Opinions on wearing white tennis shoes in Italy, please
 

Is it considered improper (or only tourists do it) for men to wear white tennis shoes in Italy? I have heard this for other European countries and have avoided doing so. However, we will be in Italy in June when I will likely want to wear bermuda shorts and my sense is that dark shoes (black tennis shoes or brown walking shoes) look stange with shorts. I suppose Tevas or sandles is another option, but for lots of walking they are not as comfortable. Or, maybe the idea of bermuda shorts is not good. Do Italians wear shorts in the summer? I am certainly not a guy overly concerned with fashion, but this one issue has be confused. Thanks for your help.

The Italian Fashion Police (IFP) will try to arrest you if you wear white tennis shoes. But they are pretty slow and especially sluggish right after lunch. Anyone with reasonable fitness should be able to out sprint them.

If you're not concerned with fashion, wear whatever you would like. I wore shorts in September, and saw lots of people in shorts, especially if it's warm.

As for the white tennis shoes, I hear the ones with the flashing lights on the heels are very much in fashion in Italy. :-) ((b))

Fear not, wear your white sneaks. Wear your shorts. You won't be thrown out of the country. People won't point their fingers at you and laugh.

There are tons of white tennis shoes (and various other "trainers" on all kinds of casually dressed people in Italy -- both among Italians (usually younger ones) and tourists.

My one suggestion is not to wear dark shoes and/or dark socks with shorts however unless you deliberately want to be mistaken as a German tourist.

Do the filthy rich really give a fig about what people think of their dress code? Right, neither should you.
If you find any difficulty having an attitude just imagine you're wealthier than a fellow called Gates and wear them thar shooooz!

Got back yesterday from Rome and Paris.

Just be aware that white tennis shoes make it easier for pickpockets to spot the tourists.

Woody

FYI / Action:

http://www.bermuda-online.org/shorts.htm

Wear what your comfortable with. Just show respect(covered knees and shoulders for women) when entering the Vatican and other churches.
I have yet to see any Italian fashion house or police run up to and award anyone who is well dressed or poorly dressed.
We wear New Balance shoes and we also wear sandals. The running shoes aren't white, they're a light gray.
Wear what is comfortable for walking in because you will be walking a lot.

Here's my story in answer to whenever this question is asked...

Visiting friends in Switzerland, getting ready to go shopping at the Saturday farmers market, I pull on my capris and white Nike sneakers. What does my local host pop out in? you guessed it, khaki shorts and big white sneakers herself.

I'd like to know if people object to the "white" tennis shoes or the "tennis" shoes? As an older person (well, according to my kids) who has flat feet and needs support (my mother
now wearing shoe brace due to the same problem)...I have decided my sneakers are going with me to Italy on our next trip. (summer also) There is no way I can walk/hike all over Italy (including the Amalfi Coast/Capri) in sandals. I will however, have dress shoes for dinner/evening. Not only that, my husband has had skin cancer (and my mother, too) so you will probably see both of us in hats (at least on the coast)...though hopefully mine will be fashionable! ;) I have decided I need to wear what enables me to travel "well". What good is it to wear "fashionable" if you end up with blisters or aching feet or legs.

So to the OP I say wear what is comfortable...my husband will wear shorts too as he considers anything over 70 to be hot! :D Have fun!

Because of serious knee problems, I wear New Balance (white or grey) just about everywhere, including with dresses. I've been on three continents in such garb, and have not yet been arrested!!

As Fodor's leading travel fashion expert, I can't possibly give you any advice unless I see you, your shorts, and your white trainers together. Can you post a photo?

Never, ever, darling, take fashion advice from Patrick. He is from South Florida, where people dress for hurricanes and swap meets.

Daughter of Dior.

every nationality has its dressing quirks. for americans, it tends to be (among other things), the white tennis shoe.

american europhiles on this board cringe at the idea of an american going to europe actually looking like an american. therefore, the white tennis shoe has become the "ultimate sin" on this board.

rest assured that here in europe, people really don't care and we see the dressing quirks of all nationalities. as they go, the white tennis shoe attracts no more curiosity than any other.

for what it's worth, no other nationality has so much problem with self image. russians don't mind looking like russians when they travel, poles have no problem, brits don't try to obscure their nationality by dressing differently abroad, etc, etc.

As Neopolitan has already mentioned, it's the color of your socks that will give you away. You'll be hard pressed to out do the German tourists!!

Wearing shorts will keep you out of most churches.

Hey, marshmellow shoes are OK for Rick Steves so you can do it too.

Do you mean 'trainers'? Do you mean 'running or jogging' shoes'? Will they be solid white? Can you use them to actually play tennis? Perhaps they may be an inexpensive leisure use shoe. Be assured, your hosts will notice nothing! You can wear mismatched shoes and no one will comment. The only thing you shouldn't do is appear barefoot. Next, remember that Europeans always exchange outside footwear at the door and put on slippers! You will be considered cultured if you carry a pair of slippers for those occasions.

I was wondering, if wearing white tennis shoes makes Americans stick out in European countries, then what do the local people (for example, in France or Italy) wear everyday?

I will be studying abroad in Provence this summer and I don't want to look like a tourist or stick out like a sore thumb.

We usually travel to Europe in Mar, April, .and Oct, NOv...so I always try to find black, or darkish running shoes (because I always wear black slacks.)My husband does the same , although we sometimes have "fun" with his occasional white socks he sneaks in! (:<) Traveling in June throughout summer I would imagine there will be loads of tourists AND locals with white athletic shoes. The weather is warmer and I suppose you will see lots of shorts also. You would look fine with longer kakies in June, and it seems most Italian men wear long pants.
Woody was "kinda" correct with his statement about white tennis shoes making it easier for pickpockets to spot the tourists.

Of course, you wear white tennis shoes and bermuda shorts. Italy is a free country. Everyone will be delighted about your smart sense of fashion and culture. Cab drivers are free to drive some extra way and to charge some extra money from you. Waiters in restaurants will be delighted to serve you the leftovers from last week and expect a superlarge tip. Receptionists will be delighted to give you the cleaning chamber and save the decent room that you have paid for to a decent guest. And everybody will get the opion that Americans and sensible and stylish guests.
I recollect hosting a party from California. Their guide asked me: "Why does everyone in Europe easily recognize us as Americans, even if we don't speak a word?" - It's the shoes, baby.

Do it, Rainman!

This is going to sound strange and a little out of sync with other posts I have written, but sometimes I really look forward to touristy dressing. It is sort of like sharing a personal joke with myself and it makes me giggle all day. Flip flops with a nice skirt, very athletic tennis shoes with an otherwise fashionable outfit. . . sometimes it feels good to be a rebel.

How about some sturdy walking sandals? Cooler for the feet also.

Shorts on men are relatively rare in Italy (and France). Sometimes men wearing shorts are not allowed in churches--though I haven't seen that lately.

My son studied in Rome and went to a soccer game on a hot September day. He couldn't believe he and his friends were the only ones in the whole stadium wearing shorts.

you will not be allowed in many churches in shorts.
women either.

the girls were buying (or taking out of their backpack) a thin beach wrap to cover up the bare legs.

the men sat outside.

Hi nancicita, all the younger people I know in Italy wear dark colored shoes what they call trainers (a sleak looking atheletic shoe I guess is the best way to describe them) and a lot of loafers and sometime ballet type shoes. None of them wear the typical white gym shoes. Well the fellows do not wear the ballet type shoes, LOL.

We were in Italy last August (Rome for almost a week then a cruise). There were more tourists in Rome than natives because the natives have sense enough to get out of Rome when it's so hot. I had heard the same thing about the white athletic shoes, but I luckily brought them anyway. I really needed them on days when hiking up Palatine Hill, through The Forum and Pompeii, etc. (think DUST). Plus, even walking on flat land is a challenge there because of the cobblestones. Don't worry about it--do whatever you can to be comfy because if you have any foot problems (e.g., you're over 50), Rome is not the place to have sore feet. Remember, though, that you will not be able to go into any church with shorts--and there really ARE fashion police at the Vatican. We saw many men and women barred from entering due to shorts (it's easy to put a shawl over bare shoulders but much harder to cover up knees!). I would suggest investing in a good pair of light-weight pants which you could rinse out at night if necessary. With regard to what the natives wear: the women wear stilettoes, look like they stepped out of Vogue, and never break a sweat (even though it was over 100 degrees the entire time we were there). They're also thin--easy to spot--and not because of their shoes! Enjoy--it is a trip of a lifetime!

Wow, I didn't realize that I would get this much input to the "white tennis shoes" question. Thank you to all of you - even those who were poking a bit of fun at me, there were beneficial messages there also. Polly_Magoo asked if I could post a picture so she could see the whole combination. No, I don't know how to do that but suffice it to say the "comination" looks just fine here in Florida where one can live in shorts and tee shirts (with collars on the golf course) and tennis shoes or sandles year round. No black or long socks would be part of the image.
Actually the choice of the term "tennis shoes" was probably not proper. Really trainers or running shoes is probably better. More specifically, New Balance (the most comfortable I have found) running/walking shoes. I have multi-toned brown ones that I wear with long trousers, but in my mind (and my wife's) they look really goofy with shorts.
The main messages I am hearing from all of you are:
- be comfortable, be yourself
- be aware that white shoes (and short pants too), will identify you as not from there
- no real big deal to be identified as not from there (I don't provide an easy target for pick-pockets anyway),
- shorts are not welcome in many of the churches

So, what am I going to do? I'll either forget about the idea of wearing shorts (and therefore be happy with the good, comfortable New Balance shoes that I have) and just wear light weight trousers OR get a pair of New Balance running shoes that are grey (or at least not bright white), as described in a couple of the replys and go ahead and wear shorts if it gets really hot.
Actually, with all of your help I won't be concerned about it anymore becuase I feel that which ever route I take won't get me arrested by the fashion police or cause any great problems (except for the sub-par service in the hotels and restaurants as described by one of the posts).
THANKS again.

I bought my last pair of white Addidas tennis shoes in Italy because I couldn't find that model here in the states anymore.

Italians wear them, but not out to dinner. Walking around during the day is no problem. Enjoy yourself & don't worry about it.

I'm sure you've seen tourists here in the states visiting from other countries. Did you really care what they were wearing?

For years we've been able to spot tourists in San Francisco by their white shoes,but only between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

annw, you forgot to mention that tourists in SF are also easy to spot because they are the ones in their shorts and thin T shirts freezing to death.

LOL so true loveitaly! They are the ones shivering in the cable car lines, poor dears!

LoveItaly,

< tourists in SF are also easy to spot because they are the ones in their shorts and thin T shirts freezing to death. >

Too funny, LoveItaly. I spent a week with my son in early March at his flat in Haight-Ashbury, and I couldn't bring myself to get out from under my comforter! "I left Spokane for THIIS?"

degas, you crack me up! :) Thanks for that link.

Have you seen the sandals/trainers that Keen and Merrell sell? Most of the shoe looks like a trainer/tennis shoe but it also has cut outs all along the side. They are supposed to be extremely comfortable with the support of a trainer yet have the cool factor of a sandal (without the uncool look of a white shoe).

I just posted this answer to another tread about folks worrying about what footwear to wear in Europe!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I think you are worrying too much
about what to wear in Italy, I for one dont see one single thing wrong with wearing Trainers if you are walking about all day, and need to have comfortable footwear. Dont take offense when i say this " but American people stress far too much worrying about what to wear coming to Europe"...Just wear what YOU find comfortable, and dont fret about what the Italians/French etc think about it. You are going to Italy to see the country and come back with happy memories, so why should you walk around in shoes that are uncomfortable just to please someone else!. Life is too short girl, put on your trainers and have a good time, and anyone doesnt like it, then its their problem!

Lucie