Almaty - Post Report Question and Answers
What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
People like to dress nicely here, but nice casual, athletic shoes, hoodies, jeans are common for young people, to office and meetings people dress more formally, women may wear high heels. - Sep 2023
The dress code ranges from casual to business. Locally, professional women dress up, normally in heels and full makeup and full hair. Salons and cosmetics are a big business here. For men, USAID/NGOs typically dress casual and other diplomats/business wear suits. - Aug 2015
Business. - Jul 2013
Kazakhstanis can be outrageously dressed - short, tight dresses and high heels are the norm - so professionally-dressed expats are usually much MORE conservative than locals, and consequently no one even looks at us. Last summer I noticed men wearing long shorts, and that seemed "new". Women don't really wear shorts, but I suspect its an issue of fashion more than anything else, because a micro-mini is perfectly acceptable here. Sweatpants in public will mark you as an American instantly. - Feb 2013
Kazakhs take great care with their appearance, so work attire tends to be suits for men, suits or nice blouse/trousers/skirt for women. - May 2012
Short fur coats, mini skirts with fishnets and stilleto boots in winter (better for cracking the ice on the pavement) and regular stilleto heels the rest of the time. Well, maybe not everyone, but that's the most noticeable fashion trend. Overall, a more body conscious style of dress than you would expect from even a secular "muslim" coutnry. Dress code at work is on the liberal side for women. For men, not very different from a European city. - Mar 2010
Business dress at work. The women wear the highest heels I have ever seen...even in the winter, using their heels as ice-picks to manage the sidewalks. - Mar 2008
