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I hate to stir up a hornet's nest here... but I'm starting to notice a return of dress codes and formality to restaurants. And not just nice restaurants -- some Chili's-level bar and grill places (not Chili's itself though!) that are non-chains are starting to ban certain types of clothing (such as non-collared shirts or sports clothing).
For example, I have a tasteful sweatshirt from a hockey team and khakis on right now -- and I know of some places that would not let me in.
Clubs have pretty stringent dress codes in SoCal it seems -- I don't go to clubs anyway, don't enjoy the atmosphere at all when it comes to over-perfumed people and pretentious-looking dress.
Even a couple of casual bars in downtown San Diego do not allow jeans. Pretty strange for a touristy-area.
I hate to stir up a hornet's nest here... but I'm starting to notice a return of dress codes and formality to restaurants. And not just nice restaurants -- some Chili's-level bar and grill places (not Chili's itself though!) that are non-chains are starting to ban certain types of clothing (such as non-collared shirts or sports clothing).
For example, I have a tasteful sweatshirt from a hockey team and khakis on right now -- and I know of some places that would not let me in.
Clubs have pretty stringent dress codes in SoCal it seems -- I don't go to clubs anyway, don't enjoy the atmosphere at all when it comes to over-perfumed people and pretentious-looking dress.
Even a couple of casual bars in downtown San Diego do not allow jeans. Pretty strange for a touristy-area.
What is it like in your city?
Come up to Portland, OR....I have been to countless bars & restaurants here and have not encountered even ONE of them that has required a dress code. Hell, even the rich people here often dress like they are homeless or just slept in a park or something, lol!
In New York City some dress codes seemed to be increasing, but I haven't encountered it elsewhere and I've been on the road and been to many towns/cities in the last weeks. I didn't sense any change from casual to formal anywhere.
Louisville, CO: Extremely casual, shorts and sandals OK even at church. Boulder: Ditto
Denver: Ditto, I think. I've never gone to church there but I used to work for a hospice and people wore jeans to funerals. Generally casual, anyway.
Denver is also great that way -- I enjoyed living there very much. Unfortunately, my sinuses never adapted to the dry air/altitude, but otherwise, a great place to live.
There are plenty of places here that have dress codes, my friend and I on a whim wanted to go to a bar once and she was turned away for wearing sneakers, which is something I rarely do (we knew it was that sort of place but were trying to sneak in). I don't mind it, I get kind of annoyed when I go somewhere nice and someone shows up in jeans and a t-shirt, I mean c'mon, would it kill ya to put on some decent clothes. But then again, I grew up with my mom not allowing my brother to come to the table without a button up or collared shirt on if we had guests for dinner.
I hate to stir up a hornet's nest here... but I'm starting to notice a return of dress codes and formality to restaurants. And not just nice restaurants -- some Chili's-level bar and grill places (not Chili's itself though!) that are non-chains are starting to ban certain types of clothing (such as non-collared shirts or sports clothing).
For example, I have a tasteful sweatshirt from a hockey team and khakis on right now -- and I know of some places that would not let me in.
Clubs have pretty stringent dress codes in SoCal it seems -- I don't go to clubs anyway, don't enjoy the atmosphere at all when it comes to over-perfumed people and pretentious-looking dress.
Even a couple of casual bars in downtown San Diego do not allow jeans. Pretty strange for a touristy-area.
What is it like in your city?
In any city I have lived, or gone to so far, I noticed people dressing "more proper" in recent years.
I truly believe, that the fashion choices and ideas of designers are not readily accepted and tolerated by the regular folks. (Just to name a few....ripped and torn jeans, pants hanging down without a belt with underwear showing, dirty/ falling apart sneakers, shirt's with vulgar language and/ or signs printed on....etc.)
One needs to know, to which establishment to go, to be able to wear what kind of clothing.
(BTW....I support that dress code enforcement)
There is a place for EVERY taste somewhere...and if in doubt, call ahead FIRST! (That way you will avoid unpleasant surprises!)
Wow, Chicago sounds a little stuffier than I had anticipated!
For me, I really don't wear anything baggy or sloppy -- but on the other hand, I don't often wear collared shirts. Typically, I'll wear a sweatshirt -- often a small embroidering -- but with nothing underneath, since that's ideal for the climate out here about 10 months of the year. And when a burger-and-beer joint tells me that's not good enough... I'm less than pleased!
I miss the laid-back, easy-going, friendly 90s! Stuffiness seems to be returning, and I guess I just don't like it!
Dallas (being the home of Neiman-Marcus) people tend to be well-groomed and well-dressed. It is a bit more relaxed than in the past as the California chic dress-down types invade...
It's frustrating for someone from Dallas to go to the theater in NYC or London and see that cities we idolize are not up to the occasion.
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