einram

I am leaving for Egypt on Sept 16 for 2 weeks (includes 8 day Nile trip), and am concerned about what is appropriate to wear. I understand that when visiting certain areas women are expected to dress according to certain rules. Are sleevless tops and dresses fine? What about skirt lengths and shorts?

patiricia

I posted a similar question a couple weeks ago. Here is the thread for you. http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...-for-cairo.cfm

Pat

Lionlove

I was in Egypt in May-June. It was beyond boiling. I just carried a cotton shawl and covered my shoulders when I went into the mosques and other temples. When I exited the temples, I took off my shawl. Since it was 50 degrees C, and I was pregnant, I didn't care and there were plenty of others wearing much less than I. At the pyramids, luxor and sphinx, there really is no dress code. The locals are amazingly liberal. Or at least the ones I met. Dresses are certainly permitted. The pyramids are SO, SO dusty and sandy, (and incredibly windy--could have been the time of year), so make sure you have a hat and sunglasses. Don't forget to go to The Valley of the Kings, incredible!

sf7307

There is no <i>law</i>that requires women to dress any particular way, but to be respectful, you should cover your shoulders, breasts and knees, and not just in mosques. That certainly applies at the pyramids and sphinx and in Luxor. It doesn't mean everyone follows the "rules" (I saw one woman at the pyramids in a bathing suit and see-through coverup). But since you're asking, it's obvious you want to "do what's right". It's probably a little more relaxed on the cruise (as it is at the beach resorts).

Grcxx3

Ditto what sf7307 said.

What you can get away with and what is considered respectful are 2 different things.

memejs

I suggest long skirts, light pants, and T-shirts and light, cotton long sleeved shirts. With all of the Egyptian women covered from wrist to ankle, I honestly felt more comfortable the more covered I was. With the way that some of the tourist women dress, I can see why some in the Muslim world view the West as immoral and decadent.

einram

thanks everyone. I have several sleeveless cotton tops and am taking a light shirt to wear over. This should be appropriate. If I just HAVE to go shopping for local fashions, gee too bad.

sf7307

einram, that might be a 'deal' if you were going to Manhattan or Paris....Egypt, not so much

MissGreen

I've been telling hubbie that long pants are the norm... except in super touristy sites. He finally read my eyewitness egypt guide and said..."i need light long pants". So, with 2 weeks to go before we depart, and with us still in Winter in Australia, we're running around trying to find cotton or linen pants!

spassvogel

I would say DECENT and no tank tops, shorts etc.

I also would love if muslim ask us how to dress here ;-)

einram

Are things really that expensive? Any deals on "non-tourist" trap items to watch for? I guess like any place you have to expect to be 'taken'. Sometime that is half the fun of travel, to gripe about the deal you thought you had turns out to be trash. My husband bought me a Majorca pearl ring in Spain for our 40th anniversary to find out when we got home it was a plastic "pearl" and the silver ring has a funny brassy colour... buyer beware indeed.

Lionlove

Einram. The places were CRAMMED with Western tourists. And there was no fashion police monitoring what women were wearing. Certainly there were the gauche and tacky tourists in their tube tops and cut offs but you are an adult and will do what is right I'm sure. Don't worry about being covered from head to toe because if you are dying of heat and very uncomfortable, no one will care or notice but you. I wore a dress to the knees and a nice sheer scarf to cover my neck and looked both attractive and respectable.

There is immorality in every country, east or west. The east is not more pious because they cover up.

If you want to do right, give good tips in restaurants and learn to say hello and thank you in the native tongue. That will earn you a lot more thanks and respect.

Grcxx3

<<And there was no fashion police monitoring what women were wearing.........no one will care or notice but you.>>

I hate to be negative, but I have to disagree.

You are right, there are no fashion police, but people DO indeed notice and care. You may not realize it, but they do. I have been in the bazaars with Egyptian friends and I have heard them comment on the snide remarks made by shopkeepers (in Arabic) about women dressed inappropriately........and all said with a lovely smile on their faces and a welcoming wave to have the women come into their shops.

Women do not have to be covered from head to toe, but keeping shoulders, chest, and knees covered will earn you the respect of the local people.

And it has been said before but is worth repeating.....Sept is HOT in Egypt and being covered in cool, loose clothing is actually more comfortable than having skin exposed to the sun and heat. In downtown Cairo, I usually worse loose, comfy dresses, or flow-y skirts with short-sleeved tops.

einram - your sleeveless tops with shirt over them should be fine in the cities (Cairo, Luxor), and the sleeveless tops will be fine on the Nile cruise. As for shopping for local fashion - please don't get your hopes up!!!! But, in the Khan el Khalili and on the Nile cruise, you should be able to find some lovely cotton tops, with embroidered accents. I bought several of these and got lots of wear out of them.

http://bp3.blogger.com/_BI8mvK_2n0c/...1600-h/017.JPG

I hope you have a great trip. I love Egypt and the people are fabulous!

colduphere

We just spent four days in Cairo. One thing I would wear is a seat belt. Jesus H Chr. 90 kph/55 mph in a taxi weaving through traffic.

Grcxx3

cold - it does take some getting used to!!!!!

sf7307

<<<We just spent four days in Cairo. One thing I would wear is a seat belt. Jesus H Chr. 90 kph/55 mph in a taxi weaving through traffic.>>>


And using six lanes when there are really only three!