What to Wear in Dubai, From the Mall to the Dunes

In August, the walk from a taxi to the doors of Dubai Mall takes about a minute and leaves your back damp. Step inside and the air conditioning sits around 21C. That gap, 45C outside and 21C in, is the central puzzle of what to wear in Dubai. You want fabric that survives the street and a light layer for the moment you hit the cold.

The honest version is breathable cotton or linen, plus something with sleeves in your bag. Beyond comfort, the city has a few simple expectations about covering up, and they shift depending on which room you happen to be standing in.

Dubai is relaxed by Gulf standards, but malls are public, family spaces. The unwritten rule, also printed on signs at the entrances to Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates, is shoulders and knees covered. A vest and short shorts will rarely get you turned away, but you will feel the looks. T-shirts, a midi dress, trousers, jeans: all fine.

The Metro runs on the same idea with two extras. No eating or drinking on the trains or platforms, and an inspector can fine you around 100 AED for a stray bottle of water. The front carriage is reserved for women and children, marked in pink, so men should skip it. Cover the shoulders, keep the knees decent, and nobody gives you a second glance.

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque sits in Abu Dhabi, about ninety minutes down the E11 from Dubai, and it is the one trip where the dress code is firm rather than suggested. Men need long trousers and a top that covers the shoulders. Women need long sleeves, ankle-length trousers or a skirt, and a headscarf. Nothing tight, nothing see-through.

Turn up underdressed and staff will point you to abayas lent at the door, though the queues build fast on winter mornings. Save yourself the wait and arrive covered. Entry is free, the marble is blinding white, and you will want both hands for photos rather than one holding a borrowed robe shut.

On the sand at Kite Beach or JBR, or at any hotel pool, normal swimwear is completely fine. Bikinis, trunks, one-pieces: no issue. Topless sunbathing is not done anywhere, hotel pools included.

The bit people forget is the walk back. Swimwear belongs on the beach, not in the supermarket across the road or on the Metro home. Pull on a kaftan, a shirt or shorts the moment you leave the sand. A 20 AED cover-up stuffed in your bag solves it.

Two things catch people out on a desert safari. First, the sand. By late afternoon it can sit above 50C, and open sandals just fill with grit on the dunes, so wear closed shoes you do not mind emptying later. Trainers are perfect.

Second, the temperature drop. The desert sheds heat fast once the sun goes down, and a 38C afternoon can fall to 20C within the hour. People who packed only for the furnace end up shivering at the dinner camp. Bring a hoodie or a light jacket. From December to February, make it a proper one.

Dubai's bars, rooftops and serious restaurants lean smart casual, and the good ones hold the line. A collared shirt, clean shoes or trainers, a dress or decent trousers. Plenty of venues in DIFC and the big hotels turn men away in shorts, sliders or sportswear after 7pm, so check before you show up in flip flops.

Women have far more room and can dress up as much as they like. These rooms are heavily air-conditioned, so a wrap or light jacket earns its place in your bag yet again. Brunch is its own event: the Friday and Saturday sittings run smart casual, though a sundress is always safe.