[#question + #dresscode] Hello good folks of LinkedIn! My next destination with #CambridgeMENA is #SaudiArabia. ✨🇸🇦
It’s been over 3 years since I visited the Kingdom.
At that time, #abayas were still a requirement for all women to wear. (I was grateful that my Emirati students kindly gifted me a couple ahead of my visit. #generosity 💛🥺)
However, the policies and practices have changed since then. So I’m wondering how to pack and dress for this business trip. 🤔
The UK government’s advice on the website is as follows:
“Local laws require men and women to dress modestly covering shoulders and knees in public, avoiding tight-fitting clothing or clothes with profane language or images. It is not mandatory for female travellers to wear the traditional robe or abaya.”
Though that last line seems straightforward, is my intuition correct in thinking it may still be best to take my abaya(s)? I have a feeling I’ll be more comfortable in them? But I want to open this up for consideration. Perhaps my own heritage / modest dresses are ok too now?
I welcome advice from those in the know. Of course, tagging my colleague Ahmed, who has years of experience in KSA to help first with this #culturalconundrum 👀
P.S. I could have asked this privately, but I have a feeling there may be others who might find it helpful to see this discussion. I also take a keen interest in cultural heritage clothing… :) If you frequent KSA for work, do you have any advice?
📸 Pic is from the last time I was there - in #Riyadh in my red abaya. I find extremely loose clothing a bit difficult moving around during training, so clinched it together with a belt. The red raised an eyebrow from someone but they were not from KSA so I proceeded 😬. This was accepted on my last visit. What do you say? I am so looking forward to going again next week. 🤩✨
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