Dressing for the middle east

[forevergreek]

I'm looking for some help if possible.

We will be spending 2 months in Dubai, Abu dabi and Oman this summer. And I obviously need s

I'd try ebay or such. I got some lovely cotton tunics from the when post-pregnant and flabby in the summer. I burn so wanted something pretty but cool.

Like this: Kashish-Tunic-KR24-Long-Kurtis-Tops-Islamic-Modest-Clothing-for-Muslim-Women-/251283485713?pt=USCSAWCShirtsTops&var=&hash=item3a81a9b411

Wear over white linen wide legs. Not sure what the deal is with hair, but I assume you'd cover your head with a hat in the sun.

Flip flops. Cotton dresses. And a pashmina, as the malls here are quite cold.

Oops!

Need some new clothes. I am thinking maxi dresses or harem trousers with a summer blazer will work for most situations

Will need to cover at least shoulders and knees, more as Ramadan when there, and pretty much completely covered when in Oman.

Is there any shops you can recommend? I am ideally looking for stuff I can wear again in the uk/ Europe. Have so far found a few tunics in the white company but that's it.

Ideally natural materials for cope with summer heat ( will find it hard being covered completely in 40+ degree heat)

And some nice sandals which are walkable but easy to empty sand out of!

Also everything needs to be smartish as well as respectable as there with work ( with a little free time also)

Children coming too so any natural kids clothes great of you know any good companies but I think I have them pretty much sorted already.

Kashish-Tunic-KR24-Long-Kurtis-Tops-Islamic-Modest-Clothing-for-Muslim-Women-/251283485713?pt=USCSAWCShirtsTops&var=&hash=item3a81a9b411

Link fail there... The ones I got wherein bright jewel colours with pretty embroidery and sparkly bits. You can get flowing skirts too. I find these are quite cool and stop the old sunburn.

Borna- I can't wear a regular cotton dress in Oman though can I? As is too short and won't cover arms.

And not sure how to wear a maxi dress with arms covered without looking like a sack of potatoes!

Oh size 8, 5'4

Western clothes are fine in all 3 places providing you keep knees and shoulders covered. In Dubai you can pretty much wear what you want tbh but out of respect for the locals a bit of modesty doesn't go amiss, especially as It'll be Ramadan from 9th July. Don't need to cover your head unless you want to. You're also unlikely to burn as you won't spend longer than you have to outside. I used to psych myself up to walk from apartment to car. Be aware that in Ramadan the daytime drinking and eating options are limited.

Re Oman, I assumed you'd be in Muscat. If not, then you'd need to be a bit more conservative than I implied

I'm the same size as you, and about to move to a Muslim country. I have bought tonnes! Quite a few pairs of ankle grazing lightweight trousers (Mint Velvet and French Connection), a couple of blazers, some loose fitting T-shirt type tops in cotton and good quality viscose, a striped jersey maxi dress which I'm going to wear with a square t-shirt flung over the top for modesty. I found Mint Velvet, FC and Esprit good, and also Vero Moda for some cheaper pieces to mix in. I have to confess to having had help from a personal shopper as I was so daunted by the wardrobe options. Am out and about this afternoon but I'll try to post links later on.

Oh thank you! I will check out those websites when home as a bit of a pain from mobile, the clothes ideas sounds similar to what I was hoping. I have blazers but too warm, assuming linen ones will be best

Exact destinations might still change but oman will be muscat and ibri. Will also take pashmina/ head covering if needed.

I don't know about the ME, but IME women in Muslim countries rarely show leg at all so although in principle below the knee is fine, it still might draw attention. If I'm wearing a skirt I put leggings under it but that might be too hot for where you are going. I'd go for maxi length skirts or trousers and forget about looking like a sack of spuds - if you do, then so do most of the women there!

Are short-sleeved tshirts ok then? I have to go to Indonesia soon and am very worried about being covered up enough but also about being too hot...

I think below shoulder min and below knee... But not 100%

Ehric. Totally agree with you - most women rarely show legs.

Tbh, it will be so hot during the day that you will hardly spend any time outside and most places have air conditioning.

I would go for linen clothes, and linen trousers especially as well maxi dress skirts. If you are going to Dubai first you can always shop for things at the Dubai mall - they are more likely to have stuff for the weather there.

geordie. I think Indonesia is a lot more conservative than Dubai & etc. from what my sil said.

(She lived there and I lived in Middle East)

I live in the ME and travel for work in the region . I wear trousers and conservative long sleeved and high necked shirts. Most of my work stuff is from Zara and Massimo Dutti but I go OTT desiger on shoes and bags. In Dubai I wear skirts and fitted dresses normally just below knee. Saudi obviously ababya but for Oman no more conservative than Kuwait/Bahrain or Qatar . The key is to keep knees , shoulders, boobs and midsection covered always . For business err to caution and cover to wrist, below knee minimum , to collar bone and definately no muffin top. I like the type of shirt that is semi fitted and covers over your bottom. Don't wear sheer unless it is over something that covers all.

Oh crikey, to wrist and collar bone?

Are there any rules on how much of your foot needs to be covered when in shoes or how much ankle can be shown? Do trousers need to be loose?

A lot depends on where you are going within these countries, where you are working, and also bear in mind that in most countries different rules apply to non-muslims and muslims. Geordie- if you're in Jakarta you'll see a lot of people wandering around in normal "western" dress like in Dubai.

Certainly for work in Dubai and AD, normal western work wear is fine- i.e a suit with trousers or knee length skirt and a short sleeved blouse or t-shirt underneath. Not sure about Muscat as never worked there.

Best bet is to repost this on Living Overseas as then the people who live there at the moment can advise.

I would err on the side of very conservative, personally. Sleeves to the elbow, long skirts, necklines up close to the neck. I know in many Muslim countries while you can technically 'get away with' more revealing clothing, they really don't like it.

With it being Ramadan, it's definitely best to go more conservative. Just be eared to be pissed off at other westerner a who ar still in strappy tops and hot pants and are getting poised off at the stares.

In my office, I have to be dressed to the ankle, not too tight, collar bone to wrist. I'm in AD. Last place I worked I wore standard UK work wear and was fine, depends on industry and type of office.

Lightweight cardigans are your friend here. Not only do they suitably cover everything for casual or work, but the AC is fucking freezing.

Weekends I just wear either linen 3/4 pants, 3/4 jeans and normal t shirts.

Going out at night, just normal monsoon dresses, even strapless ones. Depending on where I go though, I take a pashmina just in case.

Unless you live in hot pants and boob tubes normally, don't stress too much in Dubai.

Honestly - you won't be going outside much.

It's likely to be mid 40s or more. Compounded with Ramadan when you cannot even drink water in public (and by public I even mean in the car) - you just won't be outside apart from transitting.

I was in a mall yesterday wearing a knee covering skirt a long sleeve t-shirt - I was frozen! There will be AC everywhere which will keep you comfortable. Or cold.

If you can't find highneck tops you can always tuck a large light silk scarf about yourself. I work a lot in Muscat and its still very conservative with regard to actual covering. Its not nice to be in the position of being inappropriately dressed .I was refuse admisson to a goverment buliding where I had a buisness meeting because of skirt length. Now outside UAE I always wear trousers for work in the Gulf .
Shoes can be as tarty as you like !

I work in Dubai in quite a formal office and our dress code is nothing above the knee and nothing sleeveless eg I would wear a pencil skirt as long as it fell just below my knee and a short sleeved blouse as long as it wasn't too low cut/sheer.

I live on the beach in area where there is a very high (western) expat population so would happily wear a bikini on the beach, shorts and a tshirt if I was popping to the convenience store next to my apartment etc. If I was going somewhere more 'public' eg the mall, I would be more likely to wear something like a maxi dress with a cardigan or a pashmina over my top half.

As several other people have said, the AC is freezing everywhere so take plenty of light layers. It is obviously very, very hot here at the moment but to be honest, you really won't be outside much at all so lots of palazzo trousers, maxi skirts etc are fine.

As someone else also said upthread, shopping in Dubai is good so if you are coming here first, maybe don't pack too much and buy loads here once you have a better understanding of what you will feel comfortable wearing.

I can only speak for Dubai but it's definitely best to err on the side of caution. Please don't be one of the westerners who walks around with too much flesh on show. Chances are no one will actually say anything to you about it, but you will feel really uncomfortable and are likely to get lots of looks.

Final advice and what we get told at work: If you have to question whether something is inappropriate, it probably is.

Just wanted to add as well, and you may or may not care about this, but the women here are quite ?glamorous? and like to dress up. The first time I came (before I moved here) I felt really frumpy. Yes, clothes are more conservative, but a lot of attention is given to shoes, handbags, hair, make-up, jewellery etc. In the UK I wouldn?t think twice about popping to the shops in trackies/leggings etc but here I would never dream of it. Equally, when you go out for dinner/drinks here, you will always see someone more dressed up than you so if you are into all that, it?s quite a nice opportunity to wear something you might not have the chance to in the UK. It is Ramadan though whilst you are here so things will definitely be tamer in the evenings. I am talking about Dubai btw, as I say, I have only ever briefly visited AUD and Oman.