An expat's Dubai dress code: what can women wear in Dubai? (2024)

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How can women dress in Dubai? What can female tourists wear in Dubai, and are there different rules for visitors? Do women need to cover their hair? Can we bring a bikini?

Dubai, UAE is one of the most spectacular, awe-inspiring, and modern cities in the world. But despite being the modern international hub thatas it is, Dubai is still a majority-Muslim country, and the culture still reflects that.

The Middle East is a varied, beautiful region that continues to evolve into the modern age.

One of the most common questions I had even before I moved here was: what can visiting women wear in Dubai?

The advice I received from friends, the media, and my online research seemed to pull my brain in one hundred different directions.

The rumors: “my cousin's best friend went to Dubai in 2012 and she told me…”

If you start asking around online or to friends and family, you'll hear rumors that say that all women have to wear hijab and abaya when leaving the house.

Some say the expectations are different for foreigners and for locals, so visitors can do whatever they want.Some say that you can wear a bathing suit at the beach, but only a one-piece.

But wait, that girl from the office said she wore a bikini to Kite Beach and didn't have any issues. And a Reddit thread you read that someone wore a simple t-shirt and shorts to Dubai Mall and was told to cover up…

What to believe?

The truth is if you're asking anyone who went to Dubai before 2018 anything about how to dress, what it's like, or even the best restaurants to go to, that information is outdated.

As someone who lived in Dubai in 2016 and again in 2021, I can tell you this city especially changes year over year, and rules and social norms from even a few years ago have completely changed!

Here are some quick examples of how:

As the Middle East continues to open up and globalize, Dubai is a center point for ex-pats of all nationalities, business investors, immigrating doctors and engineers, and all types of people who influence the social norms of the city.

In general, you should keep in mind…

• Dubai is the most relaxed, Westernized city in all of the Middle East
• The Middle East is not a monolith: some things might be true in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Bahrain that are not true or expressed differently in the UAE, Lebanon, and Jordan
• You're probably packing fine. And if you find you're missing somethig, it's easy to find shopping opportunities of all kinds in Dubai. So you can just grab something here. Don't sweat it!

The best advice is to think of the situation, and if your dress is respectful of the cultural and religious tones of each place you visit.

i.e. Use common sense, and when in doubt, bring a scarf.

Are dress expectations different in Dubai for tourist women than for locals?

This is definitely true in Dubai, as it is in many different cities around the world.

It's the same in Dubai and the UAE as a whole. It's not that the local women are culturally oppressed, or treated so differently, but that there are different expectations and dress for locals vs. tourists.

What does that mean for you? That outside of very specific government or religious sites, most common sense ways of dressing is completely fine. Tourists aren't being patrolled to abide by any certain dress code, but they are hoping that you won't wear some things to offend the general public.

Let's go into different scenarios that women might be wondering how to dress for.

How should visiting women dress in public spaces (Dubai Mall, Dubai Marina, Madinat Jumeirah, etc.)?

In Dubai Mall—and really any of the main malls in Dubai—you can dress without almost any limitations (using your common sense).

Considering the location and the fact that the mall's aircon usually makes the inside temperature around 68F, I think visiting would feel most comfortable and appropriate in:

• ✅ long pants
• ✅ sleeved shirts
• ✅ maxi dresses
• ✅ button ups
• ✅ loose materials
• ✅ these malls are high end, so you won't be out of place weather you wear Gucci or GAP.
• ✅ jeans

I do not recommend:

• ❌ tank tops without sleeves,
• ❌ shorts/skirts more than 2 inches above the knees
• ❌ shear or mesh tops
• ❌ tight crop-tops
• ❌ swim suits
• ❌ visible underwear

All of these locations have both indoor and outdoor parts, and high-end restaurants, budget eats, and attractions for all budgets. So between jeans and a black-tie fit, you will look fine no matter what you wear.

Have people worn borderline risque things and gotten away with it? Sure. Have people been stopped by the police and “suggested” to buy clothes with more coverage? You betcha. So why roll the dice?

Below are some day-to-day outfits I wore in Dubai. I felt very local and fashionable, but also that I would fit into any scenario I fell into the day, from the mall to any restaurant afterward.

Dubai mosque dress codes for foreigners

For some reason, people believe that this is what Dubai expat residents are forced to wear on a daily basis:

The reality, couldn't be further from the truth! For tourists, these clothes are appropriate to wear at a government building or religious site, such as a mosque.

💡 The outer black robe garment is called an abaya, and the headscarf is called a hijab,khimar, orsheila.

In the above photos, I'm actually on a day trip tour of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, where it is 100% required to have your body covered from head to toe, and for women to have their hair covered.

This is the level of modesty expected at any mosque (Muslim place of worship, like a church) and it's not exclusive to the UAE.

What do children under 12 need to wear inside mosques?

As for children's expectations at mosques, they are not expected to dress any particular way by modest expectations until they are around the age of puberty.

Dressing them nicely in casual clothes is just fine.

What can woman wear to the beach in Dubai?

Let me answer your burning question: yes, you can wear a bikini to the beach!

I can't believe this old “you have to wear a burkini” rumor is still being passed around, for Dubai of all places…

It's expected that the beaches and beach clubs will be filled with foreign visitors and tourists, so swimwear is expected. Does that make sense? If it's a “tourist” location the rules are more relaxed, if it's a “local” location you're expected to be more conservative.

However, the following are still seen as crude and frowned upon at *public* beaches like Kite Beach or Jumeirah Beach:

• ❌ nudity
• ❌ thong bottoms
• ❌ skimpy or see-through
• ❌ especially lewd swimwear

See what I've worn to the Dubai beaches, and beach clubs, below:

It's important to remember this is just on the beach, and at the designated pool and beach club areas—I recommend covering up again as you're back in the general public.

Clubbing in Dubai: no hijab required!

Nightlife is where the modesty rules tend to go out of the window. The chance that conservative Muslim women and men will be in a club is low, so limitation on dressing is lower as well.

Crop-tops, skirts, form-fitting dresses are all acceptable in Dubai nightclubs.

What should I wear on a Dubai safari?

Not many limitations in terms of modesty, but you should definitely consider the heat, the sand, and the beautiful photos you'll want to get while dressing for a safari.

I always recommend:

• loose-fitting palazzo pants or capris
• close-toed shoes (for adventure activities, but also because the sand is HOT)
• clothes with a bright pattern or color to contrast against the sandy background for great photos

How to dress in the other emirates: outfit ideas for Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, and Umm Al Quwain

The emirates of Sharjah and Abu Dhabi are neighbors of Dubai, and they are the other two most commonly visited emirates in the UAE. If you do a day trip to either emirate, you should know that both are fairly more conservative than Dubai is.

Though I would never dress disrespectfully in Dubai, I would be even more modest in the other elements. Also be wary of having too much contact with men, swearing, or any obscene gestures in these emirates.

Generally, people are socialized to be a bit more conservative and traditional, and there is a much smaller population of expats than in Dubai.

What is the weather like in Dubai?

Warm! Some say hot as the depths of hell itself, and I can't really argue with them.

It's always sunny in Dubai–in fact, they have to create their own artificial rainfall using cloud seeding! So you'll at least always know when it's raining.

The hottest summer days reach temperatures of 115℉. On average, Spring and Fall weather varies between 70℉ – 90℉. The coldest weather I've ever felt was around 65℉ during the day, in which a sweater and jeans worked just fine.

The thing about dressing in Dubai isn't the outside temperature though: it's the inside. The air conditioning in the

Other Dubai Outfit Ideas:

I can't go through every single location in Dubai, but here are some other outfits I've worn on different occasions in Dubai and fit in fantastically!

Loose black capris and a bodysuit to Madinat Jumeirah, a simple blush dress and heels to the Burj Al Arab, a bralette and jumpsuit while yachting in Dubai Marina, a fun off-the-shoulder at Dubai Miracle Gardens, and a simple cardigan, tank top, loose pants while strolling around JLT, and a loose shirt and jeans at the Irish Village for St. Patrick's Day.

Simple tips for visiting women to always dress appropriately in Dubai:

• Ask yourself—is this location designed more for ex-pats, or locals?
• Check the location on Instagram, and see what other people have worn there!
• When in doubt, dress more conservatively. If you really want, bring an alternate change of clothing if it's your first time to a location. Eventually, you'll get better at feeling things out.
• Always bring a scarf with you. Always just have one tucked inside your bag in case plans change or something else happens and you're not covered enough. It' saved me more than once!
• Every venue in Dubai is always a photo op. Always. So if you're just here for a few days and want some good photos, always try to add a little extra effort in accessories or style, so you're never caught in a photo on an off day!

Hopefully, you now have a better plan of what you want to pack to wear in Dubai for your big trip! If not, don't worry. There are plenty of shopping opportunities in Dubai to pick up new outfit pieces.

Did this give you a better idea of what to wear while in Dubai? Inspired by any outfits specifically? Let me know in the comments, and share the pin below to always find this helpful guide.