Need your input and wisdom on what American women and men should wear in late October/early November in Venice and Rome to be attired fashionably and in a sophisticated manner (but warmly enough) and blend in with the locals. Have been to Paris in late October and it was really cold. Houston weather does not prepare us! Thank you for the help.
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11851 posts
Actually Rome is a lot like Houston weather! Layers are called for as you will be in-and-out-of-doors so much. Long-sleeved shirts/blouses or light merino wool sweaters (they dry fast after hand washing), with another sweater or polartec-type fleece to layer when it's really cold. (I like a jewelneck merino sweater with a matching cardigan that I can mix with other tops. Light weight silk sweaters work well, too. They dry fast and can be layered.) My husband wears long-sleeved shirts with a merino v-neck, substituting a fleece when it's really cold. Jeans are fine - I always travel with them, but I also take a pair of washable black slacks I can use when jeans are not appropriate. Contrary to some opinions stated online, the Europeans do wear jeans... a lot. Of course you'll need a rain jacket. I like a hip-length or longer microfiber-type. A scarf really helps keep the chill away and is very fashionable. Lightweight gloves would not go amiss. Gortex shoes are a must to keep feet dry and warm if it rains. I highly recommend SmartWool socks.
Posted by
Centennial, CO, USA
1898 posts
I'm with Laurel. I was in Rome the last week of October a few years ago. The weather was decent. I little cool for my likes, but I layer clothing. Wore a fleece jacket under my rain coat to keep me warm and the rain coat to block the wind. Didn't get any actual rain during our 5 nights there. I wore jeans the entire time and Puma "sneakers" on my feet. Didn't bring a hat or gloves, but wore a scarf on cooler days. I'm going to Florence in a week, plan is to check the forecast as I pack and plan accordingly. I'll wear jeans for sure, and bring long sleeve shirts, and this time I'm packing a compact umbrella if there is a chance of rain. No way you will blend in....we stick out as Americans, so don't worry about it, enjoy your vacation. Just don't over pack!
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
7737 posts
Good for you for not wanting to stand out in a crowd. Not only is it aesthetically a better choice imho, but it makes it more likely pickpockets will ignore you. It's true that certain behaviors will give you away as a tourist, but it's not true that all Italians will be able to tell that you're a tourist just by the way you're dressed. I've been mistaken for Italian by local Italians many times.