Dresses-to sleeve or not to sleeve?

There is nothing offensive to Europeans about bare arms or legs. Feel free to wear strapless and hems up to wherever- everywhere except churches, especially Catholic or Orthodox churches. Modest dress, which just means covered shoulders and knees, is all that is required, as a mark of respect for the religious site you are visiting. A simple scarf over your shoulders will suffice if your outfit is sleeveless.

I’m planning to take a sleeveless dress to Europe this summer, along with either a shawl or a sweater for the times when I enter a church. Most churches would be OK with a sleeveless dress, except for more formal churches like Saint Peter’s, where they require shoulders and knees to be covered. Hence this shawl or sweater. Otherwise, you’ll find plenty of Europeans wearing sleeveless or even spaghetti strap dresses out in public in summer. It’s just a church decorum issue with the sleeves.

Yes, bare shoulders and knees are considered disrespectful in some churches. Maybe consider a dress with a short flutter sleeve to cover your shoulders, and that comes down just below your knee.

We were in Venice in summer 2018 and it was hot. Many people tried to go into St. Mark’s in shorts. They had to wear these skirt-like cover ups. No one was allowed in without covering. My husband and boys wore pants, but brought shorts and changed after. I wore a t shirt dress that was shorter than my knees with cropped capris under. After visiting the church and taking a gondola ride (good to have some coverage there for getting in and out of the gondola!), I took off the capris and put them in my day bag.

I like to wear a sleeveless dress below my knee with the lightest weight infinity scarf. When I walk into any church, I slide the scarf down over my upper arms. Dresses are nice for staying cool in the warm weather and look nice for dinner. I’ve also slid my scarf over my arms to stay warmer when riding the morning ferry on Lake Maggiore; I like to sit outside on the boat.

Europe has variations. For example, in France where the churches belong to the government, it doesn't matter. In Italy, it does, a lot.

You might want to repost this on the specific country forums to get targeted answers for each country.

Not rude, very common. However, churches in Italy and maybe some other places do require shoulders covered. A cardigan, jacket, or scarf would be fine. This would be only when in the church, everywhere else like restaurants, non-church museums, the street, etc sleeveless is common and not an issue at all.

Its not about your bare limbs being offensive, its about respect. There are people for whom churches are more than just a tourist attraction. Show respect for them by following the rules, whether the church can afford bouncers and giant multi-lingual signage or not. Yes, people get away with it, even here in the US, but its not right. I can't imagine people asking whether they can keep their shoes on in a mosque, or really need to wear that darn yarmulke in a synagogue.

Bets, that is interesting because I remember the “respect standard” directions from our guides being the same when we were on tours in Italy, Austria, France, etc.

I think that stan has put it very well - it is all about respect, whether there are signs or people enforcing the signs or not.

The analogy with the synagogue and mosque is very valid - well put.

I wear tank tops all through Europe in the summer. I always have a super lightweight scarf with me if we see a church we want to pop into. Shorts are fine too, Many women wrap the scarf around their waist, to make a sarong type skirt, to enter the churches in shorts. I would not alter my whole wardrobe just to enter a church, just do the scarf.
As far as just one dress for the whole trip, maybe take 2 just in case one rips or gets a stain. I took one cardigan on my last trip, as I like to be able to go from day to night in the same outfit and just cover up when it stats to get chilly. Well I lost that one cardigan somewhere early on in the trip and it threw off my whole plan on different outfits, as we just pack carry one so I have limited clothing.

Jean,
People don't have to cover up in France, but if a service is going on, people should be discreet and not make noise. It's the same respect you'd show anywhere you go, sacred or secular.

But France has no wardrobe gatekeepers as in a few of the other countries.

I am bringing a black spaghetti strap dress (below the knee) and an assortment of summer weight long sleeve button up shirts, to wear with it when we are visiting a church during warm weather. I am still in hot flash mode, sadly, so I really like having a comfortable layer option.