inside places where you should cover up more. A tank top and loose slacks would be comfy and you could easily add a short sleeve jacket/sweater/other shirt to make it appropriate.

As for shoes, this is one of the places where comfort really is more important than looks. Tennis shoes are fine for church/museum dress code purposes.


You're not going to blend in with the Italians, don't try, it never works.

kfoster2047

When we were there in June, it was really hot. I wore a mid-calf length sundress and just wrapped a big silk scarf around my shoulders when we went in St. Peter's or any other church. The scarf was easy to fold up and put in my bag and the sundress buttoned up the front so it was easy to modify the amount of leg that was visible based on modesty or coolness. Also, while it is certainly a matter of personal opinion, I found that comfortable but reasonable looking walking sandals were the best for both comfort and heat.