It's easy to see the influence of the U.S. and Europe around Morocco. People wear clothes similar to those worn in the United States such as jeans and shirts. While Morocco does not have an official dress code, there are societal rules one must follow. For example, in Morocco I would not feel comfortable wearing shorts as a woman. When I'm at home in San Diego, it is not an issue if I leave my house with shorts and a sleeveless tank-top. However, in Morocco this is considered improper. In Islam, the Quran mentions that people should wear clothes but the interpretation of how much skin needs covered is not specified. This led to much debate among Muslim Quran scholars. I knew when I came to Morocco the way I dress here would be different from the way I dress at home. The shortest pair of pants I brought with me are past my knee and my shirts all have sleeves. I choose to adhere to these social customs as a sign of respect, and I do not want to draw attention to myself as a foreigner. I recognize the importance of the different cultural standards between the countries.
Morocco is a country that emphasizes religion. One symbolic religious article of clothing is the hijab worn by women. Not all Muslim women in Morocco wear the hijab. There is a common misconception that Muslim women are forced to wear the hijab but that is not true. Wearing the hijab is a matter of personal choice.
