Rick Steves' Protege Recommends Avoiding This Type Of Clothing In Italy

If you're packing for a European vacation, you may have looked up some advice on what to bring. During your search, you might have even found tips on how to look like you walked off a fashion week runway rather than a plane runway. While that's all well and good, if you're not someone who dresses up all the time, you may prefer some real advice from a person who prefers comfort over adhering to rules. Enter travel pro Rick Steves' protege and co-author, Cameron Hewitt. 

On Steves' website, Hewitt offers valuable advice for travelers who don't care about labels but still want some help packing for an international trip. On that score, he has a piece of clothing he usually tries to avoid: shorts. And, no, it's not because they immediately identify you as an American. That, he tells us, isn't about what we wear so much as how we carry ourselves. However, Hewitt writes: " ... there are some cultures — for example, Italy, especially in the cities — where grown men who wear shorts look silly. It's not 'offensive' or 'insensitive,' exactly. Just ... a little strange. (These cultures think of shorts as something exclusively for children, or for the beach.)"

That said, it's not that he never brings any shorts with him. He does, but only for a specific purpose or if it's really hot. Along with that, Hewitt also notes that he likes to be "comfortable, practical, and respectful in my dress," and that he rarely wears things like flip-flops, baseball caps, T-shirts, and cargo shorts — especially in Europe. However, he says, if you're heading to the beach, that's a different story. 

This advice isn't coming from someone who packs their clothing in tissue paper and takes out an iron as soon as they hit the hotel. In fact, Hewitt jokes that "unfashionable" is his middle name, and that his main goal when traversing Europe is comfort. In fact, he writes: "Being a snappy dresser can be a hazard for travelers who want to pack light." Still, one thing's for sure: Wearing shorts will make you stand out in many places in Europe. 

Hewitt compares it to a man from Europe wearing capri pants in the U.S. While the style might be fashionable where they're from, they're also bound to stand out. And while "standing out" might not be a big deal to you, there is another reason wearing shorts might be an issue. According to Hewitt, if you choose to wear shorts in certain Catholic countries, you may not be allowed to enter churches — the same way that bare shoulders have to be covered up. The solution? Fellow travel expert Samantha Brown always packs a scarf, which is the perfect trick to avoid that.

In the end, however, he says it all comes down to this: "What's more important to you: being comfortable or not looking silly? This is a sliding scale, which is calibrated against the current temperature. If it's very hot, I'll wear shorts even in places where it's very silly. If it's only moderately hot, I'll err on the side of long pants in most places." As a compromise, though, he writes that he'll wear them in northern countries where people are generally less likely to notice them. 

Thankfully, Hewitt has some great tips on what to wear instead of shorts. Obviously, if it's cooler, pants are the right choice. Specifically, he recommends choosing dark, neutral colors in breathable fabrics like cotton, cotton blends, and linen. While you might want to pick lighter colors for summer, the same materials will work in warmer climates. In fact, Rick Steves himself also advises packing neutral colors that you can mix and match. That way, you can get away with bringing less. 

Instead of T-shirts, Hewitt suggests bringing short-sleeved button-down shirts that feel a bit less casual, while still remaining comfortable, as well as a dark sweater to dress things up for the evening. If you're just not a formal person at all, dark jeans are a great choice for pants. 

Whatever you choose to bring, packing light is still important — especially if you're not staying in a single hotel or accommodation for your entire trip. To that end, Hewitt reminds us that laundry is a great option. Sure, you're on vacation, but washing some socks and underwear in the sink is pretty easy. He also mentions that he tends to hit up a laundromat if he's staying anywhere for a week to 10 days, or that he sends it out to be done if the pricing is by the pound. However, he cautions travelers to skip any hotel laundry services that charge by the item. Otherwise, you could be out a large chunk of money.