Recommendations for outfits for very hot summer trip with lots of visits to cathedrals

[cruisegal415]

We are going to Italy and Greece in August this summer. We know it will be very hot (and crowded).  We are doing things like visiting Pompeii and the Herculaneum and seeing the insides of many cathedrals.  Given that cathedral visits require covering shoulders and knees, but getting there will involve walking around in very high heat, I was thinking that maybe some lightweight linen capris might be the better idea. I have a pashmina I could use to cover my shoulders, and I guess I could bring one of those sarong things you use to cover up a bathing suit if I wore shorts or a sundress that is too short.

 

Do you dress for the weather (shorts or sundresses) and just bring something to cover up when going in to a church, or wear long skirts or capris to sightsee in even when not going in to a church? (Some tours we are on will take us to a church as part of a larger tour to other places). Any ideas where to find very lightweight capris? Even though I live in south Florida, and you'd think we'd have a lot of that type of clothing, we don't. 

 

I'm usually pretty conscious of making sure my shoes match my outfit, and I have some neutral comfy walking sandals to wear (other than to Pompeii) but DH thinks i should forget fashion and just wear a comfortable pair of sneakers. But I usually prefer sandals in the summer, my feet get too hot!

 

Suggestions?? TIA

 

 

[neeuqdrazil]

Definitely go with linen. What I've done in the past is a linen button-down over a tank/camisole situation - even outside, the linen shields your skin from the sun, making you feel cooler despite being 'covered up'. 

 

I'm a plus-size gal, so I can't make recommendations for where to get linen clothing, but there are a bunch of threads that have recommendations. 

[57redbird]

1 hour ago, cruisegal415 said:

We are going to Italy and Greece in August this summer. We know it will be very hot (and crowded).  We are doing things like visiting Pompeii and the Herculaneum and seeing the insides of many cathedrals.  Given that cathedral visits require covering shoulders and knees, but getting there will involve walking around in very high heat, I was thinking that maybe some lightweight linen capris might be the better idea. I have a pashmina I could use to cover my shoulders, and I guess I could bring one of those sarong things you use to cover up a bathing suit if I wore shorts or a sundress that is too short.

 

Do you dress for the weather (shorts or sundresses) and just bring something to cover up when going in to a church, or wear long skirts or capris to sightsee in even when not going in to a church? (Some tours we are on will take us to a church as part of a larger tour to other places). Any ideas where to find very lightweight capris? Even though I live in south Florida, and you'd think we'd have a lot of that type of clothing, we don't. 

 

I'm usually pretty conscious of making sure my shoes match my outfit, and I have some neutral comfy walking sandals to wear (other than to Pompeii) but DH thinks i should forget fashion and just wear a comfortable pair of sneakers. But I usually prefer sandals in the summer, my feet get too hot!

 

Suggestions?? TIA

 

 

For linen - try Chico's (*& Chico's on ebay & Chico's OTR) & Faherty.

[CGinMTL]

Just bring something to cover up

Many years ago, I left with scarfs in my bag to ensure nobody on our 8 person tour bus would get turned away.

Fashion police would not have approved, but everybody went to the vatican

[Kristelle]

scarfs solve the shoulder problem - which  I think is the easier problem because many lightweight summer tops have short sleeves anyway. Cap sleeves are OK?

 

But if knees need to be covered, you need light weight capris or skirts or long pants like elephant pants  - and  I think you would have to wear them for the whole day trip - as not easy to just put on top of your shorts when you get there.

Maybe a wrap around skirt would be?

 

Anyway, following this thread -we are going to Cambodia/Vietnam early next year and will have same issue with temples.

[Mum2Mercury]

Oh, I know you'll enjoy it!  I've been fascinated with Pompeii since I was a child and read an article about the city in National Geographic.  

 

I'd choose a lightweight, flowy dress that'd cover the shoulders and knees.  Cooler than capris and so much nicer looking.  It'd also mean you wouldn't need to bother with a scarf.  

 

If they're comfortable (and if you've walked some distance in them before), I'd wear the sandals; well-chosen walking sandals can be just as functional as sneakers.  

[slidergirl]

I kind of became a believer of wearing dresses when it's horribly hot when I was in France and Italy 2 summers ago.  I'm not a dress person by any means, but I took 3.  It was cooler than wearing pants.   I had one from Faherty that they still offer, a sleeveless pintucked bib dress.  A denim linen shirtdress from Sundance.  My trusty black short sleeve Woolx dress.   I wore them all with either my high-top sneakers or my low sneakers.  

 

If you want some clothes for the trip, I'm going to suggest looking at Quince online.  Lots of linen and they have excellent price points. They actually have the bib dress that I got for 1/2 the price.  I have a few pieces from them, cashmere hoodie, linen dress, linen shirt.  I picked up the shirtdress because it was only $49 and I can wear it to work. The linen long sleeve shirt (has rollup sleeves with button) is $40.  I took a white cotton shirt with me on my trip to be a sunshield in the daytime, wear in churches, a little extra when it cooled in the evening.  

[cruisegal415]

On 6/3/2024 at 4:15 PM, neeuqdrazil said:

Definitely go with linen. What I've done in the past is a linen button-down over a tank/camisole situation - even outside, the linen shields your skin from the sun, making you feel cooler despite being 'covered up'. 

 

I'm a plus-size gal, so I can't make recommendations for where to get linen clothing, but there are a bunch of threads that have recommendations. 

I'm no skinny minnie either...lol

Edited June 4 by cruisegal415

[PoppyVelvet]

A bit off topic but I bought a pair of Naot sandals for our last warm trip and my fussy feet were perfectly happy in them. I usually wear sneakers. The sandals had a cork sole with a slight wedge and weren’t frumpy looking. 

[slidergirl]

OK.  Here's a pic of me in the Quince Linen shirt dress.  I added a belt.  This is a L.  I probably could have tried a M, but I always have bust issues and I don't like a snug top.  I'm 5'8" and this dress is down to my knees, not way above it like their website has.  I wore my Taos white leather high tops, which I wear these or my Olu Kai white short sneakers.  I am not a sandal person unless I'm hitting up a beach.  

Ignore the photobomber - he's one of the stylists at my salon.  We're all crazy when we're there.

 

[Torfamm]

I have recommended this dress to lots of friends for hot weather sightseeing that requires covering knees and shoulders. They are cool even in the hottest weather, very inexpensive, and wash beautifully.

 

https://www.32degrees.com/products/womens-cool-t-shirt-dress

 

Edited June 7 by Torfamm

[slidergirl]

13 hours ago, Torfamm said:

I have recommended this dress to lots of friends for hot weather sightseeing that requires covering knees and shoulders. They are cool even in the hottest weather, very inexpensive, and wash beautifully.

 

https://www.32degrees.com/products/womens-cool-t-shirt-dress

 

I forgot to add:  One of the ladies at the salon summers in France frequently.  She's 73.  She said when it's hot in the summer over there, she just wears a dress and "goes commando" to help with the "air conditioning" 😸

[Torfamm]

2 hours ago, slidergirl said:

I forgot to add:  One of the ladies at the salon summers in France frequently.  She's 73.  She said when it's hot in the summer over there, she just wears a dress and "goes commando" to help with the "air conditioning" 😸

I suppose that might work if you aren't climbing too many flights of stairs!

[mrgabriel]

Absolutely dresses in natural fibres. We're going to be in Italy in September and it will be hot, but hopefully not as hot as what you're facing in August. I'm planning to take a crinkle cotton dress that is calf length with shirred elastic at the waist. The one I have my eye on has short butterfly sleeves (and shirring that isn't too tight). Covers what needs to be covered without being tight. 

 

We lived in the south for many years and I learned that for me, dresses are 100% more comfortable than capris or shorts in the heat. And anything tight (waistband, sleeves) can be unbearable. Also, in really hot weather I will not carry a big tote bag or backpack because it just holds the heat against the body. So a small crossbody bag. And nothing like a wrap because I have to haul it around and is likely to get lost. 

Edited June 10 by mrgabriel

[Mary229]

I like skirts, very light weight cotton crinkle skirts (cotton!) or  linen. The crinkle skirts are great as wrinkles don’t matter.    I like skirts as I can add them to my mix and match wardrobe.  Pockets are important.  
 

being from a hot climate I suggest the looser the better.  Nothing that clings, let it be loose enough that the breezes can flow around your legs.  

Edited June 20 by Mary229

[cruisegal415]

I found a couple of knee length skorts on Amazon that should work along with a couple of flowing linen capris. Found a flowy lightweight midi length white skirt that should go with everything. I just don’t feel comfortable in a dress or a skirt without something under it so I’m looking for a lightweight pair of bike shorts. 

[Mary229]

2 hours ago, cruisegal415 said:

I found a couple of knee length skorts on Amazon that should work along with a couple of flowing linen capris. Found a flowy lightweight midi length white skirt that should go with everything. I just don’t feel comfortable in a dress or a skirt without something under it so I’m looking for a lightweight pair of bike shorts. 

Why not just get a light weight cotton slip.  Any clingy material is miserable in hot climates (I just walked in from 100 degrees outside, I am wearing very light weight above the knee loose shorts)

[neeuqdrazil]

18 hours ago, cruisegal415 said:

I found a couple of knee length skorts on Amazon that should work along with a couple of flowing linen capris. Found a flowy lightweight midi length white skirt that should go with everything. I just don’t feel comfortable in a dress or a skirt without something under it so I’m looking for a lightweight pair of bike shorts. 

 

For lightweight bike short type shorts, I highly recommend Thigh Society, especially their 'cooling' model. They're thin, very lightweight, and don't make you feel hotter. 

[slidergirl]

5 hours ago, neeuqdrazil said:

 

For lightweight bike short type shorts, I highly recommend Thigh Society, especially their 'cooling' model. They're thin, very lightweight, and don't make you feel hotter. 

I was just going to recommend.  I don't have any, but I'm getting lots of adds for them on my FB feed.  They sure look very light & comfy.  And they come in several lengths it seems.  

 

If you want to look for skirts or wide-legged pants with that carefree boho look, check out Natural Life.  Super comfy of the ones I have.  

[neeuqdrazil]

6 minutes ago, slidergirl said:

I was just going to recommend.  I don't have any, but I'm getting lots of adds for them on my FB feed.  They sure look very light & comfy.  And they come in several lengths it seems.  

 

 

I've been wearing them for a few years, and they're wonderful. Because of the shape of my thighs, I like the 9" lengths to avoid ride-up. I also wear the Torrid legging-shorts, but they're heavier cotton, and while they're comfortable, they are definitely warmer. 

[cruisegal415]

On 6/23/2024 at 5:50 PM, Mary229 said:

Why not just get a light weight cotton slip.  Any clingy material is miserable in hot climates (I just walked in from 100 degrees outside, I am wearing very light weight above the knee loose shorts)

Two words. Thigh rub. Lol 

[Mary229]

13 minutes ago, cruisegal415 said:

Two words. Thigh rub. Lol 

I can’t stand anything touching all around my thighs in the summer.  I want the summer breezes to circulate 😁

[neeuqdrazil]

18 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

I can’t stand anything touching all around my thighs in the summer.  I want the summer breezes to circulate 😁

 

I wish I could, but if I don't wear something to shield my upper thighs from the dreaded thigh rub, I end up being unable to walk due to chafing. (Quite literally unable to walk. Before I learned the joys of thigh society shorts (which I honestly forget I'm wearing most of the time), I would get home in the summer and my entire inner upper thigh would look like raw ground meat.) 

[Mary229]

4 minutes ago, neeuqdrazil said:

 

I wish I could, but if I don't wear something to shield my upper thighs from the dreaded thigh rub, I end up being unable to walk due to chafing. (Quite literally unable to walk. Before I learned the joys of thigh society shorts (which I honestly forget I'm wearing most of the time), I would get home in the summer and my entire inner upper thigh would look like raw ground meat.) 

Yikes. That would be worse than clingy fabric for sure.