apparel in Italy --- workout tights?

I can’t say if it’s right or wrong. But I’m wearing Spanx leggings on my upcoming tour with tunics or long shirts. I’m 40 years older than your daughter. Leggings are easy to pack and are very comfortable.

Unless she's going to a very upscale restaurant, I doubt anyone will notice or care what kind of pants she's wearing.

am I being old fashioned?

Yes.

The notion that you shouldn't wear certain things in Europe --- something that wouldn't be acceptable at home -- is from the era of steam trunks and pullman porters.

People in Europe wear the same things that everyone else in the world does, the elegant and the utterly cringeworthy. You will be a tourist, and everyone will know that (there's nothing you can do to disguise it, and there's no reason to try to do so). Nobody cares what you or anyone else wears - nobody. Really, nobody. At all.

The only exceptions are in churches (where bare shoulders and knees are inappropriate) or in some fancy restaurant (same as where you live - you wouldn't wear bathing suits and flipflops to a 5-star dinner out). Otherwise, cross this off your list of things to worry about. Wear whatever you want - even white pants after Labor Day.

These are fairly common for daytime touring. Local women don’t seem to wear them unless actually going to the gym, fashion for young women is similar to nice-trendy clothing in the US (skinny jeans or wider leg cropped pants, not workout leggings. Shoes are sandals, heels, or stylish sneakers, not a performance running shoe). But for a tourist during daytime touring these type of pants are common. Appropriate enough, but she will want something nicer for evenings. No need to dress old-fashioned or formal, what she’d wear at home for a nice evening with friends would be fine.

I think they are fine if she wears a top or dress long enough to cover her rear. They may not be acceptable in some strict churches so perhaps if entrance to a site such as St. Mark’s she should wear a long skirt, slacks, or jeans. This is a precaution for any site that says knees and shoulders must be covered.

I know that leggings are very popular, but that is usually with something over them that would reach to the thigh or lower. I am actually bringing some leggings on Friday to wear under dress/tops that aren't long enough to be a dress, but too long to be a shirt.....

My wife is 28 years older than your daughter and wore black yoga pants, which are a step above workout tights, pretty much everywhere in Rome when we visited last month. Granted, they are thicker material and not totally skin tight but snug and didn't have any issues with our trips to Rome, Prague and Amsterdam over the last year. We did see quite a few women wearing them as well. I can see where modesty might be an issue in some places if they are super tight, though

Thanks everyone. these are definitely workout tights and without a long tunic top, hence my question. maybe I'm just jealous since she has the figure to wear them well! ;-)

Well, Europe is not California. If she plans to visit churches, I think something less casual would be more respectful.

Well, this is how modestly Italian politicians dress:
https://images.app.goo.gl/yc5574ANC81LcoUDA
https://images.app.goo.gl/JRyWCo4BibfZ3HTC7

when they are dressed appropriately for the event they are attending - as in both those photos. Or, as in the second, even inappropriately.

If your daughter finds that her packed clothes are not appropriate while there, this will give her a nice reason to do some Italian shopping :)

great point, stephb

It’s really the young American uniform in this day and age, so if she goes around with jiggling buns here, how will she know that it’s not appropriate there. Chances are that if she doesn’t cover her rear, she’ll be hassled, get catcalls, followed, and groped. When I was young in the 1970’s living in Paris, and wearing mini-skirts with boots, all the above happened. It still happens to my gorgeous niece in Paris, but she drives to work, so no groping. She should cover the buns; it’s more alluring.

I just looked at your post again and noticed that your daughter is 29 (!) years old. What Bets said might be tripled if she insists on gym clothes for the street at that age, especially if she has the figure for it.

Encourage her to take a look at this article about what to wear in Italy from travelfashiongirl.com.

And What to Wear in Italy from whattowearonvacation.com.

A Google Images search on the same or a similar topic would also be instructive.

I looked long and carefully at the pictures. There are lots of sexy clothes on the streets, but I saw no workout wear on anyone.

Lo - great links. Thanks for posting those. I thought I had my travel wardrobe figured out, but now I have a few new ideas.

If she is comfortable in that with a tunic or shirt that is fine. However she will find that most Italian and Spanish women her age dress well when they leave the house. I have actually never seen a Spanish woman in a store wearing workout clothes like LA or NYC.

But she's old enough to make her decision.

Twenty years ago when lycra capris were the style, even stylish grannies were wearing it, at least in Naples. But lycra shapes and forms, unlike workout tights. Some Italian women may look sexy, teasing and alluring with low-cut tops, skinny pants, short skirts, high heels, as we saw in the photos, but workout tights just put it out there leaving nothing to the imagination.

Bets, you sound a little too critical. The daughter is 29 and if mom is jealous of her figure, then the daughter’s slim. And even if she isn’t, who cares. There are absolutely darling leggings out there with lace inserts, stars, leather look (but those are too hot), some for work out, some for everyday wearing, some for both. As long as the daughter’s knees and shoulders are covered, she’s fine. And as someone up-thread said the daughter has an excuse to clothes shop if she feels under dressed.

As I said previously, I'm way older than the daughter. I'm only taking leggings and tunics and shirts that hide the thighs. I’d rather wear (Spanx) leggings and a tunic than have my no-longer-pretty polka dotted legs peaking out of the bottom of capris.

She should consider the possibility of frequent catcalls. I live in the SF Bay Area and yoga pants on women most anywhere are pretty normal. Also flips flops, and men in shorts, no pedicure, hairy feet in sandals no socks in expensive restaurants. Service dogs with no credentials, you just buy a vest for them on Amazon. The local library actually put up signs saying no, you cannot bring your emotional support dog into the library. (I am sure they had their lawyers look at that carefully).

I am somewhere in age between you and your daughter......I love wearing my yoga pants. At home. Or in class. Period. I have a problem with people that wear them as a daily routine to everywhere they go. Do I stop at the grocery store on my way home from yoga class, absolutely. Would I wear that attire to dinner? Never.

I liken yoga pants to sweat pants of the 90’s. If one would have worn those all day, then it is the same as yoga pants. This Is not the same as leggings with a classy tunic that covers ones tush. We’re talking about the difference between gym wear and fashion.

I do wonder if the wearing everywhere is a California thing. I teach college students and I have never had students with work out tights in class.

And like previous poster I wear workout clothes to classes, around the house, and to errands on the way back from class. I don’t wear them to dinner.

Work out tights & yoga pants "athleisure" is standard dress for everyone here in KS, certainly as day wear. I'm Stunned that BethFL doesn't have students wearing them to class

I agree with April that leggings and a tunic are not the same as workout tights.

I've not been to Italy yet, but from my research "athleisure" as well as tennis shoes, baseball caps and logo shirts are not common place in Italy.

I doubt most Americans will blend in with Italians, but I do think wearing attire that screams dumb tourist makes one a bigger target for pickpockets.

Californians do wear anything everywhere. I have family there and one more we went to have coffee at a Peets. As we were sitting outside, two young women came in to the shop wearing camisoles, flannel pajamas and flip-flops and no one else blinked an eye.

Ok, I have to ask, what are 'work out tights'? Tights to a Brit are what you wear under your skirt in Winter or on posh occasions, the idea of wearing them for a work out is a tad uncomfortable!!! From the other replies you aren't talking about leggings, so am stuck...
From a young 40 something, gym-phobic lady

caro-

work tights are leggings, usually a compression type material, fitting from the waist down. If the leg is not fitted its called a yoga pant!

not sure if this link will work, but its a funny, mock of everyone wearing workout gear!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYRENWT8lz8

Workout tights are just leggings in a more athletic fabric. They are thicker than the cotton leggings people sometimes wear under dresses. Something LIKE THIS but worn with an actual shirt, not just a sports bra, for daily wearing. I wear them at home with a slightly longer sweatshirt, only on casual days, like if I'm hanging out at home but need to go to the grocery store. I also wear them hiking and obviously to the gym. I would not wear them while touring a city or town, unless they were worn as leggings under a nicer tunic top, but I'm about 10 years older than the daughter in the OP.

thank you!
Yes I have seen that clip, its brilliant. Not a look I would wear, even if I had the body for it...…….

Love the video. It's probably half the women in my city on a Saturday. LOL right down to the color coordinated outfit and cap and posing.

Video is great!!!!! I live in SoCal beach community and this is the norm. Not my norm as I feel weird stopping at grocery store on way home from workout, which my 35 year old daughter says is totally ok since she says I look good, hahaha. While traveling I personally don't think ok to wear this type of clothing or non-clothing unless you are actually working out. In my eyes is similar to having good manners when in public, it is a respect issue

I'm 35 & wear athleisure everywhere in the US, while traveling, sight seeing, going out to lunch (but not dinner ;p ), everywhere. I'm also a yoga instructor so it's my work uniform. That said, I've only packed 1 bottom, 1 top and a sports bra for my trip to Italy this Friday. While I'm still going to stick out like a tourist, I figured I'd use this trip to actually dress nice in real clothing for a change :) to each their own though.