beach lifestyle holds a very important space in carioca culture - in one sense, the beach or 'a praia' is the grand social equalizer that allows everyone the luxury of spending hours sunbathing in the sand and enjoying the beautiful sea- by the same token, it is the number one spot to see and be seen during the daytime.

fashion is a large part of the culture, and cariocas put thought into what they wear, including at the beach - they tend to stray from following the specific trends as suggested by fashion magazines and instead create their own individual combinations of beachwear.

before heading to the beach in rio, it may be best to avoid some obvious tourist markers to help blend in a bit more - easy to do, individuals can head to the beach and scout out what the locals are using, then buy similar items from nearby beach vendors, and never use make up or high-heels at the beach.