How to Slay in Dubai: Fashion, Food and Travel Tips
Hello Dubai!
Summer 2017 has been a whirlwind. I ended a busy season of work, home renovations and traveling with a trip to Dubai. If you've been following my Instagram, you've seen a peak into my experience via Stories (sorry Snapchat. It's not you, it's me). It was amazing to say the least. Read on for my take of this opulent city and a few tips that I learned during our stay, including how not to get scolded by the mall police.
Also, I took a lot of photos. Check out Part Two for the full gallery of our adventures.
Fashion
So let me say this first...if it is style that you seek, Dubai has it! The shopping experience is boundless. You could spend an entire day in the Dubai Mall. There is an incredibly interesting juxtaposition of modern style against a backdrop of traditional customs. This can pose some challenges though, especially for tourists navigating the dress code (READ: our first day of exploring resulted in a friendly tap on the shoulder from mall security to cover up a bit more). Yes. That happened. Even with our best efforts to dress modestly, we still missed the mark. Embarrassing, but look - I took the fall so that you don't have to. Don't be me. Here's what I recommend to keep it fabulous while meeting the women's dress code:
Dubai is quite progressive in terms of dress and locals don't expect you to completely change your wardrobe. But, you must dress modestly while in public spaces - ie Malls, Mosques, the Market, etc.
In Public - keep your neckline, shoulders and legs mostly covered. Plunging cleavage will get you hit with a strong side eye. If you plan to visit the mosques (which you should!), you will not be permitted with bare arms. For mosque style, I recommend a loose, floor length dress with sleeves. You will also receive a head-covering for your hair.
Nightclubs and Beaches - This is where you can relax your style a bit. Feel free to wear your body con dresses and short skirts to the clubs. Do dress to impress, because the locals will be bringing the heat. Most of the clubs are inside of hotels, where it is completely acceptable to show some skin. If you're taking a dip in the pool, two pieces are just fine. Skip the thong bikini, and be sure to have some nice coverups to get you from your hotel room through the lobby.
A Note on the Heat - If you head to Dubai in the summer, you're gonna look at the forecast and say to yourself, "Oh, I've been in 100 degree weather before. I can handle this". No. No you can't. This is a different type of heat. This is desert heat. This is like, Amazon jungle heat. Slap ya mama heat, if you will. Keep that in mind when you're packing. Think light, breathable materials. Billowy maxi dresses were my go to.
at the Burj Khalifa observatory
hanging out poolside at the Sofitel Dubai The Palm
Food & Drink
Guys. The food. Oh man. I probably underestimated how good the food was going to be, but what I learned was that in Dubai's luxurious tradition - just about every restaurant boasts a five star menu with top chefs from around the globe. They are big on themes, and every detail is meticulously executed from presentation to taste. It's a foodies dream! Do you know how many pictures of food I took?!
We feasted at Smoqoholics, an amazing hookah lounge and restaurant.
The experience at Cavalli Club - five star service, impecable food. The DJ gets started around midnight, and don't forget to check out the -18 C Ice Lounge downstairs!
The best part about the food scene is the deals you can find with just a quick Google search. Pro Tip: before you head out, do a search for "ladies night Dubai", "brunch specials Dubai", etc. Ladies can get a free happy hour at hundreds of lounges and clubs. Most of the hot spots have specials where the prices are cut in half. I could go back just to explore the nightlife, swanky lounges and rooftop bars. I also loved the fact that many of the menus had amazing mocktails for those of us who aren't indulging, but still like to sip on something cute.
Travel Tips
What else? Dubai has so much to offer in terms of "things to do". We spent eight nights, and barely scratched the surface. Here are my top suggestions on things to add to your list:
Explore the Old Souk. The market area was a lot of fun. This is where you can find traditional clothing, spices, souvenirs and BEAUTIFUL gold jewelry. Put your bartering hat on and prepare for some pretty aggressive sales tactics, lol.
Visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. As a designer and photographer, this part of the trip blew my mind and was really important for me. The architectural detail and just overall design is hard to truly capture with a photo. But of course I tried.
Book a desert tour. There's plenty of them, and you can find decent deals on Groupon. We went on the Arabian Adventures, which is sponsored by Emirates and it was so much fun! Dune bashing, camel riding, belly dancing. All of that jazz. Do it.
Stay in the Palm. Might I recommend, Sofitel The Palm Resort. The Palm is a beach area, just outside of downtown. It's a little off the path, but I loved the quiet seclusion after a long day of adventure. The staff was amazing, and we could not want for more. It was a truly gorgeous property, and our Junior Suite was a gem. Confession: we may or may not have harassed the front desk team for copious refills of a secret lemon-mint juice, reserved for guests upon arrival. I made friends with the staff at Olivier's Cafe after visiting every day for my morning latte. Thanks Reza for our Turkish Coffee, it was quite the treat!
Please note, all statements and opinions are my own and represent my true experience. I have not been sponsored by any of the brands or companies noted above.