What to Wear in Dubai

Packing for Dubai is simpler than many first-time visitors fear, provided you match your outfit to the setting: relaxed resort wear by the pool and beach, modest smart-casual clothes in shopping malls and heritage quarters, and a cardigan or pashmina in your bag at all times for the city's freezing indoor air conditioning.

Malls, souks and beachwear rules

Malls in the UAE display polite signs at the entrances asking visitors to follow respectful dress standards: shoulders and knees should ideally be covered, and very short shorts, crop tops, see-through clothing or swimwear are not appropriate away from the beach. Linen trousers, chinos, midi dresses, maxi skirts and loose cotton shirts keep you cool outdoors in Al Fahidi and the Creek souks while meeting every cultural norm. On public beaches (such as Kite Beach and JBR), hotel pools and beach clubs in Dubai Marina and Palm Jumeirah, standard Western swimwear (including bikinis, swimsuits and board shorts) is completely normal. However, topless sunbathing is strictly illegal anywhere in the UAE, and you must put a dry shirt, dress or shorts over your swimwear before walking off the sand into a street, hotel lobby or café.

Mosques, desert evenings and indoor chill

• Visiting Jumeirah Mosque (or Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi): women must wear loose, ankle-length trousers or a long skirt, long sleeves to the wrist and a headscarf covering the hair; men must wear long trousers and a sleeved shirt (traditional attire can also be borrowed at Jumeirah Mosque).
• The indoor-outdoor temperature shock: stepping from 35°C sunshine into a 19°C Metro carriage or Dubai Mall is a 16-degree drop; always carry a light overshirt or shawl.
• Desert dunes and plug adapters: between November and March, desert temperatures drop fast after sunset, so bring closed trainers and a warm fleece or light jacket for evening safaris. The UAE uses the UK-style three-rectangular-pin Type G plug. See seasonal temperatures before packing.