Packing for Egypt was one of the first things I thought about after booking my trip. And I had no clue what to wear in Egypt. I didn’t want to be culturally insensitive, but nor did I want to be sweltering hot from being completely covered.
So, here’s what I know. Egypt is a Muslim-majority country. In certain cities, like Cairo, people will be covered up for the most part. In other cities, such as the resort cities by the Red Sea, people will be in beach wear and bikinis and you won’t really need to worry about what you wear.
What our guide told us upon arrival is to wear whatever we wanted. He made a strong emphasis to not worry about a dress code and assured us that Egyptians will know we are tourists and will be accepting of our cultural differences.
That being said, I still felt that I wanted to be kind of conservative, mostly to not draw unwanted attention. Will you see people in cutoffs and crop tops? Probably. But when I was not at the Red Sea, I kept it fairly modest. Also, there will be some places where you do need to be covered to enter, so you want to make sure that you have some outfits with knees and shoulders covered for those occasions.
So here are outfit ideas for what to wear in Egypt that fall somewhere in between conservative and cool (as in cold).
Flowy skirts with a tank or tee
These skirts were perfect for Egypt. The length was conservative, but the flowy-ness was essential! Egypt is HOT and the skirts gave a nice breeze.
I paired mine with a white tank or tee and some easy matching slides.
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Long skirts that button
Another great option to wear is a long skirt that buttons. You can unbutton a few if you need more of a breeze or button them if you need to cover your knees.
These white slides went with everything! They are super versatile and I had no problem walking in them for hours. Also, a white reversible tank let’s you have different looks: a scoop neck or a v-neck!
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Lightweight button up dress
This white dress was a great lightweight option that covered my shoulders and had a longer length. I paired mine with a neutral tank so the neckline wasn’t as deep.
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Lightweight wrap dresses
Wrap dresses are another great lightweight option and there are so many styles to choose from! Pair it with a tank or bra top for a higher neckline!
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Harem pants with opening
These capri pants have an overlap of fabric that allows for a nice breezy opening on the side. They are light weight and very cooling. I paired mine with a simple tank and my go-to slides.
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Capri pants with a tee
These capri pants don’t have the opening, but the fabric is light and loose. Basic tees go with everything and you can wear slides, sandals or sneakers with these!
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You can shop the links to find exact items I wore or similar styles to help plan your outfits! As I said before, you will see people wearing a little bit of everything there, so do what makes you feel comfortable. The outfits above are a great option for what to wear in Egypt to stay cool and a little covered.
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Where was your white dress from? It’s stunning and I need to find it!! Love your website.
Thank you! This one was from Forever 21 a long time ago but I think it might have been a knock off. I haven’t seen any like this since, but here’s a similar style on Amazon: https://rstyle.me/+Hv98RWyaR1DUiGEIea_pug