Tired of seeing a million different clothing threads(intended)asking the same questions? Me too. I've started THIS thread as a means of consolidating all clothing questions into one thread. If all goes well, may it be the last. Add new Q & A as needed. Here's a small start.

Q. When are golf shoes appropriate?
A. On a golf court.

Q. When are tennis shoes appropriate?
A. On a tennis court.

Q. When are basketball shoes appropriate?
A. On a basketball court.

Q. Then what shoes can I wear if I plan to do a lot of walking in the city?
A. Walking shoes. Rockport makes them - so do a million other shoe companies.

Q. What about jogging/running suits?
A. They should be worn only while jogging or running.

Q. What is appropriate dress inside of a church?
A. If you really don't know, then go to a church on Sunday in your hometown before your trip and observe.

I admire your sentiments, however, you are talking rubbish.

Prada offer a diffusion collection called PradaSport, they produce trainers. However, they do not expect anyone to run in them or go jogging in them, they are worn as everyday casual walking shoes. Tennis shoes are offered in this summer's collection from MiuMiu, but once again are not for playing tennis in. Golf shoes with spikes can only ever be golf shoes with spikes. Juicy Couture, Jil Sander, Commes Des Garçons, to name but a few, have "jogging suits" in their spring/summer '04 collection, once again these will be worn as daytime casualwear - they were never designed for people to go jogging in.

Bardo(t) [I've added some glamour to your name dear] you are spot on with the church one, however, I fear that if most of America took that advice, you'd have them turning up in 50s suits and dusty old twinsets with a string of pearls.

It won't do you much good to go to church in the US to figure out what is appropriate for St. Peter's. We would never turn away anyone in shorts or short sleeves at our church

Joelle

Another control freak! How original. Geez, bardo, you need to find a life.

wesley,
My intention is to REDUCE the number of threads on this topic. I've noticed that the vast majority of your posts are attempts at either attacking or belittling others as opposed to offering help or words of encouragmnet. Please click on your name and take a good look at yourself.

bardo, sweatheart, I have sad news for you....the clothing question is here to stay. It has been here for years and will be here for many more. If you had any longevity on this forum, you would have realized your intent is an exercise in futility.

It must be nice to have all the right answers to every fashion issue. No shades of grey allowed - its this darn way or the highway!

bardo,
I think it's helpful to start a thread of primarily objective facts (such as the one ira started a while back on Helpful information on Italy)but Clothing is a subjective topic and responses will be all over the map. However, if someone just wants to see a range of opinions, I'll add my 2 euro cents.

Regardless of what one wears to church at home, wherever "home" is, in Italy in particular, other places too, some churches do seem to enforce a dress code of having one's shoulders, abdomen, upper arms, and thighs covered, resulting in "modest" dress. This pretty much eliminates tank tops, sleeveless tops, shorts, micro minis, and bare-midriff tops. If these types of dress are a standard part of your wardrobe, a woman can carry with her a shawl or sweater to make either a temporary longer skirt or add sleeves.

As to what people wear, they wear almost anything. Tourists, from all countries, even from within the country you are visiting, tend to dress pretty casually, many wearing the types of things mentioned above, adding jeans as an option, and footwear is very often sneakers (trainers).

Middle-class grown ups who live in the large cities you are visiting, and who are not on vacation, tend to wear in the city centers their more sedate and fashionable go-to-business clothes. In restaurants for lunch or dinner (as opposed to snack bars or casual cafes) you will see most locals "dressed", and you will seldom see jeans at dinner among the locals.

Some of us who are visitors and a bit "citified" like to wear a more comfortable, modified version of "smart casual" "or "dressy casual" (an oxymoron, I know) while trekking around.
Others of us on vacation, swear that on vacation we want to be comfortable no matter what, and for them comfort means jeans or shorts and never a jacket or tie.

None of this should really be about not being perceived to be a tourist, imo. Even if you speak the local language, even if you dress in the latest fashion, most of us will be known to be tourists as the totebags or backpacks or guidebooks or maps or our staring intently at street signs will give us away.

For some, the idea is not to pretend not to be a tourist, but just to display oneself in a way that demonstrates a little sophistication and respect. On the other hand, others among us will criticize that as being phoney or snobby or just unnecessary.
The snob vs slob dichotomy is silly, this is not a black and white issue, there's quite a range depending on what people prefer and whether or not they care at all.

The people who tend to ask clothing questions in the first place are already indicating an interest and concern on the subject and may like to see a range of opinions. Those who already have their minds made up are unlikely to ask.

This thread, like all others, will "sink" into the "abyss" - - and then, there will be other threads posted, about what to wear.

Best wishes,

Rex

I always get a smile when someone writes that they don't want to be taken for a tourist.

Does this mean that when they are dressed as a "local" and walking in a small town, the locals will look and think, hmmmm that person must live here, funny I have never seen her before....I know everyone else in town.....how could I have missed her these last 30 years......?

We just have to face the fact that we are tourists and just try to be well dressed clean tourists.

In the spirit of the topic (ask all clothing questions here) I would like to ask if European women wear white slacks and skirts in the summer. Or is this an American fashion (or lack thereof)?

I live in a large American city that get's oodles of tourists every summer. I get a kick out of seeing middle-aged couples in matching windbreaker jackets and whole families in identical-color T-shirts. However, on my upcoming trip to Tuscany I don't want to be similarly on display. Call me paranoid or just a snob, but I, personally, don't want to be spotted as an AMERICAN from 100 meters away. I know I will be treated as well as any other foreigner, and I don't have some fantasy of being taken for a local. I just would like to blend in a little, and it looks like leaving my comfy jeans, white tennies and baseball cap behind might be in order.

That said, do women in Italy wear capri pants (and yes I realize that is where Capri is)?

Hey Bardo, I like clothing threads! Hvae gotten & hopefully given lots of helpful tips. It is important to some people. If it's not to you, don't open the thread, read or respond. That's the beauty of a Bulletin Board.

p.s. As already mentioned, going to church in the US will *not* give you fashion answers to churches in Europe.

Actually, Italian women wear black wool pants and grey turtleneck sweaters all through the summer. So please, everyone who wants to look like Italian women don't forget to bring those items, especially if it's 90 degrees, they really do wear the above. Make sure you follow what they do, oh, and they also speak perfect Italian, make you get that done before you leave to. And another thing, they don't need maps because they've lived there all their lives, so get a map and memorize the streets and then make sure you throw your map away before you get there. And of course, they don't carry cameras around, so DO NOT bring your camera and take any pictures, otherwise, god forbid, people might think you're a tourist and you know most countries do arrest tourist and put them in jail for life, especially American tourists! Actually, I've heard that the police guards the airports and the minute an American tourist walks out, they're arrested!

Evil American tourists...they actually wear comfortable clothes when traveling! The shame....

A golf court?

lyb, you are so jaded - I love it!

ChatNoir,

As Elvis would have said, "Thank you, Thank you very much"

Signed,
Evil Picture Taking American Tourist

So, is lyb saying it's okay as long as I wear black wool capri pants with my grey turtleneck?

I fail to understand why "looking like a tourist" is in any way, whatsoever, "disrespectful" to people in the visited country.

I don't mind so much (anymore) the questions about what to wear although some of the ones about church services often make me suspicious that the prospective attendees are doing so more for the church's "visitability" rather than to worship.

What I find most disturbing about the "what to wear" posts, especially the ones that start out with the words, "Can I(we)...," is the notion that the poster feels as if they have to have permission to wear this or that, or at least the blessing from a bunch of unknowns.

I still wonder what people wear to the Fodorite get-togethers...I suppose the preparation for some includes absolute weeks of agony in terms of what to wear since, at long last, the body behind the name will finally be revealed.

I think that there are many people who are bemused by this sort of question.
I'm no fashion plate and at 65 I'm not glamorous either. However, wherever I am I try at least to look clean, tidy and as attractive as I can. How can anyone feel comfortable if they look like an unmade bed and have people grinning at them.
In church, for goodness sake you try to look and behave in a way that is respectful both to a religious building and to those whose church it is. That means that you dress modestly and don't prance around talking loudly and taking flash photographs especially when there is a service going on. The only time I have ever spoken out (normally I seethe inwardly) was when I saw a tourist not only taken a photograph of a shrine when there was a large "no photography" sign, but he was standing on a prie-dieu to do it.