What clothes to bring in Abu Dhabi

Before I went to the UAE, I was contemplating on what things to bring considering the following things:

Baggage Allowance Limit. A first time flyer to UAE such as myself is very particular on the baggage allowance. We tend to follow it to the dot. So when Etihad says 20 kgs, 20 kgs it is. I had to pack and unpack for a couple of times before I managed to limit my baggage weight. The first tries were way too heavy. As a result, I had to leave behind a lot of things I would have wanted to bring.

Culture. My first move was to get rid of my short dresses, sleveless tops, and skirts. What's left were my long-sleeved blouses, slacks and pants. Having to say goodbye to my favorite dresses was really heartbreaking for me. When I arrived in Abu Dhabi however, I saw women of different nationalities wearing short shorts, short dresses, pedals, capris, mini skirts and sleeveless tops. Imagine my dismay. To top it all off, two months later, I had to attend a party. I had to scour the mall for reasonably priced dress and stilletos. Thanks God Oxygene at Abu Dhabi Mall had a sale.

Necessities. I had to prioritize what are the things I need most. Top of my list was some grocery items which I thought cannot be found in the UAE (eg ponds facial wash, ponds cream). Next is office attire since I plan to work, which to my disappointment should have been my last priority since offices in Abu Dhabi in my field is not particular with corporate attire. Of course, undies. A pair of lady shoes, a pair of rubber shoes, a pair of ssandals, but I forgot to bring slippers (which are expensive here in Abu Dhabi). I should have brought even one pair from my collection of slippers. I wanted to bring my books as well, but they were very heavy.


Important papers.  I had a lot of these that it's contribution to my baggage weight cannot be considered as negligible.

Books. My husband requested me to buy books (a total of 11) he needed. Heavy heavy...


"Pasuyo." It is normal for Filipinos to request you to bring something they need from the Philippines. In my case, I was asked to bring medicines which cannot be handcarried.