Yes, I'm the idiot who is traveling to Italy during one of its hottest months when every Italian is already on vacation.

I know black is always best but will I stick out like a sore American thumb if I wear lighter colors? What do you recommend I bring to cover my shoulders for those days I'm wearing tank tops and want to go into a museum and the like? I'm a size 10 (HUGE by Italian standards I am sure b/c it's huge by Los Angeles standards) so teeny things won't work on me at all so if you have any advice for easy to pack things let me know.

Also - do any of you people know of a great pair of comfortable yet moderatly stylish shoes that I could wear as I walk all around Venice, Amalfi, Sorrento, Florence and Rome?

And any other pieces of advice you feel like giving I will happily take.

Thanks!

Hi. I went to Italy in July a couple of years ago and was interested in packing light in addition to being appropriately dressed for the heat. I packed a bunch of sleeveless sheath dresses in various colors, a few pairs of strappy sandals, and carried a couple of large scarves to put over my shoulders when going into the cathedrals. I felt very comfortable and very well dressed the entire time, and was able to get by on a very small amount of luggage for the whole trip.

Black is always best ? I bet you are not able to see a single Italian wearing black in summer...maybe something for the night, but it's not usual at all !!!
Light colors for the summer, almost always
You don't have to cover your shoulders in museums..just in churches Anything will do , even a newspaper but the usual thing is a scarf (or a t-shirt instead of a tank top)

There is no reasons to wear black alla the time unless you are a very elderly widow.

You'll be fine with almost any neutral - and even dashes of color - white, beige, khaki, grey, tan, navy - and soft versions of most colors. Just try to avoid really bright colors (lime green, orange, fuschia) except at resorts.

That is funny about the lime green, fushcia, and orange. I saw women of all age groups were wearing those colors in Amsterdam, Belgium, Normandy, Brittany, Loire, and Paris. (especially green!) The main difference I see is that European women do not wear patterns as much as solids. But colors seem to be very popular in the summer.

Black at the height of summer? Are you kidding? Italians are way too fashion-savvy to wrap themselves up in heat-absorbing black in high season. You'll see far more white and pastel and bright colors. As for the lime green, orange, fuschia, etc., my observations over the past two or three years in many trips to Europe has been that those very colors have been the most popular.

Most of my clothes are black and I stick out like a sore thumb in Rome and points south when we visit in the summer. I've gotten a little savvier and gone to white tops. You'll really only need one big shawl/scarf for the churches. "Walking shoes" might be hard to find in LA Any comfortable flats with cushioning will be fine.

Born makes very comfy and stylish shoes. Cute flip flops.

WEaring light colors is fine. Bring a light scarf to drape around your shoulders in churches. Go for light skirts and dresses (knee length min, short skirts and shorts were rare). Enjoy! (and 10 isn't big).

Ok, so we just returned from Italy two days ago. We were in all of the major cities and the country as well for 3 weeks. My daughters and I are very fashion conscious so I definately noticed what people are wearing in Italy. Most Italian women are wearing white in the summer, not black. White pants, white capris and especially white skirts. Orange is the most popular accent color that we saw everywhere. (orange for men as well...shirts, capris for men etc) Also many other bright and pastel colors. Stylish sundresses are also popular and definately the three tiered ruffle type skirt for all occasions. Also, the fabric of choice over there is linen. Lots of casual linen pants. They are cool because the fabric is so porous. It's wrinkly (and see through) but no one cares. As far as shoes, which I agonized over before we left.....I saw tons of Italians wearing stylish Birkenstocks and Mephisto sandals in summer colors like pink, orange, white and green. If you can't find them here, they have zillions of shoe stores where you can pick up a pair.
I agree with the scarf thing for churches. It's easy, a lot of people do it and you can stuff it in your purse. Some churches don't even require it.
Oh, one more thing, we did not see many shorts on women. Only the long stylish Bermuda style ones that are available this summer.
Hope that helps.....

Beth

I wear mostly capri pants, sleeveless buttoned tops, good sandals. Also loose palazzo style pants and plain colored cotton nice tshirts. Pants fabrics in cotton, polyester, rayon, or linen. Tops in cotton, rayon or silk. Neutral colors like beige, white, olive, brown, black are my colors. Add a skirt if that's your style (not mine).

If there's any chance you will be near water or a pool, toss in one bathing suit with a sarong.

To cover up a tank top, a button style cotton shirt with short sleeves can work like a very lightweight jacket.

Because of intense heat, it's best not to wear any clothes in Italy during the summer. In fact, I stayed in my air-conditioned hotel room during the hottest parts of the day, and ventured out at night!

If you must depart your hotel for a gelato, wear light colored linen and sandals. A long, but very light weight, silk or cotton scarf is good to carry along for those church visits. And to use as a towel to dab your brow!!

We just came back from Rome and Florence and it felt scorching (mid-90s). I've followed a lot of the threads in which people advise about dressing appropriately so as not to stick out like tourists. So I brought a nice sweater and a pair of slacks to look a little more European, or at least less blatantly American.

2 points:
1) Everybody's going to know you're a tourist anyways. You're the one in line at the Colosseum, and the one eating right outside the Uffizi. You're surrounded by thousands of tourists, so you're not going to stick out.
2) The Europeans dress an awful lot like Americans. I made a point to buy comfortable loafers that would make me not look like a tourist. In the subway I would look around at what the locals would be wearing - Adidas, slippers, whatever. You see a ton of locals wearing T-shirts that are trying to be American.

So, my take-away from this is that you should feel free to dress however you want and for comfort in big-city Europe.

ps: size 10 is not really big. Enjoy Italy!

I was really surprised to see everyone in linen in Italy this summer. Wrinkled and cool. I left all mine at home because of the wrinkle problem and wish I hadn't. As for shoes, I bought the cutest black patent with rhinestone buckle sandals by Mephisto in Positano. Not cheap but less that buying them here. I wore knee length (size 10!) skirts and T's all over Italy in the 95 degree heat in June and they were fine. Even shorts in Positano and I was overdressed there because everyone is in bathing suits and sarongs! Forget the sweaters except for the plane. Have fun, it's Italy!!!!!

I visited Italy in August a few years back and Rome was seriously hellishly hot. My sister and I would walk outside and start sweating before even walking one block. And that was while wearing tank tops, shorts, sandals. I agree with the other posters who said black is not necessary. I would pick very light, breathable clothing. Skirts, cotton pants, etc....
It was not nearly as hot along the western coast of Italy that summer, but Rome in particular was incredibly hot during the day (and I grew up in southern california so I'm used to hot weather).

oh, also for places that require shoulders to be covered, I would just carry a very light coverup--for lack of a better word because it sounds so hot but like a button up "sweater" (but not a real sweater). Do you know what I mean?

August can be very hot, though depending on where you are traveling in Italy you can find the evenings get a little chilly, therefore keep a sweater close at hand for after dinner. Try travelling early in the morning - relaxing somewhere with AC from 1-3 and then venture out again in the late afternoon. Almost everything is open late, so you won't miss anything except maybe a case of heat exhaustion.

A scarf that covers your shoulders is suffiecient for any church - and make sure your shorts or skirt is not a mini!

In reference to your shoes - don't go for style go for comfort! There is no style telling people you went to Venice and only saw half of it because your shoes hurt so bad you couldn't walk it!!

As far as the Italians are concerned - tourists (of any type...especially the Germans) always stick out, so its no use trying to fit in - be an American and shock them all with our great sense of color and design.

Living in Tuscany and Loving it! www.tuscany-villas.com

We're off to Paris and Italy tomorrow, but it's not our first time in July/August, so we know it can be very hot. I would never wear black in the daytime then! You'd roast! We're bringing neutral shades and linen--I'm bringing some pretty colors too, like pink and pale blue.
Maybe I'll throw in my husband's orange shirt...
For shoes, try Cole Haan Nike Air shoes--I live in them, and they're great for walking all day long. They have some style, but they feel like athletic shoes.
Have a wonderful trip!

EVERYONE, except the tourists were wearing white or pastel linens top and bottom all over Italy last week.

I didn't go to Italy this summer but in Spain the "rage" were the "peasant" skirts in very light fabrics , all colors. Also a lot of linen in light colors. Didn't see too much black.

No shorts but capri pants and skirts.