There is no official dress code in Singapore, but there is an agreed-upon custom for dressing for various occasions, otherwise, you look like the alternative.
Weather in Singapore
The weather in Singapore is constant and temperatures range from 30 – 35°C degrees (86 – 95°F) during the day and around 25°C (77°F) at night. The humidity is high. For those coming from high latitudes, it feels swelteringly hot. You must carry tissues and an extra T-shirt with you.
The problem with what you wear comes in when you are going in and out.
Dressing in Casual Occasions
Due to the weather, people in Singapore often wear T-shirts, jeans, or shorts. Clothing in Singapore is mostly imported, ensuring high quality. T-shirts are typically made of cotton, offering good sweat absorption and breathability.
Dressing in Office
Singapore, being in a tropical climate, has ubiquitous air conditioners, and the temperature is usually set quite low, typically around 18°C. The air conditioning is kept on throughout the year, and it’s believed that turning it off and restarting would consume more energy.
The office environment in Singapore is quite formal, so it is necessary to keep a blazer and warm shirt in your office closet, for women, a poncho or cashmere sweater is also a good choice. In certain companies, employees are mandated to wear shirts and ties, with the requirement that shirts must be ironed and changed daily, ensuring a crisp and unwrinkled appearance.
Singapore is a blend of tradition and modernity, with 75% of its population being Chinese. Influenced by traditional Chinese culture, the practice of washing and ironing clothes is traditionally associated with women or maids, and it is customary to iron clothes after washing them every time. Basically, Singaporean households have a relatively large laundry room with a foldable ironing board. The preference for using a foldable ironing board in Singapore stems from the high frequency of ironing clothes. Unlike a vertical ironing board that requires support before each use and needs to be put away after use, a foldable ironing board is more popular as it offers convenience and ease of storage.
Dressing in public places
Singaporeans love their air conditioning and sometimes the malls, offices and the metro are quite cold, so cold in fact that you can see people wearing scarves and jackets indoors.
Hence the best way to dress for a day out is to always have a small scarf and cardigan with you when you go to malls, restaurants and generally anywhere indoors. These clothing items are lightweight and thin, making them easy to carry in your handbag. Additionally, it’s advisable to cover up in the cinema, as it tends to be cold inside.
If you are, however, spending the day at the park… wear as few clothes as possible and ensure that your clothing is: cotton, linen or silk. It’s warm and humid, so it’d better to prepare. The weather in Singapore sometimes changes very quickly, just now it is sunny, a moment later it may go down in heavy rain, so the umbrella is a must-have item to go out.
Dress code for important ceremonies
This is the same all over the world, in important ceremonial occasions, such as wedding registration, the company’s annual meeting, etc., without exception, men need to wear a suit and tie, wear ironed and flat shirt, women wear formal professional dress. After the ceremony, the journey back home can be uncomfortable. It’s common to feel the need to take off your jacket due to the warmth, and carrying a shoulder bag is a practical choice for men in such situations.
Dressing for evening events in Singapore
Finally whatever the evening occasion, you cannot go wrong by dressing up for it. Wear your cute cocktail dresses to a fancy bar or a party dress to a night club. Singaporeans know how to have a good time and karaoke bars are especially popular. Dressing up for any occasion is a must, just keep that air conditioning in mind.