What to Wear in Kuwait | The Ultimate Guide for Women

When I was first moving to Kuwait, one question plagued me above all others. It’s the same question I get asked by every woman I meet who’s contemplating living in Kuwait. It’s all-consuming and stress inducing. It’s, “What do I wear in Kuwait?!”

I covered this topic briefly in my guide to living in Kuwait as a woman recently, but it needs more attention. Let’s face it, packing to move to a new country is stressful enough if you do know what you can wear there. Trying to throw together a capsule wardrobe when you don’t know the dress code is a nightmare!

Fear not! I’ve compiled a handy dandy guide to help you understand exactly what you can and can’t wear in Kuwait.

The number one rule is, there are no rules

Contrary to what a lot of people think, there aren’t any laws governing what women can and can’t wear in Kuwait. You’ll hear people say that you can wear crop tops and hot pants in Kuwait and technically they’re right. But just because you can do something without getting arrested doesn’t necessarily mean you should. After all, you’re well within your rights to reenact broadway musical numbers in a crowded elevator, but it’s neither the time nor the place and you’re sure to irritate a lot of people.

Remember, Kuwait is a conservative country steeped in traditional and religious values. Strutting around town in low cut tops and mini skirts has the potential to offend a lot of people. To avoid unwanted attention, dirty looks and upsetting innocent passers by, dress modestly. After all, you’re a guest in the country so it’s only respectful to abide by the cultural norms.

Keep your shoulders and knees covered

This isn’t a hard and fast rule, but it’s a solid guideline. I advise always keeping your knees covered unless you want to attract negative attention (which you definitely don’t, by the way). As for keeping your shoulders covered, use your discretion. I would veer away from bardot tops or anything too stringy and strappy, but if you’re dressed fairly conservatively then no one’s going to be too concerned about the tops of your arms showing.

If in doubt, keep a small cardigan or wrap in your bag to throw over your shoulders if you start to feel uncomfortable or are asked to cover up.

But don’t worry about your head

Women do not have to cover their hair in Kuwait. End of. Let’s move on.

Pack for the weather

If you’re seriously considering moving to Kuwait then you probably already know that it’s the hottest place on the planet during the summer. Literally.

But don’t forget that it’s not summer all year round. In fact, winters in Kuwait can get quite chilly and the sudden drop in temperature at the end of the year can leave you shivering. Make sure you pack a least a few warm jumpers, scarves, winter jackets and boots. Those cotton summer dresses are going to be entirely useless once November hits.

Just throw your regular clothes in the case

Odds are, most of the things that are hanging in your wardrobe right now are totally fine to wear in Kuwait. You can go ahead and throw your jeans, t-shirts, maxi skirts, maxi dresses and shoes of all, shapes and sizes into your case. Dresses that come above the knee are fine if they’re paired with leggings so toss those in too.

There aren’t a lot of parties or events to attend in Kuwait and there are no bars so you’ll probably be dressing very casually most of the time. On the other hand, most people who move to Kuwait find themselves taking frequent weekend trips to nearby Bahrain or Dubai so it’s always worth having a few dressy outfits on hand just in case.

The ‘What to Wear in Kuwait’ Packing List

• Maxi dresses
• Maxi skirts
• Midi skirts
• Plazo pants
• Jeans
• Leggings
• T-shirts and tops
• Cardigans and kimonos
• Light thin scarves
• Winter clothing

So, pretty much everything you probably have in your wardrobe already.

Conclusion

Hopefully this post gave you a better idea about what you can wear in Kuwait. The reality is, finding things to wear in Kuwait is easy and your wardrobe won’t be too different from the one you have at home. Above all, remember that this is probably a different culture than the one you’re coming from so just do your best to be respectful and embrace the change.

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