Kimerley

We will be in Italy for 1 month in June/July. <BR>I am planning to wear/pack 3/4 length chinos (navy and beige) with Polo shirts and linen shirts. A little black dress for evening. <BR>Shoes: open toe leather slip ons and a pair of worn in boat shoes, strappy black high heals for night. <BR>I know I am going to get absolutely sick of wearing the chinos but figured they would get me into churches etc and will be easy to care for etc. Any other suggestions? <BR>p.s I am taking underwear!

DINA

We think alike !!! <BR> <BR>I was working my way round to ask a similar question ! <BR> <BR>I'll be visiting Sorrento and Rome in Sept and the whether will be hot - but I don't know what sort of clothes I sould pack - by the way - I always end up packing stuff that I never wear and then end up wearing the same outfit ! <BR> <BR>Its my fist time in Italy and I get this impression that the Italian (young) women dress imaculately - not necessarily Gucci etc. but smart and feminine. On holidays I prefer to chill out in jeans, vests and shorts. But i'm not sure this time ! Maybe I'll buy some 'girly' summer dresses ! and smart evening dresses !

Deborah

Kimerley, <BR> <BR>I wore a casual knee length black skirt alot. It didn't wrinkle and went with everything. Alot of twin sets or sleeveless lightweight sweaters with a black sweater thrown over my shoulders for going into cathedrals. Comfortable black platform sandals and leopard sandals was all I wore. (I am not a tennis shoe person) Watch the linen shirts because you don't want to feel messy and wrinkled all the time, plus they won't pack well.

kate

Dina, I wouldn't be so sure about the italian women not wearing Gucci. The italians have to be the most designer-label obsessed nation in the world and spend a vast proportion of their earnings on clothes. Tourists couldn't hope to compete in the fashion stakes. Having said that, they are still very conservative dressers and all tend to wear exactly the same thing (a shock for a Londoner like myself). Last time I was there in March, everyone man, woman, child and dog was wearing navy blue knee length puffa jackets. <BR> <BR>June/July is likely to be very hot, so don't be afraid of wearing shorts some days. The only place I've really noticed a strict dress code is the Vatican. Other churches are a little more relaxed, tho I usually carry a long sleeved cardigan to slip over bare shoulders.

Pedro

Is a summer months... you must weara bikini in da day , and no knickers at a night <BR> <BR>besos

Carol

Hi Kimerley, <BR> <BR>The sun really gets very hot in Italy in June/July and I'd suggest bring one or two very light cotten dresses for the days. Many tourists wear shorts everywhere in Italy, but I personally think they look really tacky anywhere but in the countryside or at the seashore.

Judy

Hi Kimerley, I was in Rome last Sept for a week. I wore capri(3/4 length pants) the whole time I was there! I brought various shades of chino, black and paired them with 3/4 sleeve boat neck tops, it was great for all types of site seeing. When we went to the Vatican , quite a few women with short sleeve tops and shorts were stopped from entering FYI...I did not even think about bringing shorts(just my own preference)...some Italian women were dressed wonderfully others,not so great IMHO. My cousin, who lives in Rome, wore grunge like clothes(cargo pants t-shirts etc). She was the antithesis of designer chic all around. I know she did not care too much....to each his own! I think you will be fine! I brought a very chic fake animal skin dress, and ended up never wearing it! Have a great time when you go, you will love it! Judy

Kimerley

Thanks everyone, I managed to buy a travel clothes steamer, you simply hang your clothes up and steam away the wrinkles. I think this will be better than my usual kneeling on the floor to iron my clothes! <BR>I hate wearing dresses, but concede that they will probably be cooler to wear. <BR>Pedro, thanks for your wise comment... I don't want to frighten anyone with me in a bikini. I was thinking of taking a neck to knee speedo (similiar to those worn in the olympic games)it will ensure any body lumps are covered with lycra! Only joking! I have made sure that I am taking a sarong to wear with my cossie whilst in Positano.

kam

Kimberley, Gotta ask--what's a cossie?? Maybe I need one to take to Mexico to go with my sarong collection, maybe not.

xxxx

What in the world is a "puffa" jacket?

Santa Chiara

Kimberly, don't depend too much on that travel steamer working in Italy. Even with an adapter, in my experience, it will work once or twice and then go kaput. Anyway, that's what mine did, and it was brand new.

Kimerley

A cossie is a swimming costume. Cossie is an aussie term LOL! <BR>Shame about the steamer, maybe I will still bring an iron....

kate

Cossie is an english term too. <BR> <BR>A Puffa jacket is a padded jacket (like a ski jacket) with horizontal stitching at equal gaps across the arms and body, making the jacket look like sausages all squashed up together. I'm sorry, this is a really bad description. Can anyone else do any better?

nancy

Puffa jackets, how about; <BR>Looking like the Michelin Man or the Pillsbury Dough Boy? <BR>(At least from what I remember of TV commercials decades ago, do they still have the Michelin Man?) <BR>

Deb

Don't take the iron!!! I was there twice last year and the last thing I wanted to think about was ironing. If you have to iron your clothes you packed the wrong fabrics. Pack light and you will be a much happier traveller. Especially when going for a month.

Judith

I was there last June. <BR>Around the spanish steps (and Rome) where there are younge people and tourist.......I saw <BR>tons of Capri pants! Usually with a T shirt or a halter type top. I saw a lot of black in everything (guys and gals - jeans and chinos). No shorts. <BR>The local women wore high heels even on scooters and coble stones!! (thin heels and chunky heels....day and night) The people are attractive and you will see a lot of lower or more open blouses as compared to the states. <BR>I saw Linen on men and women. Chic sundresses too. Again, a lot of black. <BR> <BR>

Rachel

Amalfi coast in July - hot and sunny - and most people wear black, chinos, capri pants, no shorts (sounds like a real fashion no-no in Italy) and shirts with long sleeves - except for young people who might wear capri pants with halter tops or a T shirt. I would like to hear more about what is appropriate to wear if you are not so young. Also, what about the men - no shorts for them either?

Sylvia

Please no shorts! Unless you want to look tacky and touristy keep them for the beach. <BR>Also avoid baseball caps and if menfolf wear hats of any kind, please remove them when you go into a church.

vicki

What is the appropriate dress for men in July when its hot?

Rex

Vicki: <BR> <BR>At the risk of seeming smart-alecky - - lighter weight clothes. <BR> <BR>But seriously, for what age group, how fashion-conscious, what physique, what setting? <BR> <BR>No matter how much some may disapprove, there will be fat guys - - from North America and from Europe too - - in t-shirts and shorts. And no one will think they look good. <BR> <BR>And in many tourist destinations, there will be guys who look like Michael Jordan or Don Johnson or Harrison Ford, in (longer) shorts, and shirts that weigh two ounces (whether t-shirts or not) - - and women (and men) will STILL ogle at them and say "God, look at that guy!" <BR> <BR>If a man has the money and body to look good in nice linen shirts and slacks, Italy is the place to do it. And those woven leather shoes are surely cooler than "wing tips" - - or Reeboks - - with or without lightweight socks. <BR> <BR>Tell us more about the man you are trying to help dress, and where he is going, and I am sure you will get useful advice here. <BR>