Clothing

I am a big fan of packing light. Can't comment much on women's clothing, although I'm sure others here will have lots to say. These two web places have tons of helpful information about packing light and clothing lists: One Bag ----- Rick Steves Packing Tips. Note that there is a packing list for women on the RS page.

Most of us, no matter how hard we try, look like the American tourists that we are. I always err on the side of wearing what's comfortable for me. If you live in shorts, bring your shorts. My daughter wore her extremely short typical "American" shorts. They made me cringe but she was happy in them. I encouraged her to bring the longest of the "short shorts" and she did.

I WOULD tell you that very short shorts will get you unwanted attention in many places so if you have longer ones, I would opt for those. I see you're bringing a dress, which is good, but you'll also want one skirt, or, better yet a large scarf that you shove in your day bag.

That way, should you come across a church that you want to enter that prohibits shorts, you can take that huge scarf and create a sarong-style skirt of out it.

As the others have noted... you will stand at as a tourist no matter what you wear, so wear what feels and looks comfortable to you.

It is not true at all that Europeans do not wear shorts. This is an old stereotype that refuses to die. However, they don't wear them as casually as North Americans do. The threshold temperature for wearing shorts is generally higher. But if it's hot enough, anyone not at work will usually put on the shorts.

Some of your more northern destinations could conceivably experience cool and wet weather during June. Consider making the rain coat something more along the lines of a water resistant wind breaker. Particularly if you go for a hiking outing in the Alps.

My opinion. Leave the skirts at home, take two pairs of shorts, skip,the black dress. A raincoat of some sort may be handy. If you have one top that is a little dressy, you will be dressed up enough for almost anything. You can pair the top with your jeans or yoga pants. In the heat of summer, shorts are probably appropriate except in churches. Some churches require that knees and shoulders be covered. Whichever shoes you plan to walk in, be sure they are sturdy enough for all-day walking on different surfaces. I like shoes sturdier than tennies or sandals, but I'm older than you. If you need a sweater at all, one will be enough. Just take clothing that you can mix and match. Throw in a scarf or two to dress up or cover up. My travel wardrobe of blue, purple, and red is so flexible I could get dressed in the dark and be perfectly color-coordinated!

Have a great time!

Whatever you wear the most for the few weeks before your trip is what you should take because that is probably what is the most comfortable. Really comfortable walking shoes (which can be athletic shoes), you will walk more than you ever have. If the skinny jeans and black dress are to be fashionable, leave them at home. Take less than you think you need, they have stores in Europe with everything we have at home. I prefer a small umbrella over packing a raincoat that hopefully gets little use. When it rains you can buy an umbrella on every corner.

Ending up in Italy in August? I would definitely want a skirt (lightweight material, a little flowy to allow for natural air-conditioning) -- but that's my personal travel style. I also like very lightweight loose long pants (Calcutta cloth), rolled up as needed.

The idea that Europeans don't wear shorts is a myth. You see shorts everywhere, especially in summer especially on those under 30. To not wear shorts would be weird. And don't forget, skirts and dresses = chafing if you are walking a lot.

Personally I would lose the yoga pants and one of the sweaters. No one wears yoga pants on the street unless they are jogging - if you plan to jog then bring them, otherwise they are useless. Sweaters area bulky and, looking at your itinerary, you may only need a sweater for a couple of days on your trip up in the north - Dublin, London, Amsterdam - and in Switzerland. Even northern Europe can be surprisingly warm in the summer. When it rains in the summer it tends to not be that cold...just wet.
Shorts are completely fine - everyone wears them! In fact I would bring more than one pair...it will be incredibly hot in Venice, Rome and Greece. I am like you...I get terribly hot! This past summer we were in Norway (wet, rainy, cold) and then the Czech Republic, Austria and Bavaria (they were having a heat wave...I thought I would die of heat). I barely wore my jeans or other pants after Norway and none of my long sleeves. I was glad I had them with me for Norway but they sat in my suitcase the rest of the time. In hindsight I should have just mailed them home or donated them to a charity shop!
T-Shirts are fine but I would include some very lightweight tank tops or spaghetti-strap style tops as well. The only down side to these in Italy is that you can't have your shoulders showing to go into churches...take a lightweight scarf to drape over your shoulders if you plan to visit churches...some don't allow shorts as well so wear long skirts or capris on those days.
With 6 pairs of underwear/socks that means laundry every 6 days...you may want to consider taking more than that. I've backpacked a lot in Europe over the years and laundry is a hassle...make sure to plan it into your itinerary so you don't lose sightseeing time. I always plan a 1/2 day laundry day every 10 days or so. If you plan to do "sink laundry" rather than going to a laundromat then you need to think about what you can take along that will easily air dry. Jeans, socks, and sweaters are terrible for this.

Thoughts on your pack list:
Raincoat - make sure it's water proof (not just resistant) it will make a difference when you're outside for awhile. I like a rain shell with a hood and long enough so the water drips past (rather than onto) your bottom.

Plain sneakers - fine. The key with shoes are they are comfortable, functional, and sturdy enough to handle lots of walking on cobbles for the whole season. Secondary is to have something that can mix and match with different clothes. For women, I like the Sketchers bicycle style shoes. They're comfortable, lightweight and seem to handle a lot of walking. They don't look too bad either.

Strong sandals to me would be a repeat of the sneakers. If you need to pare back, pick these or the sneakers rather than both.

Flip flops are a good choice for really casual (as long as it's not a ton of walking on cobblestones) and to wear around a hostel to go down the hall for the toilet or shower.

I pair of shorts. Good, think mix and match. Something that can be worn in lots of combinations. In the summer, I might add a second pair of shorts if it's something you wear often.

Skinny jeans. Jeans aren't the best travel pants because they take a lot of drying when they get wet. They don't look out of place though. I might go with some jeans looking leggings to get the same look with less weight and laundry euros.

Yoga pants. I think the loose, calf-length yoga pants are ideal for travel. They're casual but can dress up too with the right top or sweater. Since they're polyester, they don't wrinkle and wash/dry easily.

Bathing suit. Yes always add one, they're small and hopefully you will have some chances to visit a beach, pool or get sun in a park.

Gym shorts to sleep in. I take the lightest weight running pants I can find for laundry days, pjs, or something to lounge in at a hostel. Gym shorts are probably as good of choice for women. Use a neutral color, grey or black, you don't want to wear baby blue when the local team is red and their arch rival is baby blue (and they're playing today).

6 pairs of socks. I think three are plenty. I pack three pair of identical socks (in case one gets lost or a hole). I wash a pair of socks and underwear nightly in the sink and let them dry overnight. Test drive some socks and underwear to make sure they dry quickly before including them in your pack list. I like non-cotton socks that are made as thick as cotton ones.

6 underwear. I also pack only three pair of underwear and wash one pair daily. For women, underwear don't take up much room and you're likely to wear more than one pair a day - so six is probably a good number - still wash them daily so you always have a clean supply to change into.

2 bras. I think that's good, let them air out at night, wash when they need it and have the extra to change into when needed.

5 t-shirts. I pack 5 tops, normally two or three button up long sleeve shirts and two or three crew neck t-shirts (occasionally a polo shirt). The idea is to have a variety of mix and match items - 3 bottoms and five tops that mix and match give you fifteen combinations.

1 long sleeve. Make sure it mixes and matches. I might go with a light sweater, that can be worn casual like a long sleeve tee or dressier as a light top, as a substitute.

More -

2 sweaters. I think of warm layers rather than sweaters and pack things that can be layered over my other clothes as well as layered over each other if it's really cold. I like to pair a lightweight sweater/fleece/softshell with a full zip (the zip helps regulate the heat) plus a wool sweater that isn't bulky or heavy (like a dressy merino wool). Again think of each as an outer layer on it's own for a variety of casual to dressier looks or layered. When it's really cold layer a tee, both warm layers, your rain shell and stop by a store and buy a knit hat, gloves and scarf - but don't pack the hat, gloves and scarf, you probably won't need them unless it's winter.

3 skirts - maybe too many total bottoms. Plan on two that mix and match with everything else, you will also have a pair of shorts, yoga pants and leggings/skinny jeans to rotate wearing.

1 little black dress. The best are polyester that can be literally wadded up in your bag then pulled out and worn. They weigh nothing. If you find yourself wearing it often, buy a scarf and/or inexpensive jewelry to change up the look. I think you could substitute some very basic black sandals for the flip flops and wear them with the dress if you go somewhere nice (bring a sweater if it might get chilly). Typically simpler things work well for dressing up.

vest. I'm not sure what for? As a warm layer or a travel type vest with lots of pockets? If you wear a vest regularly, then pack one. If not, I wouldn't add it. A lot of travel items seem like a good idea when you pack then are lugged around unused for the entire trip.

Remember something for photos (camera/smartphone). Wifi is everywhere, use it when you can instead of paying for calls/data/texts.

If you will stay at hostels, bring a gym lock. They all have lockers and you need to lock your stuff when you're not watching it, even if you're just going down the hall for a second. Hostels are fine but there is a lot of petty theft.

I found everywhere had towels and bedding so I wouldn't pack any linens unless you really feel you can't live without it.

A small inflatable travel pillow is good for the flight and may come in handy when your pillow has no life left in it. I like the ones with a comfortable outside material. Pro-tip: they're more comfortable inflated only part way.

Most stuff you might need is available there - sunscreen, conditioner, lip balm, band-aids, bug spray, etc. One thing I take is some laundry soap from REI. It comes in dry sheets so it's easy to pack. You mix the sheets with warm water then add them to the laundry like a liquid detergent. I like that better than carrying laundry soap with me.

I also buy a small Swiss Army Knife when I get there with at least a corkscrew, bottle opener, tweezers, scissors and a blade for cutting sandwiches. They come in handy often, especially when you pick up picnic supplies at a grocery store then head to a park to eat. My eating utensil is generally a plastic fork. If you use a spoon regularly, make it a spork.

Forgot to say, everyone will know you're a tourist and no one will care. Wear stuff you're comfortable in. Most people there wear very similar styles. If you see something really different that you like, pick it up at a store and bring it home as a souvenir.

I like skirts and always take them to Europe.. they can be dressed up or down super easy.. and they are cool in heat.. ( plus I hate the sensation of sticking to bus/train seats in shorts when its hot.. ew).
Also.. Italy.. if going to visit any churches.. most are very strict , no women( or men) in shorts .. unless they are more like capris and go BELOW the knee.. skirts just at knee they let in.. ( ps you have to cover shoulders too.. so I tie a gauzy scarf to my purse.. then when I want to go in church etc I just drape it around my shoulders like a shall.. works even at Vatican and St Peters)

I would not bring two sweaters. One.. I usually actually bring a lightweight zip up fleece.. can be worn as a sweater, layered under a rain coat for warmth when needed.

Three pairs of socks.. you will mostly be in sandals.

Everything else looks ok ( ps assuming you mean rain jacket , I would not bring a coat) .

Ps if budget is a concern Switzerland and Venice are killers.. just saying.. And the Greek islands are a good budget relief ( as long as you avoid the super touristy and pricey in season Mykonos or Santorini.. or if you go there.. just a few days.. then get out to Naxos or maybe Paros.. I am sure there are many other good choices though)

Rome will be insanely hot. I promise.

London, Dublin , and Amsterdam , I have been to all of them in July or August.. and it has been cool and rainy ( been to London 5 times now, Amsterdam 4 times, .. always in summer. I know they do have nice weather. .but we have never hit it.. lol ) In all those places even in summer I needed my rain jacket with a fleece ( lightweight) under it.. there was that one sunny day.. but.. lol

Lots of good advice here, tho I would never take any polyester to southern Europe in the summer, especially a dress . I used a black cotton dress, (good for day or night with sandals) 2 skirts and tops and bought another light colored print cotton dress in Venice. There are inexpensive clothing stores for women. A pair of capris + 2 pair shorts. Lose a sweater. Take 3 pair SmartWool socks and some sort of nylon/rayon/ lace undies- they dry faster than cotton. I have nice rain ponchos that have never been worn- now I take one or two of the $1.00 thin rain ponchos which take up no room and a 'mini' travel umbrella from TJ Maxx. I like sneakers for serious all day walking but a good arch supporting walking shoe like Keens or better is a good shoe to wear on the plane over, when you desire more style and protection.

Unless you have some legit purpose for them, I would leave the yoga pants at home. Assuming you wear jeans/shorts in public and sleep in shorts, I don't really see any reason to bring them. Leave the skirts at home, too, unless you especially like wearing skirts (I'm not a skirt person at all, let alone on trips, but YMMV). Instead, it might be a good idea to bring some cropped pants like these, for exampleas an intermediate between jeans and shorts.

I'd bring a few tanks/sleeveless tops as well. I was in Berlin in May a couple of years ago, and I had to hit H&M for emergency sleeveless tops because it was 80+ degrees every day we were there. I can imagine Italy and Greece in the summer aren't any cooler :) Actually -- if that reminds me, if you end up needing to pick up extra clothing on the cheap, go to H&M.

Hope you enjoy your trip!

Sincerely,
30-year-old female who has backpacked in Europe at 25 and 28 :)

If you are comfortable in skirts, go ahead and wear one. You can avoid chafing in really hot weather if you use a product like Body Glide (sold in sporting goods stores, REI, Amazon) which also is great to use preventatively on your feet to avoid ever getting a blister. Of the places you listed, I've been cold in the middle of summer in a number of them. Italy and Greece are the ones that you'll stand the best chance of roasting alive. If you do shorts in those countries, keep them a bit on the longer side because you will risk some unwanted attention from men if you go with the short shorts, otherwise, pack a sundress or skirt for really hot days (and pack a scarf or shawl to cover your shoulders if you need to enter a church in Italy).

While I wouldn't wear the yoga pants out to dinner or sightseeing, they do come in handy in other situations. They are great to wear hanging around the hostel lounges or kitchen, they are more comfortable to wear when flying (and keep you warmer on planes which can get a bit cold, especially longer flights), they come in handy on laundry day when you want to wash all your other stuff. A lot of people on the board discourage jeans. I find I get a lot of wear out of them in Europe, especially when going out at night or encountering chilly or windy, wet weather during the day (like in Ireland or England).

Speaking of laundry, you are staying at hostels and nearly all have coin-op machines reasonably priced (and most sell single use laundry detergent packets so you don't need to lug a bottle of detergent as you travel from place to place). Use the machines at the hostel and do not bother with washing your stuff in a sink or air drying it. You don't need to dedicate a half day to doing laundry for the amount of clothing you are bringing, or even waste any of your sightseeing time doing laundry. Pop it in the machines before you get in the shower in the morning and once you are finished, transfer it to the dryer. By the time you are done eating breakfast, all your clothing is clean and dry. While you don't need sheets at a hostel, do bring a quick drying, lightweight camp towel as I have encountered a lot of hostels that do not provide bath towels at all, or that charge a few Euro for them. And don't expect them to give you a washcloth. You can also use the camp towel at the beach if you plan to go in the ocean or swim in any lakes.

Skip the vest. I'm thinking when you say "strong sandals" you are talking about something like a pair of Keens or Chacos that can serve dual purpose with the heavier sole and be worn in the water as well as hiking in them. I have Keens that are great for hiking in really hot weather and useful when walking across rocky beaches. If you plan to wear your black dress, you might want to invest in a pair of foldable ballet flats which are good to change into at night and also pair up well with skinny jeans and skirts. They are also useful to wear when you have to fly as they slip on and off your feet easily as you pass through security.