Dress code

Churches will require you to have your shoulders and knees covered. So no sleeveless tops and no shorts.

Capris are very popular for tourists and natives.

There are no "dress codes". You wear what is comfy except in certain places (almost exclusively churches) where you cover as a sign of respect. I see you are from Florida, so I would guess that , even in churches there, you would wear very casual clothes. If you DO
dress differently for churches there, why not in Italy?

Knees, shoulders and midriff covered. No slogans/pictures on t-shirts that might be viewed as sacreligious (common sense should tell you if a shirt might be objectionable in a church setting). Other than that you are okay to wear what you like.

It was very hot and sunny when we were there a few weeks ago and I wore shorts everywhere but into the churches/Vatican sites. I wore tank tops though but got around it by just having a wrap with me to put around my shoulders when inside.

The churches do enforce the dress code rule. My daughter and I were recently in Italy and found the wearing a light weight, knee length skirt is a great alternative to shorts when it is hot. It looks a lot dressier, is cool, and can be worn with a sleeveless top, just make sure you have a scarf/wrap in your bag to wrap around your shoulders.
Enjoy, it is am amazing country!

We are going in August, also very hot, and I am wondering if the no shorts rule applies to long shorts worn by children? and how about men? Does a skirt have to be long? I do see women in church wearing shorter skirts as well as capris.

Any advice is appreciated.

Covered knees applies to everyone. The exception probably is small children. A couple of years I was in a walking touring and the guy wearing a tank top was excluded from everything.

Covered knees does apply to children EXCEPT very small ones,, ,like toddlers,, so don't think a 10 yr old will get away with it.. I took a family tour and in Rome,, at Vatican and St Pauls, they stopped anyone except small ones.

I also think its much cooler to wear light weight summer skirts,, I don't think shorts are city wear anyways,, not in non beach destination cities anyways.

Capris are fine anywear.