jq

I should know better than post a question regarding dress, but I'll try just once. For a Capitol tour or all the other tours set up by Congressman, are normal, hot weather, tourist garb acceptable, ie, shorts, shirt,hat, water bottle, camera bag, or backpack? Hopefully don't need to wear long pants or casual dressy during day. What about the non fancy restuarants in tourist areas? Do they expect us to dress up? Some days it looks like we may not get back to hotel before eating and going to next spot.

starrsville

Linen.
Or something very cool. It is going to be very hot in August.

seetheworld

I would be very surprised that a backpack would be allowed.

bardo1

I would suggest that you dress as nicely as you can while still being comfortable outside in the heat. It's a simple matter of respect for the office.

While House congressional office buildings are full of people in suits and ties (even in August), visiting constituents don't need dress up. Casual dress is OK, but don't go overboard. You should at least avoid flip-flops, tank-tops and shorts. Put your ball cap in your back pack before meeting your congressman. Back packs are OK, but will be searched when going through security.

nytraveler

Comfortable but as tidy as possible - avoid cut off jeans and flip flops - or anything really bare.

You're better off with as small a daybag as possible (vs large backpack) since it will be searched at any government building, museum etc - and if it's huge with a lot of stuff it will take forever and hold up the line.

P_M

If by chance you carry pepper spray in your bag, be sure to leave it at the hotel. This applies to just about any site in DC, it's not allowed.

KatieL

Leave the shoe polish at home....(true story, I took a group of teens to DC a couple years ago and a girl had shoe polish in her backpack. It was confiscated.)

I always insist that the teens on my trips wear khaki's and a nice top (no t-shirts or tank tops) when we visit our Congressman's office and tour the Capitol. It may be less comfortable, but I think it is important for them to be respectful. I would not ever allow flip flops, tennis shoes or shorts. I don't have issues with comfortable walking shoes, but you can be comfortable and respecful.

You should be fine with a water bottle, but you can't take it out of yoru pack. Everything will be searched, so keep that in mind.

schlegal1

You are asking the question because you obviously care and want to show the respect that others have metioned. Therefore, their advice is sound. BUT don't be surprised to see other people in shorts, flip-flops, tank tops, etc. August is HOT and there are lots of tourists who will be dressed VERY casually. So, yes, it would be nice to dress up a bit but it's not the norm by any means, just the practice of some.
The only "tours" I can think of as being set up through a Congressperson are the Capitol and the White House. Everything else is do-it-yourself and ULTRA-casual.
Also, if you are doing a White House tour, you are not allowed to bring in ANYTHING except ID and wallet/keys. But you prob. already knew that!

ejohnsoz

You can wear any of the things you listed, so long as you don't mind eye-rolling and being marked as a tourist.

A nice, non-graphic tee and some light khakis or linen pants, or a skirt, are no hotter than shorts and a grubby tee and go a long way toward showing respect and fitting in, if that is a concern for you.

Flip-flops are a pet peeve of mine and I do not think they are EVER acceptable unless you're in a swimsuit, at the pool or beach. There's no reason to wear them anyway, as they're terrible for your feet.

Naturalizer and easy spirit carry great, non-tennis shoe comfortable walking shoes.

Any bag will be searched at all buildings. They'll usually let you keep it, but expect them to look through it.

Stand to the right on the Metro escalators.

wtm003

<<You can wear any of the things you listed, so long as you don't mind eye-rolling and being marked as a tourist.>>

JQ IS a tourist and I doubt anyone could give a hoot about his/her dress. About 10 years ago I went on a tour of the White House. I pulled my photo after reading this post and most of the group were wearing shorts, with a few in jeans or khakis. It was hot and most of us came from or were headed to other tourist destinations. We weren't there to meet the President.

Also, "flip-flops" aren't necessarily the same as the shower shoes from summer camp days. I wouldn't be caught dead in a pair of Naturalizer or Easy Spirit shoes.

My only concern would be the backpack & camera bag, which may or may not be allowed. Try contacting your Congressman for more information.

bardo1

wtm,

This is different than a generic WH tour.

jq will be inside their congressman's office (and possibly meeting him/her). Again, basic respect for the office.

Also, what kind of shoes you "wouldn't be caught dead in" is irrelevant to the OP's questions.

wtm003

I missed the part that jq would be inside his/her congressman's office. My "generic" White House tour was set up by my congressman and I also received tickets to tour the Capitol. The tickets for the Capitol tour did not include a visit to my Congressman's office since the other participants were from all over the country.

I agree that dressing for a meeting is different than dressing for a "generic" tour. I didn't read the question the same way you did.

chasechow

We did this several years ago and wore the same kind of garb, actually us and the bazillion other tourist who were there too!

I'm not sure about the backpack. We were up that way several months ago and while we were allowed to have a pack in the Smithsonians, they were searched and run through a scanner. The Capitol might be stricter, I'm not certain.

On our last trip, we also did a lot of running around and didn't make it back to our hotel before dinner. We were fine in the touristy, non-fancy restaurants. We were dressed like everybody else there, shorts, shirts, sneaks, etc.

Look at it this way, you'll never see any of the people you run across again anyway, unless of course you want to!

Stephanie

I'd wear long pants, sundress if I were going to the Capitol just a matter of respect. I'd wear lots and lots of linen and silk and that is it. D.C. is extremely hot. I remember temp housing at Catholic Univ in 1987 in the summer and we didn't have AC and we would go to the lobby of the dorm and watch each other sweat.

By the way soft cushy flip flops are very comfortable for walking. Didn't buy flip flops in years got a cheap pair and boy are they comfortable. What are you the flip flop police? I like Easy Sprit, Naturalizers and Clarks. I swear some people have mental issues.

jq

Ok, thanks for the info----I think!!! We will be meeting at the Congressman's office, probably with a first year summer intern. We don't have any kind of special tour or know anyone.
So it sounds like nice shorts, polo shirt and shoes, preferably not flip flops to dockers would be fine for our middle of the afternoon tour. I don't think anyone will mistake me for a local, the camera and camcorder and Tilly hat may be a bit of a clue for the super smart. Thanks again.
JQ

As for linens and silks, do they come in wrinkle free? I thought silks didn't breath? We will be hot no matter what, even after coming from our 11 straight days over a 100 degrees here in Sacto.

Dukey

Wear what feels most comfortable and you feel "respectable" in.

But don't worry..there are a LOT of people who don't think Congress deserves a lot of "respect" right now.

ejohnsoz

I AM the flip flop police, and I'll freely admit it! It's a trend I'll be happy to see die. And any foot doctor will tell you they are terrible to walk in. I don't think that rises to the level of "mental issues," though ...

And news flash -- Naturalizers aren't frumpy anymore.

Christina

yeah, sure, dress like a slob, why not. Lots of tourists to DC do, you'd think they thought they were at Disneyland or something. I live here and I really do get sick of the way tourists dress, but don't really care exactly. I just don't like it when they go to restaurants that aren't just tourists so much, and you have to sit around them. Most of the time, as a local resident, you aren't hardly ever around tourists.

I truly don't comprehend why someone thinks they have to wear shorts and polo shirts in the summer when not doing very casual beach or outdoors activities. Washington is a city, not a resort area. Polo shirts are not particularly that cool, for one thing. Well, I'm not sure if this is a male or female question, but given the question about silk, I suspect female. Any casual cotton skirt is cooler and nicer and more attractive than shorts on a woman, anyway.

Of course silk breathes, it's a natural fiber. It's one of the coolest in very hot weather. Linen doesn't wrinkle that much when it is blended with something, like cotton or Tencel, etc.

Ultimately, I'm sure the folks at the Capitol won't be surprised by the shorts etc.