Dubai is considered as a liberal country regarding the other countries in the Middle East and concerning the Muslim countries too many of which still do not accept tourists in their regular Western wear. In order to become clear with the dress code rules, you must first have a clear vision with the Muslim codes. This is anyhow a must-do if you visit a Muslim country in the name of cultural understanding, in order to avoid any sorts of rudeness or even worse in a Muslim country. So let us see some of the dress codes and cultural rules of Dubai.
Muslim people just like Chinese and Japanese people regard politeness to be one of the greatest features. For a Muslim to have guest means that the Muslim man owes all his belonging and even life if needed for the protection of his guest as is the will of Allah. A guest brings luck and blessing to a home. For this reason, do not turn down if a Muslim invited you to their home. You can be more than sure that you will get the needed protection, tasty food and surrounded with smiles and kindness by all family members.
Muslim women according to the will of Allah are not allowed to show their hair, their curves when in public or when having any male guests. Some may not even show their face. This, contrary to the false belief of the West, is not because of the sad lives of women in a Muslim country, but in order to protect all sanctuaries of marriage, to protect every woman from any unwanted temptation. A man can only see his wife and women who are close relatives of him. Otherwise, he cannot see any other woman as his wife. Very often Muslim Arabic women fall pregnant shortly after getting married. If more children come, then the wife stays at home, where normally she lives with the older members of the family, whose women also taking care of the wife and all children of the family. Mostly a wife spends most of her time, taking care of the children, going shopping, cooking and chatting. That is the way of life in a Muslim country, and there is nothing bad in it.
Returning to the dress code, it is wise if women wear long dress or non-stretchy trousers, with some scarf or blouse on the shoulder. You must not show off your shoulders in presence of other men; it is not wise either to wear any type of miniskirts, even if you are a single and would want an Arabic hubby for you. Then, men in Arabic countries would simply think you are a prostitute. Therefore, wear long and lease clothes. It is also protective against the sun, not only all the glares. In addition, as part of a dress code, do not go out with any local man unless you know more about him, his family and so on.
In a Muslim country, women do not walk alone anywhere. In the older times, no Muslim woman could travel or go out alone. Nowadays, these rules are changing, thanks to some changes in the family values, but still most Muslim women do not go out alone anywhere. If you walk alone and you are a woman, make sure to wear either something authentic or similar. There are many street cafés in an Arabic country. Most cafés are exclusively for men. This is an unwritten rule. Do not sit down at a café unless you also see women sitting there. Usually there are some cafés exclusively for women and for tourists as well.
For men the dress code mostly means, not to wear anything that is too short, long hair for men is still a question. Some Arabic and Asian countries ban men with long hair from entering the country. So make sure to have a haircut. Men must dress well, not wearing flip-flops and swim shorts only at the beach. Many tourists have bad experiences, expecting the restaurants to welcome them in under casual dresses, or beach dresses.
If you go out in the evening, just make sure you are dressed up well and elegantly, otherwise you may not be able to enter many places. Dress code in Dubai is not strict, but everyone is expected to respect the others culture and dressing codes. It is very important never ever to disturb any Muslim women, and never to say any bad or funny things regarding the Muslim wear of men or women. This would be such an insult that can take you to the hospital and then to jail.
Dubai is a kind country, if you are also kind and have the social and cultural conscience for dealing with it. Dubai dress codes are not brutal or rude on any level. So read the basic dress codes of Dubai on what to wear and you will see everyone will be respectful and friendly with you, unless you are that too!