Who told you not to wear jeans in Italy?

Diesel, Bennetton, and other big Italian designers all make jeans.

Probably not wise to wear jeans if you go to La Scala opera, otherwise – no problem.

Do get rid of the "tennis shoes" though. Bring something more stylish or better yet, buy some nice shoes while you’re there.

Your live-in jeans might stand out a bit and your tennis shoes definitely will. The jeans you see on the locals will be of the very fitted, designer, dress-up variety. Baggy (even comfortably loose) 505’s will be decidedly unfashionable.

Agree with above. Italy is a very fashion concious place. I think fitted jeans will be fine and DO bring tennis shoes as you will do lots of walking. Also bring a pair of tan slacks if you plan on going to an opera or the Vatican.

I learned the hard way that tank tops (w/ spaghetti straps) are pretty unacceptable for daywear. Steer clear of them…

Just remember, the climate at this time of year brings a lot of rain. If it is clear, it is a bit chilly. Are jeans what you wear under these conditions at home. There really is no need to dress differently in the EU.

just got back from italy. jeans are fine, everyone wears them. however, as said above, the really worn-looking ones are sort of out, especially on women.

italians are all about shoes. flip flops and your standard white athletic shoes are acceptable, though not really fashionable. all the casual italian shoes seemed to be in that new wrestling shoe/soccer cleat style and in color (black, browns, blues, grays) and NOT white.

other things i noticed: maybe a summer thing, but lot of women wore relatively thin white pants and tight, stylish tops (but not a lot of spaghetti staps, its true). guys tended to look more casual…more worn jeans with either t-shirts or the long sleeve dress shirts with sleeves rolled up and the above-mentioned shoes.

tons of great clothes to buy there, but it can be pretty expensive.

Believe it or not,

You will stand out as a tourist anyway, pretty much no matter what you wear. They can tell by your mannerisms, how you walk, etc.

So that being said, I would just try to be comfortable. Jeans are fine for everyday wear. Tennis shoes are fine. Avoid white ones, as they will get dirty quickly. I tend to walk around a lot in Italy, and use the public transport systems, etc. so I try to wear comfortable walking shoes. No shorts are allowed in churches, or sleveless shirts where the shoulder is visible. That’s just how it is.

Good luck with your trip to Italy,

Larry

"Linking you to the world of Italy"
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Nobody will look at your jeans or your shoes. They’ll be distracted by the giant backpack on your back.

Seriously, all the worrying is for nothing. Europeans wear jeans and tennis shoes too… when they travel. Why? Cause they’re comfortable. They wear dressier shoes and clothes while at home, because they’re going to work, going about their daily lives, and not walking around cities for 8 hours a day.

Just wear what’s most comfortable and don’t worry too much about what people say is a "faux pas".

(By the way, some parts of Italy will be very cold in Dec/Jan so you might want to bring insulated hiking boots and a warm jacket).