Wearing shorts to dinner
Aug 3, 2007 | 4:58 pm
#16
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Italy
Posts: 16
As an Italian, I can confirm some of the above comments: it's not normal to enter a restaurant with a pair of shorts on here, except maybe when you are in a location by the sea that makes it more acceptable, yet labeled as very "American" by us locals. That said, it's also true Italian people tend to be less formal than what foreign picture us abroad, above all Romans!
Last edited by Dt2; Aug 3, 2007 at 5:05 pm
Aug 3, 2007 | 5:10 pm
#17
Join Date: Jul 2004
Programs: AC.SE
Posts: 2,584
Let me assure you that the Italian Navy officers' messes in Livorno and Taranto required considerably greater formality of dress than most "fine dining establishments" elsewhere in Italy. The Italian Navy remains a bit formalized among the higher ranking officers, at least. As for Casserta, the old NATO establishment, the mess there was fully as formal as any 5 star hotel resturant in Rome, too formal for comfort, all those foreign general and flag officers.
Aug 4, 2007 | 10:37 am
#19
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Central Texas
Programs: Many, slipping beneath the horizon
Posts: 9,859
Of course it was a regulation navy uniform (for both US - sort of - and Italians, especially for the Royal Navy[UK]). The claim was made that "shorts" were inappropriate for Dinner in Italy. I simply provied an example of shorts being appropriate. Certainly, were I wearing them to dinner in a Navy mess or wardroom, I would not hesitate to wear them to dinner "in town".
No more so than would I hesitate to wear "dressy" shorts to dinner at an upscale resturant in Taormina, Rapallo/Santa Margarita/Portofino or the Sestre Levante. The place suggests the "uniform".
As they say in Real Estate..."Location, location, location!"
No more so than would I hesitate to wear "dressy" shorts to dinner at an upscale resturant in Taormina, Rapallo/Santa Margarita/Portofino or the Sestre Levante. The place suggests the "uniform".
As they say in Real Estate..."Location, location, location!"
Aug 4, 2007 | 11:03 am
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: SJC/VCE
Programs: AA PLT (2.9+ MM), HH GLD, Hyatt Diamond, SPG PLT
Posts: 10,161
Aug 5, 2007 | 5:54 am
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: YWG
Programs: AC Elite, SPG Plat
Posts: 643
I wore shorts every night to dinner and never had a problem. Granted most restaurants had tourists, but not all. I did not wear t-shirts to dinner.
Aug 5, 2007 | 7:07 am
#22
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: europe
Programs: EX-*wood platinum, EX-hyatt diamond, sixt platinum, hilton silver, leaders club, esselunga verde...
Posts: 2,048
Shorts at dinner in italy: never ever!
If you are near the beach, shorts ( bermudas !!! ) are quite tolerable for lunch, but even there never for dinner!
If you are near the beach, shorts ( bermudas !!! ) are quite tolerable for lunch, but even there never for dinner!
Aug 6, 2007 | 11:22 am
#23
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: ATL
Posts: 272
I'll make a deal with Italy...........once they start accepting AC and water with ice as standard equipment for all restaurants, I will accept long pants as standard attire while dining in their country.
Aug 6, 2007 | 11:25 am
#24
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: YWG
Programs: AC Elite, SPG Plat
Posts: 643
Aug 6, 2007 | 12:37 pm
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: LAX
Posts: 11,606
In about 20 or so meals out in Italy past july, only once I was asked to wear long pants. It is hard not to wear shorts when it's 30-35 oC outside so I was hardly alone. Casual places with tables both inside and outside are certainly OK with shorts, very formal restaurants are likely to have a problem with them. Even in churches knee-long shorts were OK.
For those who want to look like locals by not wearing shorts - who are you trying to kid? You are tourists and you will look like tourists - shorts or not. My sunglasses were a dead giveaway - guys overthere wear "top gun" "back from the 80s" kind this summer.
For those who want to look like locals by not wearing shorts - who are you trying to kid? You are tourists and you will look like tourists - shorts or not. My sunglasses were a dead giveaway - guys overthere wear "top gun" "back from the 80s" kind this summer.
Aug 6, 2007 | 1:13 pm
#26
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: ATL
Posts: 272
It was a constant source of amusement for us.
Aug 6, 2007 | 1:30 pm
#27
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: europe
Programs: EX-*wood platinum, EX-hyatt diamond, sixt platinum, hilton silver, leaders club, esselunga verde...
Posts: 2,048
In about 20 or so meals out in Italy past july, only once I was asked to wear long pants. It is hard not to wear shorts when it's 30-35 oC outside so I was hardly alone. Casual places with tables both inside and outside are certainly OK with shorts, very formal restaurants are likely to have a problem with them. Even in churches knee-long shorts were OK.
For those who want to look like locals by not wearing shorts - who are you trying to kid? You are tourists and you will look like tourists - shorts or not. My sunglasses were a dead giveaway - guys overthere wear "top gun" "back from the 80s" kind this summer.
For those who want to look like locals by not wearing shorts - who are you trying to kid? You are tourists and you will look like tourists - shorts or not. My sunglasses were a dead giveaway - guys overthere wear "top gun" "back from the 80s" kind this summer.
Aug 6, 2007 | 3:25 pm
#29
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 2,741
OH MY GOD you are so correct. Metrosexuality is a way of life over there........even when you're outside of the big cities. For some reason we were constantly running into large groups of teenagers...........and even when we were hiking the trails of Cinque Terra (+80F and sunny) we'd see them in their designer jeans, leather shoes, fancy sunglasses and an excessive amoung of jewelery.
It was a constant source of amusement for us.
It was a constant source of amusement for us.
Aug 6, 2007 | 3:59 pm
#30
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 1,573
