Italy Dress Code
 

I will be in Venice, Florence and Rome this summer with my husband. What is the dress code during the day? How do we have to dress for dinner? Is shorts and sneakers appropriate for the day? Can jeans be worn at night with sneakers or does my husband need dress pants and shoes , etc?

What is this HAVE and MUST nonsense?

You are on holiday, dress age and shape appropriate. At nicer restaurants, slacks or khakis are appropriate for men, dresses for women. In churches, women must cover their shoulders.

And he could bring docksiders or similar non-dressy shoes instead of sneakers for jeans at night, and G*d only knows how many options you have, but it's not like the Italians will refuse to serve you. Their economy is horrid, you're bringing money, the math favors you.

Smart casual is fine, and that includes jeans. Italians live in their jeans -- although I find them way too hot for the places you are going. Shorts will be fine. Don't let people talk you out of them. I live in Italy. Italians wear shorts, but obviously not to nice restaurants for dinner.

If you and girls are comfortable with lightweight skirts (broomstick skirts) they are very stylish here, even with just the simplest top. For your husband, a pair of very lightweight nice pants (even drawstring) might come in handy.

Italians favor "euro-styling" in their athletic shoes, but they too will wear running shoes. Carrying a pair of ballet flats or simple sandals for dinners can relieve fashion anxieties.

There is no dress code -- and believe me, I see Italians in get ups I wouldn't be caught dead in. You will be treated very well wherever you go if you are dressed neatly.

There is "dress code" in Italy. (Where do people get this stuff?)

Now visiting churches, that's another matter. Usually they want the shoulders and knees covered - no bare tops like halters or shorts. Sometimes a scarf is provided to cover the shoulders, but always.

Obviously some fancy restaurants might have a dress code or prefer that people not look like slobs, but the vast majority of places let the casual tourists in, shorts and sneakers and all. If you go to upscale places, dress accordingly. Just like at home.

I definitely agree with those above me....as long as you're nice to people and are spending money you'll be treated well. Shorts are good for the heat and jeans will cover almost any occasion. A nice dress/shirt/nice pairs of pants for dinner can't hurt in case you want to take in some 5 star dining, but people are very open minded about fashion. Many people wear things that I think are downright skanky so I think as long as anything you don't want out is covered you'll be fine. It is worth mentioning that in places like Saint Peter's etc, they don't allow bare shoulders and skirts/shorts that are shorter than knee length may not be the best idea. Other than that, anything's fair game (even being at the beach and deciding to go topless).

Oops, I meant to type "There is NO dress code in Italy." Duh.

There is no dress code. But the two times I visited Venice (in the summer) it was HOT. I wouldn't have wanted to be wearing jeans, that's for sure. I think a nice pair of capris and sneakers for a woman is OK for day. For your husband some knee length docker-styled shorts and deck shoes is good. Casual, but not like you're going to the beach.

For evening it depends what types of restaurants you plan to go to, if you need a dressier outfit or not.

I just came back from Italy...here's my take on dress codes...NO ONE cares what you wear. Just wear what you'd wear in your hometown/city for the same occasion. I saw lots of white pants & capris. Also, I noticed quite a few women had on tights under their short skirts so they could pass the church dress codes. I saw just below the knee, mid-calf and ankle length tights. Looked cute on the thinner gals but I would think it would be too hot. We were there mid May and it was hot & humid. Comfortable shoes are important since you're walking on uneven surfaces almost all the time. I wore my NB country walkers and packed a pr of Teva sandals & a pr of Ecco sandals...couldn't wear the sandals because I got blisters and these are shoes that have been broken in! I wished I'd taken another pair of 'athletic type shoe'. Believe everyone when we say it doesn't matter what you wear because you will see every kind of outfit and no one is really looking at what you have on. So, please yourself and by all means be comfortable! As for shorts, I only saw the very young girls in shorts while sight-seeing in Rome or any of the other popular tourist places. Perhaps they'd be more appropriate hiking or some other sort of activity but not for churches, etc.

You dress for where you're going. Obviously you don;t want to go into a 3* restaurant in levis and sneakers. (Or, at least, I hope this is obvious.)

If you're going to a casual place it's OK to dress casually. (But, casual is NOT the same as cleaning out the garage.)

Frankly I don't undestand the problem - we dress in europe the same as we would at home. (Of course, for some people that would be a problem. Recently on the US board someone mentiond in a trip report that they were turned away from an elegant restaurant because her husband hadn't brought any long pants on the trip.)

If you don;t know how to dress at home I can't help you.

<i>Obviously you don;t want to go into a 3* restaurant in levis and sneakers. (Or, at least, I hope this is obvious.)</i>

You'd be surprised. I've worn jeans to some top restaurants before. And I've rarely/never been the only one. I pretty much wear jeans everywhere - it takes a specific prohibition to get me to wear anything else. Not sneakers, though.

Jeans are pretty much always acceptable, except to the most staid locations - say the Opera, dinner at the Ritz (do they still have a dress code in the evenings?), that sort of thing. For most restaurants, though, you will be fine. I would put away the sneakers and wear something nicer than a t-shirt, but the jeans should be fine. As others have noted, though, you may find light pants more comfortable in the heat. Shorts should be fine for the heat of the day, but that might be pushing it for dinner at a lot of places.

There absolutely IS a dress code in Italy. And it's got nothing to do with the absurdities Americans get their oversized knickers in a twist about.

The code is: smart. Jeans, shorts or trainers are fine just about everywhere. But you'll look odd if they're dirty, torn or badly pressed. The authorities in tourist-oriented churches have a prurient, and totally unChristian, obsession with banning displays of flesh. But in real churches, where worshippers go to Mass, even this insanity is ignored (like many Italian men, I've been wearing shorts for summer Sunday Masses in Italy for the past half-century)

What happens if you break the code and dress badly? Apart from the problem with Italy's sex-obsessed clerics (well, what else can you expect with a President as repellent as theirs?), absolutely nothing. Normal Italians, if they notice, will chalk you up as another example of the tackiness of <i> gli stranieri </i>

And say or do nothing about it. Italians, by and large, are just too polite to draw your attention to your tackiness. You'll be served, looked after and treated with charm whatever you're wearing.

Your chances of pulling if badly dressed, though, are zero.

If you plan on visiting the Casino in Venice, gentlemen must wear a jacket and tie. Or that's what the sign says - I've never visited.

Hi, BUNCHEE315
Don't worry too much about what you should or should not wear in Italy in places not considered sacred (churches, etc need arms and above the knees covered). For walking around, going to eat, etc. wear what you feel comfortable. You may not fit in exactly with the decor of what is around you but as many others have indicated above you will be served. Personal experience is that Italians put a little bit more into the attire, even casual when wearing casual clothes. Other than tourists, which of course you can spot - don't try to blend in. Jeans, shorts and sneakers/runners were not overly prevalent, but nothing too dressy either. I have to say, walking down via Nazionale, I could spot the tourists (and who cared) and I could also tell the locals (they all looked good and smelled great!)
Best thing is to be comfortable and enjoy your time there!

I disagree with Jenn_Mitch pretty strongly. What's the point of going to another country if you're going to hold yourself apart?

I grew up in a touristic area and never really liked it when tourists brought their home cultures with them. If you're going to do that, why not stay home?

Additionally, I've noticed that if you go out of your way to embrace local culture, the locals will go out of their way to embrace you, and your experience will be greatly enhanced.

Badbcky-Thanks for your reply! I was thinking along those lines (planning a trip for our family in June), so I'm glad you said something...

"There absolutely IS a dress code in Italy. And it's got nothing to do with the absurdities Americans get their oversized knickers in a twist about."

I am tired of hearing Flanneruk and his condescending jabs at Americans. Such a miserable pratt!

People on holiday dress like tourists, everywhere in the world. That's the way it should be -- you don't want to dress like you're going to work, do you?

There are indeed a few church rules to 'worry' about (unlike France), but apart from that you can dress as you please unless you really want to go to snooty places, which cause just as many complications for ordinary Italians as for visitors.

>>>I am tired of hearing Flanneruk and his condescending jabs at Americans.<<<

It took you two years to get upset about it? This thread is two years old. A newbie replied to it without paying attention to the date.

No it didn't take two years to get upset. I just keep hearing him say inflamatory things about Americans over the years - and once he was terribly rude concerning a post I made not so long ago. The guy gives fundamentally good travel advice there is no doubt, but he likes to rock the boat just to get a rise out of people. I guess its "my bad" for letting him get to me.

Italian Dress Code: Wear black and at least 3-4inch stiletto heels everywhere.

ooops. Sorry. That is France.

The year doesn't matter.

I think Italian dress code is to wear clothes on the street and not go naked :-), and don't wear a dress if you are a man :-)(-:

Jokes aside be comfortable, you are a tourist and no straniero will ever look like an Italian who are born with style in their jeans. If you are American they will forgive you, but I would wear a nice pair of pants in the evening except if you are in the country.

Painted on jeans and platforms and lots of gold jewelry for the women

Whenever this topic comes up (and it comes up frequently), for me the primary issue is "what is comfortable clothing"? and secondarily "looking like a tourist."

On the issue of what is comfortable, there are completely polar distinctions. Some people simply mean casual, i.e. for men a polo shirt and jeans or dockers with deck shoes or loafers; for women a nice blouse (not skin tight tank) with slacks and flats (Anne Klein has many flats with good support). Others interpret comfortable to mean the most effortless outfits, i.e. t-shirt and shorts that look more like someone is going to wash the car rather than visit another country. I've never understood how dressing comfortably means dressing down. Personally, I don't wear t-shirts out of the house and likewise I wouldn't consider them appropriate travel attire anywhere, but particularly France or Italy.

Jeans are completely acceptable for day, but I wouldn't wear them at night unless I put a blazer/dressy top and some funky jewelry with them. Jeans can be easily dressed up.

With regard to "looking like a tourist," this is important to some and just not a big deal to others. But again, it's not so much whether you're blending in or not, but that you're being respectful of another culture. As has been mentioned hundreds of times here, there are people who will target tourists whether for a scam or otherwise. If you make an effort to wear clothes more in line with the locals, you won't stick out like a sore thumb and it's less likely to happen.

IMHO the "dress code" is just to dress age appropriately, look nice and don't be sloppy. After all, you're going to get your picture taken!

I was too timid to aim my camera at the elderly French woman wearing all black including a mini skirt and very high stilettos as we climbed the steep stone pathway to Castle Beynac in France. She was permanently sun-tanned and had her hair artfully styled, but obviously was in her 70s. Her companion appeared to be her adult daughter who was casually dressed and in more appropriate shoes. I've vowed to never let that happen again. She must have been a faded film star, or perhaps a model (she was that slender.)

I also grew up in a tourist area, but I don't have any problem with people bring their home cultures with them. Just because they are on a beach in CA, are traditional Muslim women supposed to shed their head scarves and modest dress to sport a bikini? People are who they are and we are all different - spice of life and all that. I do think appropriate clothing is important, of course, but there is only so much blending people can reasonably be expected to do.

I'm tired of Americans coming to Canada with overcoats in July. Geez it's not that cold up here.

Uh-oh busted: what a hilarious mental image! Thanks for that. I think you should have gotten the photo.