What Not to Wear in Italy (Plus What to Wear Instead)

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What Not to Wear in Italy (So You Don’t Look Like a Tourist)

Italy is known for being a fashion-forward destination. I’ve been to Italy more than half a dozen times over the years, and I’m always amazed at how stylish the Italians manage to look everywhere they go.

Are you planning to visit Italy soon and wondering what not to wear while you’re there? This guide will help you figure out what you shouldn’t wear in Italy, and my tips for what to wear instead.

I want to preface this by saying there’s no wrong or right way to dress while traveling in Italy — at the end of the day, all that really matters is that you feel comfortable and confident in what you wear. Dressing like an obvious tourist is definitely not one of the worst mistakes you can make while visiting Italy.

That being said, if you’re looking for tips on how to blend in with the Italians more, dress stylishly on your vacation, and avoid looking like quite so much like a tourist, this guide is for you.

The Italians are some of the best-dressed people in the world. I say that as someone who used to live in Paris, which is widely considered to be one of the most fashionable cities. But from what I’ve seen in places like Milan and Rome, the Italians definitely know how to dress up and look stylish at all times.

And while you probably won’t ever truly pass as a local on your next trip to Italy, unless you become fluent in Italian and learn to speak without an accent, there are things you can do to ensure you don’t stand out as a tourist as much. And the way you dress in Italy is definitely one of the biggest things.

Here are some things you should NOT wear in Italy if you want to blend in and look stylish:

1. Most Shorts

I’m not saying you should leave all shorts at home, but I definitely wouldn’t bring any shorts to Italy that are too casual, including denim shorts, cutoff shorts, or running shorts. It looks very out of place.

A nice pair of tailored shorts, on the other hand? Absolutely bring them. You can dress up a pair of shorts with a flowy top and a pair of strappy sandals, perfect for exploring Italy on a sunny summer day.

The only thing you have to look out for, as I’ll talk about more below, is visiting churches. Churches in Italy do require that your shoulders and knees be covered, so shorts won’t fly. If you know you’ll be visiting a church in Italy, you might want to wear pants, a maxi skirt, or a long dress that day instead.

2. Athleisure

Although it’s very common in the United States to go out and about wearing athleisure, you’ll almost never see it in Italy, and you’ll stick out like a sore thumb, no matter how cute the workout set is.

If you want to dress comfortably but still look stylish, I’d recommend a pair of flowy pants and a basic top instead, or even a simple maxi dress made out of soft material. But leave the Lululemon sets at home!

3. Flip-Flops

Flip-flops scream tourist, not to mention they really aren’t practical footwear with how much walking you’ll be doing in Italy. Instead of flip-flops, get a comfortable but cute pair of sandals to wear.

And it should go without saying, but socks with sandals are also a big no-no in Italy. When it comes to sandals, I’d recommend a sturdy yet stylish leather pair that you can do a lot of walking in. Italians are also really into sneakers, so if you have a nice pair of sneakers, you can wear them with anything.

4. Tank Tops

I’m including tank tops on this list, but with a caveat: you can wear tank tops most places in Italy, and it’s very common, especially if it’s a cute tank top paired with a skirt or a pair of nice pants or shorts.

However, you can’t wear tank tops into churches in Italy. You need to have your shoulders and knees covered to enter most churches, including popular ones like St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.

I always recommend bringing a sweater, shawl, or scarf you can use to cover your shoulders to enter a church. It’s also great to have something like this in case you get a little chilly in the evening.

5. Sweatpants & Sweatshirts

Sweatpants and sweatshirts are two other items of clothing that Italians don’t often wear outside. These clothes are fine for lounging around at home, but not ideal for being out and about in public.

Once again, you don’t have to go out in a mini-skirt and heels all the time in Italy, but if you want to dress comfortably, I’d recommend looking towards options that are a little more elevated.

6. Backpacks

Backpacks are really only worn by tourists, plus they are an easier target for pickpockets, so I don’t recommend them. Instead, I’d recommend a stylish cross-body bag or a shoulder bag with a zipper.

Not only does this look more stylish, but it also helps you blend in and makes you a harder target for pickpockets, because you’ll have your most important belongings closer to your body at all times.

7. Logo Shirts

Shirts with any sort of logo or saying on the front are not popular in Italy. As someone who owns a lot of oversized tee shirts with band names, place names, etc. on them, I sadly do not wear these in Italy. And nothing will mark you as a tourist faster than wearing a tee shirt with the logo of an American sports team.

Instead, it’s a good idea to opt for simple, solid-colored tee shirts. A fitted plain cotton tee shirt can easily be tucked into a pair of trousers, tailored shorts, flowy pants, or a cute printed maxi skirt.

8. Swimwear

I’m sure you already know this, but swimwear is only for the beach and the pool in Italy. You can wear whatever kind of swimsuit you’d like — I’ve seen some advice saying to stick to one-piece swimsuits, but Italy isn’t that conservative a country, and you can definitely wear two-piece swimsuits here.

However, you can’t wear a swimsuit outside of the beach or the pool. The town of Sorrento on the Amalfi Coast even instituted a 500 euro fine because so many tourists were wandering around the streets dressed inappropriately. I think it’s pretty obvious not to do this, but I still wanted to mention it!

9. Bright Colors

Finally, one thing to avoid wearing in Italy is tons of bright and flashy colors. You’ll find that Italians, like many Europeans, tend to stick with darker colors and neutrals. Think black, white, tan, gray, etc.

This is especially the case if you’re traveling to Italy in the fall or winter. In the spring or summer, you can incorporate more pops of colors, but I’d go for pastels rather than extremely bright colors.

It also depends on where you are. If it’s summer and you’re in a coastal destination, wearing a brightly-colored dress with a loud print out to dinner makes a lot more sense than if you’re in a city destination. So save those bright vacation fits for somewhere like the Amalfi Coast, but not Milan.

What Not to Wear in Italy: My Final Thoughts

This guide showed you what not to wear in Italy. I’m not the most fashionable person in the world, but I like to think that I do a pretty good job of blending in when I travel to Italy, and not dressing as if I might as well have a flashing sign that says “American tourist” hanging over my head at all times.

Once again, there are no hard “rules” about what you can and can’t wear in Italy. But I’m sure you want to go on your trip looking and feeling your best, and wearing outfits that make you confident.

By following these tips, you can avoid standing out as a tourist and blend in more with the Italians. It’s definitely possible to dress stylishly but still be practical and comfortable while traveling in Italy.

Enjoy your trip to Italy!

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