Social Interactions 105Men’s Fashion
For men, business meetings and social gatherings require
reasonably conservative attire. Here, you will find a business
suit appropriate for many situations. Alternatively, nice slacks
with a dress or sports shirt (with or without a tie) are also
acceptable. Egyptian businesswomen dress rather formally,
but do not typically wear business suits like the ones worn
by women in the United States. They are more likely to wear
either a nicely tailored outfit or a dressy dress. Again, natural
fibres are preferred since they provide the best protection
against the oppressive heat that exists throughout much of
the year. Almost always, you will find arms covered. Short,
dressy dresses and business clothes have skirts shorter than
ankle length, but usually well below the knee.
When in doubt, ask your host or a friend what attire is
appropriate for whatever function. There are a couple of
important things to remember when asking. First, whenever
you ask, ‘Is such-and-such appropriate?’, the likely response
will be ‘Yes’. You will get this response because your Egyptian
friend does not want to insult or contradict you. Therefore,
you might get a better answer by asking, ‘What are you
wearing to such-and-such?’ or ‘What will people be wearing
to such-and-such?’ Second, unless they give you a specific
answer, remember that overdressing by your standards is
probably preferable to underdressing.
A typical beach scene in Alexandria.