How should I dress when traveling in India?

Regardless of personal opinions or style preferences, what you wear in India influences how locals perceive you. India is still a largely male-dominated and conservative society, with traditional dress codes followed in most areas.

Here are some handy tips:

• Cover your shoulders, cleavage, and thighs
• Avoid spaghetti strap tops, mini skirts or shorts, and tight clothes - skinny jeans are fine, just wear a long, loose top or shirt over them
• Wear your swimming costume only to the beach - when you're traveling to smaller, more remote destinations, perhaps consider wearing a loose-fitting t-shirt over your swimming costume
• Choose loose-fitting shirts, T-shirts, maxi dresses, shorts, trousers, and skirts that are knee-length or below-the-knee
• Clothing made of linen or linen blends is perfect for hot weather.
• Similarly, suss your surroundings and dress - normally, tourist or contemporary cities like Mumbai are more open and loose in clothes than smaller towns and villages or holy sites like Varanasi.
• If in doubt, always err on the side of modesty when selecting your attire - many visitors dress like a local and purchase a few pairs of harem pants or tunics to wear not only while they're here, but also back home.