Italy - Deciding what to pack

I wouldn’t care what other Italian women wear on bikes. You should wear what makes YOU comfortable.
Capri pants are sold in Italy and many women wear them, but I have never bothered to notice how many Italian women wear them on bikes, and I don’t think anybody will notice or care what you wear either.
Just be aware that you will be experiencing heat that is not common in Mill Creek. So lots of my Italian female friends will be wearing shorts and light skirts, and preferably nothing black.

Thank you, Roberto, for your reply and for mentioning the color black! The dress I was planning to take is black, also, because it's versatile paired with colorful scarves or a necklace.

Luckily, I have plenty of time to narrow down the final four outfits in the next few months.

In my experience living and traveling in Italy, many women wear black all year. In fact, black, grey, and beige dominate the store windows most of the year with occasional flashes of color.

I always pack black pants and dark wash jeans. If I took a dress, it would be black for the reasons you mention. To me, your tops are key: lightweight, short-sleeved or sleeveless, a cardigan for evenings or the rare cool morning, and a rain jacket because always a rain jacket.

You can wear any color you like, including black. What I meant is that black however absorbs more heat, and in August Italy is hell hot.

Thanks for the warning - ha! I grew up in Iowa and notice that the average monthly averages are very similar in August & September to the locations I will be visiting.

Your comment made me laugh because I immediately thought of Kevin Costner’s line in the movie “Field of Dreams”, where he’s in Iowa and asks “Is this heaven? “

Bike knickers (below the knee cut-off) in black would be good for riding. If you are only doing casual biking and only a day or two you could forego the padded seat version. On the other hand, if you plan on spending multiple hours on the bike, bike appropriate knickers would be more comfortable. (Do web serach for "womens bike knickers" to see options.)

If you don't have knickers (or capris) and your bike doesn't have a chain guard, bring velcro bike cuff straps to keep your pant legs out of the chain. And the reason why bike pants are traditionally black is that black hides chain grease stains. There's another reason for not wearing white bike shorts in hot weather.

Another option is bring bike shorts and wear a short skirt over the bike shorts. Don't wear long skirts (look up Isadora Duncan's death).

Thanks everyone! I will pack my black capris for my casual city bike days and avoid any long scarves or dresses per Edgar’s warning- ugh!

Here are some thoughts on biking in skirts:
https://www.pocampo.com/blogs/all/17880636-how-to-bike-in-skirts-and-dresses#

And if you are interested in women's bike attire:
http://www.terrybicycles.com/Apparel
(The original women’s bicycling company founded in 1985 by Georgena Terry).