rbnwdln

OK, I'm packing and am trying as per my earlier post and advice to pack light. (Seems the only thing I get rid of out of the suitcase is my husband's stuff! Yikes.) Anyway, I just looked up the temps on Florence and it will be in the 90's. I am debating whether to throw in a pair of shorts. The 90's! Can I go in churches, etc with shorts? Or should I just forget it and stick to skirts? Man, this packing light is a killer.

caroline_edinburgh

Some churches let you in with shorts to the knee (although worshippers may still frown at you) & some stop you going in with any shorts. Similarly with the shoulders - some allow sleeveless as long as not strappy, some don't. I always play safe & wear a skirt covering my knees and a top with at least vestigial sleeves if I might be visiting churches.

ira

Hi rbn,

Take shorts. Buy a couple of very light weight Pashminas at a souvenier stand.

Use one as a shawl to cover your shoulders, wrap the other around your waist as a skirt when you go into the churches.

FainaAgain

Here is a practical idea: wear shorts under skirt on the plane, your packing is still light

SuzieC

Skirts are so cool though...airy

suze

Absolutely take 1 pair of shorts. I wouldn't wear them into a church though.

janis

Shorts are fine, not daisy-duke-ish short shorts, but normal walking shorts.

Just don't wear them on days you expect to visit churches. And besides - a light cotton or broomstick skirt is cooler than most shorts.

SiestaLinda

I agree with Ira, do the shawl thing and then when you are not in the churches just put the shawls in your day pack---also can do Capris--this is what I wore and never a problem

Christina

I would definitely take some shorts, just don't assume you are going in churches that way. I haven't been there, but wonder if they sell pashminas at souvenir stands cheaply in Italy. Are these real pashminas, or just synthetic fleeced heavy rayon large scarves? Because in Spain, they just sell rayon scarves on the street cheaply, but they aren't pashminas. They are rather hot for temps in the 90s, and I wonder if they'd sell them in Florence in the summer. They do sell these synthetic brushed rayon scarves in Paris in the summer, though.

I have another idea for packing light -- have you ever been to a beach or resort in Mexico or the Caribbean? All the vendors sell these lightweight rayon pareos (some very pretty, they are usually made in India) which can be wrapped as a skirt. They can fold up fairly small, and you could carry one of those around. They are a lot lighter weight than the brushed fleece rayon fake "pashminas" they sell in Europe. You could easily put one of them in your suitcase.

suze

a backpacker trick is carry a broomstick type skirt in your day bag to pull on over shorts if you want to visit a church.

Ronda

I definitely wouldn't recommend wearing shorts in Florence. When we went a couple of years ago with my 18 year old daughter and her girlfriend, they insisted on wearing shorts because it was hot. Boy were they sorry - Italien men gave them way more attention than they wanted - pinching, etc. If you must wear them, bring a longer length or even a capri.

I met a mother at the train station backpacking with her two daughters. She had them in ankle length broom skirts. They weren't too happy about it but Mom said she didn't like the attention shorts had brought.

nytraveler

Shorter shorts, bare midriffs or very bare bosom are likly to attract unwanted attention - esp on public busses or subways.

Knee length shorts may well bar you from churches - or cause unfriendly comments from the locals (they consider shorts in church to be VERY disrespectful - as we would a swimsuit).

sera

I wear long, lighweight linen pants in Italy when it's hot. Just think it looks nicer. But, then again, I hate shorts on just about everyone!

rbnwdln

Lots of good ideas. Still don't know if I should throw in the shorts. See, I'm doing it again. Throwing something in 'just in case.' Somebody stop me!!!I can't help myself!

suze

Short for Italy when it's over 90 degrees F is not in the -throwing something in just in case- category!

You will be hot I guarantee it and at some point you will wish you'd brought the shorts. Not for touring or for visiting cathedrals, but the day you have a picnic in a park or around your hotel room at the end of the day, etc.

kfusto

I would never wear shorts in Italy, period.

I am leaving next week for my 14th visit. I have 4 cotton skirts, a pair of capris, a long linen dress and assorted t's with cap sleeves to pair them with. This is my total daytime wardrobe for ten days.

Cooler, and appropriate for churches and anywhere else.

This is an endlessly debated topic on these boards. Italians as a rule save shorts for the beach. When in Rome.....

suze

Like the last two posts show, this is a debate with no answer.

You should take them or not, and you will see for yourself how you would do things differently or the same on the next trip. Packing is a personal and continually evolving art IMO.

Same for wearing sneakers, etc. Each person figures out what suits them, what they really need, and what they can do without while traveling. I never and I mean never wear skirts, for example.

Jolie

I really do try not to wear shorts if at all possible. But on one trip to Rome in the summer, it was so hot that I ended up wearing my shorts out (I had brought them with me just to wear around the hotel room).

As I walked around town, I overheard another American excitedly telling his wife "I told you I wouldn't be the only one wearing shorts!" So at least I made one guy's day.

Recommendation: take one pair of shorts along; they don't take up that much room. See if you can last without wearing them - but if feel you need them, at least you'll have them with you.

SeaUrchin

I don't think I could bring myself to wear shorts in Rome or Florence. I can't imagine wearing them in other cities like Paris, Assisi or any other big city either. I would wear capris, a skirt or a dress. I think a man could get away with wearing those new cargo knee shorts in cities on a hot day. Well, I guess a young thin woman could wear those too.

In the beach towns I do wear long shorts around town but even at one of the villas I rented in Praiano I wore short shorts on the grounds and got looks from the locals! Not all of them approving, ha.

A skirt would be more useful because you could wear it into restaurants and churches.

rbnwdln

I think I will bring them and see what happens. Crazy packer also has 2 pairs of capris, a pair of cotton pants, 4 skirts, and 2 casual dresses so I should be OK! Now, what about my husband? I just packed 3 pairs of longish, cargo shorts for him to wear with polos. Will he be out of place? He also has 2 pairs of khakis and a pair of jeans. Yikes.