One of the main concerns of tourists who intend to travel to another country is packing their luggage.
When planning to travel to Turkey, I didn’t know what clothes I should take with me and what kind of clothes Turkish people prefer. So, I consulted my friends who lived in Turkey, packed my suitcase, and travelled to Turkey.
If you also plan to travel to Turkey soon and you want to choose clothes that are desirable to Turkish people, read this article to the end and learn about my experience living in this country. In the following section, I will introduce clothes that Turkish people wear so you can put suitable clothes in your luggage for travelling to this country.
The clothing people wear in Turkey depends on many factors, such as the weather, city, and different places, such as the beach and the mosque.
During my stay in this country, I realized that most of the Turkish people are Muslims, and the laws of Islam require that people in society wear full hijab. Still, during my stay in Turkey, I saw many people who did not wear hijab and were dressed like Europeans. This matter was confusing for me until I understood that Turkey is a secular country with no restrictions on covering. Notice that certain coverage restrictions exist in some places, such as mosques.
Another thing I noticed is that in small cities in Turkey, where only a few tourists travel, you have to be careful about what you wear so that the locals don’t warn you. However, you can wear what you like in big cities like Istanbul, Antalya, Ankara, etc.
What Do People Wear In Turkey?
Table of Contents
In the table below, you can see a list of clothes that Turkish people wear during the day:
| Clothing Item | Men | Women |
| Top | * T-shirts * Long-sleeved shirts (cotton or linen) * Light sweaters or jackets (depending on weather) | * Blouses * T-shirts * Long-sleeved tunics * Light sweaters or cardigans (depending on weather) |
| Bottom | * Jeans * Chinos * Casual trousers * Shorts (depending on weather and location) | * Jeans * Long skirts * Trousers * Capri pants (depending on weather and location) |
| Footwear | * Sneakers * Loafers * Boots (depending on weather) | * Sneakers * Sandals * Flats * Boots (depending on weather) |
| Headwear (Optional) | * Baseball caps * Beanies (depending on weather) | * Scarves (more common in conservative areas) * Baseball caps |
How people dress in different cities in Turkey?
As I said above, the laws of Turkey are the same for all cities, and there are no coverage restrictions. However, since I have been to several cities in Turkey, I have seen the difference in coverage in some cities.
During my trip to big cities such as Antalya, Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Cappadocia, Bodrum, and Marmaris, which are among Turkey’s tourist cities, I saw people and tourists dress more freely. However, the situation is slightly different in traditional towns such as Konya, Van, and Muş. Most of the local women wore hijab.
During my trip to different cities, I noticed that people in small towns want tourists to dress like locals and avoid wearing too revealing clothes.
Recommendation: Based on my experience during my trip to Turkey, I suggest you have a shawl or a scarf to wrap around your shoulders or waist if you get a bad feeling from people’s way of looking at you. Also, dress like people and don’t stand out too much.
How Turkish people dress in winter?
Before travelling to Turkey, many people think Turkey is a tropical country with hot weather. But you are dead wrong because, in winter, there is precipitation in the form of snow in most parts of Turkey. Therefore, you must wear thick clothes if you plan to travel to Turkey in winter.
In the table below, I have mentioned the clothes that Turkish people wear in winter:
| Clothing Item | Description |
| Base Layer | * Thermal underwear (tops and bottoms) |
| Mid Layer | * Fleeces, sweaters, turtlenecks |
| Outer Layer | * Down jacket or winter coat (waterproof and windproof) |
| Pants | * Jeans, corduroy pants, wool trousers |
| Footwear | * Boots (waterproof and insulated) |
How Turkish people dress in summer?
The story is completely different in the summer, and the weather in Turkey is generally hot. Summer was the season when I saw Turkey in every type of clothing, from women who fully cover themselves to women who walk in the street in dress. All this is a sign of cultural diversity in Turkey.
In cities like Antalya, the temperature even reaches 40 degrees in summer. So, you may wear open clothes due to extreme heat. But try not to go anywhere with those clothes and not attract attention.
Most men wear shorts or baggy pants and T-shirts in the summer season. Women also mostly wear wide and loose pants. Remember to wear sunglasses, a sun hat, and sunscreen.
How people dress in spring and autumn?
The spring and autumn weather is similar; both are almost cool and have scattered and sudden rains. Spring and autumn are the best seasons to wear stylish clothes and take photos in Turkey.
In these seasons, Turkish people wear thin jackets when they feel cold. Generally, people wear layers of clothes and carry umbrellas and raincoats.
Below are some examples of styles that I saw mostly in Turkey.
Women’s styles
- Denim jacket + jeans + leather shoes
- Long, thin sweater+ Mom jeans + sneakers
- Set of pants and sweatshirt + t-shirt + sneakers
- Thin coat and skirt + leather shoes
- Long raincoat + jeans +sneakers
Men’s styles
- Polo neck + linen pants + sneakers
- Hoodie + mom jean outfit + sneakers
- Dors shirt + jeans + ankle boots
Suitable accessories in Turkey
Using too many accessories in a way that attracts attention is not appropriate in Turkey. But to make your style more beautiful, you can use necklaces, glasses, hats, watches, bracelets, rings, earrings and anklets.
How to dress on the beaches of Turkey?
On the beaches of Turkey, you can dress however you like. At every beach I visited in Turkey, I saw most women in bikini sets and most men in pairs of shorts. The only thing you should observe on the beaches is that you should never leave the beach in a Swim suit because the police may give you a warning.
How to dress in Turkish mosques?
Mosques in Turkey are the red line of the people and the government, and all people must follow the rules and customs of entering the mosque.
I have mentioned below the non-permissible clothes of women when visiting mosques:
| Clothing Item | Reason |
| Tight-fitting clothing | Mosques encourage modest dress that is loose-fitting and doesn’t reveal the figure. |
| Clothing that exposes the midriff | Similar to above, the focus is on full coverage. |
| Short skirts or shorts | Ideally, knees should be covered. |
| Sleeveless shirts or shirts with revealing necklines | Shoulders and arms are generally expected to be covered. |
| Sheer or see-through clothing | Mosques value opaque clothing that doesn’t reveal what’s underneath. |
I have listed below the permissible clothes for women when visiting mosques according to my experience in visiting mosques in this country:
| Clothing Item | Reason |
| Long dress (Maxi dress) | Covers the body from shoulders to ankles. |
| Long skirt with a tunic or blouse | Both top and bottom should be loose-fitting and cover the respective areas. |
| Loose pants with a long top | Similar to above, both pieces should be modest and cover the body. |
| Long, opaque cardigan or kimono | Can be layered over a dress or separates for added coverage. |
| Hijab (headscarf) | It’s a sign of respect and recommended. |
When visiting Turkish mosques, women must wear a headscarf and dress so that their shoulders and knees are not visible.
The strictness of men’s clothing in the mosque is less than women’s, but you should know that men also cannot wear some clothes in the mosque, which I have mentioned below:
- Sleeveless shirts
- Short pants
- Shorts
According to my experience, men should wear long pants, shirts or t-shirts when visiting the mosque. You are not allowed to enter the mosque with shoes, and it gets hot in the summer due to the extreme heat of the ground, so bring socks so you do not get bothered without shoes.
At the end of the line
Turkish people are very kind and well-behaved and usually have no problem with tourists’ clothing. However, it is better to respect the customs of the Turkish people and dress the way they dress.
In the end, I suggest you to read the following articles to experience a better trip to Turkey:
