'''Dress code''' are a set of guidelines for how you should be dressed, depending on the location, company and situation. As a tourist, this is a thing which is easy to miss, and such a failure can result in unwelcome situations occurring.
The dress code is different from culture to culture and from country to country. This means that it is a good idea to talk to the natives to find out more about what is comme-il-faut and what is not. If you, for example, are invited to someone's home or to an official arrangement, it could be wise to ask the host what's expected of you when it comes to clothing.
General advice
Primarily, common sense should be used. Look at the locals and what they do/wear, but remember that they may have their reasons to do things in a certain way which do not work for a traveller.
The key words are ''common sense'', ''respect'' and ''think first''.
As a tourist, you are (whether you want it or not) regarded as an unofficial representative of your country. It is not nice if your country and/or your nationality gets a bad reputation abroad just because you do not know how to behave.
Please note that, even if other people do not observe the dress code, it is no reason for you not to do it.
Do not wear sunglasses or dark glasses indoors. If your vision is impaired, or if you are blind and as a consequence wear dark glasses, it is of course a different case. In that situation, other signs usually indicates this, such as a guide or a white stick.
Many times, an establishment will use the term "dress code". This is in itself a somewhat vague term which many times reserves the right to decide to the door man or the head waiter, but in general terms it means that the term implies clean and not worn out clothes in not too bright colours. Sandals or trainers are usually not welcome, so stick to discreet and clean shoes. Some establishments won't even let you close if you show up in jeans, while other places think that clean and whole jeans are perfectly OK. Shorts are not recognized as proper clothing.
Baseball caps are not to be worn indoors, nor are other kinds of headgear. Ladies wearing designer hats is a different matter, but then the circumstances are usually different.
Churches and places of worship
Depending on the country and then gender of the visitor, there may be more or less strict rules for what you should wear and how you should behave when you visit a place of worship. Some of the issues below are not a matter of dress code, but it may be appropriate to list them anyway.
Photography may be permitted, but is sometimes declined or absolutely prohibited (for example in Sacre-C?ur in Paris.
Avoid to enter a church during service, mass or any other ceremony - unless you have come for that purpose, of course.
Mobile phones should be switched off.
Avoid loud conversations
Children are usually welcome to the church, but loud children should be removed and allowed to calm down before reentering.
See also
Respect