I am leaving today for my first trip…CAN YOU SAY EXCITED!!! Anyhow, from reading through all the other topics I gather that shorts are ok as long as they aren’t daisy duke style where both cheeks hang out YIKES . I also have personally given in to the fact that there is no way for me to completely hide the fact that I am tourist and everyone will know I am an American so I might as well not stress about it! I personally am taking 3 pairs of shorts, a skirt, 1 pair of capris, and 1 pair of slacks. This way I have options if I feel uncomfortable in shorts in a particular city and I am covered for going into churches, cathedrals etc! HAVE FUN!

If you saw someone in downtown San Francisco in shorts, you’d be pretty sure they were a tourist. Same is true for most any big city in Europe. I’d plan mostly slacks, with 1 skirt and 1 (maybe 2) pair of shorts.

I guess I simply have a different idea of normal. Here in Dallas someone downtown in shorts is simply SANE considering the heat and humidity. It isn’t uncommon for someone to wear shorts to work around here during the summer months. Its difficult to force yourself into long pants on a day when the low is 88 and the high is 102! CRAZY I guess but sensible considering the climate. I’ll take all the advice given into consideration. Old Lady seems to have some good insight.

I think that skirts are a lot more common… Lots of women have said that they wished they had brought a few more skirts…not tight minis, but casual knit or cotton skirts that hit a little above the knee or below. That style is really in right now anyway, so it’s no big stretch if you ask me.

Hmmm to go skirts or shorts – Going around Europe during the month of August and September I’m not quite sure what to wear. From what I hear the weather in Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal is still quite hot. Anyone know about the heat ???
I found an amazingggggggggggg bag from Bentley’s in Canada, it’s made my Roots and it’s more or less like a duffle bag but yes everyone…… on rollers with a long handle !!!!!! For those proud Canadians it just SHOUTS it all over the bag.
I’m planning on taking that along with my backpack.
As Follows :
5 skirts
2 sundresses ( both skirts and dresses easy to roll and pack)
3 pairs of jeans
2 pairs of shorts
5 t-shirts ( roll’em up)
2 blouses
1 pair of comfortalble sandles
1 pair of dress shoes
1 pair of flip flops (great for the showers/beach)
6 of each travel sized shampoo/conditioner
3 belts
2 towels & 3 face cloths
2 travel sized toothpaste
4 again travel sized shaving cream ( don’t want to fit in with most women over there) hehe
Don’t for get the adapters !!!
Blow-dryer & curling Iron
SUNTAN lotion !!!
1 day pack
1 neck wallet

Might seem as if I need some help with this heavy load but actually I packed it all just to see, PERFECT !!! Not as if I’m going to climb the alps !

No but have fun with all the stairs and walking!

I would say too many jeans….but if it fits and you like then go with it. You’re the one carrying it around and know what you love and can’t live without. Just leave room to bring stuff home..I loved Italian fashion! Spent way too much money on clothes there!

Why 2 towels and 3 face cloths? Consider getting a sarong (great cover up for going to the shower, beach) and a travel towel. A sarong can be used as a beach towel, a skirt, dress (I haven’t figured that one out myself) as well as many other uses. I would take one pair of jeans (2 max) and one other pair of pants (a dressier pair that you can wear to dinner but also wandering around during the day).

I’m taking so much due to the fact that I’m scared that I won’t find any place to do my laundry……

I can guarantee that you will find places to do your laundry. I can almost guarantee you won’t be thrilled to carry that many clothes around.

Pack wisely and pragmatically. It is hot in the south and can be cold and rainy in the north. Europeans wear shorts, slacks, jeans, and dresses, even ball caps and NFL jerseys. Ball caps seem to be in for women. It’s really not that much different.

I have got to go with Traveler on this one. I just got home after 2 and half months in Europe. There were always places to do laundry and even many hostels that had either free laundry or at least facilities to do it. I was mostly in Eastern Europe where there was free laundry, but when I was in Western europe there were laundrymats everywhere.

You will hate yourself for taking too much stuff.

One other thing for everyone else is, I can’t say what it is like today, but while I was there Europe was having an unseasonably cool summer and I wore jeans most of time comfortably.

I just have to say that you will definately NOT need 3 pairs of jeans!!!! The wether is still hot where youre going, and with all the skirts youre bringing as well, you must be carrying halt youre wardrobe!!!
I dont think youre going to have a problem finding places to wash youre clothes either, and just in case you could bring some "wash-on-travel-soap" and you will be fine

I’ve been reading these packing advice threads for ages now and have pretty much come to the following conclusion:

WEAR: Whatever you want

Don’t wear: Whatever you don’t want

Pack what you’re comfortable in, what you think you’ll wear, and the type of stuff that fits your style. Don’t listen to a bunch of know-it-alls try to tell you what you should or should not wear, cause chances are they dress nothing like you and aren’t comfortable in the same stuff as you.

Besides, if you have the wrong stuff, you can always buy stuff while on the road and send some of yours home. And at least you’ll learn from one trip what you like and don’t like for the next one.

THANKYOU segacs for voicing my same thoughts.

I’ve had people tell me that the jeans I am taking are not at all practical or fashionable in Europe. I don’t care. I am not European, I am a tourist, and if by wearing my low rise Billabong jeans I am instantly classified as Aussie, GOOD! I am proud of where I am from, and what will matter more will be my behaviour, not what kind of jeans I am wearing.

It comes down to it, if you’re not comfortable in what you wear, you aren’t going to really enjoy your time are you? The more comfortable you are, in your own clothing, being you, the more confident you will be, and thats what you need to pack more than anything, your confidence.

I go by the theory of looking at what I wear over a week at home. Take a few items out, as since i’m at home I tend to change when I reaaaallllllly don’t need to, and then look at taking that. I don’t care if my black boots for the pub aren’t standard "backpackers" gear- I do not feel comfortable if I am wearing something else, and I will not enjoy myself, and I will look like a whiney grumbling tourist! I’ll just be prepared to make the sacrifice of a top or two in order to fit my boots in, thats all.

Be yourselves, nobody wants clone backpacking tourists running around!

All i took for pants were 4 pairs of cargo shorts, 1 pair of mesh shorts (for sleeping), and one pair of khaki’s for nice occasions. Cargo shorts are a godsend- the perfect traveling pants for guys. girls might want to try something else.

Hey kids I’ll be wearing my shhweetest pair of cargo shorts and jeans most of my trip, maybe a pair of board shorts. If you want to catch a beer from sept 1 threw sept 29th in europe somewhere email me ci29@yahoo.com”>dci29@yahoo.com

quote:
I’m planning on taking that along with my backpack.
As Follows :
5 skirts
2 sundresses ( both skirts and dresses easy to roll and pack)
3 pairs of jeans
2 pairs of shorts
5 t-shirts ( roll’em up)
2 blouses
1 pair of comfortalble sandles
1 pair of dress shoes
1 pair of flip flops (great for the showers/beach)
6 of each travel sized shampoo/conditioner
3 belts
2 towels & 3 face cloths
2 travel sized toothpaste
4 again travel sized shaving cream ( don’t want to fit in with most women over there) hehe
Don’t for get the adapters !!!
Blow-dryer & curling Iron
SUNTAN lotion !!!
1 day pack
1 neck wallet

Good grief. I don’t know how you travel but unless it’s an extended stay in one hostel/hotel I can guarantee you that is more than will be useful in any way.

We do have laundrettes in Europe, so just pack something of everything, two of what you wear a lot, and find a place to wash your clothes each week. We also have – might come as a surprise – shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, shaving cream, we might even have suntan lotion.

I have to admit your nickname makes me curious. Your family is from around here?