Two summers ago our travelling companions were my daughter's in-laws. Although we had been to Italy before and my husband never needed a jacket and tie, they insisted that it was the only proper thing for a man to wear to dinner. So we schlepped the jacket and tie and dressiest shoes. It was pushing one hundred degrees the whole time we were in Florence, Rome, and Positano. We ate at nice restaurants for every meal and the men NEVER wore the coats and ties and neither did most other men we saw. They wore nice polos and khakis and were very welcome in every restaurant and never looked out of place. We two women dressed up for fun but the men did not need a tie and jacket. AND these are two men who wear a suit to work every day so they were happy to be on VACATION......

I think there are two considerations:
- Age group?
- Fashionista or non-fashionista?

Let us assume we are talking about better restaurants, assuming you can wear what you want in pizza restaurants.

Isn’t the first consideration a matter of “generation’? OP stated “my Italian teacher told us in class that men wear coat and ties to dinner”.

This is probably true of the 60 plus generation in Italy – suits or, at the very least, sports jackets and dress pants (whatever that means) might be considered appropriate for a formal restaurant. So, if OP’s husband is of this generation, he might want to know that this how his peers dress in formal restaurants.

However, if the OP's husband is in the 25-55 age bracket, then I think other rules apply. Listen to Flanneruk’s comment:

“ Wearing a scruffy, loud or ill-fitting jacket or a tasteless tie breaks that unwritten rule (though to be honest, Italians expect most foreigners to do just that). Wearing sharply pressed trousers and shirt, tastefully combined and with proper shoes are a great deal more important.”

And: marginal_margiela: “It is a well-known fact that Italian waiters will check your jacket label, and if you are not wearing Battistoni, Brioni, Zegna, Corneliani, or Kiton, you will get the boot.” (Naughty M-M: Like they would need to SEE the label to identify the designer :>) !!!)

Is he a Fashionista? My husband was a fashion “disciple” in his 30s, and has subsequently eased into an admirer. His wardrobe “travels” well: Zegna predominates (a perfect line for the late 30s to late 50s age group); with a soupcon of Missoni, Prada, Figaret, vintage Armani & Versace, Lorenzo Banfi shoes, … etc. In other words, he loves fashion and has developed his own sense of style. He always looks …. perfect! Frankly, I could not imagine being with a man that could not dress approriately.

Is he NOT a Fashionista? No matter, designer labels are not required to be well-turned out: being well groomed is the most important factor. At a minimum, I think a man should have a pair of dark trousers, well cut and well fitted, and a couple of nice shirts.

OReilly has said it.

Also, if you haven't booked, you'll find it easier to get a table if you look decent.
I remember once in Italy going out for a meal in the evening. I was wearing a smartish dress and jacket and Dr. Chasuble was wearing dark trousers and a nice shirt, no tie or jacket.
We went to a nice restaurant where there were lots of tables with reserved cards on them. I asked in Italian if they had a spare table and the waiter said yes and removed a card.
Next a rather crumpled couple came up and asked in English if there was a table free. The waiter smiled politely and pointed to all the reserved cards.
Next, a very well-dressed young English couple came and explained that they hadn't booked but was there a free table.
Oddly enough, there was ;-)

Prism, did you have the baby in a handbag at the time?

>...what restaurants in Florence other than the one I mentioned might make a jacket-less diner feel uncomfortable?<

Cantinetta Antinori

((I))

>It never ceases to amaze me that Americans seem to think that for a man to put on a jacket and tie is the only way for him to look "dressed up" or "fashionable." <

Here in Amurrica we know the difference between "dressed up" and "fashionable".

Real men get dressed up, ie, jacket and tie, because their wives make them do it.

Real men don't know nothin bout fashion.

((I))

Sorry, Ira, but I disagree that a man needs to wear a jacket at Cantinetta Antinori in Florence in order to feel comfortable. Just by the name alone, the establishment conveys that it is a "little cantina," more or less an upscale wine bar. Most of the patrons are well dressed but jackets did not predominate when I've been there. To each his own.

Hi ek,

Well, the night that we were there, all, absolutely all, of the men were wearing jackets.

No, it was not a busload of tourists.

Perhaps they have some days for jackets and some days for not jackets? :)

((I))

Ira, It would appear that the question of "jacket days," or perhaps "jacket seasons," at Cantinetta Antinori will have to remain one of life's mysteries until we can both return and investigate further.

Well perhaps those were all "real men" there that night, whom as we know from your description, all have wives, as all "real men" apparently do.

And as you yourself say, "Real men don't know nothin bout fashion."

I wish that people wouldn't keep harping on about that baby.
It was a perfectly understandable mistake.
A three volume novel is very similar in size to a baby, albeit a bit quieter.

I have been to Cantinetta Antinori several times and the majority of men wear jackets. Great place!

I think it is time that Mrs. Ira chimed in to give us a few fashion pointers.

Ira, would your better half insist on "no trousers for women" when dining in Italy?

Hi ek,

>Ira, would your better half insist on "no trousers for women" when dining in Italy?<

Of course not. She has much more fashion sense than that.

OTOH, she much prefers that I wear a jacket when we go out.

Quite frankly, I would look ridiculous in what is considered "fashionable".

((I))
I also don't wear plaid pants and golf shirts.

Now now, Ira...I was quite sure that I spotted a small gator emblazoned on your polo shirt....

You know, the shirt that was tightly tucked into your nice white belt....(the belt that matches the white shoes)

There is no need to feel defensive. We know you are the go-to fashion guru here on Fodor's.

ira, I don't have a clear picture of you, but I'm trying to figure out what man would look "ridiculous" in a niced pair of dark dress slacks, good leather shoes and belt, and a simple nice dress sirt.
I think the term was fashionable, which you seem to have a very odd idea of.

Ira:

Does that mean that you would NOT feel ridiculous in an ensemble that is "unfashionable?"

I agree with the poster above that,yes, we see some ties and jackets, but they are not the norm. We eat in all types of restaurants while in Italy and normally we see khakis and a nice shirt, turtleneck, or knit top.
We try to avoid what many call "upscale" where they like to rip people to the tune of 100-300 Euros/meal. That's the nice thing in Italy, you don't have to spend a lot of money to get GREAT food.
I'm on vacation. I wear a tie every day at work and I'm not going to wear one for dinner when I see so few of them in restaurants when we're there.

Hi NP,

I didn't refer to properly dressed, I said "fashionable".

ek,

I used to wear socks with alligators on them, when I used to wear socks.

The alligator people (Izod and/or Lacoste) don't make the same quality that they used to.

((I))

Ira, do you mean that you wear those Haggar jackets with NO SOCKS??!! To the Cantinetta Antinori?

I think you are confusing "fashionable' with "trendy," but I should slap myself for questioning the Fodor's Fashion Guru. (sound of slapping...)