Can You Wear Shorts in Jordan? What to Wear as a Female Tourist in Jordan (With Pictures)

Let me guess. You’re a woman planning a trip to Jordan and have no idea how to dress or what to pack. You want to look cute and be comfortable while also ensuring you are respecting the local culture. This is where I come in and guide you on what to wear as a female tourist in Jordan.

Before my trip, I saw a lot of mixed information online about what to wear as a female tourist in Jordan that varied between you having to cover your knees, chest, and shoulders to it’s fine to wear whatever you want. 

Most articles I came across online state that you have to always cover your knees and shoulders, but this isn’t true. There are more options for how to dress as a female tourist in Jordan while still being respectful.

Now that I’ve traveled to Jordan, I feel I have a genuine sense of what to wear as a female tourist in Jordan. The reality is it’s somewhere in the middle of covering up and wearing whatever you want! Let me explain (and also show you all of outfits I wore).

 

 

 

 

 

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Table of Contents

Some background on Jordan

Jordan is a country in the Middle East that borders Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the West Bank. It is the safest country in the Middle East, welcoming millions of tourists every year. It is incredibly rich in history, boasting the most well preserved ancient Roman city in the Middle East and remains of civilizations dating back thousands of years. 

The most popular places for tourists to visit are the capital city of Amman, Petra, Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea, and Aqaba. We booked our guided tour through Exoticca and it was nothing short of an incredible experience. We chose an itinerary and everything else, bar the flights, was coordinated by them with a local company called Jordan Beyond. I highly recommend the hotel we stayed at in Amman, Gerasa Hotel.

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What the locals wear

When traveling to a country in the Middle East it’s important to do your research on what to wear as a woman, both to respect the local culture and also ensure you feel comfortable. The country has a complex relationship with women’s rights, but legal reforms have been introduced in recent years. In fact, Jordanian women do not have to wear a headscarf or otherwise cover their hair.

Still, about 97% of Jordan’s population is Muslim, so most people who live there dress modestly and many women wear a head covering of some form. Yet, the Queen of Jordan, Rania Al Abdullah, does not, so it is completely acceptable. Many women also wear more western clothing styles such as jeans, but often with a dress or long shirt over top.

Dress code laws

Unlike some other countries in the Middle East, Jordan does not have any laws related to what people should or should not wear, so it’s mostly up to your preferences. 

The only time you definitely have to cover your shoulders, knees, and hair is if you are visiting a mosque. Many mosques have gowns with hoods or scarfs you can borrow, but I definitely recommend packing one and keeping it in your bag at all times. (Don’t miss my Amazon packing list below)!

What YOU should wear

Let me break it down for you. Please know this is my personal opinion based on my experiences as a female tourist in Jordan. 

In the capital city of Amman, where we encountered the most locals, I covered both my knees and shoulders and felt that was a good decision. The shrug that I wore over my tank top was somewhat sheer but this was totally fine and I wore this a bunch of times during my trip.

In more touristy areas (excluding mosques) such as Mount Nebo, Wadi Rum, and Petra, I dressed a bit more liberally (see photos below) and felt entirely comfortable. Our tour guide assured us wearing shorts at these places is totally acceptable and common. I saw a lot of women wearing shorts, tight clothes, and tank tops at these places.

Still, I made an effort to wear my longest shorts and kept the short-shorts at home (to be honest, they’re so uncomfortable anyway). I also always had a scarf or cardigan with me, and this came in handy especially on the tour bus because the AC was always blasting! If you’re going to the Dead Sea, it’s completely fine to wear a bikini. So don’t feel like you need to wear a one piece, unless you want to of course!

All in all, I opted to dress more modestly than I normally would, while allowing myself some flexibility based on my research, what I heard from my tour guide, and how I saw other female tourists dressing. I was glad to have this flexibility because Jordan is very hot in the summer (when I visited), and some days I definitely would have been overheating covering my knees and shoulders.

Takeaways

At the end of the day, I saw tons of female tourists wearing shorts, tank tops, crop tops, etc. In my opinion, even though there are no laws dictating what to wear, you might be more comfortable if you dress a bit more modestly to how you would in the US or Europe in the summertime. This means linen trousers, long shorts, midi or maxi skirts and dresses, and boleros and scarfs are your safest bet. Personally, I felt really comfortable in what I chose to wear and didn’t receive any looks or comments, at least not that I noticed. 

Amazon Packing List

Here are some things I brought to Jordan that helped me look cute and comfortable, while also being respectful to the local culture. For other items you may want to consider taking on your trip, check out my Amazon Storefront.

• Crochet bolero shrug
• Sheer mesh shrug
• Linen shawl wrap
• Shawl 3-pack
• High waisted long denim shorts
• Flowy midi skirt

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Don’t stress too much about what to wear as a female tourist in Jordan. As long as you cover your knees and shoulders when visiting mosques, and make an effort to cover up a bit more than you would at home, you should be A-OK. Enjoy your trip to one of the most historically rich countries in the world!

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