What I Wore As A Woman Visiting Dubai
Preparing to visit Dubai as a woman was incredibly difficult to research. There are blog posts and articles on both ends of the spectrum: you can’t wear shorts/shorts are fine, you don’t need to cover your shoulders/always cover your shoulders, etc. While the dress code varies by location, here are my recommendations for dressing as a woman visiting Dubai. With these options I felt comfortable throughout our visit and ran into no issues.
Overall Advice: Avoiding super revealing tops and short shorts is the way to go as it shows respect for the local culture.
Tops I Wore In Dubai
I found that sweat wicking t-shirts were a great option for dressing as a woman visiting Dubai. Not only do they provide a respectable amount of coverage, but they also help keep you cool in the desert sun. I love Lululemon’s t-shirts for hot and humid weather. If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative, Amazon Basic cotton tees are a great choice! I alternated between these two options or a dress.
Pants I Wore In Dubai
I don’t own longer shorts (think to your knees or longer) and don’t plan to buy those for other uses. Instead I opted for lightweight and sweat wicking pants when not wearing a dress. With the hot and humid weather in Dubai I didn’t want to be strolling the markets and attractions in jeans. I alternated between several great Amazon pants, Lululemon joggers, and Banana Republic Airstretch Pants.
Dresses I wore in Dubai
I found that wearing longer casual dresses was a great way to fit in when dressing as a woman visiting Dubai. Look for comfortable airy options like these ones that I picked up off Amazon:
Other Tips
Here are some additional tips for dressings as a woman visiting Dubai:
- Popular attractions like the Global Village do have a dress code on their website, but we didn’t see it being enforced. That being said, we’d rather be safe than sorry and risk being denied entry somewhere.
- It is perfectly acceptable to wear a two piece swimsuit at a pool or beach. Just make sure you have a proper cover up and clothes to wear traveling to and from the area.
- Some more upscale restaurants or clubs do have specific dress codes, we’d recommend checking their website for specifics on what you should wear.
- Sandals are nearly always acceptable. However, some upscale spots may ask that you do not wear flip flops or that men wear close toed shoes.
Overall, I knew there would be plenty of women tourists in shorts and tanks in Dubai, and there were. I definitely felt comfortable dressing more modestly. It was one less thing I had to worry about and I knew was covered should we decide to visit somewhere with a specific dress code.
I hope these options help you prepare for your trip to Dubai! Visit our Templeton Travels’ Amazon Storefront to see all recommendations in one place. Make sure to check out more of our travel tips blog posts.
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