Dress for Women in Turkey : What to wear and pack for your Trip 2025

What To Wear In Turkey As A Woman Tourist?

General Dress Code For Women In Turkey

You must be wondering what do women wear in Turkey and what type of clothes to wear in Turkey, Right? You don’t need to worry about the dress code but you should know the general dress code for women. If you are travelling to tourist centers and coastal regions in Turkey, you have lots of clothing options including shorts, casual wear or sleeveless tops as well. If you are planning a visit to rural areas or want to reach conservative areas, ensure that you follow the dress code for women in Turkey where you should dress modestly as your shoulders and knees should be covered to show respect to local customs of the country. 

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Are you looking to visit religious sites in Turkey like mosques? If yes, then do remember that visiting mosques or any other religious locations, women are expected to fully cover their arms, legs and hair. If you are not from Muslim community, you might not know all about whether your hair should be covered or your arms or legs should be covered or not. So, for this, the mosques offer you with scarves and slip on skirts if you are not accurately dressed. 

What To Wear In Istanbul As A Women Tourist? 

Fashion in Istanbul Turkey is somewhat conservative as all women tourists are expected to wear a head covering, a long skirt and long sleeve top. Dress in Istanbul is both traditional and western but it depends on the areas you are visiting. Women tourists visiting Istanbul can wear western dresses at beaches or islands as casual wear is acceptable at these places whether you want to wear shorts, shirts or other dresses. While visiting any religious sites, there is no official dress code but you must dress neatly and in proper attire. It is always expected from women tourists that as they respect their own country’s culture, they should respect another one also. 

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What To Wear In Other Regions Of Turkey?

Travelling to other regions in Turkey, there is no issue whether you are wearing western dresses or traditional wear. If you are visiting Turkey beach resorts, you can wear any kind of dresses you want as everything is acceptable at beach towns and resorts. Travelling to Eastern Turkey, smaller towns or rural areas, you must know about the important dressing norms. Women tourists must wear long dresses that should be below their knees and their arms being covered. 

Turkey Rules For Females: Do’s And Don’ts For Women

Do’s: -

1. Dress in a formal manner especially if you are in Istanbul or in the Eastern part of the country. If you are thinking of how to dress in Turkey specific regions, you must know to cover your knees and arms and no transparent clothes for showing respect and getting respect in return. 

2. When visiting mosques, you must wear headscarves and legs being covered. 

3. Be respectful over the local customs of Turkey whether it's related to clothing, connections or interaction with other people. 

4. You must learn basic words of the Turkish language such as Thank You, hello, good bye and some more as this shows that females are showing respect. 

Don’ts: -

1. Avoid wearing inappropriate clothes such as short skirts or tight clothes. 

2. Don’t disrespect the traditions of Turkey and local rules of the country, especially the dress code of women. 

3. For communicating with Turkish people, you must speak slowly and avoid the arguments and this can be done by doing indirect communication. 

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What Not To Wear In Turkey?

Turkey wearing clothes knowledge should always be kept in mind so when packing for the Turkey trip, ensure that you have packed appropriate clothes. 

1. Don’t wear over-revealing clothes as this does not look good across Turkey as the country always expects women tourists to follow the local customs. 

2. Don’t forget to wear headscarves when visiting religious sites in Turkey like in mosques. 

3. If you are visiting Turkey for any special occasion, then you must not wear western style clothes. 

Traditional Women’s Clothing In Turkey

The traditional dress for women in Turkey highlights the tradition and grace of attire right from the flowing salvar to the regal entari reflecting the real identity of women. 

Salvar

The traditional dress code Turkey for women includes salvar which is a classic attire highlighting comfort and cultural heritage that aligns through generations. Salvars are made from different materials such as wool, silk, velvet and each salvar has unique textures on it that add to its charm. 

Gomlek

In Turkey, the Gomlek is worn under an entari and is tucked either in baggy trousers or left outside. This traditional dress is made of plain white or off white cotton fabric and is lightweight in comparison with other traditional dresses. 

Entari

Women in Turkey wearing traditional dress includes Entari which is the primary garment or indoor dress worn over Gomlek and Salwar and Entari is from knee to floor length with both short and long sleeves. 

Season Wise Dress Code For Females

What To Wear In Turkey In The Summer?

• Tops: If you are travelling to Turkey in summer, you should wear lightweight tops and they must be of cotton and linen fabric. You can also wear short sleeved shirts or tank tops. To avoid heat, you can wear long sleeve tops that cover your shoulders.

• Bottom wear: In summer season, you should wear shorts, skirts or lightweight trousers especially if you are visiting the coastal areas and swimwear. 

What To Wear In Turkey In The Winter? 

• Tops: Long sleeve shirts, thermal tops and you must wear warm sweaters. 

• Bottom Wear: In the winter season, you should wear warm trousers, thermal leggings, jeans and it would be great if you choose waterproof options when visiting snowy areas in Turkey. 

What To Wear In Turkey In Transitional?

• Tops: Lightweight shirts, sweaters or cardigans in cooler mornings or evenings. 

• Bottom Wear: Comfortable jeans and skirts and you can also bring a pair of shorts with you. 

What To Pack For A Turkey Tour As A Woman?

• To pack Turkey country clothes, you should pack lightweight jeans with you as these are comfortable to wear. 

• Pack warm and lightweight jackets if you are travelling in the winter season.

• As a woman, you must pack comfortable walking shoes with you for participating in outdoor adventures. 

• Pack headscarves with you to visit religious sites such as mosques. 

• Carry sunscreen with you to protect your skin from high heat.

• Pack power bank for charging devices during your travelling across different areas in Turkey. 

Conclusion

Women’s planning a visit to Turkey must know about what to wear whether they are visiting beaches, mosques, historical sites or others. There is no specific dress code for women in Turkey but at some sites, it is significant for all women to follow the traditions. The Istanbul dress code for tourists is blended with both traditional and modern style clothing so before visiting this city, you must know about what to pack. Whether you are visiting Turkey in summers, winters or transitional seasons, it is essential to wear appropriate clothes that are comfortable for you. So, make a booking now to reach Turkey and make your trip a perfect one!

FAQs

Q1. Can women wear shorts in Turkey?

Ans. Yes, women can wear shorts in Turkey like on beaches, they can wear shorts. However, if they are visiting mosques, then shorts are not allowed. 

Q2. Do women need to cover their hair in Turkey?

Ans. No, there is no law in Turkey that women need to cover their hair but when they are visiting mosques, it is mandatory to wear headscarves. 

Q3. What should I wear to a Turkish wedding?

Ans. In a Turkish wedding, you should wear traditional clothes including floor length gowns or other special traditional Turkish outfits. 

Q4. How do Turkish women dress for work?

Ans. If Turkish women are going for work, they wear professional dresses including smart business suits with trousers or skirts and the dress completely depends on the workplace culture. 

Q5. What are Turkey's laws for women's dress?

Ans. There are no specific laws for women’s dress in Turkey as they can wear any type of dresses whether traditional or western style dresses. The laws are only applied when women are wearing religious locations and these include keeping head, arms, legs and shoulders covered.