Pretoria - Post Report Question and Answers
What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
Formal dress rarely maybe only for the marine ball. Business casual for work. SAs tend to dress up more than Americans. However, post-COVID I've noticed the overall dress in the office is MUCH more casual. I've seen people in jeans and sneakers... - Apr 2023
Business casual in most of the Embassy. I sometimes wear a suit/tie, but I am then overdressed when I meet people from outside. South Africa is generally a casual/low-key culture. "Formal dress" is rarely seen. - Mar 2023
Things here are pretty informal, in public places and at work. Some people wear suits to work, but many do not. Formal dress is rarely required. - Jun 2022
At work, slightly less formal than DC. Away from work - whatever. Depends where you are, and all of the "safari" wear is available here. It is a pretty casual society. - Jan 2020
Business, slightly casual. - Dec 2019
Many people dress up fashionably but many don’t. - Mar 2019
Professional. - Jun 2018
Business casual/formal at work (depending on occasion and season). Dress in public is what you'd find in the USA. Formal dress is useful if your work involves representational events in the evening. - Jan 2018
Short sleeves and khakis in the summer, a bit more formal in the winter. - Jun 2012
Semi-formal at work, relaxed in public. - Dec 2009
Fairly casual. Local men commonly wear shorts (very short sometimes!) and sandals. Women tend to put a bit more effort into their looks. - Aug 2009
Same as a big city in the U.S. Men and women wear suits to work. In non-work settings, it is very casual and similar to dress in the States. - Feb 2009
Like U.S. - Oct 2008
Normal U.S. dress code in the Embassy. Pretoria is about as formal as DC. - Sep 2008
