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Fashion in Dubai is a reflection of many cultures with a wonderful array of style. Find out what to wear in Dubai from an expat who’s been living there for almost twenty years!
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What to Wear in Dubai
Written by:Â Georgina Hardman
Being a conservative country, everyone is advised (and regularly reminded) to dress modestly and respectfully in public places. When creating your Dubai packing list, make sure to choose skirts that reach the knee and tops with shoulder coverage and no cleavage.
Resortwear, bathing suits, and short or sleeveless summer clothing is acceptable as long as long as you wear them within the grounds of your resort. Once you’re outside of the resort property it’s best to wear modest attire.
Local women wear head scarves, long skirts or trousers, and long sleeves, while nationals from the Gulf region wear an abaya; these are made from a black, silky material with different embellishments. Gorgeous designer handbags and shoes are common along with a fashion sense to match, so feel free to add yours to your Dubai packing list.
Tip: The key to packing light is to create a capsule travel wardrobe which can easily fit into a carryon suitcase with the help of packing cubes to compress your clothing!  Â
When you’re planning what to wear in Dubai you should take several things into consideration, starting with the time of year:
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Linen Blouse | White Shirt | Stripe Linen Tee | Jumpsuit | Skirt | Ankle Jeans
What to Wear in Dubai in Winter and Spring
November to April varies from warm to cool weather. These are the ideal months to be outdoors, walking, swimming, doing water sports, golfing, sightseeing, etc.Â
Summer clothes are ideal for your Dubai packing list, but bring along a cardigan, jacket, and pashmina for the cooler evenings. Jeans, trousers, jackets, and boots are worn gladly at this time of year, as it is nice to have a change of wardrobe.
Whatever the time of year, at night the temperature drops by 10°C/18°F! So 25°C/77°F during the day in winter will drop to 15°C/59°F, and 45°C/113°F in summer to 35°C/95°F.
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Linen Tee | Shirtdress  | Printed Shirt | Tie Culottes | Striped Dress | Maxi Skirt
What to Wear in Dubai in Summer and Fall
The summer temperatures during May to October are a sizzling 30°C/86°F to 47°C/117°F during the day! It is not just the heat but the high humidity that makes it unbearable. Â
Very cool, loose, summer clothes are the best items for your Dubai packing list, as the humidity can make clothes feel tight and uncomfortable. Cotton, linen, and silk are best.
Bear in mind that anywhere indoors can be very cold, as the air-conditioning is full-on! So it’s still a good idea to have a jacket, cardigan, or pashmina to keep the chill at bay.
What Local Women Wear in Dubai
Women from Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan tend to be very glamorous and body-conscious. They appear to only wear designer items (or at least items that look designer)!
They favor fitted clothes, high heels, lots of jewelry and accessories, and always seem to be in full makeup with their hair done–an impossible feat for other mere mortals.
Then you have what is sometimes referred to as “Jumeirah Janes” (UK/Western women who live in Jumeirah). The stereotype is that they are housewives who spend their days running after their kids, but also having coffee and manicures while the kids are at school. They tend to dress more practically, with only a touch of glamour, like a nice bag or jewelry. Â
The Indian or sub-continental ladies wear both western and colorful Indian dress.Â
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Local Culture
Linen Blazer | Convertible Cardi | Light Cardigan Plus
Please respect the local culture when creating your Dubai packing list. Westerners are advised and know they should be dressed modestly; however, they often wear whatever they like despite the conservative nature of the region. Avoid short shorts, tank tops, bikinis, and cleavage in public.Â
As someone who has lived in Dubai since 1988, I have respect for the dress code and am shocked at such blatant disregard. If you are at home or at the beach and then decide to go out to a public area, it is advisable to change into respectful clothing. For ideas on how to dress for conservative countries, read this.
Learn more about the traditional culture in the UAE!
Dubai Shopping
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When in the Middle East, Dubai is the most luxurious destination to stay and shop. Extravagance at its finest for both travelers, expats, and the local businessmen that live in this thriving city. If you plan to shop, keep your Dubai packing list light!
This country is filled with various malls such as Villa Moda, perfect for shoppers looking for branded and quality items to indulge in. Dubai is also the home of the Mall of Emirates, the largest shopping mall in the Middle East spanning over 6 million sq. ft.
This mammoth of a mall is the perfect spot to shop your heart out on your luxury holiday. To make your shopping trip really luxurious you can stay at the Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates and have all the shopping right on your doorstep.
Along with the country’s best stores is the Egyptian inspired Wafi Shopping Mall, where you can discover designer fashions such as Prada, YSL, Gucci and Louis Vuitton.
As more and more people have moved here, and as the tourists flood in, Dubai has become influenced by trends from cities all over the world. Every week, new designer brands and high street brands are becoming available, and world trends can be seen. Â
As recently as 15 years ago, only a few brands were here, and people tended to do the majority of their annual shopping when traveling elsewhere. Consequently, most trends were not seen here–for example: piercings, tattoos, and bright hair colors were rare. This still applies today. Â
These days, most luxury brands have several branches here. There are also multi-brand stores like Boutique 1, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales, Gallerie Lafayette, and Harvey Nichols, to name but a few. Â
Shopping malls play a huge part in most people’s lives in Dubai. This is because they offer protection from the arid climate (which is endured for over six months of the year), as well as a range of activities apart from shopping.
The malls have snow slopes, ice rinks, cinemas, theaters, food outlets, top international restaurants, aquariums, zoos, and kids’ entertainment of every kind! The new malls also offer the choice of top designer brands along with high street stores and stalls selling accessories and electronics.
High street stores from all over the world cater to everyone’s tastes and requirements. Dubai is really a wonderful shopping and fashion destination.
Do you have any tips to add for what to wear in Dubai? Please share below!
For more packing tips, please read:
- 5 Common Sense Safety Tips for Women
- How to Dress for Conservative Countries
- 20 Summer Maxi Dresses
- How to Choose the Best Travel Shoes
Suggested Travel Resources:
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Author Bio: Originally from the UK, Georgina has lived in Dubai since 1988. She is married with two teenage children. Georgina attended the London College of Fashion in 1985 to study fashion retailing. She worked for John Lewis before moving to Dubai. She has always been interested in writing.
This was very helpful! I always thought you had to be completely covered up for some reason but it helps to know that it’s not the case and I can truly show my personality through my style while still being conservative
I haven’t been on your site in a while. Going to Dubai and looking for all tips. I’m 74 and plus size. I won’t be looking for luxury products. Will I find shopping opportunities in Dubai that I might be interested in? Do I need a special outfit to wear to the Sheik Zayed Mosque? Or can I be covered at the neck, shoulders, long sleeve top and skirt to the ankles? Can I wear slacks?
Hi Mary, to get the best advice for your specific itinerary, I would highly recommend that you join our TFG facebook group and post any questions you have there: https://www.facebook.com/groups/travelfashiongirl It’s a fabulous community of helpful female travelers that love to share their travel advice and recommendations.
Have an awesome time on all your travels!
THanks – this helps me plan
Hi my husband and I will be over during Ramadan, please can you advise how our holiday might be different?
Thanks in advance Karen
Hi Karen, I am afraid that I have no experiences to share to help you with your question. For the best advice, I would highly recommend that you join our TFG facebook group and post your question there: https://www.facebook.com/groups/travelfashiongirls/ Its a fabulous community of helpful female travelers that love to share their advice and travel tips and I am sure one of our female adventurers might be able to help you. Sorry I could not have been of more help. Have an incredible time on your trip.
Thank you for your informative article. 🙂
Hi Hye, so pleased you found the article helpful, thank you for reading! 🙂
Hi I am going Dubai in Feb first week I am just confused what I wear please help
Hi Sarika, in February the weather should be warm and dry. Summer clothes should be great but make sure you pack a light jacket or cardigan for when the temperatures cool down at night. Jeans and trousers are also worn at this time on year. Remember to check the weather forecast a few days before your departure dates to make sure you have the most appropriate clothes packed for the weather. You may also find this article helpful: https://www.travelfashiongirl.com/what-to-pack-for-the-arabian-gulf/ Hope this helps. Have an amazing trip! 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing
I was wondering if jeans are allowed I read somewhere that clothing that will show body shape isn’t allowed? I plan to travel in a few weeks
Hi Yaya, thank you for your comment, so pleased you liked the post! Jeans would be fine to wear in Dubai, it might just depend on the time of year which you are traveling, as in the summer the high temperatures would likely make it far to warm to be comfortable in jeans. Have a look at the section in the article about traveling in the winter and spring for ideas for your trip! Hope this helps. Have an awesome trip! 🙂
Hi I am moving to Dubai in July 2018 and I was wondering if there are large woman’s sizes (18/20) available to purchase in malls , if so where . Thanks so much for your help !
Hi Joann, thanks for your question! To get you the best feedback, I have posted your question on TFG’s Facebook Page, our readers have the best tips. Keep an eye out for their replies from Tuesday: https://www.facebook.com/TravelFashionGirl/ Hope this helps! 🙂
I’m going on the 6th may and don’t want to take the wrong things
Hi Yvonne, thank you for your comment! Have a look at this TFG post for some more ideas: https://www.travelfashiongirl.com/what-to-pack-for-the-arabian-gulf/ Have a fantastic trip! 🙂
Hello am going Dubai in June and am just so confused what I can wear and can’t wear as there’s gone be to hot to wear jeans and long sleeve tops please help as am very confused
Thanks for this great post! I am heading to Dubai with my family in two weeks and this is now my shopping list.
Wonderful news Katherine!! Thanks so much for the note and for reading! Enjoy your trip!