CarlCo

My wife, 14 yr. old granddaughter, and I will be visiting Italy in late May. From what I have heard one can not wear shorts in the churches. Do the women need to wear dresses or skirts? Can they wear slacks? Do they need to have their head covered?
Thanks for your help.
Carl

StCirq

My experience has been varied. In most churches, I've seen people denied entrance who are wearing shorts, and women who are wearing sleeveless shirts. Head coverings have not been required in my experience, nor have I seen women wearing pants be denied entry.

ira

Hi Carl,

In general, their garments should cover them from shoulders to knees. A scarf wouldn't hurt.

Otherwise, casual wear is OK.

adrienne

Hi Carl,

Headcoverings haven't been required for ladies since Vatican II (mid 60s) and even then a tissue would do the trick if you forgot your scarf or hat. Men, of course, would never have their heads covered in a church.

My view on visiting churches is they are houses of worship, even if you're not there to worship, and you should dress as though you were there to worship. I realize times have changed but I would never wear shorts to church at home so I wouldn't wear shorts in any church.

I saw a women at the basilica in Assisi with a most creative outfit. She was petit and wore a very large tee shirt over her shorts and halter top. The tee covered her knees. If your granddaughter wants to wear shorts and you want to visit churches you might carry along one of your tee shirts to put over her.

bardo

Carl,
Your post implies that you have never stepped foot inside a church. If this is the case, I suggest you go observe one here in the US on a Sunday (perhaps a Roman Catholic one to most closely match the Italian churches). Use your observations as a guideline as to the proper attire in Italian churches.

Christina

I don't think Carl's post implies he's never been in a church, just that he can't guess what rules they are going to impose in Rome for those who visit churches for historical or architectural interest reasons and aren't going to Mass. Visiting a church in the US isn't necessary nor does it even matter, because Italy is more conservative (well, the church is). It isn't really clear if Carl wants to go to service or just see the interiors, though.

I was raised Catholic and they don't have the same rules everywhere, nor in various countries, regarding dress codes (or even mortal sins, or the old rule about eating meat varied by country as to consequences). The old hankie on the head thing was one example of rules that were silly and didn't really pertain to their original purpose, which sort of tied in with the idea of women as sources of evil/temptresses, etc (St Jerome, etc al), and hair as being their crowning glory and can't be shown for vanity or other reasons. Somehow that idea (which is still around in various religions) changed to the concept that having any piece of trash pinned to your head accomplished the purpose.

Lots of people wear anything they want nowadays to church, even when it is a service. I'm nonreligious but it amazes me what I see people wear to go to services or even funerals.

I don't dress the way I would for a religious services when I am viewing churches for historical or artistic reasons, and see no reason for it myself because I am not there for worship and don't believe in that. It's a building. I don't wear shorts much anyway while on vacation in Europe, but have seen plenty of people wearing shorts in the summer to view the inside of churches, and it is allowed in any place I've been (other than Italy) and all those churches are Catholic, also.

For services, attire would probably be more conservative. There are Catholic parishes in the US that don't allow slacks on women and still require head coverings, actually. There are also Catholic churches that allow shorts during services in the US. I know of some in resort areas.

highledge

Ira is right- shoulders and knees need to be covered. But if I were going this summer I'd cover my shoulders and take a chance with a skirt (or skort from Land's End?) that was close to the knees.
IMHO the better dressed get better service and more respect. Proper attire will serve you well in and outside of a church in Italy!

kismetchimera

Always bring a large souvenir scarf with you..it is very light, but it will come handy if you wear a sleeveless dress or thank top and you decide to stop to the many various churches around..

flanneruk

highledge:

"better service and more respect"

Do you get vintage communion wine? Discount on the number of Our Fathers at Confession? Personalised sermons? Free headsets to translate any bits of the Mass that might be in Latin?

e_roz

Very few people wearing shorts or short skirts. Your knees shld be covered. Skirt, pants, capris. I brought a scarf and wrapped it around bare shoulders and got in fine!

highledge

Flanneruk- better yet, a free pass to heaven!!!
Sorry about the previous post, I was thinking about OUTSIDE of church not just in church. Seriously I think that if someone shows up in shorts and a tank top they won't get in. However if the same person were to show up in a shoulder covering shirt and a knee skimming skirt, they would get into a church. THAT"S what I should have said in the first post. But where is the vintage wine? I've only ever gotten the regular stuff. (I can follow the Latin Mass- same cadence)

Underhill

This is where a pashmina comes in very handy.

angel_UK

I haven't been to Italy, but whenever I have been to Malta I always took a thin cardigan out with me to slip on if I knew we would be visiting churches.
I think some churches wouldn't allow men in with bare shoulders either. Most churches had wrap around skirts to hand out to anyone who was wearing shorts, but I suppose Malta is more geared up for that, as opposed to visiting a city in Italy.
I walked into the Mosta Dome in Malta (with cardigan on) and thought I was quite respectable with my skirt just above my knee, until I got accosted by a little old lady who actually slapped me on my legs
The door attendant came running over with a skirt and apologised to me. I won't be making that mistake again

SalB

What one wears in the US is not necessarily a good guideline. There are unfortunately quite a few young women (almost said ladies) in our church who wear shorts and tank tops to church in the summer. They would not get in the door of St. Peter's in Rome! We do not have fashion police although we get the occasional lecture from the pulpit.

Skirts are as cool as shorts. Loose slacks are acceptable. Tops of arms should be covered, so either wear a blouse with sleeves or carry a scarf of some sort and wrap it around your shoulders. Often in tourist areas, there are scarves available for this purpose but don't count on it. I would think a 14-year-old could wear khaki slacks and a tee shirt and be okay. Knees and shoulders would be covered.

Have a wonderful trip.

indytravel

From the signs I've seen in front of a few churches, I thought regular shorts were OK on men, but lederhosen were a definite no-no.

CarlCo

Thanks everyone for you answers. I know what people wear in my church. I know what was accepted in churches in France this past summer, but I have heard some things about what was accepted in churches in Italy. I didn't want my granddaughter to be embarrassed.
Thanks again.
Carl

BrimhamRocks

Have a great trip, Carl!

suntravler

You will find that dress codes vary from place to place depending on the person doing the inspection or there may be no one at all checking visitors.

We found the rules most strict when visiting St. Peter's in Rome. Women were allowed to wear slacks. No bare shoulders. Nothing too low cut at the neck. Skirts and dresses needed to be DEFINITELY below the knee. No shorts.

To be safe and most respectful, my best advice is to get a large scarf which is easy to carry or wear around your neck. When entering a church, you can use it to cover bare shoulders or even to wrap around like a skirt if necessary. This is one of the most useful travel tips I can give you.

I think it is great you are taking your granddaughter on this trip. May I suggest you prepare her in advance for many of the things she will be seeing so she can better appreciate it all.

AnneO

Another option for your granddaughter might be the zip-off cargo pants...she can wear them long for visiting the churches, then if it is hot, she can zip off the legs and be wearing shorts for other sites. Worked for a friend of mine's child last summer. Also, be aware that it is not just bare shoulders... she must have sleeves. A friend of mine also got a very rude slap for wearing a sleeveless sweater (full shoulders, not a tank, but no sleeves). She had a cardigan, so just put it on once she understood what the issue was! She was VERY embarrassed as she is always dressed very nicely, and thought having her shoulders covered was sufficient.

Enjoy your trip!

Anne

travellingcouple

I found the best item to take for churches etc is a cheap wrap around longskirt.That way if I am wearing shorts or capris I just wrap the skirt over them just before going in.They are lightweight and fold up into pocket or purse.