Italian Town Bans 'Very Skimpy Clothes'
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ROME — Just how mini can a miniskirt be?
If the mayor of a small Italian town has his way, law enforcement officials, and not fashion gurus, will be the ones to decide.
The mayor of the southern seaside town of Castellammare di Stabia got his way Monday when the city council approved a ban on football games in public parks and squares, blasphemy out loud, and "very skimpy clothes," the ANSA news agency reported.
Conservative Mayor Luigi Bobbio said that miniskirts and other provocative outfits will still be allowed as long as they are not too revealing.
"It's a matter of common sense, of common decency," he told The Associated Press.
A handful of local female politicians protested in front of the town's city hall during Monday's vote, but few, if any, wore miniskirts.
The measures also include a ban on playing football in public spaces – Bobbio says these games often turn into fights – sunbathing or undressing in town, blasphemy and foul language in general. Men cannot go around shirtless, the rules say.
Violations can be punished with a fine of up to euro500 ($700). The measures go into force immediately, Bobbio said.
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Reporter Martino Villosio contributed to this report in Rome.
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ALESSANDRA RIZZO 10/25/10 09:47 PM ET Associated Press