One of the things that always gets me excited before traveling to Morocco, is preparing my suitcase and deciding what to wear in Morocco.
I love fashion and beautiful clothes, but I also love being comfortable during my trips. Because guess what? Morocco has so many experiences to offer and depending on the time you are visiting Morocco, you need to make sure you are packing the right clothes for each activity and each season.
There is another important thing to keep in mind regarding what to wear in Morocco: Your outfit can really impact your experience, greatly or badly, because it affects how Moroccans may treat you. I will get to that in details later in this article.
Morocco is a loved destination for fashion bloggers. The reason is that its magical decor theme makes pictures stand out with a little effort. And the fact that I travel often to Morocco makes me always up to date with fashion bloggers clothes hacks.
Let’s go! Here is a guide of what to wear in Morocco, for women and men.
What to wear in Morocco for Women
One recommendation that applies to all your outfits, girls, is to choose covering clothes. Morocco being a conservative country, showing a lot of skin draws men attention and can sometimes put you in delicate situations. Especially in public spaces where there is a high concentration of locals: The general rule is to avoid showing your generous curves and exposing your décolletage, shoulders, or thighs.
I have some girl friends who continue to show their sexy in Morocco, and they still haven’t had a bad experience. But this is not wise and not very respectful to local culture and traditions.
In some places, though very rare, you will need to cover your hair and entire body to be allowed entrance. In this case, a scarf and long dress with sleeves will do the job. If you are visiting Morocco with a local guide, he sure will tell you when to dress like that.
I remember, one time, I was in Fez wearing a sleeveless shirt, quite conservative though, and while that was okay for visiting the Medina (old town), I was not allowed to enter one historical monument that happened to be a mosque. The monument guardian told me to cover up and get back, which I did. I shopped a cheap traditional clothing item from a neighboring store and could visit.
Long dresses
Long or midi dresses are a must when traveling to Morocco. They are in general very comfortable and if the material you choose is right, they will have a cooling effect and will protect you from the sun.
Try to avoid dresses that show a lot of skin, your curves or decolletage. Sexiness in public spaces is not appreciated. There are so many beautiful dresses out there that are a bit conservative and that will still make you look gorgeous.
Another advantage of bringing a long dress with you is that it will blend perfectly with Moroccan decor. You will look like you are coming straight from a 1001 nights story.
Skirts
Like long dresses, skirts are an important item to pack when you travel to Morocco. Skirt length doesn’t matter as long as it is below the knees. However, avoid tight skirts a-la-kim–kardashian.
Skirts are very convenient and practical as you can wear them many times without them getting dirty or smelly (unlike dresses where you sweat). So make sure you bring at least one long or midi skirt with you.
Here is a skirt I love, fluid, comfortable and gorgeous, and guess what, you can wear it as a dress too. Isn’t that cool?
Long wide pants
Long large pants are very fashionable these seasons and are coming with beautiful colors and designs. If you choose the material right, they can be very cooling and comfortable. Combined with a stylish hat, your photos will be stunning.
A covering silk scarf
Don’t worry, you won’t be wearing a scarf during all your trip. Unlike some Muslim countries, hair covering is not mandatory for women in Morocco. However, as I mentioned earlier, in order to be given access to some historical religion-related places, you need to cover your head and neck with a scarf.
The same scarf can be used to cover up your shoulders when it gets a little bit freezy outside or to cover your head from the sun in Moroccan desert. So it is a quite practical item to bring with you.
Silk scarves are the best as they preserve your body temperature from outside heat or cold. Here is a cheap 100% silk scarf I bought and always make sure I bring with me when I travel to Morocco.
What about your Sexy Clothes?
If you like wearing sexy clothes, just know that you can absolutely pack your sexy items with you. The only condition is to wear them in modern places in Morocco, like modern hotels, restaurants, and nightclubs.
If you are planning on going in an expedition in the desert, it is more likely that you will stay in a small group with your local guide, then you might be able to rock your sexy clothes and poses (but not provocative or vulgar). In public spaces like the Medina (downtown) where there is a big concentration of locals, always keep it low key..
What to wear in Morocco for Men
Men usually don’t have rules regarding what they can wear in Morocco. Unfortunately (and like everywhere in the world really), women are the ones being constantly told what to wear and what not to wear.
However, that doesn’t mean that man can absolutely wear anything or … nothing. There are certain guidelines that need to be followed.
Men, don’t go naked!
A basic, but who knows.
Men, don’t go topless
If it gets really hot and you are in a public space, don’t get topless, unless your local guide says you can.
Don’t wear clothes that can show your sexual orientation
I talked about this in my article about safety in Morocco. Morocco is a conservative country that is quite hostile for the LGBT community. So avoid wearing anything that can show your sexual orientation.
What about shorts?
Men can absolutely wear short, as long as they are not very tight and very short. There is only one rule about dress code in Morocco for men and it is to dress neutral.
