Believe it or not, there is a dress code in Granada, Nicaragua. Granadinos actually dress well with men wearing long pants or jeans even in the 95 degree heat.

 

I moved from the beaches of Costa Rica and dressed in beach attire at all times. But when we moved to Granada in 2003,  I noticed I was the only adult male wearing shorts. So I had to dress up.

 

At that time the only place  you wore shorts was  at the beach. Now with the...

Believe it or not, there is a dress code in Granada, Nicaragua. Granadinos actually dress well with men wearing long pants or jeans even in the 95 degree heat.

 

I moved from the beaches of Costa Rica and dressed in beach attire at all times. But when we moved to Granada in 2003,  I noticed I was the only adult male wearing shorts. So I had to dress up.

 

At that time the only place  you wore shorts was  at the beach. Now with the influx of retirees and an increase in tourists, shorts are seen more often.  It isn't just the tourists dressing down, it's us too!  But since I am a business man I have to be cognoscente of  an actual dress code and I have to wear long pants and a button down shirt at times.

 

This presented a couture opportunity.  Linen is inexpensive and clothes, shirts and slacks, can be made for under $20. So I was one of the best dressed in Granada for years wearing my hand made linen shirts and slacks. I am a shorts man now though  !!!

 

Casual has always been king and we are all very, very casual around here.

 

 

What people wear here in Granada depends on the person’s upbringing. As an example, I do not recommend for my girl students to wear short shorts. In Granada, we wear a lot of jeans, even if it is very hot. I, personally, do not wear jeans a lot because it is very hot, but a lot of people do.
 
You will not see a lot of girls or women wearing short shorts or a very provocative blouse. If men see you dress like that, you will get a lot of attention because that is an issue...

What people wear here in Granada depends on the person’s upbringing. As an example, I do not recommend for my girl students to wear short shorts. In Granada, we wear a lot of jeans, even if it is very hot. I, personally, do not wear jeans a lot because it is very hot, but a lot of people do.
 
You will not see a lot of girls or women wearing short shorts or a very provocative blouse. If men see you dress like that, you will get a lot of attention because that is an issue here in Granada. They will say things to you.
 
Ladies usually wear jeans and nice shirts. Men wear shorts and t-shirts and sandals. You will not see a lot of people who wear provocative clothing here in Granada.
 
Expats in Granada dress differently from locals. They usually wear short cloths because it is very hot here for them, and I understand that. They usually wear light shirts or undershirts.
 
Some people here in Granada, both locals and expats, do not care that much about how they look. We have sloppy dressers who do not care about what they wear and go out with their crazy hair that looks like they just got up and slept on it. They walk in their pajamas and they do not care. It really depends on how you were raised.
 
There are also people who dress up nicely here in Granada. They usually wear a nice pair of pants, a very nice blouse, some jewelry, etc. Lots of girls here in Granada now like to iron their hair, so they have very straight, beautiful hair. They wear make-up and high heels.
 
There are opportunities to dress up here in Granada, too. If you are going to Calsada Street to have dinner, for example, then you can dress up because that is where the nicer restaurants and shops in Granada are located. Most of the people that you will see in Calada Street are dressed up nicely, although you might still see some expats who are not. You might see some people who are in pajamas, but almost all of them are expats!

 

(Townhall in Granada, Nicaragua, pictured.)

The dress code in Granada, Nicaragua is very informal. The lake is close by so you will see a lot of people wearing shorts and sandals. Walking down the street, you will see a lot of people wearing summer clothes all year round. It’s always casual.

 

The foreigners dress more casually than the locals. 

 

(Pictured: Lya Barrioz, Nicaraguan singer.)

The dress code in Granada, Nicaragua is very informal. The lake is close by so you will see a lot of people wearing shorts and sandals. Walking down the street, you will see a lot of people wearing summer clothes all year round. It’s always casual.

 

The foreigners dress more casually than the locals. 

 

(Pictured: Lya Barrioz, Nicaraguan singer.)

Nicaraguans dress casually but they are not sloppy. They take pride in their appearance. The men typically wear slacks and you won’t see them wear shorts. The middle-aged or older women typically wear dresses and younger women do wear slacks.
 
The women’s choice of clothing for the younger ones is usually body revealing as far as figure and “assets,” whereas older women are more conservative.  Americans, in the area where I lived, were viewed as...

Nicaraguans dress casually but they are not sloppy. They take pride in their appearance. The men typically wear slacks and you won’t see them wear shorts. The middle-aged or older women typically wear dresses and younger women do wear slacks.
 
The women’s choice of clothing for the younger ones is usually body revealing as far as figure and “assets,” whereas older women are more conservative.  Americans, in the area where I lived, were viewed as touristy or sloppy because a lot of them wear shorts and sneakers.
 
My landlady (a native Nicaraguan) went jogging every morning. She wore sneakers but she was always well dressed with her slacks and her tops and she had her makeup on and her hair propped. Her appearance is very important to her even though she was jogging.
 
I was in Managua for 4 months before I moved to Matagalpa, and even in Managua, Nicaraguans are better dressed than most tourists or expats. Nicaraguans are always well-groomed and always nicely dressed.  

 

(Model on the runway for the Nicaragua International Fashion Weekend, pictured.)

The dress code in most areas of Nicaragua is to wear cool clothing because it is warm here. However, if you go to the northern areas of Nicaragua like in Estelí, which is in the mountains, where the coffee grows, there are times when you have to wear gloves because it gets chilly up there.
 
In most parts of the country of Nicaragua, we get “Bahamas Beach weather”; hot and humid. You can wear whatever you feel comfortable with, such as slacks, t-shirts, or...

The dress code in most areas of Nicaragua is to wear cool clothing because it is warm here. However, if you go to the northern areas of Nicaragua like in Estelí, which is in the mountains, where the coffee grows, there are times when you have to wear gloves because it gets chilly up there.
 
In most parts of the country of Nicaragua, we get “Bahamas Beach weather”; hot and humid. You can wear whatever you feel comfortable with, such as slacks, t-shirts, or whatever you would wear if you were on the streets of Miami or in Los Angeles.
 
Leon is one of the hotter departments in the country of Nicaragua. The humidity here is also very high so it is probably best to wear more cotton clothes.
 
If it is very festive here in Nicaragua. There are parties everywhere you go so there is always an opportunity to dress up.  

 

(Celebrating in Leon, Nicaragua, pictured.)