What to wear in Saudi

[ElizaCBennett]

I’m going to Saudi Arabia soon to visit friends. I’m unsure of what clothing to take to wear when outside of the compound! I don’t want to offend anyone or fall foul of the rules. Is it the case that I can just wear loose clothing but need to cover my arms and down to my knees?

Why don't you ask the friends you are visiting for advice? Are they meeting you at the airport, where they could lend you an abaya till you buy one locally?

It varies from place to place.

It’s worth having an Abaya as you can just chuck it over whatever you’re wearing.

When I visited Riyadh (on a short work trip) I didn’t have an abaya so had to be careful with my clothing choices. Not easy when it’s fecking hot I can tell you!

I didn’t cover my hair but yes arms and legs must be covered.

I'd go for wider leg trousers or jeans and bum covering tops or maxi dress with a light cardigan over the top. You'll want a cardi for the malls anyway as usually a/c on full and gets a bit chilly.
Abayas are great as take the decision away as to what to wear and if you get the right fabric can be quite cool. Oh and can save on packing as you don't need to wear anything underneath
😀

Take a nice pair of sandals, your best designer sunglasses, a great handbag, and then just throw an abaya over your clothes when you leave the compound. If you haven't had a chance to wash your hair, wear a headscarf too.

Ask your friends first. But Abaya and head covering will be helpful I suspect. I don't know KSA, but went to Oman with work, and although the daytime (and working time) was normal business attire (trousers, long sleeved and not low cut blouse, no headwear) when in your own time, going about the souks and visiting the mosques, you need to be fully covered. I fell foul of the rules at Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat when I had a full long summer dress on, plus a mid sleeved cardigan (god only knows it was 40 degrees), plus badly put on hijab, but my wrists were apparently not adequately covered. I was absolutely refused admittance. Luckily, on site, there was a place that sorted me out with an Abaya that covered my wrists (for about £10-15) and the women there taught me how to fix my Hijab and it was all very jolly and quite nice actually. I suspect I was a a bit of a doozy, and just went along with it, but don't underestimate what you need to cover. I was very hot, now wearing a full dress, cardigan, and Abaya on top - Ask your friends first, but you can get abaya for less than £20 online, best be prepared. Sounds like a brilliant trip and hope you enjoy, I did mine x

Depends where in Saudi. I go there for work and I don’t cover my head or wear an abaya in Riyadh. I probably would elsewhere though.

Ok you don't need to wear an abaya in Oman! Yes you need to be fully covered in mosques, but not for souqs or day to day life. Shoulders and knees is respectful but even in more conservative places that's enough.

@AgentProvocateur for Riyadh if you don't wear an abaya, how careful do you need to be on what you wear? Is it up to wrists, angles and neck or a bit more relaxed? Is it literally a coverage thing eg are skinny jeans ok (except they're the fashion crime if the century on mumsnet) or does it matter how tight stuff is?

I'm going for work soon (first time) and debating whether it's easier just to wear an abaya rather than stress about whether I have too much skin on show.

@Somewhereoverthepacific Riyadh is more relaxed than other places. Wrists are fine for example.
I mainly wore a maxi dress with a chiffony cardigan thing as I didn’t have an abaya. I do think the abaya takes the guess work out of it tho.

Thank you all - very helpful 😊

@Somewhereoverthepacific I wear ankle-covering trousers and a long sleeved high-neck top. I would avoid anything too fitted. I’m older and invisible now, but it’s quite a stare-y place and I think you’d feel uncomfortable with skin on show. In fact, it would probably be easier to wear an abaya!

I'm in Riyadh and tend to wear trousers with a long sleeved untucked shirt or trousers with a longer blazer/cardigan for work. It's still quite chilly so definitely not sandals.
Abaya are handy, though not necessary.
I have never covered my head.

Knees covered probably won't be enough.
It needed to be wrists to ankles (and collar bones) in my city. Hair is fine uncovered.

Honestly, an Abaya will make life much easier. I lived in shorts and t-shirts. Abaya when going out.

PS I'd say "quite chilly" is a relative term. It was a rare day that didn't get into the 20s by lunchtime.

Watch the Joanna Lumly travel programme covering Saudi, nicely dressed in light fabric flowey long top and same colour flowey long trousers, same colour/fabric head scarf.

it's still quite chilly so definitely not sandals.

It's going to be 30C tomorrow! That's warm enough for sandles 😂

I'm now in ankle boots, jeans , a cashmere jumper and cardigan. It's been a longer winter this year. Several nights I've used a hot water bottles and we bought heaters. Very cool in cavernous houses built for heat.
Nobody is swimming. Locals are in velvet abaya and woolly hats.

@ElizaCBennett what did you end up wearing and did you feel comfortable? interested as have a trip to Saudi coming up.