Clothing
Men’s Clothing
You will need warm weather clothing as soon as you arrive in Brunei so make sure you have enough lightweight items in your suitcase. Once you settle you can purchase clothing from local shops or order from tailors but be wary, the fabrics and workmanship may not meet your standards.
There is very little ready to wear clothing in western sizes available locally; the average local male is considerably smaller in stature than his European counterpart. This also applies to shoes and trainers.
It should be noted that shorts, singlets and flip flops are inappropriate dress forms for men when visiting government offices. Trousers, a sleeved shirt, and shoes should be worn.
You may wish to bring a dinner jacket and a lightweight suit for formal occasions. These can be very hard to find at short notice. A lightweight rain jacket and golf umbrella will prove useful due to the frequent rain. You will also want to bring hiking shoes.
The Syariah Penal Code order which states that wearing indecent clothing in public is a crime is effective from April 2014.
Ladies Clothing
There is no national dress code; however, it is advisable to dress modestly around the local community.
Ladies should avoid wearing tight fitting or revealing clothes when visiting public areas or government offices. Conservative, modest clothes should be worn.
A good supply of cotton day dresses and tops is a must. Some readymade dresses are available in the local shops, but although choice is varied, sizes are generally small. Dressmaking charges are reasonable, and local tailors are excellent at making exact copies of fashion items.
The markets here in Brunei cater to petite local sizes (a European woman sized 10-12 usually has to buy large to extra-large here).
There will be some formal functions for you to attend, so bring formal wear for Mess functions and smart casual wear for informal get togethers.
Swimsuits can be obtained but there is limited choice available. If you would like to swim in a public pool, or at the beach, you will need to cover up. Many ladies wear sports leggings and Tshirts. If you swim at a club pool, it is generally fine to wear Western swimwear.
Lingerie is available in limited sizes and quality can be hit or miss. In general, bras are heavily padded, and are synthetic. It is possible to buy better underwear but it will be expensive.
Stilettos are available but are generally in small sizes, and can be expensive. Casual shoes and sandals are widely available in the local shops in a variety of styles and sizes. However anyone who takes an UK size 6 shoe or larger however, will find the selection limited.
Handbags, generally made from plastic or straw, are stocked locally, but choice is limited.
Yellow is the ‘Royal colour’ and should not be worn at functions where Royalty is present, although this will be very rare.
Childrens Clothing
Children will need plenty of hard-wearing play clothes, cotton shorts, t-shirts, skirts, UVA suits and swimwear. Small children’s clothing is available as are trainers, sandals, crocs, and flip flops, however, the selection, quality, style, and sizes are not always to European standards.
Corrective shoes and inserts are not easily found and may need to be ordered online or through friends and relatives at home.
School Uniforms are available from the individual schools.
Babies and Toddlers
Clothes for both boys and girls can be purchased locally but romper suits and baby grows cannot always be found. Although this is a tropical country all accommodation is air conditioned and can get cold at night.
Vests are not required for under clothing although many people use them instead of dressing their babies in heavier clothing. Sandals and crocs are available locally.
Fancy Dress
If you have a good supply of fancy dress outfits it is worthwhile bringing them with you, although this is one item that is easily and cheaply made by local tailors – as long as you are clear in your instructions.
Sports Clothing
A wide selection of sports clothing is available but again clothing sizes are an issue and authenticity of the labels is not guaranteed. If this is important to you bring training gear, swim wear and tennis wear with you.
Warm Clothing is not readily available: bring warm clothing for visits to the UK and holiday destinations with colder climates.
Tailoring
There are many tailors in Brunei who make trousers, shorts, shirts etc at reasonable prices. There is a reasonable range of fabrics to choose from. Zips and sewins threads are also available. There is only a limited selection of buttons. There are local tailors and dressmakers who can work from a photo and your material to whom one can take ones own material and a pattern or picture for copying. Prices are reasonable, and the workmanship is acceptable
The Loan Service thrift store on Berakas Kem is an important part of our community
and is often stocked with second hand clothing from UK stores.