New Dress Rules?

I'm all for clamping down on inappropriate clothing in the shopping malls and in public, but I think there should be more leeway when it comes to the hotels.

Also, they should have started implementing these rules a decade ago. They've let things go to far to have a hope in hell of policing it properly.

ooops. :P

What a joke - the clubs and bars were about the only place a girl could look nice and not worry about shoulders, knees and cleavage showing.

No offence but anyone who could potentially be offended by short skirts or low cut tops shouldn't be in the clubs anyway.

Is Qatar turning into Saudi? Qatar will never get any tourism with stupid rules like this.

www.qaws.org

Saudi does not have a law regarding abayas.

Amoud: Agree with you totally.

Amoud, maybe not, but if a country is going to allow nightclubs then it has to accept that there's a certain style of dress that comes with them. They seem to want the best of both Worlds; Western trappings with Qatar conservatism. It wont work. They need to decide what they want and stick with it.

Personally I don't go out with it all on show so to speak but I find it objectionable that I can't slip a pashmina off, so that I can sit for dinner with my husband in case my arms are on show.

As for the malls, I don't want to be confronted with boobs, etc so am all for a bit of modesty in there.

If as the original thread says, that Qatari ladies have complained, causing this, what are they doing in nightclubs?? eh? lol

No! Its cultural. Many non Saudi women wear loose clothing. Sudanese and Somalian women don't wear abayas at all..

qatar never wanted to be like dubai, and relax..certainly neither does it want to be like saudi. yup, better believe it..qatar texted me so early on today.

I COMPLETELY agree with the need to cut down on the number of short skirts and low tops in the malls etc - I walk around looking at the women thinking they are asking for trouble!

However if they're going to have bars and clubs and encourage people to drink (there are so many ladies nights where women drink wine all night for free) then I find it quite hypocritical to start dictating what can be worn there.

Again - just my opinion.

www.qaws.org

You seem to have said it better then me! I've just seemed to come across as a slut!! I'm not into tiny skirts or cleavage-bearing but I do like to wear a strappy top or something with a lower neckline.

A pretty, floaty dress just above the knee with straps shows knees and shoulders and is far from being tarty yet is now not allowed.

I find it strange to see the tarty outfits in the malls being bought by women (and no not just western women) and wonder where they will wear them!

www.qaws.org

and i quote, "there's a certain style of dress that comes with them"-- i think, he's talking..err, typing from a man's standpoint here. if i was a man, this is how i would help tallg in his post.."decent looking polos and pencil cut kneelength skirts: office. hot looking halter tops and slit up to their hips skirts: bar. now why wear something you'd wear in a business meeting be worn in a place that well, you dont have business meetings in?"
hmm. makes sense to me.
but then again, i'm a woman who knows how to be conservative when needed and i totally agree with what amoud said that showing skin is not the only way to look nice..or hot.

I didn't say your point of view (in your third post) was totally wrong, tallg, but i couldn't say i agree. What i found also interesting was this, "They seem to want the best of both Worlds; Western trappings with Qatar conservatism. It wont work. They need to decide what they want and stick with it.". I do believe it just might work..as a country. It might not work to the social life of single people, in general..but I do believe in the path that Qatar is going (but in talking literally, they should have better city planning with the "roads" issue..but that's a whole other subject).
As of your question for me-- yes, there is a certain type of clothing associated with nightclubs, but then again you can't assume the clubs and bars in Doha are the ones we all have enjoyed in our respective cities back home, can you? Lastly, regarding your point-- yes and no. yes to what you said except I wouldn't use "attract" but rather, "has".
Which brings me back to my point..Yes bars and nightclubs have a certain style of clothing..but then again the social life in Doha is not you regular one, ergo the DRESS CODE.
Sorry to rub it in yah, mate.

Why change anything Tallg? Perhaps what was common practise a few years back just isnt drawing the kind of attention that Qatar wants to project in its tourism or investor attempts. Who knows.

Just a side note... most women do not generally leave the house thinking "Wow, I sure look like a tramp tonight, WOOHOOO". We generally step out of the house thinking we look good in something, but truth is not everyone sees it the way we do.

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"Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock - Will Rogers"

TIG

Always a step forward and a giant leap backwards.

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About your question, I can't help you with that, maybe the've just thought of it now?, we don't know for sure..we're going to have to call Qatar later for that. But here's what i think-- Maybe their putting the bar (metaphorically) down to what we think IS sexy. Here's my theory/hypothetical question..
If i was a single gal and I go on a night out, I would want to wear something sexy so I'd feel sexy..Now by sexy i meant, like if my back was showing, then my frontal is closed..And if I'm wearing a considerable lengthed mini skirt, I'd definitely wear a closed top (sleeves and all). The society that i live in has taught me to dress and flaunt accordingly..in moderation and class. Now, what if that kind of moderation can be more moderate? (I'm just playing with words now). What if THIS society is telling you, "Hey, you can be sexy by showing neiter or"?. What small price to pay for having a nightlife, unlike say- Riyadh?
If there's anything sad about this whole thing-- is that, the choices on what to wear has just gotten way too slim for women..and i stress, in general.

they sell all those skimpy clothes in shops in most malls and you cant wear it here? who will buy them then?

/-a-t-/Novita
House parties?? :)

Seriously now..very good point but then again, if you and I were Qatar..we wouldn't think, [hey if we must ban these clothes in public social events, why not ban the selling of these clothes altogether as well?], would we (in our right minds, at least)?

What does it really matter what people wear? Please don't give me that women showing a bit of flesh are like uncovered meat and if they get raped it's their fault. It's all very sad if you ask me. What next the govt censoring the newspapers and telling us what to think?

I was completely surprised last Thursday to turn up at Ramada with my wife for a drink & something to eat, to be asked for my ID. I'm not only clearly above minimum drinking age I'm above the age for almost everything else. I showed my ID ( why not ) but then they wanted to take it away. After that disagreement was over, they brought out a big ledger where they were writing everybody's ID details in & which they told me would be uploaded into a central computer.

I was uneasy for a while & then the thought of anyone that I've seen here being able to actually use it to track everyone's movements was a bit amusing. But I must say, I'm partly amused & partly uncomfortable to be tracked that way. My wife's ID was entered also.

Just as well it was my wife!

actually take down your ID to be able to track you... Have it on good authority, they pretty much do it anyway - all they need is your car reg no or your mobile number - they can find out where you live, where you work and who your sponsor is...

"if you don't like the heat... get out of the kitchen... but stop trying to fan the flames before you leave... it will burn you on the a** as you go through the doorway...." ME

visit www.qaws.org

Why do they want to know who's going to bars?! I plan to go often when I get there... B-)

We were told as we left the golf club tonight, that as of tomorrow (3rd of June) we will be expected to show our ID before we go into Spikes or the other bars. I'm not happy about the whole idea of being tracked.

I feel like going out on the p*ss every night for the next couple of months (well would if I didn't have such a bad back) just to see if they turn up with a rep from Alchoholics Anon ready to do an intervention.

I'm ready to go home now I think lol

tallg, "perhaps they should have thought of that a few years ago.".. Few years ago there were neither women in Doha, nor night clubs.. :):) Literally! I came here first time almost 4 years ago.. It was absolutely obviously: there were very few expat girls in Doha, especially the western and asian ones...and all of them were following "unwritten rule" to dress modestly. But while women's presence in qatar was growing, more and more girls started abusing this dress code. So now it is a right time to get back to status quo,and to remind the expatriates: you ARE in muslim country, you ARE temporary here, it is NOT your home, so please make sure you are following local rules and traditions... well.. what can i say? they ARE right..
and by the way, as per my imression, qatar never intended to develop tourism as much as Dubai...

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“You become responsible forever for what you have tamed”. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Macgyver - that is not the reason they weren't awarded the 2016 Olympics. That's the most ridiculous theory I've ever heard.

Ok guys listen, it was my work to copy the ID cards and upload it to some ministry server in a well known star hotel here, what they do with it? Mostly to have a stats of people in Qatar on what they are up to. The data is broken down to nationality, age, sex and some other things, all I know is, its nothing personal. But of course if they wanted to know where you were on some day they could do a "trace call" like if someone was caught DUI they would know where he/she had been (if the person doesn't co-operate or lies) and its illegal for a person to be intoxicated while leaving the premises of a hotel. so even the hotel would end up in trouble.

its illegal to leave a hotel intoxicated and after one drink that is what you will be. So its not logical to sell alcohol if nearly every patron of the bar is commiting a crime.

from the Ramada Hotel. Went to the Library bar, no ID needed and then went to the Bombay Balti, nothing asked for there and there were women in there with shoulders uncoverd and with, gosh horror, knees uncovered! ;-)

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Man makes plans...............God smiles ;-)

ok, let me re phrase what I said, its more of like, you can say he is drunk just by looking at him, doesn't matter if he has a driver to drop him hope....

Donosa, don't we all! That is, we would all love to see the laws in their written form so that we would know and understand them. Ain't gonna happen!
Mandi

Hmm....Ramada...Did you know Ramada is fully owned by a member of the Royal family. The hotel/owner pays a annual/montly (not sure) fee for the license of running it under the Chain name. And trust me, they have got contacts...nothing like the hotel is above the law, they just know how to handle stuff.

Good for them ! ______________________________________________

Man makes plans...............God smiles ;-)

I don't think this 'new law' is anything to do with expatriates at all. Come on they know we drink, smoke, go to bars etc. They provide that for us as they realise this is the way the 'West' is.

I suspect, and I am sure I will be shouted down, this is to stop the 'locals' from doing what we do.

In recent months I have seen more and more 'locals' in the grog shop and in bars. This is not allowed, so i suspect, this is not them controlling us. It is 'them' controlling their own.

Just my idea. xx

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Man makes plans...............God smiles ;-)

Chelsea, I've been in Qatar for 21 years and yes I do know about the days when Oasis (now Qube remind me of it) was a paradise for teenagers Do you have any idea on what all things happen here... Man! Its un-believable, Locals are falling in on drugs, making it at their farm houses, prostitution, smuggling blah blah blah, the government is doing a good job being discreet about it and now they are just being pro-active I guess...

If Qataris are making drugs in their farmhouses etc. I don't see how banning western women wearing strappy tops & short skirts in bars is being pro-active!!!

for 1 and 2 star hotels, now this in dohell....

There's something funny going on in this region just recently, and it's not good....

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I think you have me confused with someone who gives a [Let's not get blocked by the Telco].

we are living in a conservative Muslim country that has bent over backwards to make sure we are ok and looked after.

Some people have taken the piss. This is their reaction.

I actually think they are right.

Look at the feral booze culture in the West and tell me that is healthy?

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Man makes plans...............God smiles ;-)

I agree some people have taken the piss and there are areas that need enforcing such as clothing in the malls etc.

I just think that if they're going to enforce these rules it has to be the same rule for all - including the clubs entertainment. And then what about the beach parties? Or are they limiting it to inside the bars only?

And what about the arabic weddings - will they be monitored too or is it ok if it's a private function of just women?

I just don't think they've thought it out properly. It's certainly not going to stop people drinking - no offence but it's more the men that get drunk and rowdy then the women anyway!!

www.qaws.org

"I am from a christian country that has bent over backwards to make sure that other religions and ethnic groups are ok and looked after.

Some people have taken the piss.
Look at the Islamist extremism culture in the UK and tell me that is healthy ?"

Should we ban Islam and all non-christian religions.?
Knock down all the mosques/synagues/temples etc ?
No, we are tolerant of others, and in return should have our cultures etc tolerated.
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I think you have me confused with someone who gives a [Let's not get blocked by the Telco].

We did that not them and YET we seem to hate how we bent over backwards.

You hate how tolerant you have become in the UK. You sold your soul to the Devil.

Qatar is not prepared to do that.

Can you blame them, when it is obvious how feral we have become in the West?

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Man makes plans...............God smiles ;-)

There would be uproar if western countries tried to tell them what to wear. Tolerance is a great thing & I can't understand people supporting intolerance

Jeez, I need to study language more :P

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I think you have me confused with someone who gives a [Let's not get blocked by the Telco].

I agree with your sentiments, but the simple fact is that Bahrain or Qatar are not the UK.

They are independent countries with their own cultures, values and traditions. If they want to implement these rules, then why should we really care ?

"So qatari women have the freedom to wear what they like in those hotels but women who go to bars don't. Makes no sense to me."
Ummm..i beg to disagree, Bambino. It does make perfect sense to me. Have you forgotten, in these Muslim wedding parties --no man parties with them inside these ballroom halls. It makes a big contrast to as when foreigners go to public clubs, bars or any social night events.

;-) naughty man lol

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Man makes plans...............God smiles ;-)

or we are [Mod Removed]ed...end off!

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Man makes plans...............God smiles ;-)