The topic of what to wear while on vacation had been discussed many times. However, I would like to hear "fodorites" opinion on following topic.<BR><BR>I am going to Italy in the beginning of May. Being a proud American, I do like to wear T-shirt with my college logo, a baseball cap as well as shorts, if weather permits. On the other hand, I don't want to offend anyone by going into a church with bare knees.<BR><BR>Here my question... Let's say you spend first half of the day in Roman Forum area (Palatine Hill, Colosseum, etc.). This activity is definitely calling for shorts (remember, this is May). However, you also want to spend second part of the day visiting some of churches in the area - San Giovanni in Laterano, for example. What do you do about shorts? Go to your hotel to change? Wear pants from the beginning?<BR><BR>Bill.

Wear pants. You're a grown up now.<BR>

I remember the pride I felt when my father's tailor became mine by measuring me for my first pair of long pants. I do wear shorts as well, under my pants--perhaps that would work for you as well.

I usually wear only pants when traveling, but I can suggest maybe putting the jeans or pants in a backpack and changing along the way.

You could also buy a couple of pairs of cargo pants, where there are zippers on the legs, and zip them on and off, and voila, you have two outfits in one. Otherwise, just wear the shorts under the slacks, and carry a back pack.

The weather in Rome during month of May is very pleasant. From 2 prior visits to Italy in late April/early May, I acknowledge there were days (usually the afternoons) on which it got warm enough to wear shorts. Overall you'll find yourself very comfortable wearing lightweight pants (Dockers work well for traveling) for the entire day. <BR><BR>Alternative option if you do find yourself starting your day in shorts --- go to Forum/Colosseo/ etc. Then pick a lunch spot that's either close by your hotel or heading back in that direction. Eat, relax (food is a critical element of any Italy visit). Go back to hotel room. May want to indulge in a brief siesta. After all, when in Rome .... Get changed & head back out to visit churches.

Land's End do the cargo pants with zip off legs so that you can wear them as either shorts or long trousers. www.landsend.co.uk or .com, depending where you are.

Just a suggestion in these times: Don't go around wearing a billboard that says "I'm an American!" It's one thing to be a proud, patriotic citizen; it's another to invite any crazy person to abuse you because they don't like our country's policies. (See recent postings about French attitudes toward the death penalty vis-a-vis the Moussaoui (sp?) case.)

What a worthless discussion - grow up, Bill, and stop taking folks' time with your nothing issues.

We'll be in Rome in early June, and I've bought a couple pairs of those zip-off cargo pants for my 2 teenage sons. They live in shorts, so this is a compromise; otherwise, they'd end up standing outside while we toured religious sites (not sure if they'd mind that actually gt

My problem is traveling in June to the same area with teenagers. I like the cargo pants for the boys. But what about for a teenage girl (17)??? Are capris, t-shirt and tennis shoes okay for a teenage girl. I can get her to dress more appropriately than him. He'll definitely be in cargo pants and a t-shirt.<BR><BR>

Just as an FYI about wearing anything with an American flag or anything that is red, white and blue. Don't worry about it. While waiting for a plane in the Zurich airport last week, I saw a woman wearing a Ralph Lauren sweater with an American flag on it. She only spoke German. While in Budapest, I also saw many Hungarians, Germans, Brits and Italians wearing clothes that were red, white and blue and also with American flags -- even Tommy Hilfiger's clothes have American flags on them. I actually spoke to a few people and they said that they wear these clothes in support of Americans. And, yesterday, I sat next to a Swiss woman on a flight from Budapest to Zurich, and she was wearing a pin with Mickey and Minnie Mouse on it. Also, I was amused that many of the postcards in Budapest had characters from "Winnie the Pooh" on them.

FYI, Leslie, Winnie the Pooh was written by a Britisher!

Dana, you might want to bring a pareo or pashmina wrap for your daughter. She can wrap it around her waist like a skirt over shorts for entering churches or use it to cover shoulders if she's wearing sleeveless tops. It may also be useful as an additional layer in the evenings when it gets chilly. I used mine almost every day in Italy.

I understand that "Winnie the Pooh" was written by A.A. Milne, however, the reason I mentioned it in my prior message is that the Disney version of Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, and Eeyore has been Americanized and those characters are appearing on postcards in Budapest. These are the bright vibrant-colored Disney characters and not the classic version of Pooh.

Why don't you wear one of those American things that look like shorts from the back but are solid in the front, like a skirt? For churches, be sure to get one that falls below the knees.

Skorts? Cullottes? Those must be the American thingies that look like a skirt in the front and shorts in the back.

Would it be appropriate for Bill to wear a kilt? Wonder how it would look with Tevas or Birkenstocks? Just do it without socks.

It's not a question of offending people by going into a church with shorts; it's a question of whether or not you'll even be let inside by the diligent clothing monitors. Just remember, they're only doing it for YOUR protection since God wrathfully hurls lighting bolts at people who dare to sinfully show their knees.

how can an adult wear some foolish looking pants that unzip and become shorts? plastic pocket protectors look really classy by comparison