Mexico City - Post Report Question and Answers
What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
Business casual. Formal dress required for special events. People also tend to dress up to go out at night in Polanco (the Manhattan of Mexico). - Jul 2023
Professional at work and fairly American bug city for the rest. But not many short shorts and the like on women shy of runners. - Apr 2021
The dress code at the Embassy is consistent with other posts--suits and some business casual. - May 2020
Business casual, formal dress is usually required only for special events. - Apr 2019
No shorts. Business attire at work and conservative dress the rest of the time. It is never really hot so people don't wear shorts. - Apr 2019
Business attire at the embassy. Mexicans typically dress up all of the time. - Jun 2018
Business attire at the Embassy. Most Mexican women wear heels everywhere, even to preschool drop-off. In Polanco, even the dogs wear haute couture. - May 2017
Mexicans dress up more than Americans. Dress code at work is business attire, more casual in public places. I've never seen anyone in shorts, at least in Mexico City. - Sep 2016
In Mexico the social classes are very visible. You will find many very well-dressed people in Polanco. In general, people dress in a diverse ways the only exceptions I've noticed are:
- sandals are rare (due to dirty streets?)
- short pants are hardly ever seen, except if you're jogging, and
- it is not advisable for women to have very open shirts or mini skirts (unless they want a lot of visible attention).
- Jun 2016
At the Embassy, pretty formal with some relaxed standards for heat. Mexicans are dressy: don't wear cutoffs and T-shirts, be respectful. - May 2016
Fairly casual. Although people dress up for work. - May 2016
Business dress at work. Children and tourists wear shorts in public. Jeans are common for men and woman in public. Lots of high heels on women, everyone seems to be more dressed up in Mexico City than in the U.S. - May 2016
More dressy than in the U.S. Mexicans are generally very put-together looking! No one goes out in their sweats. - Oct 2014
Expats men & women dress in business attire (suits, dresses, etc). That said, I've seen Mexican women wear clothing that one would wear if they worked on a pole at an office setting. Seriously!! Why would you wear 6 inch heels if you can't walk in them?! It does make walking around the city very amusing watching the women trip & fall on the sidewalks because they don't have the sense to wear a shorter heel. - Aug 2014
Most men wear suit and tie and the women are in office attire. It is just like in the U.S. although women love to wear high heels. - Mar 2014
U.S. Embassy - mostly formal. Most men and women wear suits. In public, leans towards trendy in fashiony neighborhoods, and more formal in nicer restaurants. - Dec 2013
Mexicans tend to dress more formally than Americans. The use of shorts and sneakers is a bad even for tourists (except at the beach). Of course they never will tell you that is not ok, but... - Jul 2013
Normal dress code in the embassy for both men and women. - Jan 2013
People overdress compared to the US. At the Embassy it depends on the service you work for. Some people wore flip flops! - May 2012
Long pants are the norm and suits/ties are common, more so than the rest of the country. This is because of the cooler weather, higher economic class, and higher levels of government present. - Apr 2011
Business Casual is about as casual as you should be. No shorts here! - Apr 2010
Normal, just like USA, but no shorts. - Feb 2010
Generally more formal than in the U.S.After a while I gave up the impossible task of trying to "blend" in and wore shorts on days hot days. - Jan 2010
More formal than the U.S. for the men, same for women. - Mar 2009
No one wears shorts or sweats in public except to the gym even in the resort areas if you are a Mexican resident. - Nov 2008
At the Embassy - shirt and tie every day. In offices - shirt and tie every day. At the school - more casual than I'm used to in the U.S. (jeans are acceptable daily). - Oct 2008
