The peculiarities of New York City's dress code (Italy: neighborhoods, to live in)
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I have noticed the following about Manhattan's dress code in terms of casual dress/ weekend wear:
1. Compared to Seattle, we are a lot stricter about shaving. In New York City, a unshaven person ( in most cases) is assumed to be a derelict by other people, security guards, and store clerks. However, in Seattle and a few parts of Silicon Valley, you see unshaven professor and techie types being treated fine.
2. In Honolulu, and some parts of the west coast a t shirt and shorts is considered normal weekend wear. However, in a middle to upper class neighborhood Manhattan, you will rarely see a man even on weekends wearing a t shirt and shorts/sweatpants. It is usually, jeans and polo shirt/semi casual button up shirt. IMHO, since you are not at work, why not be truly casual and wear a comfy t shirt and sweatpants.
3. On a sidenote, the above rule seems to be gender specifc in a subtle sense. It is slightly more acceptable for a woman to wear a t shirt than a man. I have seen many couples on the subway, where the man is wearing a polo or button up shirt and woman a t shirt. The one couple that was the reverse (man t shirt, woman elegant dress) seemed to be a very open and eccentric free spirited couple from Europe or Australia. Accent seemed cross between Australia and Europe.
I don't think the "peculiarities" you have listed above are really that widespread and can't(shouldn't) be labeled as part of a "NYC dress code".They may pertain to a very few Manhattan neighborhoods(especially those that are more business than residential to begin with) but NYC is a very big place.Things like shorts,t-shirts and 5 o'clock shadows are pretty common throughout MOST of the city.
And don't forget that NYC is not a place that follows the same kind of clock that most places do.It might be a casual Saturday to you but many of your neighbors may well be heading off to work.It's the city that never sleeps and lots of people are on very different schedules.
Dress depends on what you are doing and where. Do you work in a casual office or a corporate? Do you work weekends and holidays? Is it a physical job, or a desk job? Do you have contact with clients, or remain hidden in the office? Do you work nights? NYC has 3 shifts. Some places are 24/7/365.
as the old expression goes, live and learn. I'm a native born new yorker, and for all these years, nobody ever told me we had a "dress code."
:d
11-08-2010, 08:52 AM
grant516
n/a posts
the only thing I can say- is every time I go out on the west side of Manhattan (and this for me spands from like 190th down to the FiDi) ... it seems 90% of everyone is wearing big dark coats- and sensible shoes.
I don't think the "peculiarities" you have listed above are really that widespread and can't(shouldn't) be labeled as part of a "NYC dress code".They may pertain to a very few Manhattan neighborhoods(especially those that are more business than residential to begin with) but NYC is a very big place.Things like shorts,t-shirts and 5 o'clock shadows are pretty common throughout MOST of the city.
And don't forget that NYC is not a place that follows the same kind of clock that most places do.It might be a casual Saturday to you but many of your neighbors may well be heading off to work.It's the city that never sleeps and lots of people are on very different schedules.
And pants down to your thighs, faux mohawk and sucking on a lollypop thinking you look good. I saw some fat guy on the subway dressed like this. I wanted to hurl.
BTW, if you want to show off your underwear, make sure they are clean, no brown streaks.
America's great contribution to fashion is "sportswear." Not "athletic wear," but more casual, sporty, clothes. However, what is technically "sportswear" in New York (i.e., not business or evening wear), is very different than in the rest of the country. In most of the country, casual is extremely casual: sweatpants, t-shirts, shorts. New Yorkers aren't necessarily more formal, but their casual wear is considerably more stylish (more like France or Italy). Blazers are sportswear, cashmere sweaters are sportswear, etc.
Also, New Yorkers do different things on the weekends. We go out to brunch/dinner, see a play or a concert, go to a gallery or shopping. We need clothes that are appropriate for all venues.
I have to agree that casual in NYC is different than casual in the suburbs. A few years ago, I was visiting my mom in CA and noticed that she and many other women were wearing velour sweatsuits everywhere. I regret it a bit now as I think there are too many people telling us what we should look like, but I did say to her, "Mom. Sweats are not clothes." I don't care if they have a name brand or are in chic colors, that Juicy crap does not fly in my NYC circles.
My husband hasn't lived in NYC for as long as I have and our ideas of appropriate dress still cause a bit of friction seven years in.
this is why its best to live in an outer borough and work in Manhattan. Too much Manhattan is not healthy. The outer boroughs do not have any dress code- that is ridiculous. Quite frankly, Manhattan does not either- it just seems that way. No one cares what anyone else is wearing. Unless you hang out with the Real housewives.
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