My wife & I are taking our 21 yr. old & 19 yr. grandsons to London June22nd, and we are wondering if they can wear walking shorts without criticism. Also, will Sport Coats be proper or should we/they take suits? thanks.

Francis: The way it looks like for the next days, be sure to take an umbrella. Shorts hmm, well, it's not summer yet.

What activities are you planning to do in London? In general circumstances, your clothing choices sound perfectly fine, and you definitely should not receive any criticism! <BR> <BR>There are many different opinions on this board about apparel, most of them taking offense at the idea that someone else might have an opinion on how they dress. In general, in my personal experience, the general populace of Europe dresses slightly more traditionally than do many travelers from the U.S. My best example is that many people wear sweaters where most people from the States wear sweatshirts. The only time I personally feel that it is inappropriate to not match the style of those about you (as opposed to being a personal choice and a reflection of how you wish to be seen) is when you are visiting sites sacred to the inhabitants of the region (e.g., a cathedral, a mosque...). <BR> <BR>Enjoy your trip!

Francis, walking shorts will be fine, but do bring some shower proof and warmer sweaters or sweatshirts as the weather is very changable at the moment. Dressing up is mainly reserved for the theatre, opera or "going out to dinner". At all other times I think you should all dress comfortably and enjoy London without fear of criticism. If the Queen asks you in for tea you can always apologise for incorrect dress and she'll take you through to the garden for a more informal setting perhaps!! (Joke!)

Suits are definitely not necessary -- unless there is a business meeting included in the agenda. A sports coat is good since it can be worn (for warmth) over casual pants or even jeans. The main thing is to take layers because you could have anything from 75F to 45F, bright sun to heavy rain to wind. As for shorts - sure they are OK - but it likely won't be warm enough to wear them. In London you probably won't be doing anything requiring shorts so why not take light weight slacks instead - good for any kind of weather.

I was in London this May and it was HOT saw lots of shorts, and also saw alot of really grumpy looking hot tourists who didn't bring shorts! The 19 & 21 year old Londoners will be wearing shorts as well if its hot.

Thanks for all you Posters...you are really helpful. We have been to London several times but the subject of "shorts" has never come up before.

Just returned from London tonight. We took walking shorts in case in was hot, but for the entire 2 weeks, we never looked at them. We wore long pants every day (not jeans)and black walking shoes. Leather coats are seen everywhere. Weather was similar to early April here on the East Coast. <BR> <BR>The biggest fashion trend I saw was pashima scarves (you know, those cashmere and silk beauties). They were much cheaper there than here in the States, and young and old alike wear them. I saw them being used as stoles against the chill wind or doubled wrapped around the neck as a scarf. This is a very chic look with a blazer or even when wearing just a light sweater. Of course, I had to have one.....and I wore it to death. It even comes in handy as a head scarf when the light drizzle arrives. <BR> <BR>

Definitely agree with Janis. Tourists dress as tourist now the world over (yea I can remember when a suit was in order in any posh Chicago restaurant but those days are gone). See no reason why, if the weather dictates, shorts wouldn't work as daytime apparel. Forget the suits, a sportscoat or collared shirt and tie will work in even the most dressy restauant. Even the shorts will be fine if you choose a pub (which will probably be more appreciated by young men that age anyway). We have made many trips to London and have had no problem finding great dining opportunities where very casual apparel still worked.

I would always recommend a blazer or sport jacket for London, if only for the reason of keeping warm if needs be. There are a very few restaurants that require coats for gents--I'm thinking of tea at the Brown's Hotel specifically. If you wanted to do something like that you'd need a jacket (and tie?--I can't remember if ties are needed) I certainly would tell grandsons to only pack one pair of walking shorts each since, most likely, the weather will be more "Docker" khaki type. Think lots and lots of layers, similar to what you would pack for San Francisco. You never know about London, though.