Is this dress too short for a wedding? Do I need a tie at a First Communion? Should I wear a hat in church? It’s hard enough to know what to wear when you’re planning to go to an event in America — going to one in Italy is a whole different ballgame.
In today’s post, we take a look at four different, common events in Italy and what to wear to each of them, based on interviews with genuine Italians who have been going to these events all their lives.
What to Wear When You Go Out to Dinner in Italy?
Speaking generally, Italians tend to dress a bit “fancier” when they go out on the town. You won’t see many men wearing a plain old t-shirt to a restaurant, even if it isn’t a very high-class joint. Polos or even untucked button-down dress shirts and jeans are usually the go-to outfit for casual dining for men, with suits and ties being the optimal choice for fancy business dinners and things of that nature.
Women, on the other hand, have a bit more freedom when it comes to clothes (don’t we always?). Dresses and skirts are fine, as are nice jeans (read: not full of holes) and a blouse. Nicer tops are best, and it’s rare to see a woman in a plain t-shirt even at a pizzeria where things get messy.
Drive-thrus and fast food places are another story, though. Almost anything goes when you go in and out quickly, but don’t even dream of wearing pajama pants and slippers like some people do when they go to fast food restaurants in the U.S. This is a crime of fashion and Italians would be mortified by it!
Speaking of shoes, sneakers are fine in most casual cases, but you might notice that both male and female Italians tend to prefer shoes that are a bit less casual if they aren’t walking long distances. Sneakers are a thing here, they’re just a lot less common than in America.
What to Wear to an Italian Church Event?
Baptisms, First Communions, and Confirmations are religious events and you have to dress a bit more demurely than you may in other circumstances. For women who like to wear dresses, that dress must go past the knee, and ideally mustn’t expose too much cleavage or shoulder skin. In most churches, women are expected to have their shoulders covered, so if you can’t find a top that covers your shoulders, you can wear a shawl, sweater, or cardigan.
The same rules apply to those who prefer pants to dresses: your top has to cover your shoulders. Your pants should also be dressy (read: no jeans).
Unlike in Britain, hats shouldn’t be worn in church by men or women, so if you have one, take it off before the service starts.
Men should wear a suit, complete with tie, jacket, or dress shoes.
What to Wear to an Italian Wedding?
What to wear to an Italian wedding depends largely upon whether the wedding is taking place in a church or somewhere else. If it is taking place at a church, men are expected to wear suits and ties, and women should wear something that covers their knees and their shoulders (see the above section).
Once you get to the reception, though, things relax a bit. You can remove the cardigan from overtop your spaghetti strap or strapless dress if you’d like, and it’s no longer as big of a deal if your skirt doesn’t quite reach your knees (just obviously don’t go overboard… there’s a fine line between flirty and trashy, and Italians will be quick to tell you where it is!). Men can also take off their suit jacket and roll up their sleeves — as they usually do once the party has been going for a while, which, if you’ve read my previous post on Italian weddings, it most certainly will.
The rules are also a bit looser at weddings that take place outside or at a city hall. You should still be dressed up, but it depends a bit more on the family here, and there aren’t as many religious-based propriety rules to factor in (although, again, your outfit should still be appropriate for being around a city or church official). Polo shirts for men in the summer may be alright if you’re not the groom, but suits are always in better taste. For my wedding, which took place at the Comune, most of the guests still dressed up in nice dresses and suits with only a couple of exceptions.
What to Wear to a Funeral in Italy?
In Italy, like in the United States, funeral guests are expected to wear black, or at least dark colors. While guests in some regions don’t get as dressed up for a funeral as we would in the U.S., it is still considered inappropriate to wear jeans and tennis shoes, as this makes it look like you aren’t being respectful of the deceased and their family.
Again, ladies, it’s best not to show too much skin here (although why you would want to at a funeral anyway, I’m not sure…), so think respectful, toned-down, and muted colors.
Italy is one of the most fashionable countries on the planet, which can make it feel intimidating at times when it comes to picking an outfit! The main thing to keep in mind is being respectful of the event and the people around you, but usually you’re free to express yourself with colors and patterns!
Do you have any advice for choosing outfits in Italy? Let us know in the comments!