Kinshasa - Post Report Question and Answers
What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
Casual everywhere most of the time. Formal dress during high level visits or Marine Corps ball. - May 2024
Business casual (work) black tie (Marine Ball). Most folks wear casual clothes. - Aug 2022
Business or business-casual attire at work, depending on position and agency. Formal dress rarely required. In public and on the street, you'll see a mix of everything -- African tailored clothing, t-shirts and jeans, politicians in thousand-dollar suits, and other people wearing rags. You'll see the extremes and everything in between. - May 2022
Formal for galas 2x a year; regular business for work. The Congolese love to dress up and often the Americans are the most casual in the restaurant. Don't wear khaki shorts and flip-flops. Just don't. - Aug 2019
Business to business casual, depending on your job. I usually did not wear a jacket unless I needed to go to an outside meeting and often didn't wear a tie, but some sections are more formal than others. Congolese are fashion conscious, but it isn't a faux pas to dress casually as an expat. - Apr 2019
Pretty casual, try to avoid short shorts/skirts/dresses, formal attire once a year, max. Most business men wear suits. - Dec 2017
Casual dress for Americans. - Dec 2017
Formal dress needed for the annual TASOK (international school) Gala and Marine Ball. Normal daily work attire is mostly business casual except for certain offices where jacket and/or tie are expected. Even then, most keep them hanging on the back of the office door until necessary. - Mar 2017
Typical for Africa--business casual, with jackets needed at formal events. For women, bring outfits that cover shoulders/knees to avoid unwanted attention. Bring all your work outfits and shoes with you--there are not good shopping options in the city, although tailors can adjust/repair Western clothing as needed. - Jan 2017
Pretty formal. Congolese take their fashion seriously, and always look great. Even if in jeans, they are ironed and worn with fancy shirts and shoes. - Sep 2016
Congolese dress well - especially considering the heat. Suits for the most part at work; even wandering the streets you will not see people in shorts or sweatpants. Most women wear long dresses/skirts - often in traditional fabrics. Showing knees as a woman is somewhat risky (and uncomfortable). Within our USG compound people are in shorts and t-shirts, but you don't see a lot of that kind of dress on the streets. - Apr 2016
Work: Jacket and tie for the men with the jacket usually off but available if needed for meetings. Slacks, summer-weight dresses (sleeveless ok), blouses for the women. Street: Quite casual for most although upper class Congolese are usually dressed quite well. Many expats have shirts, dresses, and skirts tailored from local fabrics. Above the knee skirts and sleeveless shirts/dresses are not a problem. Would not recommend camisole-style tops or very short skirts or shorts. - Jan 2014
The U.S. Embassy is business dress for some and business casual for others depending on the position. The Congolese government and other embassies are pretty much uniformly business dress, while NGOs and Monusco are more casual. It can get very hot in business dress at receptions and lunches, so try to bring light materials. - Nov 2012
Work -- business attire. Public - casual, though shorts on women tend to be frowned on. - Feb 2012
Smart casual. - Nov 2011
The usual - Aug 2011
Business casual. If women underdress in public, they are subject to un-wanted attention. - Jan 2011
Business casual. In public, very much whatever you like. - Oct 2010
Same as in DC, but lighter material. - Jan 2009
