Okay, I need help. We are going to Rome. Forence and the countryside of Italy in a week. Everyone is telling my wife that we cannot possibly wear jeans like we do here - it is just not done and would make us stand out too much. I feel I'm going to look like a tourist in any case, so what's the big deal. But her friends are saying that jeans is just a faux pas of huge proportions.
Any comments on this from your experiences?

Thanks,

cesca1

yeah....there are a Hell of a lot of ITALIANS committing a faux pas these days.

Everybody wears jeans (except business(wo)men and other formal occasions, of course). Jeans will definitely not make you stand out as a tourist (they won't help you hide it, but, as you said, it won't be that hard to tell anyway).

"we cannot possibly wear jeans like we do here."
If you're wearing comfort jeans with baggy t-shirts with logos for beer or universities on them, you should take the advice. I think there's a lot of confusion because most Americans wear comfort clothes and why not? When you're close to home and your wearing your favorite t-shirt and ball cap you can always go home and change if you want to go somewhere nice.
If you're on vacation and your clothing is limited it's best to wear something that you can go to a nice restaurant after you finish strolling through a park or museum.
I always take jeans that fit well and look nice with me. I leave the dog walking t-shirts at home, with my dog.

Sigh. Who's giving you this advice?

Of course Italians wear jeans, in fact I'm starting to think that Italians under the age of 35 have had them surgically grafted to their legs. As for jean style, this is also one area where Italians seem to have completely lost the fashion plot. They seem to favour any pair that has some kind of paint splashing, tie-dying, gold stitching, sequined 'enhancement'.

As for sweatshirts with logos, there's a mania going around amongst Italians youths to have some kind of town/country/football team/university name splashed across zip up tops - any name that ISN'T italian. I find it really odd that there are so many ragazzi wandering around with 'ENGLAND' emblazoned on their backs.

The big difference, I guess, is that jean wearing is generally a younger person's sport. The old guys hanging around in groups in the main square are still wearing suits and flat caps, the old ladies scrubbing their doorsteps are still wearing patterned nylon dresses.

Now, I don't know how old you are, but I'm assuming that even if you do spurn the jeans, you're still not going to be siteseeing in a woollen jacket and a flat cap, so whatever you wear you'll look like a tourist. You're probably also a foot taller than the local lads. You just aren't going to blend in.

Wear whatever you want. Jeans are completely fine, even in restaurants.

That's ridiculous. Of course you can wear jeans in Italy. Have these people giving advice traveled lately?

That said, if it is a summertime trip, jeans are awfully hot, plus they are heavy and bulky to pack in a suitcase.

And you'll likely want something a bit dressier for evenings and nice restaurants.

Yes, as other posters have said nearly all younger people wear jean.

However, the main issue is: summer + Italy + jeans = hot and sweaty. They also take more space in your suitcase and weight more.

Wear lighter weight cotton and linen blends. For women, highly recommend lightweight skirts. You'll be very glad you did!