Influencer Juju Vieirawas had been enjoying a day at the Vatican on January 30, as part of her trip to Rome. Little did she know that her choice of outfit would prove to be an issue.
The model, who is originally from Brazil, has alleged that she was asked to leave the holy site after being informed that she wasn't dressed properly.
Having been unaware that her fitted dress and long boots were against the rules, Juju says she felt "disrespected" by the man who'd asked her to leave, explaining that she'd simply gone to the Holy City to take pictures "like everyone else".
Juju recalled: "A gentleman who worked there came close to me and said that the place was for prayers and that I was not dressed properly and invited me to leave, 'kicked' me out of the Vatican".
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She explained that she "was embarrassed because there were other people there who heard this", adding that she "felt disrespected".
Unfortunately for Juju, the Vatican does enforce a strict dress code for both male and female visitors and shoulders and knees do need to be covered at all times.
According to the official website: “Women are not permitted to wear sleeveless tops, crop tops, or tight shirts. Shoulders should be covered, and if wearing a skirt or dress, it must cover the knees".
Women are also advised to bring along "a shawl and a pair of leggings when visiting during the colder months" along with "a light jacket that can be rolled up into a pleasingly tiny bag".
However, Juju hadn't known about this code prior to her visit and had simply planned her outfit as she usually would had she been out exploring any new place.
She added: “I didn't even know there were rules. A person of common sense will not visit the Vatican in club clothes. I was stylish in my winter clothes, everything matched. I went in comfortable clothes that I would feel good in for long walks. Comfort was my only concern".
Sharing the story of this “unpleasant situation” on Instagram, Juju received plenty of sympathy from her 26,400 followers, with one person remarking, “this is absurd my friend". Another replied with a series of shocked face emojis.
However, others explained that it wasn't unusual for those breaking the dress code to be asked to leave, with a third person writing: “Well, if you go dressed with deep necklines, very tight clothes, that's normal. They didn’t let my niece in also with a miniskirt and belly out".
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