morgannalefey

I thought I'd read in a travel guide that while slacks (for men) and capri style pants (for women) were more acceptable clothing and shorts were not, in most of Italy, this wasn't entirely true on the Amalfi Coast.

I had THOUGHT that we'd be fine with wearing our shorts (out in the 80-90 degree heat every day) just walking around the towns, doing shopping, and not going into any churches. Now my husband has just read in a different guide (I can't find the thing I read over six months ago about this when we first started planning the trip) that shorts are ONLY acceptable if you're on the beach, and that otherwise, he's going to have to wear slacks, everywhere.

Is this true? We're flying out on Sept. 11th. The weather doesn't look to be cooling down much at this point. He's going to be -dying- in slacks in 90 degree heat. We live in Vermont, and all he wears are shorts from April through the beginning of December. All of the slacks we have for him are cotton twill, which is better than freekin' wool, but even so, they're hardly light and comfortable...

I was completely not expecting to have to go out and buy a bunch of clothes for this. I really thought our casual clothing would have been sufficient. I might be able figure something out with some of my skirts (though even those are going to be kinda on the hot side to wear all day), but I'm not going to wear ballet shoes or sandals with my skirts walking up and down hills all day long. I HAVE to wear shoes that will support my feet and legs, so I'm going to look totally dorky with my skirts and new balance shoes.

I'm really reeling here, and starting to panic a bit. *sigh*

stracciatella

You can of course wear shorts. Your husband can wear shorts. Do not panic so easily! You are supposed to relax on the Amalfi. You will see many Italian men on the Amalfi and in Capri wearing shorts when they are walking in town.

What is no acceptable is to wear your bathing suit while you walk around town. You can only wear that on the beach. If your husband's shorts look like a bathing suit (some American bathing shorts do), that is ok, but he needs to put on a shirt. It is ok for you to put a little dress over your bathing suit, even if it is see-thru.

I am in New York City and I am wearing my capris and Teva hiking sandals all the time except I bought those little flat slippers you can put in your purse and I wear them into restaurants. New York is the fashion capital of the world. The Amalfi coast is just a place to enjoy. Don't worry so much.

stracciatella

http://www.whatisjameswearing.com/ra...illa-cimbrone/

morgannalefey

Well, mostly it was that I really try to be sensitive to other cultures and we wouldn't want to offend anyone. Also don't want to come across as ugly Americans unintentionally. Thank you for relieving my mind. I didn't expect to go into some fancy restaurant without dressing properly. Just glad I hadn't entirely misread things and doomed my husband to being uncomfortable while we're supposed to be relaxing.

kybourbon

You will see shorts in much of Italy if it's hot, not just on the coast and not just on Americans.

ekc

We have a friend who lives on the Amalfi Coast and who visited us several times when we were in Positano in June and he always wore shorts and a golf shirt (except when we went out to a nice dinner).

Mimar

It might be a good idea for your husband to buy one pair of very lightweight, easy-to-wash-and-dry pants. For restaurant dinners on the AC and in the summer in the US.

ekc

To follow-up on Mimar's suggestion, there are a couple of great linen stores in Positano, where your hubby could buy a pair of linen pants to wear in the evening. One less thing to pack and a great souvenier when you return home!

gailw

Wow - this post could have come from me! we live in NH and the S.O. prides himself on wearing shorts from April through Thanksgiving (at the least) and has really balked at my suggestion that shorts aren't appropriate on the AC (where we're heading 10/2). The above feedback has been very helpful in relieving my mind, for all the same reasons stated by OP. SO has the same kind of "emergency only" pants as her husband and they're too warm if the temps are still high while we're there. Although I don't think he'll go for linen pants, even as a souvenir, at least I know we can count on his not appearing too out-of-place in his cargo shorts.
Thanks!

gailw

and p.s.
same thoughts about comfortable/supportive shoes with skirts for me.
*sigh*

ekc

Ah gail, the age-old shoe question! That is always the hardest part of packing for me! This year when in Positano, I brought a pair of wedge sandals (wore them on the plane to save space in the luggage) because I wanted a nice pair of shoes to wear to dinner. I also brought a pair of nice flip-flops, which were fine for wearing around town. I also brought a pair of ballet flats with a gel sole insert that I wore on days when I knew we would be walking more (i.e. Amalfi/Ravello day trip) and then I brought a pair of rubber flip-flops for wearing on the beach. It worked out just fine.

morgannalefey

The thing with buying pants for him is that he's not shaped like a typical man, and he is very large. His waist is around 60 inches and his hip measure is around 70 inches, due to a large bottom and belly. The chances of there being ANYthing in any store around there that would fit him is close to nil.

In the midst of my panic last night, I purchased a pair of pants through tailor4less.com, which are going to be made to his exact measurements. They're in a light cotton fabric, and are in the beige family. I'm hoping that when he finally has pants that are actually tailored for him, he'll find that they're not as uncomfortable as he always finds pants to be. Off the rack pants NEVER fit him correctly. Still, I doubt that they'll ever feel so great that he'd eschew his casual shorts for them. Plus at $90 for the pair, he practically choked at the thought.

Still, I'd been planning to buy them for the cruise we're taking in March. It's looking like they won't make it here in time for our trip in a week and a half. Oh well. He has some other slacks we can pack that he can wear.

Also, AC doesn't make him cold. Ever. He wears shorts when it is 30 degrees out, and he has to be outside in it. He just doesn't get cold easily. But yeah, we'll pack one pair of slacks we can wash and hang to dry for eating in a nicer place.

Again, thanks, you all rock.

morgannalefey

OH "The AC" being the Amalfi Coast I am SO stupid sometimes...

ekc

Have a great trip M!!

nytraveler

Depends on what you do. if you are planning on any nicer restaurants - you will both be much more comfortable in something better than shorts. If all you're going to do in casuale cafes - you can wear what you want - but you won;t be mistaken for locals.

Weadles

Just to echo what everyone else has said, shorts are fine. We visited the Amalfi Coast this June. It was boiling hot, and 99% of the guys - my husband included - were wearing shorts. My husband wore khaki pants when we went out for dinner, but we sometimes saw guys in shorts at the more casual restaurants. And no arrests were made.

morgannalefey

We'll bring along a pair of slacks and a nice shirt so he can dress up for dinner.

camelotdb

Just returned from the AC late last night. My husband prides himself on being a good dresser and does wear shorts a lot but he wanted to pack a pair of dress pants just in case. I talked him out of it and they were not needed. We went to some very nice restaurants and he was just perfect. No, he didnt look like a local but that was never his intention. A tourist is a tourist And the locals are happy that you are their supporting them.

Just relax and enjoy.