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What
to Wear, Where -- Her 50 Fabulous Clothing Tips
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Evelyn Hannon
 Our
statistics show that on any given day, 2500 to over 4,000
visits from JourneyWomen worldwide are recorded at our website.
Some come to do their research for upcoming trips, others
drop in to become armchair travellers and still others pop
by to send us their latest travel tips.
In the past little while
we've collected over fifty different points-of-view and bits
of advice regarding what to wear as you journey the world.
Each tip provides one more culturally-correct piece of the
travel puzzle.
Marsha from Ohio (USA)
cautions blondes to cover their heads in Morocco, Meg in Melbourne
(Australia) advises that it is disrespectful to wear sleeveless
tops in Thailand, and Bloem writing from Huizen (Netherlands)
says, 'the Dutch are much the same as the Canadians and Americans.
Guys won't stare at you because of what you are wearing any
more than they would at a Dutch girl.'
Thank you, everybody!
We are so very grateful for all these clothing tips coming
from "experienced" travellers. They are invaluable
for any female, anywhere, who is getting ready for her next
journey.
If anybody has additional
information, please take a moment, click
here and send it along. You'll be helping another female
somewhere in the world to pack a comfortable and culturally-correct
wardrobe.
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Teenagers
wear tight jeans in Syria...
I dressed pretty conservatively when I went to Syria
-- long-sleeved, loose shirts which button to the
collar and baggy pants. I kept my hair tied back and
had a scarf to cover my head when I visited mosques.
No flashy colours or jewelry. Surprisingly, when I
got there I saw women in the large cities, dressed
in all fashions. The teenage girls were wearing the
tight jeans and latest in platform shoes. That said,
my conservative approach was fine and when visiting
larger mosques, they have cloaks for women to wear
if they don't have a headscarf. So no worries there.
Happy travels, everybody.
Francoise, Montreal,
Canada
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Air
conditioning is fierce in Hong Kong...
Most women in Hong Kong are dressed modestly; no short
skirts or bare arms. Bring a light sweater as the
air conditioning in buildings can be very cold! I
found dark colored capris with an untucked cotton
blouse and simple sandals, to be quite comfortable
and fashionable. Don't wear shorts and athletic shoes
or you will be shouting "tourist." |
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Mari, San
Francisco, USA
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Moroccan
men love to pinch bottoms...
Travel in a Moslem country is very different from
that in European countries. Fortunately, I was with
a tour group and we were told what and what not to
wear each day. No shorts ever, no jewelry, a secure
money belt and bum pack for other objects. Moroccan
men were very bold about touching and/or pinching
foreign women. They followed us with their eyes wherever
we went and so we had to appear modest and unassuming
in public. It pays to be very careful and aware in
Morocco. Children clung
to us and held our hands as soon as they saw us --
maybe they were just friendly, but maybe not.
Betty, Vancouver, Canada |
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Ed.
note: It pays to keep your eyes and ears
open wherever you travel. A female traveller does
best when she's not complacent.
During my month in Morocco, I wore long skirts
and long-sleeved button-up shirts and was free from
harassment (and sunburn!). Wearing more conservative
clothing made me feel more respectful and less like
a target. If you journey to the dunes, bring along
a scarf or piece of fabric to tie around your face
to keep out the blowing sands. Enjoy!
Lindsay, Colorado Springs, USA
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It's
always humid in Indonesia...
Wear breathable clothes since it is always humid in
this destination. Tailored or fitted style clothes
are the best, especially in big cities like Jakarta
(people generally treat you better if you dress up).
I think it's okay to wear shorter skirts (not too
short), but I would recommend covering your chest.
Some Indonesian men think that a cleavage is meant
to be touched.
Katherine, San Francisco, USA
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Sarong
'yes' -- bikini 'no' in Egypt...
Travelling to the Middle East? If you want a lot
less hassle, wear long sleeved tops and long skirts/trousers.
When you think that the local women wear trousers
and a dress and a bhurka/jashmak - the men fall
over themselves when they see someone prancing around
in a bikini. Save yourself potential trouble --
being a foreigner you'll get hassle anyway whatever
you wear but not as much when you're covered. You'll
feel a lot less exposed and people will stare less.
Sam, Southend, USA
I packed loose, long skirts and conservative tops.
Jeans and pants were OK for horseback riding and
hiking around and shopping. I saw some Europeans
in shorts and scant tops...bad taste for sure. Locals
wear black till summer even though it is very hot
before then.
Susan, Florida, USA
Take a sarong - it can double as a towel and when
its really hot (I was there in midsummer) you can
just wrap it around as a skirt and avoid offending
the locals. They are also thin enough to dry overnight
 saving
you from packing several different skirts (I hate
carrying too much weight when carrying my own luggage).
Andrea, Wellington, New Zealand
Having spent the last three years living in Cairo,
I'd like to remind women to respect the local dress
code. ie. no shorts. If you do wear shorts, you
will be seen as wearing your underwear on the street,
and will get attention you probably don't want.
And even if you are French or German and that is
what you do at home, topless sunbathing at hotels
in Luxor is an absolute no-no. The waiters and other
employees around the pool are generally Muslim and
baring your breasts is disrespectful. This leads
these men to believe that all foreign women are
"Pretty Babies" and will pursue you relentlessly.
Heather, Ottawa, Canada |
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