Feminine style: What to wear in Italy

/

What to Wear in Italy for Those Who Prefer a Feminine Look

People who travel with us are often surprised that we don’t recommend just wearing what you would normally wear in the United States.  We encourage travelers to think carefully about what they will wear during their experience in Italy because what they choose to wear has the power to CHANGE their experiences in sometimes dramatic ways for our whole group.  Here are a few things to consider while planning what to pack:

  • You may get treated differently by the locals depending on how your dress impacts their perception of you.  Italians tend to focus more on dressing fashionably than the typical American might. Consider dressing in a way that is more formal. Italian women only wear shorts or leggings when exercising. Additionally, everyone must have shoulders and knees covered in order to go into some sacred spaces.  You may be thinking, “I’m not planning to go to church while there;” however, if you can’t get into sacred spaces, you’ll miss out on masterpieces like the Sistine Chapel, Bernini’s Ecstasy of St. Theresa, and Caravaggio’s Calling of St. Matthew, not to mention architectural wonders like Michelangelo’s dome on San Pietro in Rome.  Trade in your shorts for a pair of capri pants or a skirt with a hem just below the knees and you’ll get to see all these things, plus you may get treated with more respect by the locals you interact with.

  • Think about the typical weather during the time you’ll be there.  What will help you to be comfortable? We are preparing to travel with a group in late June.  We are expecting warm weather, so our travelers will want to be mindful of packing fabrics that will breathe. Jeans or leggings may seem like a good option when you can’t wear shorts. However, Italian women only wear leggings when specifically working out, and denim will not feel light and comfortable when we are walking around the city on a hot day. (A pair of jeans will also take days to dry if you decide to wash them.)

  • While sleeveless tops and dresses are commonly worn by locals for warm weather, tops with very narrow shoulder straps, halter or tube tops are very uncommon and, like leggings, are viewed as inappropriate for everyday wear.

  • Tops that are somewhat revealing and short shorts may also draw unwanted attention from locals. Some Italian men, unfortunately, have very little shame when it comes to catcalling. Most women will experience some catcalling no matter what they wear, but the attention is likely to be more focused on someone wearing more revealing tops, short shorts, or leggings.

  • In the current geopolitical climate, being easily identifiable as an American may put you at risk.  It is better to avoid clothes that are covered in English phrases, school t-shirts, Nike running shorts, or other indicators that you come from the United States.  Baseball caps are a dead giveaway also, even though you might like to have the sun protection. See below about what kind of hats are good.

  • We’ve already covered in a previous blog post how athletic shoes with thick soles are indicators that you are from the U.S.

So, what can you wear?  Here are some of our best suggestions for choosing clothing that will make your trip even better.

  • Sundresses (with knee-length hem) or lightweight, flowy, knee-length skirts offer great breathability and versatility for both weather conditions and appropriate attire.

  • Travel shirts that are quick drying and breathable. Lightweight button-up shirts with short sleeves are a great way to layer a sleeveless sundress to make it church-appropriate. Solid colors or simple patterned fabrics can allow you blend in more and make your culture less obvious. Also consider tops that can go with any number of your pants / skirts so you can create more outfits from fewer clothes.

  • If you end up bringing a number of sleeveless tops or dresses, be sure you have a plan for covering shoulders when visiting a church. A small, lightweight shawl or scarf that lives in your daypack is perfect.

  • Breathable capris or cropped pants are a good option for some days or any day for those who don’t like skirts/dresses. Not only will you see people of many other nationalities wearing them, but they offer a relatively cool option that won’t keep you out of churches or other places you’d like to visit.  If you don’t feel comfortable wearing three-quarter length pants, wearing light weight (chino or linen) long pants is perfectly acceptable. N.B. Wearing leggings (partial or full length) as pants is NOT considered appropriate everyday wear, and will likely draw unwanted attention.

  • Keep in mind the functionality but also durability of the fabrics you bring. Lightweight in the key. Cotton, linen, rayon, and moisture wicking type fabrics are great. Denim, some polyester types and other less breathable synthetics are likely to be uncomfortable outside on warm days. Additionally, some cheaply made lower quality thin fabrics may not hold up going to the the laundromat.

  • For sun protection, particularly to protect nose, cheeks, ears, and back of the neck, plan to bring sunscreen that will be kind to your skin (e.g. Neutrogena). If you’ve never used a particular brand that you want to try out, test it BEFORE the trip, to be sure your skin doesn’t have a reaction to it. Additionally, consider a hat (that’s not a baseball cap) that has a brim to cover your face and back of your neck, particularly for days that we will be outside for extended periods of time (e.g. Pompeii, Ostia).

Some good places for purchasing these clothes are Costco, REI, Royal Robbins, and Travel Smith. Target and Old Navy are great for simple cotton t-shirts. LOFT tends to have good sundress options.


These types of shirt from REI and Royal Robbins are great:


Check out these great travel pants:


Some great dress and skirt styles from LOFT & Costco:

Some great examples of hats from LOFT:

https://www.loft.com/hats-26-hair-accessories/cat3470007?pcid=catl00003


Good option for a hat from Costco:

https://www.costco.com/Solar-Escape-Ladies'-UV-Sun-Hat.product.100480129.html


Our travelers often ask if they can bring shorts. They are appropriate for days we are only visiting archaeological sites or when we might be doing some hiking.  However, because of limited storage space in our lodging and because they aren’t useful for most days, we ask our students to only bring one pair of shorts along on the trip, and that those shorts are not attention getting or obviously American. Avoid athletic shorts, short running shorts, jean shorts, or very short shorts in general. Aim for a pair nice looking, stylish shorts that reach at least halfway down the thigh, perhaps khaki, navy, or black. It is important to focus on packing items that can be worn repeatedly in a variety of settings.

Although these recommendations may seem unnecessary, we guarantee that it will positively impact the quality of your trip and the interactions you have on it.