Chicago Dress
 

My husband and I were in Chicago several years ago in July or August and it was chilly! Coming from the sweltering south, we were thrilled!

We'll be back week after next and when I checked the weather this morning I was dismayed to see Chicago weather is about the same as ours...90s.

So the question is: I wear knee-length bermuda shorts and wonder if they'd be acceptable in downtown Chicago during the day, assuming we're not in a "nice" restaurant. I've never worn shorts in a city and would prefer not embarrassing myself...at least not in this way :)

I have a similar question. What is appropriate clothing for seeing Wicked at 2:00?

SusanCS: wear whatever makes you comfortable. You'll see a very wide range of clothing. It's going to be hot, and if you're outside, try to make yourself cool. I wouldn't wear ratty shorts and a t-shirt, but pretty much everything else is fine.

For Wicked, you'll find a huge variety of clothing. Personally, I like to get a little dressed up for shows (if you don't get dressed up to see a show, what do you get dressed up for?) In the summer for a matinee, I generally wear a cotton dress, black capris and a nice-ish top, or a casual skirt and top. But again, you'll see a huge range of clothing, and probably won't feel too out of place regardless of what you're wearing.

I really love all of the cute cotton dresses that are out right now, and wear those in big cities in the summer. In flip flops or comfy flats, they're perfect for the daytime. In a pair of peep toed shoes and a some accessories, they're good for dinner or a show.

I agree that you'll see almost any type of dress at the theatre. Whatever you wear, you may want to consider taking a light sweater or jacket with you. When I worked in a theatre, the matinee crowd was always thrilled to be out of the heat when they arrived, but by intermission they'd complain they were cold.

You can tell a tourist by the clothes he/she wears. Chicagoans are more dressy than you night think. To go to a theater you should wear long pants or a dress, take a sweater or jacket. Jeans are acceptable if they are age appropriate but you're safer with khakis. The people who show up in teddy-bear applique sweat shirts and jogging pants are tourists. Plan on what the weather will be when you get out of the show. The theater will be air conditioned and the evening cooler than the day. Bermuda (tailored, knee length) shorts are appropriate for visiting the Lincoln Park Zoo or the laid back north-side neighborhoods like Lakeview, New Town and Lincoln Park: during the day. The Loop has a split personality. Business casual in the loop and visiting casual in Grant Park.

If it is very humid there (as it is here in KY) it would be miserable to walk around in business casual clothing as a tourist doing a lot of walking. I'm not saying I'd wear ratty sweats (those would be just as uncomfortable as dress clothes in high humidity) but I don't see anything wrong with bermuda shorts and a nice shirt in the summer and a decent pair of sandals or flip flops.