Hello lovely people,

I’m back with yet another post about Qatar. As it approaches the end of another academic year, I know next year’s cohort of teachers are starting to get organized for their big move! One of the things I questioned the most was what I should wear while teaching in Qatar. Especially in August when it’s searing hot!

What should female teachers wear?

Below I have added a few images of appropriate clothes that women can wear while teaching here. You’ll notice that the majority of them are loose, light and conservative. The rule of thumb is: ensure your shoulders and knees are covered and don’t wear anything too tight (i.e. leggings). In August in particular, you need light materials (linen and cotton are the best). The more flow- the better!

Key Clothing Items to Pack

• Maxi & Midi skirts
• “The Basics” colored t-shirts
• Maxi & Midi dresses
• Culottes (as many as you can bare- I love them)
• Airy blouses (mixture between long sleeved and capped sleeved)
• Boyfriend Cardigans
• Jumpsuits
• Pencil skirt with loose blouse tucked in
• Sandals! (Check with your school if they allow open toe shoes or not- mine do).

(Most of these images are from The Teacher Diva on Pinterest. She has beautiful style and these flowy, breezy outfits are ideal for the hot weather.

*Point to note: it does get cold her in January and February. You will need a cardigan and jumpers in these months- don’t be fooled by the temperature on the weather forecast. 20 degrees here is not like 20 degrees back home. 20 degrees is cold!

What should male teachers wear?

Unfortunately, men don’t have as many options as women and are restricted to wearing a shirt, tie and slacks daily. Some schools allow men to wear short sleeved shirts, so ensure to ask before you pack your case full of short sleeved shirts. Also if you have any tattoos on your arms, they must be covered, so you could be limited to long sleeved shirts all year round, I’m afraid. Definitely aim to bring light shirts, linen and cotton are good materials as they’re breezy. I don’t need to attach pictures of these work outfits as they’re pretty self-explanatory! However, I get a lot of questions as to what men can wear outside of school. I’ve attached some clothing items below.

Key Clothing Items to Pack

• Shorts ARE allowed (just not when entering hotels or government buildings- they’ll ask you to leave).
• Jeans
• Chinos 
• Tracksuit bottoms
• Sleeveless tops (when on the beach, exercising or at the pool)
• Sandals

Packing to move to a country that’s deemed ‘strict’ is a challenging one! Just remember to pack modest clothing for when you’re in areas that you are required to cover your knees and shoulders (ladies). Bring your party dresses and mini skirts for partying at the weekend, but day-to-day, aim to cover your shoulders and knees. It’s a mark of respect of the Islamic culture. For men, you’re okay to wear shorts at the weekend. I just wouldn’t advise wearing sleeveless tops unless you are going to to beach.

Any questions or queries regarding this post, please do leave a comment.