FlyingHoustonian

Often times, yes, yes they do. It is popular in Orlando and Miami for example.
But in DC especially I can spot the native Italians before I even hear them speak. Cue one, look at footwear and sock colour. Move up from there.

Cities with larger "working" Italian populations like NYC, Chicago, Boston, Houston, etc have some Italians that try and go local and blend, and others that tend to stay Italian and "dress-up".

Ciao,
FH

dingo

You can wear whatever you'd like in Italy. If you're concerned with how locals will think of you then you may want to leave the white tennies and shorts behind. If you really don't care (and I don't personally) then dress as you would like. I try to dress as comfortably as possible and as appropriately as possible as a secondary concern. In Italy, I don't wear shorts just for the fact that doing so can prevent you from getting in to some of the churches.

CubsFanJohn

When I was in Venice and Rome I did... There going to figure out your a tourist anyway so you might as well just stick out even more.

thomas199023

Or Americans with white sport shoes!!!!

boatnfish

Just returned from two very hot weeks in Italy. Shorts and white shoes every day except one, which was visiting the Vatican. We went back the next morning to go up the dome and I did wear shorts, knee length which was fine.

Overall, Rome was much more fashion conscious than Florence, Parma, Cingue Terre and Venice.

Hawk Circle

Shorts:

Speedos: ^^

Tomphot

Just back from the Amalfi coast (7 days) and Rome (4 days) - all along the Amalfi coast, it seemed everyone was wearing shorts - Italians included.
In Rome, at least 50% of the men of all nationalities were wearing shorts - granted I was in the center and near all of the sites.
On the day we went to the Vatican, I had my convertible pants with me, the shorts are knee length. I was never asked to put on the bottom portion of the pants. The only men I saw stopped were those wearing shorts that were in fashion in the '80s which means they were Europeans.

johnmcq

Although I didn't wear shorts in Milan (too rainy and cold), I wore them (knee length) every day in Stressa (Lago Maggiore), Verona, Bologna and Venice. Although I did not wear them on our tour of St Mark's in Venice, I did wear them to Saturday afternoon mass in the Verona cathedral. Generally speaking, I put on long pants at night.

The daytime temperatures during my visits (beyond Milan) were in the 70s.

kevinsac

We wore shorts into all the cathedrals and even St Peter's! We were wearing the zip-off-at-the-knees shorts, so the cuff was to the knees. (We carried our "legs" with us just in case.)

But there were many guys wearing really short shorts .... and one guy at St Peter's was wearing shorts that almost would qualify as Daisy Dukes!

However, all the women were made to cover their shoulders and upper arms .... the attendants had thin felt "ponchos" to give away at all entrances.

sk3

So.... is Rome still your least favorite city?
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/14272136-post10.html

kevinsac

Since our return, I have wanted to go back into that thread and say a mea culpa.

The city is not nearly as filthy any more. The gypsy kids are not around to harrass folks nearly as badly. The drivers still are horrendous, probably the worst in the western world.

Is it still my least favorite city? Uhhhh....maybe not quite the least favorite city. But pretty much close to the top of the list. Do I want to go back to Rome ..... probably not! Would I go if I won an all-expenses trip, first class airfare, with a suite at the Hassler? Probably, but then I would sleep for a day or two to get over the jetlag, eat a few good meals .... then hop on a train to get away from Rome as quickly as possible.

At this point in my life, I have travelled to over 100 countries in the world. There are many great places in the world and in Italy to visit again .... but Rome is not on my list.

998R

Italians do wear shorts in cities, not only on beaches or mountain paths. In most resaturants you can wear bermudas, better if well pressed, with a shirt or polo (not a Tshirt or basketball style shirt, i don't know the exact name in english). If you are a man and work in an office, or a bank, you don't wear shorts, bermudas or sandals. Women dress code now generally allow wearing sandals or elegant flip-flop (not plastic/rubber!).
But if you are going to stay in a 4-5 star hotel or a 2-3 star restaurant always wear long pants, and jacket, tie is no more necessary, except in very formal venues.

Hubertus

I am from Milan. Do bring your shorts. You are on holiday, you should enjoy your stay. Nobody will be fussy to see tourists wearing a comfortable outfit.
By the way, shorts can be supersmart if you wear it with with the right belt, loafers (not sneakers) and a nice linen shirt.
You should wear trousers if you are supposed to visit a church or you have a business meeting.
Ciao!

jbcarioca

To each his own. I have traveled extensively also, to over 150 countries actually, and I still manage to get to Rome almost every year. I always drive myself there, usually from near Nice, and I always have a wonderful time. There are easier places, certainly, and I NEVER would go there during July and August nor the last half of December. We go normally around late September or early May and always have a grand time.

tkelvin69

I'd like to know what 43 countries you haven't been to! :-)