What type of Clothing to take to Italy this summer 2010
 

We will be going on a tour of Italy for 15 days this summer. What type of clothing should I bring? I have been reading to take dark colors. Does that stand true for late June? Also my husband thinks he can wear shorts all over Italy. We will be going into churches, I have told him from what I have read, he won’t get into some. Is that true? Thanks...

Dear Lovesthesun, please wear whatever you would wear at home when it's warm. Who says to take dark colours in summer? That's nonsense. Just remember that when going into a church, cover shoulders and knees. Your husband may not be allowed in, wearing shorts. Definitely not in the Vatican.
I don't like men wearing shorts in a city, but maybe that's just me.

Wear the same as you wear in Chicago or Charlotte.

Italy in summer - my husband wears very light weight pants - the kind with lots of pockets. He has a couple pairs that zip off to be shorts. Get them at LL Bean or Eastern Mt Sports or the like. He almost never zips the bottoms off and the kind we get it's hard to tell they aren't regular slacks.

I wear mostly skirts - either just above or just below the knee and that's usually ok in churches. I wear tank tops but carry a very light weight scarf to throw over my shoulders for churches. I take one or two pair of think cotton slacks, the kind that can be rolled up to be capri length. I bring at least one think cardigan sweater as it does get cool on breezy evenings.

I take a mix of colors. Those who say dark are thinking that they may be able to be worn multiple times without washing. I love white but it gets dirty really fast.

I don't know why when I typed the word "thin" it kept coming out "think". Obviously I wasn't thinking - or proof reading.

I think a lot of guidebooks and websites suggest neutral colors, not necessarily dark. I think the main point is that bright orange jackets scream "tourist!" ... But, I think anyone walking around taking pictures of landmarks and looking lost screams tourist anyways :) As isabel says, dark colors stay more clean-looking. So it kind of depends how many outfits you plan on packing (and therefore, how many times you plan to re-wear outfits).

I traveled throughout Italy last summer and have come to this conclusion: light colored linen material.

A full length linen pant is way better than 100% cotton capri/shorts.

Just remember: summer in Italy is HOT.

At the very least, when I travel in the summer, you will find only linen cloth (pants and shirts) in my suitcase.

They are simply the best for the following reasons:
1. good aeration: cooler
2. lighter
3. dry fast

A grown man in shorts will not be allowed into the Vatican and a number of other major churches. And even if there is no guard at the door, he may be subject to comments from locals - who regard that type of attire as disrespectful to their religion.

Suggest he get used to wearing long pants except at resorts - or decide not to visit churces or nicer restaurants.

I agree. Bring what you are comfortable in. I bring colors that will mix and match so I can pack light. I am comfortable in capris. I usually bring black, navy, grey or a dark beige. They mix and match with tops easily and are easier to keep clean. Your husband will definitely need long pants at the Vatican and some other churches.

Definitely light colors--just as you would here when it is hot and it will be hot.

I was so glad to have my shorts. In that heat, I couldn't care less what someone else thought of me. I just wanted to be as comfortable as possible and enjoy my trip.

I find that linen shift type dresses, sleeveless, are very cool and can be rolled up very small to pack and topped with linen unstructured shirts/jackets to feel covered up but stay cool. I know most women prefer pants these days but for cool dresses are the best for me. but the point is to be comfortable but put together looking, IMO.
I hope your husband listens !

My advice is very similar:

- Lightweight, non wrinkling dresses are most comfortable for me.
- I dressed up my daytime dresses for evening by adding a sweater and/or scarf, plus leggings underneath. Plus I had one necklace to wear at night. It ended up looking like a whole new outfit.

Summer essentials: Sun hat and umbrella. These were priceless when doing outdoor touristy things.

Have a wonderful trip!!

You can't wear shorts in the Vatican and various churches, but they are fine everywhere else. For dinner, you'll fit in better with long pants.

They are going to know your a tourist regardless of what you wear. Believe me, they don't really care. The dark color advice is nonsense. It's going to be hot and very humid. Be as comfortable as you can be.

We spent three weeks in churches last summer in Italy. We wore long pants to the Vatican and shorts everywhere else. As did at least half the people in each church.

I have always felt like I am wearing a "dishrag" when I wear linen that needs ironing...I am not comfortable with that look...no matter what and I refuse to iron on a trip.

And aren't we all tourists here? Is there something wrong with that?

I have always found that wearing the clothes I love at home, is the best thing to do in Europe. With the global economy, I think people look more similar than differently dressed.

From a practical point of view, I prefer darker bottoms...just don't show dirt as quickly.

There will be men in shorts in Italy--some Europeans, some not...but in the cities, not so frequently. The zip off/on pants are great in case long pants are required.

Just my personal hang-up, but I don't like wearing shorts when I'm taking public transit a lot -- sticking to seats, etc. - ick!
But that's just me.

I just read a post on another travel forum in which the writer mentioned that her teenage son was turned away from the Vatican
for wearing an Iron Maiden T-shirt.

I would wear what ever you wear at home when it is hot in the summer - I too read all that about no shorts- and men should wear pants blah blah blah.... but everyone is wearing shorts in churchs out to dinner etc. Just like here if you are going somewhere more fomal (Vadican - formal dinner)you'd wear pants. We never had any problems or worries about our attire. As far as linen goes who wears that anymore you will look like a wrinkly mess all day/night. Go shop at "Travel Smith" if you want special travel clothes and pants that zip to shorts etc, as well as things that won't wrinkle. Have fun and don't worry so much about clothes.

The Italians wear a very thin linen, much thinner than I usually see here in the states.

Some churches are more strict than others. I've seen men in shorts turned away at the Vatican (younger boys were allowed with long shorts to the knee) and in Assisi. If your husband is fine with waiting outside while others tour, then he can wear shorts.

I don't like dresses when it's really hot and you are perspiring a lot. It just makes your legs stick together where pants/capris tend to wick the moisture away.

There are a lot of linen or silk blends that are very lightweight and wrinkles can be removed easily in a steamy shower. Look much nicer than jeans (too hot) or shorts (often too bare) on adults in a city.

light and white.

Italy is very hot in summmer.

"As far as linen goes who wears that anymore" Says Who?

Just get over the wrinkle factor. Linen and linen blends are marvelous and comfortable and quick-drying.

We had no trouble getting into any churches, including the Vatican, with my husband and son wearing knee-length shorts. Definitely women need to have their shoulders covered.

As an alternative to linen, you might want to try something like tencel. It's just as light weight but I think it's softer and flows better. Take a tiny bottle of dewrinkle spray (really it's just fabric softener diluted in water) and hang up your clothes the night before. Otherwise a spritz and hang in the bathroom while you shower and the wrinkles just fall out.

I would highly suggest against dark colors, simply because they're hot. :) Neutrals are good because you can easily mix and match. Khaki colors on the bottom work well because they don't show wear/dirt very quickly like a bright color or very pale color would. Personally, I prefer jeans but that's just me being wierd and not generally suggested.

One suggestion for your husband, and you too actually, would be zip off pants. They're pretty light weight and comfy. He could wear shorts most of the time but zip on the lower legs for going into the Vatican and churches. The main idea is simply respect. Shorts don't seem respectful of the place of worship so aren't allowed in the Vatican and are frowned upon in many other churches. Getting in depends on the guard on duty sometimes. When I was at the Vatican I saw an older man turned away because he was wearing shorts. Cferrb's husband and son were allowed in. I wouldn't take the risk of not getting in simply to wear shorts.

To be honest, I think light weight pants are much cooler than shorts any day. Keeping the sun off of your skin does a lot to keep you cool and with a light weight fabric you can still get a breeze.

I bring a mix of my nicest summer dress/casual clothes. Patterns and dark colors work well because of not showing dirt, I think that is why that is sometimes suggested. I prefer to use brown or olive green as my "neutral" instead of black. I bring a mix of knee length shorts, capris, palazzo pants (in cotton, rayon, linen) and various styles and weights of cotton, linen, silk tops. Some women prefer dresses or skirts (but they aren't my style). Most important is comfortable footwear, and I take sneakers and 2 pair nice looking but comfortable sandals, flip flops.

Your husband can wear shorts if he wants to, just realize there are a few places that he wouldn't be let inside (if you don't plan to tour churches and cathedrals, doesn't matter). And hopefully he'll wear knee length decent looking ones, not gym shorts!

Yes, wear whatever you would wear at home and yes it is ungodly hot especially in August. Just throw a scarf that can go around your shoulders if bare in your bag for the duomos/churches. Seriously flip flops are fine, sneakers are fine, shorts are fine, and yes, the Italians wear them too, they also wear scarfs and boots with their shorts or sundresses in 100 degrees, I still can't figure that out, maybe it's the whole troppo aria ( catching the draft) thing they attribute almost all illnesses to. Just pack for warm weather and no pun intended ( well maybe just a little) "Don't Sweat It! "

Husband needs long pants in order to be CERTAIN he will get into any church he visits in Italy. Yes, I know there are churches that you can just walk into and no one will notice. The Vatican is not one of those, but he can always buy a paper shawl (from the vendors who know that people get it wrong) and put it around his legs or wait. We were even turned away at an abbey, not fully realizing that of course this contained a church as well. We had to go back to our hotel to put on long pants. My husband wore shorts in smaller towns and at the beach, but both husband and son wore long pants in the big cities with the big cathedrals. And no tank tops either.

Same goes for the women - you are required to have your shoulders and knees covered. So a mini skirt and camisole top is not allowed. I wore knee length skirts or capris and carried a sweater or scarf to wear around my tank top. I was as cool as I expected to be in 100 degree heat.

My experiences in Italy have all been during the summer and I was always surprised at how many people were wearing bright summer colors or lots of white clothing. Not that I would take a white skirt myself, but I purposefully take more colorful clothing to Italy than to other countries because I like not feeling so dowdy and hotter with all the black as well!

I thought it was very cold during the summer when I went to Italy. That might just be because I've been living in Doha and Dubai for so long!

My only oppinion on this matter is that for guys - light weight pants, linen pants and light jeans work perfectly. To sum up - Smart Casual and you'll have no problem going anywhere!

Actually, now that chazz brought it up - we did have colder rainy days in Venice one year when we visited in July. In that case the longer pants (and skirt) came in handy because it was chilly. And of course Dolomite region was a welcome relief from the hotter places. So I guess it will depend on where all you are going - Rome and Florence were both VERY hot, even when we went in June.

Yeah, I don't know about the knee covering thing, shoulders definitely but I have been up and down Italy numerous times seeing both men and woman from all kinds of places visiting churches and duomos with uncovered knees.Even in the "big" cities. In fact I'm pretty sure I'm one of them and have only been asked to cover shoulders which is why I carry a scarf in my bag.

It appears that it's been a while since anyone posted to this, but I have a question about shoes in the Vatican and other churches. I had heard open-toed shoes were not allowed, but it doesn't seem to be an issue. Can anyone confirm this?

Hello soccer, I have never ever heard that open-toed shoes are not allowed in churches in Italy. In fact I am sure when I have visited the Vatican I have always had on sandals of some kind. It is just the the shoulders and knees need to be covered and in some other churches that is true also. If there is any change about shoes styles at the Vatican I hope someone will respond. May I ask where you heard that open-toed shoes are not acceptable at the Vatican and some other churches?

I just got back from Italy (Rome, Florence, Venice) and it was HOT! I brought skirts but wish I had brought dresses instead. Most women had light weight dresses and linen pants/capris. I took both cotton tops and poly mix....glad I did because the hotels do not offer irons. You can have laundry press clothing for you at 3.5 EU each. I didn't do that. Open toed shoes were fine. I did see some women get turned away from St. Peter's due to their hemline being too short. As for bare soulders a light scarf does the trick. My husband had nice cotton (Docker type) pants and polo shirts for the nicer areas we visited. Otherwise, he wore nice shorts and colorful T-shirts...again, it was HOT!