What to Wear in Morocco: A Practical Guide for Men and Women

The Honest Rule, Before Anything Else

Morocco is more relaxed about dress than many guidebooks suggest, and stricter than tourists sometimes assume. Most cities (Marrakech, Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier) are visibly modern. Smaller towns and the medinas of Fes and Marrakech are more conservative. The single rule that solves 95 percent of dress decisions is this: cover shoulders and knees in the medina and at religious sites, dress however you like everywhere else.

Headscarves are not required for women anywhere in Morocco, including in the medina. You will see Moroccan women in everything from full djellaba to jeans, t shirts and tank tops. The country is not uniform.

That said, what you wear changes how you are received and how comfortable you are. Here is the practical guide, by region and season.

Marrakech Medina vs Gueliz

The medina (the old walled city) is more conservative. The new town (Gueliz, Hivernage) is essentially a modern city. You can wear shorts and a t shirt in Gueliz. In the medina you will be more comfortable and attract less attention with shoulders and knees covered.

For women: a flowing midi or maxi skirt, loose linen pants, or an ankle length dress works in any temperature. A light long sleeve shirt or kimono over a tank top covers the shoulders without overheating.

For men: lightweight chino pants and a short sleeve shirt are perfect. Shorts are technically fine but you will be more respected in the medina with long pants.

Atlas Mountains: Layers, Layers, Layers

The Atlas surprises tourists. Even in summer, the temperature drops 15 to 20 celsius from Marrakech once you are above 1,800 metres. In winter, it can be below freezing at altitude. Always layer.

A practical Atlas packing list (any season):

Trekking specifically (Toubkal, Imlil overnight): proper hiking boots, thermal base layer, and gloves from October to April are essential.

The Desert: Hot Days, Cold Nights

The most common mistake. Tourists pack for hot weather and arrive in the Sahara at 4am to find it 5 celsius and windy.

In the desert (Sahara or Agafay), you will need:

Why long sleeves and pants in the desert heat? They protect you from the sun and keep moisture closer to the skin. You feel cooler, not hotter, in flowing long clothes than in shorts and a tank top.

Colours: light colours reflect heat. Dark blues and blacks (the colour Berber and Tuareg men wear) actually push the body heat outward, which is counterintuitive but works. White is fine. Avoid bright synthetic colours. They look out of place in the desert and they trap heat.

Hammam Day: What to Bring

The neighbourhood hammam (60 to 80 dirhams) is a different world from the spa hammam (400 to 1,000). Both have the same etiquette around dress.

What to wear in the hammam:

What to bring:

In a riad spa hammam, everything is provided. You walk in with your robe, walk out wrapped in a fresh towel, and have mint tea on a recliner.

Shoes: The Most Underrated Decision

Marrakech medina is uneven cobblestones, sometimes wet, often crowded with mopeds and donkey carts. Shoes matter.

What works:

What does not work:

Atlas: hiking shoes minimum, hiking boots for any trek above the village level.

Desert: sturdy closed shoes for camp, lightweight sandals for the camel, never flip flops.

Women Specifically

Things you do not need to do:

Things that genuinely make solo travel easier:

A simple uniform that works for women in any Moroccan city: high waisted loose pants, a long sleeve light blouse or a tunic, a scarf in your bag for shoulders or hair if needed, comfortable shoes.

Men Specifically

Shorts in the medina: technically allowed, often visually awkward (no Moroccan adult man wears shorts in the medina). You will be served, you will be polite to, but you will be marked instantly as a tourist. If you want the price gap to close in a souk, wear long pants.

Religious sites and rural villages: long pants, short sleeve shirt, no exposed chest.

A simple uniform that works for men in any Moroccan city: lightweight chino or linen pants, a short or long sleeve shirt with a collar, comfortable walking shoes, sunglasses, a hat.

Beach Towns: Essaouira, Agadir, Asilah

The coastal towns are essentially European in feel for dress. Bikinis and shorts are normal on the beach. In the medina of Essaouira, the same medina rules apply (shoulders, knees), but the atmosphere is more relaxed than Marrakech.

Bring layers. Coastal Morocco is windy. Essaouira is breezy and cool even in August.

What to Pack for a 7 Day Mixed Trip (Marrakech, Atlas, Desert)

For a 7 day trip in spring or autumn, two people:

You will spend a third of this trip in dust, sand and grime. Pick clothes you can wash and dry overnight in the riad bathroom. Avoid white if you are going to the desert.

What Not to Pack

What to Buy in Morocco for Your Wardrobe

Moroccan clothing is wonderful, comfortable and inexpensive. Worth buying on day two and wearing for the rest of the trip:

Locals genuinely appreciate seeing a visitor wear a traditional piece in a respectful way. It is not cultural appropriation, it is appreciation of the craft.

Final Honest Advice

Dress for the temperature, the activity, and the dignity of the place you are visiting. The medina deserves shoulders and knees. The pool deserves whatever you want. The Atlas deserves layers. The desert deserves long flowing clothes. Once you understand which "Morocco" you are in on any given day, packing becomes obvious.

Heading to the Atlas? Our day trip page lists exactly what to bring for each season. Bookmark it before you finalise your packing.