Dubai Puzzle

[PrincessOfChina]

So, I have to travel to Dubai next month to a conference. I'm starting to panic about what on earth I'm going to wear.

I usually wear things like skinny trousers/jeans and blouses/tops around the office here but very few are suitable for Dubai - too hot or too revealing. Typical summer wear is dresses but I think most are too short (is on the knee ok?). The code is smart casual.

Anyone got any ideas of what I could wear? I don't really want to turn into linen lady (not my style!) but I do have a tendency to sweat in anything above 15 degrees usually!

Help?! Anyone?!

Not sure, but you might have some luck posting in Long Haul Travel.

Not Dubai, but hot country with similar culture, I ended up in 3/4 or long sleeved shirts, and a long skirt or bootleg trousers (my default - sounds like your a little more fashionable than me )

Or, a long sleeved teeshirt under a summer dress.
You might get away with knee length, if arms and cleavage are all covered.

Although the locals may cover nearly everything, it was suggested to me that you only expose one of knees, elbows, cleavage (but be very careful with this).

I got an almighty shock when I ventured into a tourist area on my day off, and was surrounded by hotpants and spaghetti strapped tops!

HTH

Hi Princess. Don't assume your usual clothes will be too hot. Outside temps in april here are high and you wont want to go outside between about 9.30am and 5pm. You will probably spend all of your time inside in air conditioning which can be rather fierce so i'd pack a cardi,jacket or pashmina just in case
Regarding dress code much depends on location and type of conference. If you are based in a tourist hotel with mostly european delegates and are unlikely to leave the hotel you can wear mostly what you like within reason. If you are in another type of venue or are likely to be out in public or travelling around or if your conference is likely to have many middle eastern delegates then just make sure to cover your shoulders and knees and that which is in between, no cleavage and nothing very tight. This will avoid offending. But many tourists who come here are utterly clueless about respectful clothing so you will see plenty who ignore the above. One further thing smart casual here is a little smarter than UK standards so dress up rather than down. You are unlikely to overdress.

Thanks for the replies and ideas.

I think I'll be going the dress and cardigan route, possibly with some 7/8ths trousers and tops too. There'll be a full mix of Global attendees, possibly a few more Euro/US that elsewhere so hopefully I won't offend if my dresses are on the knee.