I have read that it's required to have your shoulders covered when visiting the Vatican. Is it acceptable to have a tank top and then a lace shawl over the top of that?
TIA

A shawl should work as long as it really covers you.
No shorts either, by the way

Shorts are OK as long as they cover your knees.

i'm not sure that shorts are okay for women, I've always read otherwise

this is one reference,from fodors

"To enter the Musei Vaticani, the Sistine Chapel, and the Basilica di San Pietro you must comply with the Vatican's dress code, or you will be turned away by the implacable custodians at the doors. For both men and women, shorts and tank tops are taboo, as are miniskirts and otherwise revealing clothing. Wear a jacket or shawl over sleeveless tops, and avoid T-shirts with writing or pictures that could give offense."

Perhaps some monitors are more flexible than others, but I wouldn't chance it.

I just found another current thread on this subject

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34678157

This last time we were at the Vatican a gentleman had shorts. He took his wife's shawl and tied it around his waiste to cover the shorts past his knees. Personally, I thought it was acceptable because he made the effort to cover up. The previous time we were at the Vatican bag-pipers were playing in kilts..they were allowed in. But the guards turned away the gentleman with the shawl around his waiste. So yes, cover up your shoulders and have a skirt to pull over your shorts or wear the pants that have the legs that zip off.

I have been in both St Peters and St Marks in shorts that fell below the knee and never had a problem. Granted, they did look something like a divided skirt, so maybe that had something to do with it.

you cant ware a tank top to a catholic church.