I can see where this is getting a little confusing.
You can wear western style hats no problem. Poeole wear baseball caps etc. and my mum in law adores hats over her head scarf. Christians are not required to cover their hair and I have been to christain weddings in Egypt too and nobody covered their hair.
If you are going to a Mosque you maybe required to but it depends. I took a group to Mohammed Ali Mosque in April and we just needed to cover our legs, cleavage and shoulders etc. tours of old Mosques is a little different from enerting a Mosque for other reasons. Always ask before going what the dress code is.
A head wrap to keep the sun off your head is fine too. It is just about understanding the need to cover for religous reasons versus practical ones and not confusing the two.
A'isha mentioned that government websites have some guidence about dress and so do travel guide books. It seems to me that many choose to ignore this.
Topless sunbathing in thongs is very common in red sea resorts. Many of the workers who work in these places come from the countryside so you can imagine their reaction. It is especially hard during the month of Ramadan as any flickering sexual or bad thought breaks the fast. It is very unfortunate for the workers around this time. Ramadan will be in September and it will be 10 years before it moves back into spring and winter time.
Luxor also has a very unfortunate sex tourism scene.
Egypt has a great tolerance of tourist culture as most of the economy depends on it.
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