So, what is the deal with tank tops and shorts?

My daughter and I like to wear whatever we want, but we do one test - alluded to above. We put on each "outfit" we plan to wear and watch each other as we bend over to pick up luggage and dropped items, juggle a drink, our carry-on and our umbrella, collapse on a park bench after a long museum tour and other scenarios. We watch each other from every angle. This has caused us to change out a shirt or two, choose the longer rather than the shorter skirt, decide that that utterly too cute top has to be worn with another shirt, etc. We also stand on a step stool or the stairs and look down at each other - amazing what views different angles provide!! Maybe this sounds silly, but when we are travelling, we don't have to be concerned about any unpleasant clothing surprises!

Kim , as Kent pointed out, age does make a difference on how one looks at this issue. That said, beachwear in big cities looks out of place to some locals.
I mean yes, in Florida it is normal, but , in New York I bet many people dress a little differently right?

I personally am confused about how you are finding it hard to fit a money belt under your clothes. It is not meant to be stuffed, a thin passport, a CC or two and your ATM card shouldn't bulk you up too much, so you have stumped me on that one.

Italy can be roasting hot in the summer, so I prefer sundresses and skirts as I find them cooler. I wear tank tops with skirts and it looks fine to me, on " church visiting days" just tuck a little sleeved blouse in your bag, or wear it, no biggie, I don't go in churches every day, LOL .

One aside Kim, if you are even remotely attractive and young, shorts will be a big turn on for the Italian men, I mean this in the " they will pester you " way,, lol. So consider that, LOL

Kim, correction, you don't actually have to be that young or that attractive, and short shorts and a tank top is still going to attract Italian men...LOL

Kim - my personal opinion - don't bother "spurging" for the pants with removable legs. This might be okay for some men but women have much better options. For all summer travel in hot parts of Europe - skirts & capris will be perfect in most situations. If you are doing athletic endeavors such as biking or hiking, then one pair of shorts. Tank tops are fine but you should have lightweight shirts to go on top for when you need to be more dressed up and to go into churches in Italy.

You can wear beach wear at the beach but you should be a little more dressed up for city sightseeing. Think New York, not Orlando.

Pat - to answer your confusion about the money belt. I have actually never seen on nor tried one one, so I have no clue what it looks/feels like. Thank you for the clarification, though. That was one of my biggest concerns about the money belt!

Thank you to everyone who posted so far. It is amazing how a few opinions and ideas can put our traveling fears and anxieties at ease!! :~)

In general, be comfortable but not indecent. Wear light clothes but keep a sense of modesty. The only real dress codes you will run into are at churches in the South and some nightclubs.

My wife takes a pair of pants, a pair of capris and a loose fitting skirt that's knee length. Instead of tank tops, she takes light tops that cover her shoulders. Mainly because we pack light and want to be able to wear everything we carry everywhere we go.

Also living in Florida I understand where you are coming from. I would say Yes to a skirt, and no to shorts. I would go with Capris befor I invested in zip off pants. I was in France, Italy and Germany and would not wear shorts in any of those places. My money belt fit under my snuggest jeans, my dress pants and skirts. It should not be a problem.

About tank tops, I would say yes to them as long as they are kind of refind, not the old navy ribbed kind. Just make sure you can cover you shoulders for churches.

To me Europe was more like dress casual than casual. Jeans are ok, just dress them up with a nice top and with dark shoes.

Here is a website where women have tips for dressing in countries all over the world. http://www.journeywoman.com/ccc/default.html

Kim,
Good question. This is often a concern among us women...
You might get a few tips from Clinton & Stacey from "What Not To Wear" on TLC. (www.tlc.com/whatnottowear)

A few general guidelines could include:
-Skirts with a split slip or lycra bike shorts underneath (chaffing)rather than Shorts.
-Skirts are perhaps most flattering hemmed just below the knee.
-Shorts for the Beach only unless you are Young
-No Mini-Skirts especially after 35 and not in Churches.
-Do the "Sit Down Test" for ease of movement & comfort.
-No low rise pants or short cropped top so a waist moneybelt will not be exposed.
-Longer tuck in blouse or shirt type tops so the moneybelt won't sit directly on your skin for comfort.
-Consider carrying a large square silk scarf as a cover up if needed for your head or shoulders.
-Be mindful of overly clingy fabrics which are form fitting showing every lump and bump.
-Secure bra straps by wearing either a "racer" type back or strap connectors. Adds to comfort and modesty.
(cont'd...)

-Invest in a good foundation or sports Bra. Giggling the "girls" can be a traffic stopper.
-Tank Tops, are great for layering. I like the self-bra type for wearing at night.

Those are just a few "ideas"...Adapt at will. The only real challenge I've found is finding shoes that are multi-purpose and versitile that don't look goofy with a skirt that are still good support walking shoes. Does anyone have any specific suggestion? I guess I'll check out the section for that, in the meanwhile...Thanks for any and all suggestions!

If you want to label yourself as a tourist,then invest in those stupid zip off pants. Talk about tacky!

Look respectable in a skirt, or a nice pair of capri pants. I take shorts only for wearing in coastal areas.

My last trip to Italy I took capri pants and a skirt...and I ended up wearing the skirt almost everyday. I felt cooler and I felt I looked nicer/neater. No sleeveless tanks for me, just short sleeved t's without pictures or logos. A light weight sweater for the plane and for churches and nights out.

Look to your own wardrobe before you go out and invest in "travel" clothing. I bet you can find great items and save that money to spend on a better meal in Italy! Get over the feeling that you have to go buy something special for this trip. Invest instead in a nice scarf in Italy to wear with your clothing to dress it up!

If you don't want to be labeled as an "ignorant tourist" then please don't buy zip off pants!! That article of clothing is "ignorant tourist"!!

Ellen (above) has some pretty harsh words for the zip off pants. I agree that these aren't a good choice for women to wear in European cities in the summer. (possibly they are OK for men). Wear capris, lightweight skirts, sundresses instead and you will fit right in and still be cool.

Agreeing with the posts that say skirts and capris rather than zip off pants. I always wear a money belt when I travel and it fits under anything. They are meant to fit close to the body and be inconspicuous. You won't see a lot of women wearing tank tops (depends on age),however, other than in churches, I wouldn't say it is a big faux pas. Kind of a non-issue. Shorts will label you as a tourist instantly, if that is a big deal to you, don't wear them. With Europe summer heat, you will probably be more comfortable in a skirt made or light fabric, which is also more common and less "touristy". Overall, I would say that people probably worry too much about what clothes to bring. I sure did on my first few trips. Bring pieces that are neutral, can be dressed up or down and that are comfortable. And if you love tank tops, bring them and wear them, just not in churches. You might want to bring a pashmina or something similar, which can quickly make and outfit more modest. Good luck!

We have traveled from Northern Europe to Turkey with our 21 and 23 year old daughters over the last 5 years and the only people that look like tourists to us are the people wearing capris, knee socks, and jogging shoes! And that is not to offend people who are trying to stay cool and comfortable.

I am 52 and I wear black capris, colorful tanks and t's, as well as sundresses. And I wear my Privo/Skecher sandals. My girls wear tanks/t's and cotton skirts or sundresses, and Skechers or flip flops. (They swear that their Rainbow flops are comfy and they have never complained even after 10 miles of walking through Rome!)The skirts are long enough to enter churches and we always carry a sweater in case we need to be a bit more covered, or just for night dining. We have only worn shorts when we hiked the Cinque Terre.

This is definitely not the tank and jean skirt you might wear on the beach, but like the others said, more of what you might wear walking in a city.

I'd definitely go with skirts and capris rather than zip-off pants. Skirts in Italy are great and will probably be better than the pants. Tank tops are fine as long as they are still dress casual. Sundresses can also be nice. You probably won't feel overdressed at all, especially in big cities.
My main problem is always shoes. Finding a pair of cute, fashionable, comfortable shoes that look great with skirts is pretty hard.

I've traveled on two Rick Steve's tours in late June-July - the hottest months to travel. I've only traveled w/cropped pants (took three pairs for 28 day trip), cami type tank tops (J.Jill or Eddie Bauer), & several 3/4 sleeve blouses - I bought several scarves (in Florence & Venice) which I folded into my daybag and threw over my shoulders when entering churches or museums. I never felt like I was glared at for wearing my camis... I think it is a matter of showing respect for the culture & country you are visiting - be discrete! not showy! Oh, by the end of the trip I bought a gauzy wrap skirt in Montmartre because I was tired of my pants toward the end of the trip.
On another trip, I took a thin strapped sundress w/an overblouse to Eastern Europe - it was good choice.
I wore Dansko Lolita sandals - cool, comfy (even on cobblestone walkways) - took Merrell's too!
I didn't wear a money belt - sorry Rick! I had a great shoulder bag that I kept crossed over the front of my chest.

I would never ever travel with[out] a money belt. It takes a few hours to get used to it and can save you so much headache, money, etc. Don't worry about fitting it in your pants/capris/skirts. Unless your clothes are really tight, it'll fit perfectly. Don't overpack it though. Put what's necessary in it when you wear it around all day. Separate the papers, money, cards in 2 and put everything in 2 Ziplog bags. If you're traveling to Italy, it'll be hot and you're likely to get a bit sweaty (you don't want all your important papers to turn out disgusting).

Pants with removable legs come in handy if you are hiking/walking some place where the day starts out cool and then warms up. Or if the weather is changable. The ability to "remove your legs" when the sun comes out in the mountains and highlands is a great advantage. I think in summer in Italy they are less valuable.

The first time I was in Europe was when I was 19. I wore shorts while there, and will never wear them again! I've been in Italy and Spain with temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius (close to 120 degrees Fahrenheit)and the best and coolest thing you can wear is a skirt or sundress made of material like linen and light cotton. The best clothes I have found for summer travel in Europe have been in Europe! Shorts made me an obvious traveller, which may not bother you but makes you more of a target for pickpockets and such. Tank tops are fine, but I have found that the ones from Old Navy and similar stores look extremely North American, so I try to find tanks with some lace or detail of some sort that are less casual in style.
Next month when I head over I will have skirts, jeans and capris, and will buy anything else I need! I have found that fitting in with locals gives me the most authentic European experience :)
Have fun!

My sister lives in Germany and she said you can bring tank tops. It gets very hot in the summer, and she lives in them. You will see all sorts of dress in Europe. She has seen shorts in Berlin (worn by German men and women), and also those removable leg pants you speak of.

I wear what is comfortable for me. I have worn shorts and tank tops in Rome and all over Europe.

When it is hot people wear shorts and tank tops. My daughter traveled with a group of 20 from all over the world and they all wore shorts and tanks. I would not wear them in a church or out to dinner, but during the day I wore them. I always carry a cover up top if I am wearing a tank top. Just dress to be comfortalbe. I also have some zip off pants and they are comfortable too and I like them. Everyone has their own opinion on this matter.

I too come from a hot and humid place--Texas. I can't imagine being in a similar climate and NOT wearing shorts so I am going to take one pair, along with capris and a skirt. I'll have them in case I decide I decide to wear them.

Everytime I watch one of Rick's episodes on PBS or other travel shows in Europe, see LOTS of people wearing shorts so I don't think we'd be the only people there wearing them.

You can't go wrong with capris and a nice t-shirt. Tank tops were worn throughout Europe as well. It seems that the only ones who wore shorts were tourists (or Germans, but you can tell them apart because they also wore birkenstocks and socks! lol) No matter what you choose, you will look like a tourist, but there should never be any shame in that!

I was in Italy 2 summers ago, and I found that Italian women of all ages wore tank tops and camis, often with a contrasting bra showing. I saw more skirts than shorts. Black and white seemed to be the favored colors. For churches, you do need to wear a shawl or overblouse. I definitely didn't find Italians more modest than Americans...

Kim, packinglight.net has a black skirt with a pocket on the inside of the skirt. This can be an alternative to the money belt.