Shevia, I believe the appropriate dress for a private papal audience is as follows.
-Ladies are to wear conservative black dresses, preferably with long sleeves and collars. Hem length of skirts and dresses must be long enough to cover knees when sitting. A lady should cover her head with black veil or mantilla. Jewelry and makeup must be minimal. Gloves should not be worn inside Vatican city. Fragrances should be understated. Nail polish, if any, should be neutral or transparent. Stilettos should not be worn; shoes should be of modest height and closed, such as pumps. (Tall, strappy sandals, for example, would be inappropriate). In essence, a lady should dress as if in mourning for someone in her immediate family. Gentlemen should wear formal morning dress when the Audience is to take place in the morning and early afternoon hours (White tie dress is also appropriate though, generally, white tie is not worn before six o’clock in the evening). For late afternoon Private Audiences, white tie dress should be worn by gentlemen. When the Private Audience will occur outdoor or partially outdoor, a gentleman is expected to don his tophat. The men’s dress gloves that accessorize formal morning dress and white tie dress are not worn within Vatican City. Guests from non-Western cultures are allowed to wear national/traditional equivalent. Military equivalent is also allowed.
Sorry I can't paste the direct link at the moment!
