Dress regulations Vatican etc

[grapejuice]

Is it true that you are not allowed to wear shorts even below the knee into the churches,museums etc.

So everyone lining up in the hot hot sun have full pants on.

I can understand the female not being able to wear tanktops etc. having to cover shoulders,but

Is it still the norm and do you get refused entry if you say are wearing capri pants.

Does anyone have a story of being refused entry to St.Peters etc for not wearing the proper attire?

[cruisemom42]

There is a dress requirement for churches, not for museums. The shoulders and knees must be covered. Women can wear skirts or capris as long as the knee is fully covered. Tops must have at least a small sleeve.

 

You will find enforcement of this varies but it is usually pretty strict at St. Peters (Vatican). Even if it is not enforced, it should be observed as you are a guest in someone else's place of worship.

 

Some men wear the kind of pants that zip off at the knee to become shorts. You can find these at sporting goods stores.

 

Women have reported carrying a light shawl or sweater to put on as needed.

[euro cruiser]

Some churches provide cover for women but I don't remember ever seeing this at St. Peter's. At Santa Maria Maggiore this summer there were lots of (mostly young) women walking around wearing what looked like small red tablecloths to cover their shoulders and knees.

[Ethel5]

Go here for a picture of what to wear.

 

clericalwhispers.blogspot.com/2009/07/vatican-dress-code-dos-a...

[texancruzer]

I personally was not turned away, as I knew the rules and stuck to em.

 

But......we did see quite a few people turned away for inapproriate dress. There were a few girls there with midriffs showing....... among other things :eek: that were turned away. Since we were there in late Nov. the issue of shorts did not really come into play..... but here is my take: You are paying alot of money to go all that way - why take the chance ? It is their church and their rules.....

 

There are usually vendors outside selling lightweight shawls/scarves (big ones). These can be wrapped around sarong style to cover the legs or drapped over shoulders to cover those.

[eandj]

We were there just last week. My husband had a collared polo shirt and long shorts on...just to his knees. Altho he carried a pair of golf "wind" pants along to slip on, he did not have to. He was "acceptably dressed" per the official guide. I wore a short sleeved top along with capris that hit JUST below the knee...not calf length. Again, I was fine. Some ladies just carry along a sheer shawl for their shoulders if wearing a sleevless top. Saw no shorts as such on any women. It really isn't that difficult to dress conservatively. It's not like the past when ladies had to cover their head too.

[HeinBloed]

[chipmaster]

Is it true that you are not allowed to wear shorts even below the knee into the churches,museums etc.

So everyone lining up in the hot hot sun have full pants on.

I can understand the female not being able to wear tanktops etc. having to cover shoulders,but

Is it still the norm and do you get refused entry if you say are wearing capri pants.

Does anyone have a story of being refused entry to St.Peters etc for not wearing the proper attire?

 

As others have stated shoulders/knees covered, YMMV. We did see people squeak thru both at St Peters and other churches last summer. I also saw people denied entrance a varous places.

 

It really isn't that bad, with so many modern synthetic material options out there there is really no reason not to be both respectful and comfortable, IMHO :D

[Coolcruise02]

Oh no, I was planning on wearing a skirt and sweater set but my skirt comes to the top of my knees. It is a full pleated skirt. (I'm 50+ so it isn't a mini)

 

Would I be turned away? I also have a pashmina that matches. I could take it also and wrap it around my legs. :)

[HeinBloed]

I could take it also and wrap it around my legs. :)

 

How about body paint???

 

like here...

 

http://www.nothingtohide.co.nz/

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[euro cruiser]

Oh no, I was planning on wearing a skirt and sweater set but my skirt comes to the top of my knees. It is a full pleated skirt. (I'm 50+ so it isn't a mini)

 

Would I be turned away? I also have a pashmina that matches. I could take it also and wrap it around my legs. :)

You will not have any problem at all. It's not like the nuns in grammer school, measuring the distance between your hem and the floor; the rules are somewhat arbitrarily enforced, but in general they're only screening out the obviously underdressed.

[Coolcruise02]

Ok, great! Just a moment of panic. :)

[samavarcruiser]

[Cruisin_Cheesehead]

DH and I were in Rome in August, and it was at least 95 degrees outside. There was no way I was getting my husband to walk around ruins and through the streets of Rome in pants, but we also knew the rules for the Vatican. So, he chose to carry a backpack that day in which we had a pair of pants for him and shawl for me (I had on a knee length pleated skirt and a tube top for the morning).

 

It just so happened DH did his quick change in the back of the cab on the way from Trevi Foutnain to St. Peters :eek:, but if that is not your style I'm sure there are plenty of restrooms in the area around the square you could use. I just waited until the last possible moment threw on my shawl and we were in like flynn!

 

Oh- and as an aside- no gypsy's threw babies at us or razored our backpack in Rome. DH's pants were safe and sound. :rolleyes:

[Fishbait17]

We have been in Rome on some of the hottest days on record and I have a suggestion for those ladies worried about the heat. I wore a sleeveless blouse (although I found it no cooler than a cap sleeved blouse) and shorts for some exploration, and had a matchstick skirt and lightweight scarf in my bag. Easy to slip the skirt over the shorts for churches and more "formal" places, scarf tied over shoulders was simple, and best of all, wrinkling is no problem. Hubby wears zip-off pants if he absolutely has to, otherwise is comfortable in lightweight pants anyway. Daughters just brought a pareo and skirted it.

 

Robin