Wearing dark colors

[lkmamom]

I am trying to plan for packing what to wear for our upcoming cruise and I keep reading that it is best to wear dark colors. Please bear with me, this is my first trip to Italy. When we traveled to London a few years ago that was suggested as well. When we got there I noticed a lot of people dressed just as we do here in the USA, many wearing light pastel colors. So my question is, do the women and tourists generally wear the darker clothes year round, or could I take my favorite pink sweater and not look out of place:o (our cruise is coming soon in May:D) Many of the ports we will visit are along beaches, will the dark colors not be extremely hot??

Thanks

Linda

[euro cruiser]

You will be fine with lighter and pastel colors. You'll be going to places full of tourists, many of them Americans, and dressed like you. Besides, the "all in black" generation is mostly age 60+ in Italy.

 

Don't worry about looking like a tourist or a foreigner, Italians will know no matter what you do, so just be comfortable and respectful in your dress.

[seabreezer]

If your trip includes major cities then think about what you would normally wear when visiting a major city in the US. I would never wear bright resort colors, shorts, flipflops or sneakers when visiting museums and major attractions in, let's say, NYC, DC, Chicago or even more casual cities like SF, Miami, Seattle. In the major cities of Europe, people tend to dress up more than in the US anyway. Especially if you're trying to pack economically it makes sense to wear casual, yet neat-looking clothing and shoes that will be dignified enough to wear into cathedrals and museums and nice restaurants and can be versatile day and night. Neutral and darker colors are easier to dress up or down. I would steer clear of super bright colors but an accent like a bright scarf or lightweight sweater should be okay if paired with darker colors. If some of your ports are beach towns then just be sure to wear lightweight fabrics and you should be fine - remember white and neutral shirts and blouses will work well anywhere, too.

[riffatsea]

It really doesn't matter what color you wear. I totally disagree that one doesn't wear bright colors to visit cities like NYC or the like!!

When traveling though, it helps to wear things that don't get dirty easily so white, for example, is not a good travel color.

It also makes it easier to pack light if you choose some neutrals like brown/black tan etc and then add shirts of brighter colors to mix and match. It really has nothing to do with what locals are wearing.

Last year in Rome in January lavender and purple were very big! Who knows what color will be big this year??Wear what you like just look decent not like you are at a beach.

[texancruzer]

It is true the locals will be dressed in mainly darker colors..... gray, brown, black etc. but they usually dress it up with brightly colored scarves and accessories.

 

But tourists will wear what they want. I would, however, never let dh wear a hawaiian/caribbean print shirt in Rome ! Not that he would want to. But May is spring and pink is fine !!!! I wore yellow, teal and a few others last May while there - but not Hawaiian print :D I did wear more winter colors our first trip in November tho. But I did throw in some rust and reds......:rolleyes:

[cberge]

The only reason to wear dark clothes, IMHO, is not to show stains and any dirt you may get on clothes.There are some people who do pack thios way and I suppose post so on the baords,but anything goes just like here in the US.A tad more formal in the cities,but light colors are the thing on a hot day.

[euro cruiser]

I would, however, never let dh wear a hawaiian/caribbean print shirt in Rome!

:D :D :D That is the over-the-top example, to be sure.

 

Folks going to work in Rome will be dressed much the same as workers in Washington DC - far more suits and ties than in most other parts of the country. All those "Ls" in suits (legislators, lawyers, lobbyists) ...

 

But not everyone is going to work. Italian tourists may not be wearing hawaiian shirts, but you'll see lots of brightly colored football team shirts.

 

You'll also see lots of northern Europeans wearing shorts, something that, years ago, I was told was an absolute "no-no".

 

There's nothing disrespectful about bright colors, as long as what you're wearing is clean, in good repair, and covers all the bits that must be covered when visiting churches.

[lkmamom]

Thanks everyone for your responses. I really appreciate your help. I was thinking along that vein while planning, just wanted to add a little color if it was possible, but did not want to appear disrespectful. I do not even own a Hawaiian shirt, so that will not be a problem hehe.

 

I had planned to wear mostly skirts when we tour churches and museums. So excited for our trip!

Linda

[texancruzer]

:D :D :D That is the over-the-top example, to be sure.

 

 

Believe me when I say I have seen them in Rome and elsewhere in Europe (our May trip last year !) I know I will get flamed for this - but it just looked RIDICULOUS :eek: and out of place. I know I shouldnt bother what other people wear - but they stuck out like a big Hawaiian sore thumb. However, seemed perfectly ok on Santorini or Mykonos :D

[riffatsea]

I was not thinking about Hawaiian shirts when I said that a person should wear whatever color they wanted! I can picture shorts, a loud Hawaiian shirt, and flip flops(the rubber kind)on a guy who also has a very fat belly! ;(hehehe):p

I think on a hot day a skirt is perfect and can go daytime/nighttime anywhere.

[misspupule]

I know I will get flamed for this :eek: I know I shouldnt bother what other people wear - but they stuck out like a big Hawaiian sore thumb

 

The "flames" are coming at you tex!!! ROTFLMAO:D:D Be careful what you say about us hawaiians cuz we all stick together!! Is this what a hawaiian sore thumb looks like???:eek::eek:

[misspupule]

I know I will get flamed for this :eek: I know I shouldnt bother what other people wear - but they stuck out like a big Hawaiian sore thumb

 

The "flames" are coming at you tex!!! ROTFLMAO:D:D Be careful what you say about us hawaiians cuz we all stick together!! Is this what a hawaiian sore thumb looks like???:eek::eek:

oops forget the best

[CathyCruises]

You know, we were there (Italy and France) in Jan and Feb this year and I had a pale pink turtleneck with a slightly brighter pink overshirt--I always felt conspicuous and out of place when I wore it! Luckily my black coat kept it hidden most of the time, but it definitely stood out. Summer is probably a diferent story though.

 

Cathy

[euro cruiser]

I spent a week in Naples followed by three days in Rome this February and wore an electric blue vest many days. Maybe I'm just particularly unaware of my impact on others, but I didn't notice anyone staring, doing a double take, or specifically looking at me ... except when I was doing something dumb. 'Nuff said on that one!

[zekekelso]

I know I will get flamed for this - but it just looked RIDICULOUS :eek: and out of place.

The key is knowing how to accessorize. Gotta wear your fanny pack for starters.

[maryann ns]

And white sneakers or crocs!

[texancruzer]

I know I will get flamed for this :eek: I know I shouldnt bother what other people wear - but they stuck out like a big Hawaiian sore thumb

 

The "flames" are coming at you tex!!! ROTFLMAO:D:D Be careful what you say about us hawaiians cuz we all stick together!! Is this what a hawaiian sore thumb looks like???:eek::eek:

 

oops forget the best

 

 

HA HA...... I wish you all could see what I am wearing RIGHT NOW !!!!! I live on North Padre Island in a house with a backyard that is a canal and a boat out back....... I have on my favorite moo-moo that is white with big blue and green hibiscus flowers all over it......

 

HA HA. too funny.

[cruise kitty]

I am trying to plan for packing what to wear for our upcoming cruise and I keep reading that it is best to wear dark colors. Please bear with me, this is my first trip to Italy. When we traveled to London a few years ago that was suggested as well. When we got there I noticed a lot of people dressed just as we do here in the USA, many wearing light pastel colors. So my question is, do the women and tourists generally wear the darker clothes year round, or could I take my favorite pink sweater and not look out of place:o (our cruise is coming soon in May:D) Many of the ports we will visit are along beaches, will the dark colors not be extremely hot??

Thanks

Linda

 

I think it's not so much dark colors as it is a simpler more classis style, I'd stay away from too much print, florals, graphic tees, Nothing says "hello I'm a tourist, please rob me" like a lime green tee shirt with a sequined flamingo on the front (yes, a woman wa wearing that on our cruise) if you're there when it's hot maybe linen skirts & blouses in ivory & khaki type colors, I'd save a black & gray pallette for cooler weather.

[misspupule]

HA HA...... I wish you all could see what I am wearing RIGHT NOW !!!!! I live on North Padre Island in a house with a backyard that is a canal and a boat out back....... I have on my favorite moo-moo that is white with big blue and green hibiscus flowers all over it......

 

HA HA. too funny.

Do you have a yellow sunflower in your hair, purple orchid lei around your neck and mai tai in right hand and blue hawaii in left hand.:p:D:rolleyes: Looks like you need group therapy. hey tex when you have a chance you should look up what "pupule" means in hawaiian LOL:eek:

miss pupule

[texancruzer]

Do you have a yellow sunflower in your hair, purple orchid lei around your neck and mai tai in right hand and blue hawaii in left hand. Looks like you need group therapy. hey tex when you have a chance you should look up what "pupule" means in hawaiian LOL

miss pupule

 

 

Sounds like I am NOT the one who needs group therapy....... :rolleyes:

 

PUPULE - crazy, mad or insane.

 

I guess it just struck me funny as to my comments on Hawaiian shirts. I think everyone thought I disliked them......quite the contrary. Just not in Rome ;)

 

My Momma taught me there is a time and a place for everything...... you just have to know when and what :) She was a smart lady !

[DrivesLikeMario]

Go to YouTube and put "Rome" in the search, or a specific venue in Rome, (or any other city you're going to) and you'll see what people are really wearing. It should help you decide what to wear, or what NOT to wear. I was surprised at how many women were wearing capris, fanny packs and t-shirts like you'd see on a Caribbean cruise. :o

 

I agree with the others - colors are typically more conservative for women in Europe, but a light colored blouse or jacket is fine. For men, it was common to have very bright colors in Paris! Pink shirts, yellow sweaters, light colored pants and ties too! :eek:

[Hlitner]

Perhaps it is me but this topic does seem silly. Nobody really cares what color you wear and in most cases nobody cares what you wear. In Europe (particularly in Italy) blue jeans have taken over for many folks (particularly the younger crowd) and even shorts are now quite common. My wife has traveled throughout Europe wearing Capris most every day, which is fine even in churches. Women that plan on going to a lot of churches should be careful to cover their knees and not wear sleeveless tops.

 

Hank

[quanmama]

Hank--thanks for posting what you think and what you have noticed in Europe. I was getting a bit nervous when I read the posts. Wow I had no idea that many Europeans usually wear the "darker" color even in summer. We always like to go with more light colors with summer wear. It will be very hot and humid in Mediterranean and wearing darker colors do not seem appealing to us at all. We do dress conservatively and hopefully won't stand out too much.

[DrivesLikeMario]

My wife has traveled throughout Europe wearing Capris most every day, which is fine even in churches. Hank

 

I'm glad to hear that and was glad to see it on the YouTube videos too, as that is what I plan on wearing in the hotter ports in the fall.

[6rugrats]

Hank--thanks for posting what you think and what you have noticed in Europe. I was getting a bit nervous when I read the posts. Wow I had no idea that many Europeans usually wear the "darker" color even in summer. We always like to go with more light colors with summer wear. It will be very hot and humid in Mediterranean and wearing darker colors do not seem appealing to us at all. We do dress conservatively and hopefully won't stand out too much.

 

But most of these darker clothes are in fabrics such as linen. You will see lots of linen clothing in Europe in the summer. I don't know about humid everywhere, but it can be pretty hot. My "go to" outfit for Europe in the summer is either a pair of dark linen pants or skirt and a silk T shirt (usually white or ivory). I add a bright silk scarf and pair of sandals and I'm good to go anywhere. It's cool, comfortable and does not scream, as another poster wrote, "rob me, I'm a tourist".

 

That said, you will, of course, see lots of shorts, fanny packs, T shirts with crazy slogans, baseball caps and white tennis shoes. Mostly on American tourists, and that's fine, if that's what they want to wear.