Dress codes in churches

[dreamgirl9095]

How does everyone handle the dress codes in the churches in the summer? Especially for men. Can men wear shorts that go past their knees? I wouldn't ordinarily let my sons dress like that in church, but they do have some nylon/sport shorts that go below their knees. I read somewhere that they sell wraps outside for women. Are they like a pareo around your waist or just for shoulders? I think my daughter would be mortified to wear one, but at the same time I think she would be too hot wearing capris/long skirt. Thanks for advice. It's alot of work for an hour of sightseeing!

[cruisingforsix]

As long as knees and shoulders are covered you should be fine.They sell scarves and shawls all over the place,but if you have regular shirts on you should be fine.If your daughter has a tank top or halter on she may have to throw something on. It is going to be hot, we went in the beginning of may and it was a little chilly so we had jackets and sweaters on. The boys should be fine in their shorts.

[cruisemom42]

If you're specifically talking about St Peters Basilica in Rome, men (or boys) in shorts may be turned away, even if the shorts are at or slightly past the knee. The guards can be finicky and they don't seem to especially like shorts on men.

 

I suggest looking into buying a pair of the pants with legs that zip off to form shorts. They are sold at camping or outdoors-type stores (or online) and are a good solution for this.

 

For girls or women, a skirt just past the knee isn't really what I'd consider "long". :confused: Living in Georgia, I find skirts actually cooler than shorts or capris in summer.

 

As for some of the other churches in Rome or other cities in Italy -- they have the same code, but are less strict about enforcing it. However, I consider it a matter of courtesy to comply. If they are opening their church to us tourists to visit, the least we can do is respect their requirements.

 

If it is too much work, you can always opt out of going inside.

[ksps cruise fan]

...a skirt just past the knee isn't really what I'd consider "long". :confused: Living in Georgia, I find skirts actually cooler than shorts or capris in summer.

 

+1 for skirts for women. Between the weather and the possiility of "interesting" potties (See earlier thread) I only travel in skirts anywhere in the world. Here are some specific suggestions:

 

Don't bring light, clingy skirts. They'll droop against your legs and make you hot. Instead, pack summer weight denim or twill skirts. These materials have enough body to stand away from your legs. Look for styles like A-line that allow you to climb steps easily and, again, allow air against your legs. L.L. Bean's webs site shows several of the weight skirt I'm describing, but be sure to check the length of the skirt mentioned in the product description against your body. I think a lot of their skirts hit above the knee on most women. Orvis, also available on-line, sells lots of this type of skirt but their skirts tend to be insanely long. I always have to hem those skirts.

 

Incidentally, the weather in Italy can be variable. I was in Rome for two weeks in 2004 and the temps were hot in direct sun, but really tolerable any time I stood in shade. In contrast, the same block of time in the summer of 2003 was oppressively hot with little relief even in the shade.

[riffatsea]

I agree that skirts and/or dresses are very comfy in summer! They are also easy to pack. They are showing

longer skirts and sleeveless long dresses that would be just perfect. You can carry a lightweight short sweater that most shops are showing over the dresses.

I agree about the zip off pants for boys.

[texancruzer]

We just don't go in the summer ;)

 

But just as a side note: churches/monasteries/mosques in Greece and Turkey can be VERY strict about dress......

 

I found that layering is the key. While in Egypt ( a place you need to be mindful of dress EVERYWHERE) I would wear a modest tank top with a very (key word very) lightweight cotton blouse over it. Once out of the city and climbing all around the sites I could take it off.

 

I would suggest the same for Europe. In the cities (Rome,Florence or Athens) people will be more dressed than say out in the countryside romping around (like Pompeii or Ephesus)

[kellyclayt]

At St. Peter's in Rome my husband was turned away in long shorts (I went in without him of course). However, in Florence he wore long pants when we went to the Duomo and then regretted it because people were admitted in shorts, camisole tops, etc.

[flcruiser3]

Other than St. Peter's, do you think I can get away with summer dresses that hit the top of the knees and a sweater or shawl?

[kellyclayt]

Yep and that's a good idea, because I always have to travel to Italy in the summer, usually July (because I'm a teacher) and it has always been HOT!

 

Other than St. Peter's, do you think I can get away with summer dresses that hit the top of the knees and a sweater or shawl?

[xavier16]

I would suggest for women to just bring a scarf or pashmina. I wore short skirts/shorts the whole time but when I'm entering a church, I just wrap them around my legs. They are also useful when it gets a bit windy and is light enough to pack in your bag.

[ducklite]

A sheath style mid-calf sleeveless linen dress with a very lihgtweight cotton or linen blouse/shrug/sweater to add before entering a cathedral/mosque/temple should do the trick every time. I live in the Orlando, FL area, and live in those things in the summer. The linen does a great job of keeping you cool and it doesn't cling.

[euro cruiser]

At St. Peter's in Rome my husband was turned away in long shorts (I went in without him of course). However, in Florence he wore long pants when we went to the Duomo and then regretted it because people were admitted in shorts, camisole tops, etc.

I think the point is that you can never tell ... how strictly the rules are enforced depends on the individual doing the enforcing.

 

I've had this argument several times with certain male members of my family. If it's important to you to see the inside of these churches, dress for the most conservative interpretation of the rules and you won't have to worry. Actually, lightweight long pants are no warmer than shorts ... I don't understand what the big deal is. Pull on your big boy pants and be done with it! (I'll admit that this logic goes absolutely nowhere with the certain male members of my family.)

 

I generally wear light colored, light weight long sleeve tops when I tour, because I burn easily and it's cooler to me to have my arms covered in light fabric than to be applying sun screen throughout the day.

[texancruzer]

Ok, here is the link to the "zip off" pants you can purchase online. They come in taupe and moss green. Price is good too. DH has worn these in Egypt and swears by em....

 

http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_10051_57880_-1?color=Taupe&Ntt=zip+off+pant&Ntk=All

[kellyclayt]

If it's important to you to see the inside of these churches, dress for the most conservative interpretation of the rules and you won't have to worry. Actually, lightweight long pants are no warmer than shorts ... I don't understand what the big deal is. Pull on your big boy pants and be done with it! (I'll admit that this logic goes absolutely nowhere with the certain male members of my family.)

 

Are we related to the same males? I agree with you, but honestly I think that while I would have been crushed to go all the way to Rome and not see St. Peter's, my husband was not overly disappointed as his attitude is more or less that he's seen churches (ABC tours = another boring church). On our first trip to Rome, I can't even remember what I was pointing at when I said, excitedly, "Do you know what that is???" His reply: "Another old building?"

[euro cruiser]

LOL - one of our most repeated family phrases came from our first trip to Italy ten years ago from one of the guys who said, when I was trying to tell him how to get somewhere in Rome, "don't give me directions by churches, everything in Italy is Santa Maria something."

[William Dean]

I don't think it is appropriate to try to "get away" with certain dress. You are a guest in these buildings, and it is appropriate that when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

 

It is the ugly face of tourism to try to behave as if everywhere should be as it is back home, wherever home may be. Does anyone want to be an ugly tourist? Of course not.

 

Common respect goes a long way, in whatever country you are visiting.

 

WD

[ducklite]

I don't think it is appropriate to try to "get away" with certain dress. You are a guest in these buildings, and it is appropriate that when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

 

It is the ugly face of tourism to try to behave as if everywhere should be as it is back home, wherever home may be. Does anyone want to be an ugly tourist? Of course not.

 

Common respect goes a long way, in whatever country you are visiting.

 

WD

 

Well stated! It comes down to basic respect of others.

[euro cruiser]

I have often quoted David Sedaris, who wrote "Comfort has its place, but it seems rude to visit another country dressed as if you've come to mow its lawns."

 

Of course, if you watch much American television you know that rudeness seems to have become something to strive for rather than something to be ashamed of. Heck, you know that by reading message boards!

[Fishbait17]

My hubby swears by cooler pants rather than shorts, and owns a pair of zip-offs but barely used them - he has a travel wardrobe that includes a few pair of light pants just for the purpose of touring in the heat. As for the ladies, I also swear by cotton gauze pants or flowy skirts. I always carry a lightweight cotton "pareo/scarf/pashmina/wrap" thing in my bag just in case (my daughters own numerous of these and love them). It can be used as a shoulder cover, a wrap skirt, wrap in cooler over-air-conditioned places, or whatever you need, and they sell them at every port of call I have been to in Europe, and on the ship as well. I agree with dressing properly in the first place - a lightweight short sleeved cotton shirt (blouses are cooler) and skirt or pants are just as cool as a tank top and shorts, and you feel a lot less out of place - I made it through 100+ temps in Italy a few years ago without ever donning shorts or a tank top. Tell your sons to either wear pants or be prepared to be "wrapped in a long skirt" for entrance, and don't take no for an answer. I trained my girls to dress properly for travel, and now my youngest lives in Brussels and often comments about "how awful and disrespectful those American tourists look" ;).

 

PS - The wraps they sell at churches are hideously ugly, hot, meant to be tossed out, and expensive. Try to buy some cotton pareos/wraps/pashminas/scarves before you leave or pick them up at a port vendor for about 5-10 euros - they are useful for so many things back home as well.

 

Robin

[Mands&Ian]

If you're specifically talking about St Peters Basilica in Rome, men (or boys) in shorts may be turned away, even if the shorts are at or slightly past the knee. The guards can be finicky and they don't seem to especially like shorts on men.

 

 

If they are being particularly pedantic then, apparently, it comes down to whether the back of the knee can be seen when the individual is kneeling. Since the person making the decision needs to do so without actually seeing the person in that position it's always going to be a bit hit and miss, and subject to the usual human foibles.

 

As always I mention that a church near to me maintains that a woman wearing lipstick [or trousers or with shoulders uncovered] isn't modest enough so that sort of knocks the men-in-shorts thing into a cocked hat :)

 

For men zip-leg shorts have got to be a reasonable solution. Cool when they need to be; long enough to get into places folks want to see.

 

Mands

[ducklite]

Wow Mands--even lipstick? Is this an Orthodox church? Some of my husbands family are Russian Orthodox and their dress standards are more modest then our Catholic church standards are, but when we've gone to weddings in thier churches I've worn lipstick (as have the other women in attendance) and it's never been an issue.

[lisiamc]

I don't think it is appropriate to try to "get away" with certain dress. You are a guest in these buildings, and it is appropriate that when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

 

It is the ugly face of tourism to try to behave as if everywhere should be as it is back home, wherever home may be. Does anyone want to be an ugly tourist? Of course not.

 

Common respect goes a long way, in whatever country you are visiting.

 

WD

 

Very well said!

[lucyintheskywithdiamonds]

are sandals permitted in the churches? someone mentioned that open toes may not be permitted. thanks for any advice.

[lisiamc]

It's only knees and shoulders that need to be covered. Sandals are fine to wear.

[euro cruiser]

Sandals are fine to wear.

Espcially if you are a Franciscan!