Now that I know what to wear in Italy, are there any suggestions on Men's travel wear? A friend told us for my husband to take a light weight sports jacket...... He really doesn't want to.... Should he?

yes take a sports coat, wear it on the plane ride. the men i know do this because they feel dressing better is a good idea when traveling for all kinds of reasons (getting better service, etc.).

When are you going? will he need a jacket anyway? If he will what will he take vs a sport jacket.

(You will need them in Italy only for the most formal restaurants and other similar activites - nice seats at the opera etc.)

But - Italians do dress very well and notice clothes - if you are very casual - well I won;t say you'll get bad service or be ignored since mostly they're too polite- but they will notice.

(I have never been to Italy with a man who didn;t take at least a blazer - but then I have never been to Italy with a man in August.)

Unless you are part of the Nieman Marcus or over 70 crowd, I would not take a sports jacket to Italy. If you are not going to any formal restaurants, do him a favor and tell him to leave it at home.

My answer to this question is the same as always:

Most people look better in their clothes than without them. I therefore recommend that you wear clothes.

If you're going this summer, leave the sports jacket at home! Italy is having another heatwave. Even the lake country is very very hot-- we just got home this morning-- but yesterday was over 90 degrees!

I was convinced to take a lightweight blazer on our recent trip to Europe--the first time I ever took any sort of sports jacket, including to Italy. I had to carry it around the airport and on the plane, otherwise it stayed in the trunk of the car the entire trip.

I agree with some of the above posters--leave it at home unless you're pretty sure you'll be going to some restaurant or function that requires it.

We've never been snubbed or received poor service because of a lack of a sports coat. Though I suppose there might be shallow people in Italy who would get some sort of thrill or perverse psychological satisfaction out of doing so. We've just never met any of them.

bblount
I'm with you. Get your guy to bring this sport coat. Light weight, classy fabric and he'll feel great.

He'll look finished in Italy with a coat.

Blackduff

Or, you could go without a sports coat and buy one there. A nice Italian sports jacket would make a good souvenir. And, if it's too hot, then you could discard the idea altogether.

From your previous posts I see you are traveling in September, it may be cool in Tuscany for instance. He should bring some kind of jacket, even leather in a nice cut would be fine. What kind of jackets does he have? Italian fashions for men are wonderful, he can buy one there.

I would suggest that he wears whatever he feels comfortable in, doesn't that make common sense?

Jacket or not, well again it depends on whether he likes to wear one or not, I don't feel dressed without one except at a beach resort in summer. In September some evenings may require something warmer, although thankfully most Italian restaurants don't have freezing AC.

But as last poster said, buy a jacket in Italy and have something nice and stylish to come home in.

BTW it has cooled down a lot in Northern Italy this week. Positively chilly at 80F

If you own any bright green, mustard yellow, red or other extremely colorful pants that your wife or SO normally won't let you wear, wear them in Italy! You will fit right in. I also observed men in capri pants - not women, but men. Of course, if you really want to fit in in Rome, wear a dark suit, smoke, and talk on your cell phone.

Why are men so against sportcoats? Are they really that uncomfortable? I'm a gal, and I find blazers to be as comfortable as a regular outerwear jacket, yet they give a dressier look with little effort.

Now pantyhose and high heels, that is uncomfortable!!! If the guys had to spend a day walking around in those, they would beg to get their sport coats back!!

I think the question of a sportjacket or blazer boils down to how a man dresses at home, the activities and type of restaurants one plans on going to and the weather of course.

My late husband wore a suit and tie every working day. It was his "uniform" so to speak. So whereever we went on a trip he took some kind of a sportjacket or blazer. The material depended on what type of weather we would have on the trip.

He always wore the sportjacket or blazer on the plane. And he always wore whatever he brought with him several times either because of coolish weather or just because that is what he was comfortable wearing.

A man that hardly ever wears this type of clothing would no doubt not want to take it on a trip with him.

BlueSwimmer, I too have always found blazers so comfortable and so more workable than just an outer jacket (unless it is freezing cold). I like coats that are cut so that I can wear them over a blazer. But again I think it is just what one is use to wearing.

bblount, if your husband doesn't want to take a sports jacket I wouldn't worry about it. And who knows, as others here have suggested, you two might find one in Italy that he would like to purchase. Generally Italian clothes are so beautiful. Best regards.

It really depends on where you are going and what you are doing. I'll say this. During our recent 2 and a half weeks in Italy (then 2 and a half weeks in France), my sportcoat never got used -- not once. We didn't eat in any 4 or 5 star restaurants, but we ate in some very nice ones. Generally speaking a sportcoat would have made me stand out like a sore thumb. It the current hot weather, for all casual activities the local "uniform" consists of those men's capri pants and a buttoned and collared shirt not tucked in -- period. For even nice restaurants, I think I could count on one hand the number of men I saw in coats -- who weren't clearly American businessmen. Regular shirts and dressy or casual slacks were pretty much it.

Budman - I was thinking the same thing "Unless you are part of the Nieman Marcus or over 70 crowd..."

I am so glad my wife doesn't have to make my clothing decisions for me.

Look at this sports coat, this would be perfect in Italy. The guy isn't so bad either, lol.

http://tinyurl.com/kxkj2

The men I know who take ONE linen sportcoat when they travel in summer are neither 70 years old or the Neiman Marcus type.

Boy, lots of different opinions... As was said though it depends on what you are comfortable wearing and where you plan on dining. My husband wears a sport coat or suit to church, weddings, theater and formal events. That's it. So since we will be in Italy in late September, and hope to eat at all those restaurants recommended by the locals, he will probably just take a light jacket with him.
I so enjoy all you crazy travelers out there.
Thanks,
BB