How to Dress in Turkey: Balancing Comfort and Culture

How to dress in Turkey is an incredibly common question and one worth exploring, especially as a woman.

While Turkey is not like the Middle East, there are still some things it is good to be aware of, especially when traveling to this part of the world.

After living here for more than 5 years I have seen a lot of different things. I have noticed these things not just in Istanbul but also as I have traveled around Turkey.

I have noticed how men engage women based on how they dress, when it’s important to care, and where/when you can really push those boundaries.

I will share some things I have come to understand through my years of living here and help you avoid some of those awkward moments that you weren’t looking for or perhaps were hoping to avoid.

Obviously, you are free to wear whatever you want but I hope my experiences and the experiences of those who have lived here longer than myself will be beneficial for you as a tourist to this beautiful country.

Without further ado, let’s take a few things that will be helpful, especially how to dress on your visit to Turkey.

1. What to wear when visiting a Mosque or traditional area

While a “Turkey dress code” doesn’t exist like many Middle Eastern countries, they are quite strict with entrance into mosques and holy areas like the Hagia Sophia.

Men can’t wear shorts or tank tops, and in some places, long-sleeve is preferred.

Women must have their shoulders, upper arms, and hair covered by a scarf and should wear loose-fitting pants (leggings are not allowed even if they are worn with a short shirt) or a long skirt (past knees so as not to show any thigh).

Ladies, the day you visit mosques or traditional settings is the perfect day for a long sun dress in a large light scarf that you can wrap around your head and shoulders.

Some places like the Blue Mosque provide something you can use. I don’t know about you but I’d rather bring my own or hit up a close by shop and buy one.

If your clothes are inappropriate they might not let you enter or may ask you to cover up with a provided robe.

You also can not wear your shoes to the mosque so make sure you have some nice socks on or in your bag.

You will take off your shoes outside the mosque, put them in cubicles, and retrieve them when you leave.

If it is a busy season (i.e. summer) or you have expensive shoes, it may be worth bringing a bag you can throw your shoes in and take them with you as opposed to leaving them in the cubicles.

And slip-on/off shoes are much easier for this day.

Pro Tip: Mosques are not available for visits during prayer times so make sure you check when they will be that day with a simple check on Google.

What women wear, especially in more traditional parts of a city like Uskudar or Fatih, is more likely to attract much-unwanted attention and stares if you are showing too much skin.

In the traditional areas, it would be better for you to cover more than you would in other parts of Istanbul or a big city.

2. What to Wear Big Cities and Touristy areas

What to wear in Istanbul as a woman especially is quite a different question than what to wear in more conservative cities like those in Eastern Turkey for example.

In Izmir and Antalya you can typically wear your normal clothes as long as you aren’t wearing something too short or low-cut.

While the large cities’ rules are similar, there are a couple of considerations for Istanbul. Some of the more traditional areas we talked about in the previous section are in Istanbul.

Here it would serve you well to dress a little more conservatively than if you were wandering anywhere else.

A helpful tip is to always carry a light scarf with you so you can cover up if you ever need to. Paying attention to the locals around you will take you far.

If you are going to Taksim or Kadıköy, however, you will see just about anything and everything there.

Something to note with regard to this is that just because the locals are wearing it doesn’t mean you will be received in the same way.

What I mean by that is my Turkish friends can wear things that I could never wear. When they wear them other Turks think it is a bad choice.

When I wear them, often they will think I am a bad person.

While I am not saying you should care what people think, there is a level of respect I believe we should show when visiting another country.

4. TUrkish Dress Code when Heading out East/Southeast

When you go to Southeastern/Eastern Turkey, you should especially be concerned about what you wear and how you interact. This is the least modern and most conservative area in Turkey.

This means that men, while usually getting away with anything, will catch stares for wearing shorts or tank tops.

It is recommended to wear pants and sleeved shirts for sure.

For women, make sure your pants/skirts come below your knees and all your shirts have sleeves on them, and coming to or past the elbow is best.

In the summer I know it is hot but trust me it will make your life better. A lovely linen dress is your best friend!

5. how to dress at the Beach!

I find Turkey so interesting because at the beach (and weddings) it is as if anything goes. You will see women dressed head to toe as well as women in bikinis and everything in between.

Women don’t care what anyone else thinks when they wear their suits and it makes me so happy.

When you’re walking around a resort or from your hotel to the beach and vice versa, I definitely recommend wearing a coverup. That being said, the less of a suit you’re wearing, the more attention you may get.

Just be aware and you’ll be fine. While this Muslim country has a secular government, it is still quite conservative as a whole.

If you’re looking for a great beach to visit, make sure you check out Fethiye!

6. How to dress in Turkey in different Seasons

One thing to consider before jumping into the various seasons is that if you need you, you can always buy new clothes to better suit your needs. Clothing in Turkey is typically much less expensive albeit not always as good of quality, however.

Summer

Generally, sleeveless tops and shorts are more acceptable because it is so hot. Just make sure they aren’t too revealing. Places like Antalya can reach 40°C and can be quite humid.

Make sure you have appropriate clothes for where you’re headed. Thankfully not all of Turkey is that hot during the summer.

Fall

Think layers. There are cooler evenings and warmer days. I find it so fascinating that in the fall you can be in the sun during the day and it feels so much warmer than it actually is and then the evening comes and it cools down even more.

Fall is also more rainy than spring so make sure you have a good raincoat.

Winter

In most places throughout Turkey winter is the wettest season of all. Make sure you pack both warm clothes as well as a good raincoat.

The further inland you go, the colder it will be so if you are along the coast you will find a bit warmer weather than farther inland.

Spring

Again, think layers. Spring is just lovely. I think spring in Istanbul is my favorite. If it could only stay that way year-round!

The days are typically warm and cooler nights. Sometimes there is rain but not like the fall or winter.

Again, it is a little different from the various regions throughout Turkey but it is the most mild weather.

7. How to dress in Turkey as a woman

Sometimes it is quite obvious who the foreigners are. They are either covered from neck to ankle or they aren’t covered at all.

But honestly, neither is really helpful. Snap decisions are being made and you get to have a part in how Turks receive you.

Most Turkish women both want to dress modestly and dress with style.

So if you come thinking that you can’t show your arms or your legs but you look frumpy and not as you would dress at home, you’ll stand out just as you will stand out if you’re showing all the skin.

As we have talked about you can, of course, wear whatever you want but how to dress in Istanbul as a woman is quite different from how you would dress in Eastern Turkey as a woman.

But if you want to be well received by locals if you want to be taken seriously if you want to get to know some people, take a bit of care to be relatable.

So to sum it all up I will quote a friend who has lived here for 30 years. She says “Dress a little more conservatively than the middle ground that you see.”

8. A few miscellaneous notes

Watch your eyes

While this isn’t so much about how you dress, it is very important to your time here in Turkey.

Eye contact especially with smiling (as a woman to a man) is considered an invitation.

If you don’t believe me, make eye contact with a few vendors as you stroll through the Grand Bazaar and see how long they follow you trying to get you to buy something.

The same goes on the streets. While perhaps not spoken of, it is often believed that women should/would want any Turkish man.

So if you have prolonged eye contact with them it is sending a message that you may not want to send.

Obviously, with other women, it is fine. I love smiling at women as I go, mostly because I have to stifle it so much of the time.

But also, a smile goes a long way! Engaging with a shop owner is also different from making eye contact on the street.

As I said, this isn’t a “you should never” thing so much as a thing you should be careful of.

The more attention you draw to yourself, the more possibility for uncomfortable interactions you can have.

Generally, Turks are incredibly helpful and kind but like anywhere, there are people you have to be careful with.

By paying attention to your surroundings and how you interact with those surroundings, you will ensure that you have a smooth and uneventful trip.

A few extra things to pack

• Especially in summer, sunscreen, and a hat are a great idea. Sunscreen can be expensive here and the sun is intense.
  
  I don’t know how many times I have burned my forehead just not thinking before leaving the house.
  
• I love my cross-body fanny pack-style bag. It is minimal and perfect for traveling, especially in touristy areas where pickpockets are much more common. But I also use it on a daily basis.
  
  I hate carrying things with my hands or having a bag that is so heavy my back hurts later. This limits me but allows me to carry all the essentials!
  
• While many people will say to bring an umbrella, I find that it is often so windy here you’re much better served with a really good raincoat. Just make sure you get a little longer one like this one. Of course, you can always wear a poncho but that’s up to you.
  
• My favorite water bottle for wandering around the city is this bottle and filter by Epic Water Filters.
  
  Specially made for tap water. It catches the harsh chemicals as well as the heavy metals in the tap water here. Leaving just the refreshing taste of pure H2O behind!

FAQs for the Dress Code in Turkey

Final Thoughts on What to Wear in Turkey

Ready to go? Make sure you check out the Ultimate Guide to Packing to make sure you don’t miss a thing! You can also learn a few Turkish Phrases to prepare!

I hope this was helpful. Learning how to dress when visiting Turkey really can make a huge difference.

While the “Istanbul dress code” will feel much more relaxed all around compared to smaller cities, it is still worth dressing a bit more conservatively than you might back home if you don’t want to attract unwanted attention.

There is nothing worse than a man following you down the street just trying to get your attention and you’re really not interested.

Depending on what you thought previously or what you have heard about Turkey, maybe some of it came as a bit of a shock to you.

Either way, I hope it helps you feel a bit more comfortable on your trip to this beautiful country.