Clothes Purchase and Respectful Dress

Yesterday I went out and purchased clothes for the Egypt trip since I am approaching the 3 week mark and realized I have nothing thin/heat approved that would be respectful to wear while in the country. Since my clothes get very grungy after a long adventure I made the journey to a local thrift store to get some good deals. The clothes were so nice in quality that I may in fact be able to reuse them for the RTW trip next year which would be a major win in the budget book. After this purchase I wanted to take some time for an entry talking about what I look for when picking out travel clothes. (Pictured: Me and my Fedora, Docta' Jones)

We have tons of freedom in the Western countries to wear practically whatever we like as a form of expression and individuality. Unfortunately doing so in other countries will get stares and complaints depending on who you are and where you are at. This is especially true in regulated buildings like Churches and Mosques where attire is considered more important as a sign of respect than other everyday situations. One example is Vatican City which requires ALL visitors to have covered shoulders and pants that go past the knees, without exception, and even have signs posted illustrating the fact while you are in line.


Some of these establishments will offer free paper leg coverings or shoulder coverings to let you get in, but most people would want to avoid the extra attention that random paper coverings would bring. As an outsider to a country, the key is to blend in, not to stand out. Those who stand out as tourists are often the first target for pick pocketing, higher prices at restaurants and tourist stands, and glares from locals. As mini ambassadors to our countries, we can do better than that, and the first thing that is necessary is in the choice of clothing. (Pictured: Purchased Clothes for Egypt)

Middle Eastern countries are sometimes the most conservative when it comes to clothing, so my purchases for Egypt reflect this. For men the bare minimum is clothing that covers the shoulders and shorts that reach the knees, except for visiting mosques which requires long pants as previously mentioned. In order to assist in blending in, it may be beneficial to have clothing that does not have Western writing or symbols however this is mostly a personal preference. There are conflicting stories when it comes to the use of shorts. Western friendly Middle Eastern countries are tolerant if they go to the knees and understand due to the heat it is necessary for some, Jordan and Egypt are examples of these. Citizens of these countries typically wear shorts only when at the beach or pool, and view them as purely for these purposes, although in recent years the use of shorts in every day situations has risen significantly. Most accounts say that you might get a few odd looks, but nothing else. Other countries may not appreciate the wearing of shorts and lightweight pants may be a good choice. For women it is much more imperative to follow the cultural norms in regards to clothing. This means covered shoulders and fully covered legs in most situations. Again, Western friendly countries are more tolerant of shorts on women but expect the worst of more glances and unwanted advances than men will get.

Other countries around the world are a bit more tolerant on the options, although some are pretty conservative as well, and should be approached similarly. In my attempts to try and blend in, I will be going solid colored t-shirts and over shirts, with shorts and long pants in most cases. The only clothing that I will be taking on any trip with words on it may be alumni shirts from my University. After I return I will put another post to see if my clothing choice gave me any hassle, but I am not expecting much. (Pictured: More Purchased Clothes for Egypt with my Indy Hat)

The final thing that should be briefly noted when it comes to clothing is size. Traveling with thicker clothes, such as jeans, are almost impossible to wash in a sink, and may be difficult to clean in hostel traveling. The other drawback is that the thicker clothes take up more space in luggage and add unnecessary weight for carrying and plane restrictions. Finally, these clothes add unnecessary heat when out and about, so anything that can be done to have thinner clothes while in summer environments would be a wise investment.

The following is a summary of some of the clothes I purchased from the thrift store this weekend for the Egypt and, hopefully, RTW trip:

Thrift Store Purchase: $12.78
4 Button Up Overshirts [White/Tan]
2 Pairs of Shorts [Khaki/Brown]

Grocery Store Purchase: $21.16
2 4pk Cotton Tshirts [Mixed Colors]

Total Spent: $33.94

It is very likely that some of the shirts will be too gross when I return and another 4pk will need to be purchased for the big trip next August. But getting almost an entire wardrobe for traveling for under $40 is quite impressive. I have one pair of shorts that are cargo variety and a pair of cargo pants that I will likely pack with me as well that did not warrant an extra purchase. The cargo pants are only going to be worn on the days when we go into Mosques in the Egypt trip which will likely only be 3-4 days of the entire trip. For the RTW I might take two pair of cargo pants.

Posted in: Commitment,Packing List