Getting Ready for Morocco: Outfit Inspiration and Tips for Women Travelers

Morocco is a top tourist destination that received nearly 13 million tourists in 2023 – more than any other African country –  but it is also a conservative Muslim country.  While this may worry you, it is actually exciting!  This creates a very interesting dynamic where a lot of different cultures interact.  You will see women in full burkas next to a tourist in a t-shirt. It is very easy to comfortably and safely enjoy your time in Morocco. I spent nine days in Morocco and survived with just a small carry-on roller bag and a personal bag.  Based on what I observed and experienced, here are my outfit tips for women travelers in Morocco.

Is Morocco conservative?  

Yes.  Local women stick to a conservative dress code for the most part, meaning neck-to-ankle clothing and headscarf.  As you leave big cities like Casablanca and Marrakech, you will notice this even more. 

I did a National Geographic tour and learned about the  ways that Morocco is modernizing.  Some things are changing, women drive, go to school, have jobs, and a few are elected to their parliament.  It was exciting to hear about opportunities available to women.

It is still conservative compared to western standards, I would say.  Men can have multiple wives, for example.  While women can get a divorce – men automatically retain full custody of kids.  One odd and unexpected observation: at a street market (there are lots of these in Morocco), I saw a goat’s and bull’s testicles hanging.  When asked, my guide shared that meat vendors do this to show meat came from a male animal.  Why?  Well, because that is considered better quality food.  I noticed this with meat vendors at other markets as well.

Do female tourists need to cover up?

There is no formal rule on how to dress.  I firmly believe when you are visiting a country, you are a guest (remember you literally need to get permission to be there – a visa), you should adapt and respect local customs. If you  cannot do that out of respect for their culture – you really should not be traveling.  

It is also about your own self interest.  I saw female tourists wearing low cut tank tops and shorts – people stare, and a few times men would follow closely.  You will enjoy yourself more if you make an attempt to blend in a bit and that will also mean less chance of street harassment.  

The sweet spot for tourists is in the middle.  You do not need to dress like a Moroccan woman, but you should not dress like you are going to the beach in Miami or a nightclub in Las Vegas.  Hotels have amenities like pools and gyms and are full of tourists.  Here, you can relax and wear your normal swimsuits and work out clothes.

Dress Tips for Women Travelers

Here are a few things to avoid

• Tops: Anything that is low cut, showing cleavage, tank tops, crop tops
• Bottoms: Shorts, skirts or dresses 
• Overall: Very tight or fitted clothing

Basic outfit recommendations

Tops: T-shirts, or short sleeves with modest/standard necklines. If you are wearing long sleeves, I’d recommend lightweight clothing to help stay cool.  There is one place I visited the Atlas Mountains that does feel cooler my midweight longsleeve shirt worked great for that.

Bottoms: Skirts or dresses that go below the knee are great.  I’m also a huge fan of capris, light cargo capris, and palazzo capris.

Overall: Go with lightweight materials, sun protection.

Accessories

Hats/sunglasses:

Definitely do not forget to pack hats and sunglasses! I went in September, which is considered peak season due to more desirable weather conditions.  It can be very hot depending on when you go and which part of Morocco you are in. Be mindful of heat.  Heat and sun protection are definitely something to plan for.  I brought hats, sunglasses, sun block.  

Scarves:

A lot of people recommend scarves. I did not bring one. I mostly wore t-shirts and lightweight collared shirts.  My shoulders and top of my head were always covered, so I was fine without a scarf. I did buy a traditional Moroccan silk scarf for myself, but because it was so warm, I did not wear much during the trip.

Shoes:

As for shoes, pick shoes you can wear for several hours.  There is a lot of walking, I easily did 15,000 steps minimum everyday.  Avoid heels, walkways are uneven.  Also in the various alleyways, there are slopes, and there was liquid on the ground.  I would also not wear really thin flimsy sandals – some separation from your foot and the ground is ideal and light treading so you do not slip.     

Bottom line: Women travelers should be mindful of local customs and dress for comfort – enjoy!