What to wear in Dubai?

[Orsini]

Originally Posted by scientific

...what self-respecting capitalist would think for 2 seconds (if not to laugh) about the barbaric tribal customs of some 3rd world country he was visiting?...
One who wanted to close the deal and get the money.

 

[Orsini]

What kind of hats do you think that would be OK to wear there for business and social? I need to always wear a hat when out of doors, even briefly. Do you think a Panama would be OK for tourist activities like the camel races etc...

 

[Orsini]

Originally Posted by LabelKing

...the "old" AskAndy...
That is nice. If you do not mind I think I will pinch that...

 

[globetrotter]

Originally Posted by Orsini

What kind of hats do you think that would be OK to wear there for business and social? I need to always wear a hat when out of doors, even briefly. Do you think a Panama would be OK for tourist activities like the camel races etc...

I can't remember seeing a westerner in a hat here/there, but I really hardly spend time outdoors at all. I was actually just thinking that next time I might bring my panama. I can't see any reason why a panama wouldn't be good

 

[globetrotter]

I gave some thought to the whole issue about status and so on - here is my take on it:

we all are used to assigning status to people based on pretty subtle hints and signs - that seems to be what makes AAAC run - if something or another is an accurate symbol of WASP status in the US.

in Dubai, there are people from about 20 arab sub cultures, a large number of arab pennysula sub cultures, people from all across south asia, people from maybe 10 african countries and people from across western and eastern europe as well as the americas. so, if you are a businessman in dubai and you are meeting somebody for the first time, or somebody you don't know well, and you need to make a judgment about him, what critieria are you going to use? the type of tribal headdress he wears? irrelivant. the quality of his jewlery? could be irrelevant. so you go with a pretty simple thing - does he seem to have a lot of suits.


makes sense to me.

 

[Recoil]

Originally Posted by Shikar

You mean countries will actually beat workers (read indentured workers i.e. read slaves)?? What a horrible idea!! How about if I take someones land and they put them on reservations, but make sure they have enough alcohol and the lowest possible level of education...? How about putting a certain sect in different area...lets call them...ummm...other side of the railroad tracks? Heaven forbid they drive with a taillight broken..lets then beat the crap out of them, maybe put them in jail...an inordinate percentage of them!! Come on, its *Fair and Balanced*, cos I say it is.
Naw I really dont think they are losing any sleep cos they arnt one step closer to us....LOL, neither are the Chinese or the Indians....or the Europeans for that matter. Our moral bar aint the highest friend......

I dont think they care to be closer to us, no matter how much you want to convince yourself of that....

I have lived there for 2 years a long time ago...they did respect us at one time, but they always seemed to be enamoured by the British for some reason.
On a more sober note, there is good and bad in every society. I pray each one of us can take care of our family in the best possible way. Amen.

Regards.

Oh, how wonderfully PC of you all to make comments like this.

 

[Orsini]

Originally Posted by globetrotter

I can't remember seeing a westerner in a hat here/there, but I really hardly spend time outdoors at all. I was actually just thinking that next time I might bring my panama. I can't see any reason why a panama wouldn't be good
Thank you. I wonder if a trilby would be OK for business...

 

[BBRex]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dewey
Why do Arabs take note of the size of a management man's wardrobe?

Is that just in Dubai or in some other subset of places where Arabs live, or is this somehow true of Arabs in general?

Quote:
Originally Posted by BBRex
I have a cousin who lives in UAE, and I've been meaning to ask her that myself. I've heard that in some Arab countries that most people wear very similar attire, and status is in the details (such as expensive watches, etc.).


actually, that is sort of two different things.

I see what you're saying, but I guess I was implying that they might be more accustomed to focusing on details of a person's dress than many Westerners might be. I doubt many in the U.S. would notice if you wore the same blue suit two days in a row unless it had a particular feature that really stood out.

 

[dsmolken]

I'm gonna be spending a week in Egypt then going on to Dubai for another.

Is the advice above in this thread good and still valid almost four years later?

 

[Gdot]

The basics haven't changed. Modesty in terms of coverage of skin is still very much the norm. As a male tourist you can get away with short pants or a short sleeved shirt. But it's not generally liked by most of the locals. Women should be particularly concerned and keep their shoulders and breasts completely concealed at all times except within the boundaries of hotel walls. In general what goes on within the confines of the hotels is VERY different from what is expected elsewhere.

Business attire should be kept simple and conservative in general - although the sky is the limit in terms of level of luxuriousness in terms of fabrics and tailoring.

Expensive watches are widely admired but do be aware that if you are wearing 'last years favorite' you won't be scoring many points for your watch. You may wear your wedding ring but any other jewelry on men is very much frowned upon.

John Lobb has a store at the Dubai mall and thus you will find a growing appreciation amongst the 'well healed' for immaculate and shiny English shoes. There is a strong British influence in general so you can go a little wild in terms of tie and shirt colors. As the Brits are fond of this effect.

For the stricter sorts you should know that it is technically not proper for a man to wear silk - so if you have ties in cotton, wool, cashmere, linen etc. so much the better. Although you see silk ties everywhere. On to more fine points - Your ankles are to be covered by full break trousers in conservative settings.

And on to my final and most challenging point - I was once turned away from making a presentation to one of the UAE Sheiks because I was wearing a graph check shirt and the perpendicular intersecting lines were apparently offensive, as they bring to mind the crucifix of Christ. The presentation was delayed while I went back to the Hotel and changed shirts. One of the most horrifying moments of my career. If you learn anything about Islamic art and architecture you will find that indeed the perpendicular intersection of two lines is widely avoided as much as possible.

Enjoy your trip! Be sure to go to a camel race!

 

[Metlin]

Good advice re: checks.

Ditto with cuff links. Some consider them "jewelry" and frown upon them.

 

[dsmolken]

Thanks, that's very useful. I remember reading the bit about silk ties on this forum before, but not about the check shirts.

I'll be dealing mainly with IT people, not exactly sheiks, so the standards are probably not that high. I'll try to do some videoconferences with them before I go to gauge what they actually wear to the office. I'm pretty dark-skinned for a European, which might make things a bit more interesting.

Edit: I don't want to start a separate thread for Egypt, and I know that's a very different place from Dubai especially right now, but I guess anything acceptable in Dubai will also be acceptable in Egypt, right?

 

[Gdot]



Good advice re: checks.
Ditto with cuff links. Some consider them "jewelry" and frown upon them.

ugh! I love my cufflinks - but you are right - I should have mentioned that.

 

[dsmolken]



Be sure to go to a camel race!

So... what should one wear to a camel race?

 

[Big A]



Quote:
Consider there have been more bombings in London and Spain than there have been in Dubai. In any environment you are more likely to be a target for street criminals (picketpockets, muggings, etc) than a terrorist attack or kidnapping.

Dubai has long been considered a "free city" - i.e., a neutral city where you can go and work out your issues. Even radical islamists have mostly stuck to this arrangement. Bombings seem unlikely.

. . . . And on to my final and most challenging point - I was once turned away from making a presentation to one of the UAE Sheiks because I was wearing a graph check shirt and the perpendicular intersecting lines were apparently offensive, as they bring to mind the crucifix of Christ. The presentation was delayed while I went back to the Hotel and changed shirts. One of the most horrifying moments of my career. If you learn anything about Islamic art and architecture you will find that indeed the perpendicular intersection of two lines is widely avoided as much as possible. Enjoy your trip! Be sure to go to a camel race!

Interesting . . . never knew the thing about the intersecting lines . . . .