Dress code on the road : where's the line?
Posted by G-Beach-8566@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 572 comments
Shorts and t-shirts for the whole trip. 5-star hotels, valet restaurants, fancy lobbies — nobody cared. Someone even walked into breakfast in pajamas and Crocs. Is that normal here?
In France, showing up in shorts at that kind of place would get you a very cold stare. But in the US, nobody bats an eye.
So what's the actual rule? Is there even one? Does it only apply at Michelin-starred restaurants or true jet-set venues — or am I missing something?
SlamClick@reddit
Yes, completely.
Generally, shirt and shoes are required for service in restaurants. Other than that pretty much anything goes unless individual restaurants have a dress code, which is very rare.
Generally, taking your hat off inside is considered polite and being somewhat dressed like everyone else is as well. As far as other situations go we are very casual compared to the rest of the world.
FredBo2254@reddit
Im a military vet, as are most men in my family. We are firm believers of removing our covers (hats) upon entering buildings, every time. But I have seen lately that it seems to be a fading tradition with younger men who werent taught that set of manners.
MistyDynamite@reddit
Manners are just made up beliefs that are passed down.
They literally mean nothing unless society deems them as important.
Loisgrand6@reddit
It’s men/boys of all ages who wear caps/hats indoors every where
UpstairsBumble@reddit
When you say “believer “, what do you mean by that? Like are you just used to it or is there an actual reason for it that you believe in?
Ok-Equivalent8260@reddit
Because, who cares?
shelwood46@reddit
Leaving the hat on indoors, usually a ball cap but occasionally a cowboy hat, seems more popular with balding men, especially younger balding men.
remembers-fanzines@reddit
This. My dad has very curly, balding, hair. If he takes his baseball cap off, it's an... interesting look. I've never known him to remove his hat anywhere, and he's in his 70s. Nobody needs to see that LOLOLOL.
SlamClick@reddit
Its still pretty common here in the south to remove the hat. I'm not particularly into the "respect culture" here like that but I still take my hat off in a restaurant.
Spirited_Ingenuity89@reddit
I would say the hat off thing is for mostly for men. (Or maybe baseball hats for everyone?)
sonny894@reddit
If I leave my house in a baseball cap, I'm not going to take it off anywhere, as the hair that's now under it looks absolutely terrible. My hat is clean and overall looks neat, and if I wore it, I already am not going anywhere "nice" so I'm probably wearing jeans or shorts and a T-shirt or maybe a polo.
Maybe I just don't know how to wear a cap and also have my hair stay neat under it?
If I am going somewhere nicer, I won't wear the hat to begin with and probably at least have a shirt with buttons.
No-University-8391@reddit
The only thing that bothers me is men in baseball caps at funerals. I’m seeing it more and more. I’m pretty laid back but that is a level of disrespect I can’t abide.
DudleyDoody@reddit
Genuine question, why is that disrespectful?
ZestfullyStank@reddit
Goes back to the time when hats, boots, and coats were not just to keep the weather off of you, but the grime of the road. On a horse or in an open car/truck (enclosed automobiles didn’t become standard until the 20s) dust or mud would be all over your outer clothes. If you worked for a living, your hat would have been on in the factory or the field and would have whatever detritus from your workday (lots of soot from open flame heating and lighting, dust from a loom, dirt from farming all come to mind).
Leaving a hat on indoors would be an insult to the household as you are either saying that you might as well be outside, or you are actively causing the house to become dirtier.
Blobwad@reddit
So basically it’s not truly disrespectful anymore aside from lingering norms dating back 100+ years? Seems like maybe we need to chill a bit on that.
ZestfullyStank@reddit
You’ll find that most people aren’t aware of the standards.
There are those who argue that bringing back standards of decorum, though outdated, would be an improvement. Wearing more formal attire while flying for example. But as airline deregulation lead to price wars and the result has been a complete removal of included amenities across the board, one could argue that comfortable attire could be a necessity considering the cramped seats. Wearing a hat, jacket and tie made more sense when the seats were 8” wider, your had room for your shoulders and knees, and had an air hostess to take and store your hat even in the cheap seats in the back.
The TL;DR here is that society has changed and while many haven’t given up on the silly little rules that used to be enforced a little more stringently, it’s good to realize how many of the rules are based in stratification of classes.
Ooh! Let’s not forget racism here too! A lot of rules were barely enforced “back then” too but if a black man was perceived as slighting a white person, specifically a white woman, it could definitely be used an excuse for a good old fashioned lynching!
Overall, I think you are right. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be polite to each other. And kind. Lots of people should try being kind.
LupercaniusAB@reddit
Well, it also shows that you’re willing to put a little effort into looking good for the sake of the grieving family.
LankyJeep@reddit
To add to this, it was commonly perceived as cold or even combative because hats hide your eyes from view more easily and lead to the perception you either don’t trust the person who owns the house or establishment, or you are actively hostile to the establishment and its patrons and will bring in trouble. There’s a reason the cowboy and gangster tropes wear hats indoors
Skyreaches@reddit
Not that many people really care anymore but I feel like historically, leaving your coat or hat on implied that you were ready to be out the door at a moments notice.
As far as specifically baseball cap at a funeral, it just seems inappropriately casual for what should be a serious occasion
BarnBoy6774@reddit
Just simple common courtesy for a guy to remove his hat or Cap indoors. Not just a restaurant.
Lucky-Remote-5842@reddit
Guys don't want anyone to know they're bald.
tee142002@reddit
I have one friend that always wears a baseball cap. I didn't know he was going bald until his wedding
Flerp-Flerps@reddit
I usually assume men who always wear baseball caps are going bald, but for some reason it still catches me off guard the first time I see them without a hat. Maybe it’s because most of them I knew before they started wearing a baseball cap all of the time, so the last time I saw them without it they weren’t balding. So I am expecting a full head of hair and didn’t witness the early stages, so it’s a little shocking.
LupercaniusAB@reddit
I got thrown for a loop today when I guy that I’ve worked on various jobs with, off and on for several years, took off the baseball cap that he always wears, and he wasn’t bald!!!
I was so surprised, I said “damn John, I always thought that you were bald”.
He said “no, I’m just tall and the hat protects my head when I bump it on things”. He is about 6’5”.
10thousndreflections@reddit
Most men of a certain age are going bald to some degree and it will be striking the first time you see it.
That being said I'm going bald, I've shaved my head, but I've been wearing baseball caps since long before I started going bald. I'm not going to stop wearing them because someone thinks I'm trying to hide something.
CupBeEmpty@reddit
I had a friend who always had a baseball cap on. I assumed he was balding. It was like a year before I realized he has very nice thick hair and just really liked baseball caps.
Ok-Tell9019@reddit
That’s what we call a hatfisher
DreamCrusher914@reddit
Send him a link to r/bald
sep780@reddit
Top hat. Hides the bald while looking fancy. You just have to dress up in a suit to make the hat work.
cutezombiedoll@reddit
That’s fair but at least wear a more formal looking hat, maybe a bowler or a fedora or even a trilby.
Lucky-Remote-5842@reddit
I agree
LankyJeep@reddit
Trilby or fedoras are the move for funerals or more “put together” events, I prefer a felt outback hat, similar to a larger fedora but a bit different in brim style if I’m wearing a hat with a suit
AlexandraThePotato@reddit
Funeral is one of those places where t-shirts and jean don’t fly either to be fair
Shoddy-Secretary-712@reddit
Women were/are allowed to keep their hats in because of their hair and because it is an accessory to their outfit
Baseball/winter hats are supposed to be removed
Terazen105@reddit
This must be a regional thing. No one in Colorado giving any side eye for a baseball cap at dinner, at least anywhere that doesn't have a dress code.
10thousndreflections@reddit
I live in Virginia and nobody is taking their baseball hats off for dinner. Maybe in a very formal restaurant but not even in upscale restaurants.
That being said, Denver is like the flat brim Mecca.
soonerpgh@reddit
Dinner? Nah, doesn't matter at most places, unless it's a formal dinner. A wedding, or funeral, take the hat off UNLESS, it is specifically part of the atmosphere desired by the host(s). I don't often go places i can't wear a hat, but i also don't wear a hat as often as i used to. I just prefer tge less fornal settings.
Vicorin@reddit
Yeah if a dude wore a nice formal hat that went with his attire it would be fine
Dazzling-Low8570@reddit
Men's hats are outerwear, like an overcoat. Women's hats are part of the outfit.
Shoddy-Secretary-712@reddit
It may depend on where you are. But men are always supposed to take their hats off indoors in formal settings, even if they were wearing a proper attire
Fenc58531@reddit
It’s only for upscale (relatively) places no? I feel like I’ve never been stared at or even been hinted at it’s impolite if I’m wearing a cap at Texas Roadhouse or smth like that
DanteRuneclaw@reddit
Traditionally it would have be etiquette at all but the most casual of places, I think, but in modern times, no one is going to look askance at it until you get at least to "nice".
_NEW_HORIZONS_@reddit
In a world where most establishments don't have a hat rack or coat check, a loose hat becomes a bigger problem than a worn hat.
TheBlueLeopard@reddit
My ball cap rests comfortably on my knee during meals. No problem.
TheBlueLeopard@reddit
I’m sure folks have noticed, but no one’s going to say anything. I always take my hat off once I sit down and notice the people who don’t.
Adept_Carpet@reddit
At this point the cultural norm has been weakened to the point that if a restaurant has that rule they usually put up a sign, though sometimes the sign in unobtrusive (because no one likes looking at a sign full of rules), so you'll basically only find out about the sign after a discussion with the waiter has begun and it's just so you understand it is an established rule and not something they just made up to mess with you.
Pretend_Spring_4453@reddit
The hat thing isn't really a rule anymore. The only place that ever enforced that rule on me was school till 2007 and everyone thought it was a weird rule anyway.
11B_35P_35F@reddit
Hats off isnt really a thing anymore unless its one of those place with a specific dress code.
DreamCrusher914@reddit
Or my MIL sees you. If she sees someone wearing a hat inside it will ruin her day and she won’t shut up about it.
11B_35P_35F@reddit
I was raised in the South in the 80s and 90s. It was very common for hats off inside, especially at the dinner table. In public, my hat stayed on. When I left home at 18 for the military, anytime I was in regular clothes and had a hat on, it stayed on. Dumb rules that serve no purpose arent worth wasting my time on following. Also, why on earth is it not okay to wear the hat at the table but should be taken off and placed on that table...where your food is?
KungFuBucket@reddit
My mother is the same. Whenever I go to visit it’s always hats off anytime we’re inside.
punkwalrus@reddit
I once took my assistant out to a very upscale restaurant in DC, and she didn't come from that kind of background. Last time I was there, it was a very strict formal policy, like shirt and tie. So I told her that she needed to dress nice, and showed her suggestions online of "roughly what was acceptable." And she found something she had and wore that. So there I was in a suit, she was in a formal dress, and we were paying $100-125 for a steak. I explained the history of the place, how I came to find it, and some important meetings I had there. One of those that have their own wine cellar that dates back to the 1800s.
I did this because my assistant didn't have anyone in her life who did these things for her. She was a very good assistant to me at a very critical time in my life where she was managing some of my daily work that was kind of stressful and crazy. Nothing untoward.
Halfway through our meal, when who walks into the place but a family of maybe 7 people. Jeans, shorts, tee shirts, three kids. Nobody is dressed formal. Kids have crocs, leggings, sweats, and one is wearing a set of headphones. One has a picture of some theme park ride on his tee-shirt.
Restaurant did nothing. So I did nothing. They weren't really bothering anyone, and the kids were well-behaved, so I didn't care too much. I felt a little foolish making a big deal about the dress code to my assistant, so after our meal, our super-friendly waiter was asking how we enjoyed everything. I asked him as an aside, "are those someone famous? I wondered because they are dressed so casually."
He sighed, and said, "No. We do have a dress code, but it's not exactly enforced anymore." He seemed sad about it and apologized. I didn't want to be a dick, and I just said, "no, I'm fine, I just wanted to apologize to my assistant for making a big deal when I didn't need to." He smiled sweetly and told my assistant (probably assuming she was my date) and told her she was a lucky woman to be with a man of class. And then we BOTH laughed. Class, my ass. HAH.
But yeah, even formal places are just giving up, and I am sure COVID probably killed off the last of them.
ScatterTheReeds@reddit
I don’t know about “completely”.
BelligerentWyvern@reddit
The US (and Canada and Mexico, and I'd wager much of the New World) is much less concerned with the appearance of wealth or European's obsession with class.
The richest people in our society dress like the middle class. And when they do dress up it's typically for work itself rather than any desire to do so.
You could maybe argue pajamas is lazy but t-shirts and cargo shorts or jeans is perfectly fine in 99% of places.
ancj9418@reddit
Yes, it’s normal. The requirement is basically that you’re clothed and wearing shoes.
dweaver987@reddit
“No shirt, no shoes, no service”. That’s pretty universal in the US and really sums it up well.
PomeloPepper@reddit
To bd perfectly clear
Opposite-Program8490@reddit
As long as your shirt is long enough, we'll let it slide.
hipmommie@reddit
one thing about hot summer days: I can wear a loose cotton dress and that means I did NOT have to put on pants
Steavee@reddit
Being a man is a prison…
Polite_Bark@reddit
Oh, fuck off! You get actual useful pockets.
dweaver987@reddit
Frankly, I don’t understand why women haven’t implemented a universal boycott of pants without functional pockets. (And non-functional pockets must be insulting as all get out.)
NoDay4343@reddit
Because as much as women complain about it, the ones who are the real fashion divas and buy 10x as many articles of clothing as the rest of us put together care more about the fact that a pocket and especially a pocket with something in it makes their figure look slightly less desirable (in their minds).
I do keep hearing about small clothing companies that try to address real clothes for the rest of us women. Most of them don't survive or lose sight of their mission when they realize there's more $$ in catering to the fashion conscious ones.
allieggs@reddit
The fashion diva crowd also tend to love a good purse and have lots of different ones to coordinate their outfits with
CarlySheDevil@reddit
Non-functional pockets are totally insulting. What am I, a doll? A baby, a toddler? No, I'm an adult woman with shit to do. Give me pockets.
mckmaus@reddit
Men design most of the clothing. Niche brands are expensive. Our sizes are impossible to find, all of them no matter what. You have to take what you can get
BrotherNatureNOLA@reddit
To buy something that's too big and wear a belt.
lnsybrd@reddit
Because it's hard enough finding clothes that fit like they should.
HMonster224@reddit
Sir, please come back and tell us more about your pants being a prison after you've tried wearing an underwire bra for 10+ hours a day. In the summer. In Texas.
MissBandersnatch2U@reddit
Or pantyhose on a hot, humid day while riding the subway
FlyingCupcake68@reddit
In all seriousness: pantyhose is still a thing? I haven’t heard women mention it in years
HMonster224@reddit
One of my friends needed them the other week for some reason. We went into Macy's and found out they literally don't sell them anymore. You can still get them at Nordstrom, as far as I know.
AbbreviationsTop4959@reddit
Pantyhose is a greater evil than bras. I have refused to wear them my entire adult life, resulting, at times, in limiting my employment options, but saving my sanity.
RedditSkippy@reddit
Because of the recent LIRR strike in NYC, news outlets began running this photo from 1994 of some random office worker on a train platform. The guy is wearing a suit and tie in mid-June. Sure I remember those days, but he looked so strange to me.
humanofearth-notai@reddit
Toss the underwire and free the tatas. Don't want to go braless, get a good sports bra. It's 2026, baby. Comfort is important.
HMonster224@reddit
I do that now, but sports bras don't really work when you're going to a corporate office every day, which used to be my situation.
humanofearth-notai@reddit
I'm glad your bra situation improved.
Slight_Manufacturer6@reddit
Bras are a choice. Many are now rejecting them.
beccasue62@reddit
And many shouldn't
sgtm7@reddit
You don't have to wear any kind of bra, much less an underwire.
BluebirdJolly7970@reddit
You do if you don’t want everyone staring at you like you’re obscene and making comments.
SWEDDYG@reddit
While this may be technically true, it doesn’t really work for a 40+ woman with DD sized breasts who breastfed 3 children. I have no desire to walk around in public with my boobs near my waist. I have however moved away from underwire at least. 🤷
sgtm7@reddit
You won't get arrested for it. Good chance a man with no pants, is going to get arrested.
Steavee@reddit
I would argue back with ball sweat, but realistically I know I have it better in so many ways, it was totally a tongue-in-cheek joke.
HMonster224@reddit
Oh, I knew it was and my comment was a joke as well. I'm guessing ball sweat and boob sweat are probably about equally bad. But the underwire is next level discomfort.
Head-Technician-9797@reddit
Nobody said you had to wear it!! Let those puppies fly loose and free!
HMonster224@reddit
In an office? Sure, if I wanted to get called into HR and told that I'm somehow sexually harassing my male colleagues.
(My last 2 jobs have been WFH - I basically only wear sports bras these days, but back when I was going to an office the absolute best moment of every single day was taking my bra off the minute I walked into my house.)
Ok_Watercress_7801@reddit
Nothing stopping us from wearing dresses, skirts, tunics, kilts, sarongs or what have you.
Very comfy.
10/10 would recommend
Wonderful_Adagio9346@reddit
Do your pants have functional, useful pockets? Then please sit down.
Mister-ellaneous@reddit
Kilts are sweet
Inevitable-Key-5200@reddit
Fuxake even men’s skirts have pockets???!!!!
livelaughlinka@reddit
There is a solution: 🏳️⚧️
big-dal-tex@reddit
At least your prison has pockets
Steavee@reddit
lol, fair.
I love whenever I see a woman put on a dress with pockets, they’re so excited and I love that for them.
itsafoxboi@reddit
good news, estrogen does exist
DarkGamer@reddit
Don't need estrogen to wear a dress
AgileMoonDog@reddit
Can confirm
AgileMoonDog@reddit
Fun fact: you do.not have to take estrogen to wear a dress
hipmommie@reddit
Utilikilts also exist!
tangouniform2020@reddit
I will have to check
Mayor_of_BBQ@reddit
Elaine Stritch vibes
Inevitable-Key-5200@reddit
Just don’t sit on communal chairs and sofas please and thank you
ThatInAHat@reddit
That’s just a dress
DarkGamer@reddit
That's a dress
Ok-Possibility-9826@reddit
winnie the pooh vibes
PomeloPepper@reddit
Donald Duckin' it!
aebaby7071@reddit
Pooh bear’en
JosephBlowsephThe3rd@reddit
Straight shirt-cockin' it
FlyingCupcake68@reddit
Trousers, I presume
snapekillseddard@reddit
What if I'm still mourning Harambe?
Slight_Manufacturer6@reddit
Who is this “we” you are talking about?
Maurice_Foot@reddit
Gosh darn-it, Donut!
kebabby72@reddit
So, no chubbies out in the dining area. Got it.
I_Like_Turtles_Too@reddit
Unless you got a nice booty
drumallday@reddit
For the Brits, this person means trousers
WhoWouldCareToAsk@reddit
Thanks for clearing that up! I was about to venture into McD in underwear.
GeronimoHero@reddit
I doubt it’s the first time Mickey D’s has seen that
Sellum@reddit
Fuck you, I like to Pooh bear.
FuckIPLaw@reddit
Oh, bother.
S5Cook@reddit
And before you think you can walk through the drive through without shoes or a shirt. To go through the drive through you are required to have a car. ( I know people who have tried.)
Practical-Ordinary-6@reddit
I've been through it on my bike before and sometimes they have a little hissy and sometimes they don't.
But I rode 70 miles to get there and I was hungry and thirsty and I didn't want to come inside in that condition (pretty sweaty) or leave my expensive bike outside and so I was always glad when it worked out.
nervousanalysis420@reddit
Former McDonald's employee that's actually for safety! Drivers dont pay attention and have hit people on foot so it was easier from a liability standpoint to just say must be in a vehicle.
DonkeyKong694NE1@reddit
Especially post pandemic - everyone got used to wearing pajamas 24/7 and there was no going back
SmellGestapo@reddit
Except there's plenty of beach towns where you don't even really need a shirt or shoes in many establishments. A sit-down restaurant with table service, sure, but a local hamburger stand with counter service? They likely won't care if you walked in shirtless and barefoot. They'll assume you just came from the beach.
InternationalRule138@reddit
Eh? At least on the east coast if you have to open a door to enter the establishment flip flops and a swim cover-up are pretty customary 🤷🏼♀️.
LobsterNo3435@reddit
True. You can be wet, dragging beach bag, and sandy. But t shirt or cover-up and some flip flops are customary.
rosievee@reddit
Customary, yes, but I see a million tourists in Rhode Island go into CVS, the grocery store or the pizza place in just a swimsuit. And not even that close to the shore. The bare minimum seems to be if you're sitting on something and there's food being served, they want you to have shoes and something around your waist.
NYIsles55@reddit
A couple years ago I was at a beach town in Delaware and a guy went into a gas station convenience store a couple blocks away from the beach to get a bag of ice with no shoes or shirt. Nobody there batted an eye about it.
That said, that was the only time I've seen that on the east coast.
Emotional-Rope-5774@reddit
Not the case in Hawaii or California
ShipComprehensive543@reddit
Not true, I lived in Santa Cruz and you needed a shirt and shoes for inside seating for sure.
Emotional-Rope-5774@reddit
They said for any establishment you have to open a door for, not sit down, it’s been a while since I’ve been to Santa Cruz but I don’t think that’s entirely true.
ShipComprehensive543@reddit
Even McDonalds requires a shirt. Yeah if you are ordering outside at a kiosk it’s fine. But if you go inside, I cannot recall one place in SC, the beach town where you could walk in shirtless and get a meal.
Few-Wrongdoer-5296@reddit
The coast in California is more casual for sure.
Darryl_Lict@reddit
Here in Santa Barbara, I keep a mental note of how far up State Street I see people wearing bikinis.
Few-Wrongdoer-5296@reddit
That makes sense. I am from further north and a lot of the time it's too cold to be in a bikini for long periods of time. Must be interesting for you working locals to be getting eyefuls all day. (Though hopefully you also enjoy the beach often)
ObjectiveOk2072@reddit
As is the Gulf Coast, at least in Texas and Florida
bestem@reddit
I saw a sign outside a sit-down restaurant (probably a diner type place) at Ocean Beach in San Diego that said "No shirt? No shoes? No problem!"
LordOscarthePurr@reddit
lol I live in OB. And yes.
bestem@reddit
I'm really trying to remember which place it was (it's been at least 15 years since I was in OB). It was on Newport. It was on the opposite side of the street than Hodad's. It might have been exactly across the street from Hodad's (my recollection is nestled between the bead shop and the smoke shop). But the only food places I remember on that side of Newport are a Mexican place (in the general place I'm recollecting), an ice cream place, and a coffee place (both on the pier end of Newport), and it wasn't any of them.
The vibe of the sign was way more Hodad's than the place it was in front of, but it definitely wasn't Hodad's the sign was outside of. My sister and I laughed so much walking down the street, that that's where we ended up going for lunch.
KittyBungholeFire@reddit
This isn't a joke. You literally will see these signs posted on the doors of restaurants and other businesses.
smarterthanyoda@reddit
Is that true for restaurants?
OP might have been at tourist stops that had more lax standards, but any fine dining restaurant I’ve been to has a dress code. If there’s not an explicit dress code the customers know what’s expected and dress appropriately.
StormFallen9@reddit
I don't know of any restaurant that would turn someone away because they're not dressed up enough. Maybe I'm just too poor to understand
Ok-Equivalent8260@reddit
My son had to borrow a sports coat at a restaurant in new orleans.
Ellemnop8@reddit
New Orleans seems to be especially strict with restaurant dress codes. It's the only city I've ever seen one enforced. When I was there, locals said it was related to how strong the hospitality industry was in the city/a desire to preserve some old-fashioned standards.
ehunke@reddit
I live in DC, there are some places here that are stricter then others, there is a French place in Virginia I really like that I am 90% sure would happily serve you if you came in jeans, but, I came in slacks and a dress shirt and for the most part felt under dressed...for better or worse I think some old-fashioned standards are coming back into popularity, at least given how infrequently a lot of people dine out these days, people want it to make an occasion out of it
sfdsquid@reddit
Lmk when they bring back cufflinks and I might hit the dating scene again.
drumallday@reddit
The Magic Castle in LA requires men to wear ties. Or at least they did at one point.
ehunke@reddit
Well...the ones that would do that, you need a reservation weeks in advance if not months ahead and the dress code would be stated on the reservation. They would not turn someone away, but, they often do have loaner sport coats...but jeans/t-shirt at those places would not be allowed in
Dizyupthegirl@reddit
The Louis Vuitton cafe in NYC has a dress code.
StormFallen9@reddit
For some reason I was reminded of a playhouse I've been to that has a strict "casual" dress code, where if you go in with a shirt and tie they'll cut your tie in half (I assume with permission) and hang the end on the wall
radioactivebeaver@reddit
I've been to a few, but you won't be accidentally stumbling into them, most likely not even getting with without a reservation regardless of attire. It's a different experience and if you are into food or cooking or worked in restaurants it can be cool. Not something I'm going to be doing again unless it's a very special occasion, I prefer the flip flops and shorts crowd.
SaintsFanPA@reddit
Fine dining need not have a dress code. I wore jeans and a t-shirt to Ko on multiple occasions. Ditto for Californios.
Historical_Abies_890@reddit
There is a bit of a bell curve for fancy restaurants: intermediate ones (generic "fine dining") will have a dress code, but super nice ones like they are referencing you can wear what you want. Same as an office job: even if most people are in suits the CEO can still be in jeans and a t-shirt.
Curmudgy@reddit
That reminds me of a line I once heard where the maître d’ at one of the top restaurants explained “we do not need to borrow class from our customers”.
DiddledByDad@reddit
I mean yes but fine dining restaurants are uncommon and obviously expensive and require reservations most the time. But your casual eating restaurant like an Olive Garden or a Red Robin isn’t going to gaf.
VeryQuokka@reddit
I like trying tasting menus, so I've been to many fine dining restaurants including several 3 Michelin star restaurants. Most of the ones I've been to don't have dress codes.
Eternalm8@reddit
That and the capacity to pay for services rendered.
ancj9418@reddit
Well…. yeah. OP is asking about clothing specifically.
Kathw13@reddit
You have to have money or a credit card.
ancj9418@reddit
OP is asking about clothing specifically.
Gonna_do_this_again@reddit
Flip flops count as shoes
ancj9418@reddit
Yes they do.
thewags05@reddit
There are restaurants with dress codes in cities, but they're becoming fairly rare. There's lots of nicer places where shorts and a tee shirt are definitely frowned upon.
scotchirish@reddit
They're also not places you go to on a whim
unknowingbiped@reddit
Especially when you are in a place where "fuck you money" lives, or places of not allowing lost sales like Vegas. "Yes come in with clothes on and pay for your food"
We werent loud or distracting, we were wearing shorts and a t shirt and had the best meal of my life and enjoyed my company and the service. "Do you want me to wait so you can take photos" no we are here to eat.
ancj9418@reddit
With all due respect, what the hell are you talking about?
unknowingbiped@reddit
Rich people can enter in a sweatshirt and pants, or people are allowed to go into Las Vegas establishments clothed the best they can as long as they pay.
smarterthanyoda@reddit
I haven’t been to Vegas lately, but the last time I went I remember Cirque had a dress code.
Whales can get away with a lot. But thats very few people.
unknowingbiped@reddit
I went to the momofuku restaurant, not the bakery, and it was "you need clothes"
smarterthanyoda@reddit
Momofuku is a nice restaurant, but it’s not fine dining.
As another example, French Laundry has loosened its dress code so jackets are not required. But a T-shirt is still not allowed.
unknowingbiped@reddit
I guess when you come from Applebee's is the fancy restaurant, a place that doesn't microwave food is fine dining. My bad.
Opposite-Program8490@reddit
Freedom.
Whywondermous@reddit
Generally, the idea is that clothing is a form of self-expression. How someone is dressed communicates something about their identity rather than their respect or consideration for the people around them. That gets communicated in other ways (e.g. being friendly).
freshly-stabbed@reddit
Back in the late 90s the running joke was that a man on the East Coast wearing a suit and tie was and up and coming businessman, while a man on the West Coast wearing a suit and tie must work in the clothing department at JC Penney’s.
The regions have blurred some. But the west coast dress code is still the most casual in the country. And good luck guessing the income level of a dude in Texas wearing jeans and driving an F-150 pickup. Could be barely making minimum wage, could be a multimillionaire.
Constellation-88@reddit
The rule is why the fuck would you judge what somebody else is wearing? As long as they’re covered and it’s clean IDGAF what someone wears to breakfast or a restaurant.
I have heard there are some fancy restaurants that require suit and tie type stuff, but I’m not spending my money there
donutdogs_candycats@reddit
If you’re doing some kind of fine dining or otherwise expensive/fancy place you’re going to want to be decently dressed, so slacks, maybe some very nice fitting jeans if it’s not crazy expensive, a nice shirt, or a dress, just nicely dressed but not crazy. Anywhere else, except for work, and other super fancy places like that, you can pretty much wear whatever and nobody will care. As long as you have shoes, a shirt, and pants/shorts, you’re good.
Feenanay@reddit
I mean yeah you CAN dress like a scrub and nobody is likely to kick you out. But the people replying that oh that’s totally normal have not been to enough very high end restaurants. I’ve been to a lot of places where at the very least you’d be asked if you have a change of clothes, and if not, be seated somewhere out of the view of the majority of the restaurant.
There’s a tier of restaurant (and other types of places like SOME social/country clubs, etc) that fall in an echelon above and beyond what even “normal” wealthy people can get into, and those places aren’t going to tolerate shorts and flip flops.
hammerofspammer@reddit
It is a bit regional, but overall Americans are much less concerned about what other people are wearing.
In the South where my wife is from, I’ll wear nicer shorts and a polo shirt for going to a restaurant if it’s hot. Some places are more formal - like church.
Here in Colorado, it’s pretty casual anywhere. Shorts or jeans for anything from the symphony to a Michelin starred restaurant. Nobody cares.
hipmommie@reddit
I can't make myself give you an upvote, but you are totally correct. Also, I think the farther west one goes, the more casual dress is. I remember living in Bellingham, WA years ago, and being asked "Why does everyone here dress like they are camping?" I do think it sad that people now wear shorts to the symphony. I wish people cared a tad more about nice things and nice places.
UpstairsBumble@reddit
That’s how I felt in Denver. Everyone looked like they were about to go on a hike
hammerofspammer@reddit
One never knows when an emergency hike may be required
KingRed31@reddit
As a musician and regular orchestra-goer, anything that gets butts in seats! Though it would be nice if people stopped letting their phones go off or opening their ricola or talking during the music. Ugh... I try not to be angry but it gets me every time.
DanteRuneclaw@reddit
I gave them one for you
greatteachermichael@reddit
I love being pretend fancy. I makes me feel like I'm not poor, haha. But yeah, for most situations I don't care. And why should others care? Most of those cultural standards are made up anyway and don't have any innate meaning.
hipmommie@reddit
"Pretend fancy" for the win. I absolutely do not care if your "fancy" is from a thrift store, but I find it lovely to dress for the occasion/space. I actually feel every time you get dressed you are putting on a costume. You might be in the Teacher/Social Worker costume, or a farmer, or a financial advisor, they are all costumes. But it is fun to dress for occasion. It is also a costume and fun to put on, as well as respectful of the others around you/ those performing.
hammerofspammer@reddit
I should have clarified - if I go to the symphony, I try to dress appropriately.
If I’m taking my wife out on a date, I’ll dress up enough, but not so much that she’s uncomfortable.
I like living in a place where I can be comfortable and so can other people.
shelwood46@reddit
As someone who used to work in stage theater, I do not care what people wear to sit in the audience for plays or musicals, but they must dress up for opera and symphonies (except for children's symphonies).
stiletto929@reddit
Why the difference between plays/musicals and opera/symphonies?
stiletto929@reddit
I personally love to dress up for the theater. But I don’t care if other people don’t. I just want an excuse to wear fancy dresses.
somePig_buckeye@reddit
I went to see Shucked,on opening night in Columbus, and someone brought their dog. We saw it as we were going to the parking garage.
kairi26@reddit
I live in Bellingham and can confirm this. Everyone dresses as though an emergency backpacking trip could break out at any moment.
hammerofspammer@reddit
If you’re going to a place off Chuckanut, how formal can you be?
fasterthanfood@reddit
The European mind cannot comprehend
hammerofspammer@reddit
No cargo pockets. Not denim. Appropriate length.
It gets hotter here than much of Europe. I suspect that most Europeans would not last long in most of the USA without changing to shorts.
I know that Germans wear shorts. How else would we know they have black socks with their Birkenstocks?
hipmommie@reddit
Lederhosen
hammerofspammer@reddit
Leather shorts are still shorts
lizardgal10@reddit
“Church jeans” were their own category of clothing where I grew up. “Formal dress” on a wedding invitation just meant “this is the wording required to get Uncle Bill to show up in something nicer than paint-stained shorts and a Bud Light t shirt”
Strict_String@reddit
Most of Europe is considerably further north than most of the United States.
etherealemlyn@reddit
When I was younger my dresser drawers were divided by “shorts for working out,” “shorts that are nice enough for school,” and “super-nice shorts for church” lol
Punkinpry427@reddit
Sunday jorts get pressed
Ok-Juggernaut-353@reddit
There are dozens of us!
The_Spaz1313@reddit
Google "mens golf shorts" or "mens chino shorts" and you should be able to get a general idea. They're made of the same fabric as like "nicer pants" (but not as nice as like a 3 piece suit pant), have belt loops
AlmiranteCrujido@reddit
Why do you care how anyone else is dressed?
the_wyandotte@reddit
We always used to make fun of some of my family for breaking out their "dress flannels" for family events. Dress flannels were just the flannel shirts they bought for work that hadn't been oil-stained or torn yet and were fairly new.
I can for sure see some of them wearing dress shorts (shorts without cargo pockets) in the summertime too.
MermaiderMissy@reddit
I've noticed the opposite. When I was in the South, I noticed a lot more people dressed casually and in pajamas in public. That also happens in New York (where I'm from) but I notice more people dressed nicer. Guess it depends where you go.
hammerofspammer@reddit
Oh, I’m sure there is substantial variation. Plus I don’t want to offend my in-laws
Electronic_Syrup7592@reddit
One of the many reasons I love Colorado.
danhm@reddit
There's no dress code. We're extremely casual. Perhaps a very fancy restaurant will not let you in but even that strikes me as more of an old-timey thing.
EightEqualsSignD@reddit
Dining clubs might still have dress codes, but those are also going away.
My father still carries a bolo tie in his sport jacket pocket, in case he goes somewhere with a tie requirement.
Relevant-Emu5782@reddit
Dining clubs? Never seen one of those. Where are they usually at?
EightEqualsSignD@reddit
Country clubs or where the rich people gather.
LiqdPT@reddit
WTF is a "dining club"? I'm 50 and I don't think I've ever encountered this.
EightEqualsSignD@reddit
Basically, it's a membership to a club-style restaurant. Menus generally won't have prices and you pay what you owe at the end of the month rather than per meal.
Country clubs that offer things like golf, tennis, swimming, etc., and also offer dining will generally also offer a dining-only option for members that don't want or need the extras.
They're still somewhat popular among a certain demographic. It's really handy when you want to take someone out to eat but don't want to have them pay, so businesses will often have a membership to wine and dine clients.
Relevant-Emu5782@reddit
I belong to a private club, which has a restaurant and a bar, and sports facilities. If we eat there it's just like any other restaurant except we pay it on our monthly bill. Very convenient for the kids, so they can eat when and what they want and not have to worry about money. But I wouldn't call this place a "dining club", absolutely not. It's a private club.
EightEqualsSignD@reddit
There's a couple of old money places in Oklahoma City that are definitely more dining clubs than private clubs. Or at least that's how they market them.
One of the golf clubs/neighborhoods markets it's services as a dining club, too. Mainly seems to be targeted to the older folks who can't do more than entertain and don't have the energy/ability to do so in their own homes.
Previous-Space-7056@reddit
In la. Fancy restaurants, jeans n t shirts are acceptable. Many still dress up but many dont. Prob about 50/50.
Magic castle is one of the spots that is very strict about its dress code for men n women. They wont let you enter period if you are under dressed
CouldBeBetterForever@reddit
It does bother me a bit when I go a restaurant that's a little more upscale and I see someone dressed in shorts and a t-shirt like they're at Texas Roadhouse.
I'm not saying you need to wear a suit or even a nice jacket, but pants and a shirt with buttons isn't asking for much. It's not that there's necessarily a written dress code, but I think it should be common sense to dress a bit nicer depending on the venue.
oracleofsaisons@reddit
France are stuffy. We hate stuffy
oracleofsaisons@reddit
To add to that. Most western people look down on French for their pretentious and arrogant demeanor.
gridsandorchids@reddit
Freedom! USA! USA!
Lots of people dress nice, especially in the city or at work, you just sort of choose how you want to be perceived. After the pandemic people got a lot more casual after getting used to wearing potato sacks all day and working from home.
Also American dress is very heavily about personal style and interest rather than formality, societal expectations or specific fashion. Streetwear is a big thing
ehunke@reddit
There is no rule...5 star or not, it is a hotel, most people are on holiday so shorts I get, but, people have taken it too far. There are plenty of hotels with dress codes still though
dowagermeow@reddit
In SLC, we just have ‘going out’ fleeces basically.
I think I’ve worn a dress exactly once since 2018. But I wore Birkenstocks with it ☠️
Hi2YourWifeAndMyKids@reddit
If a restaurant/venue has a dress code they enforce it will be posted on their website or at the door.
Post COVID the main rule is “can you pay?”
Dontyellatmeimnice@reddit
It's absurd how getting properly dressed has become problematic for a large percentage of the population. I swear I saw a woman in an airport yesterday with shear pajama shorts on. The airlines and some restaurants are starting to crack down on it. I saw someone turned away from a steakhouse for wearing a hoodie
AWTNM1112@reddit
I have found that a lot of people who can afford to regularly go to 5 star hotels and restaurants think that rules don’t apply to them.
IllustriousRanger934@reddit
Don’t think people aren’t judging you or them for dressing like that in public. They are.
I can do the same thing in France. They aren’t going to kick me out of Le Clerc for wearing pajamas.
The difference is it has become normalized here. Social decorum is near rock bottom. The people that dress like that just don’t give a shit.
MeteorMann@reddit
Feels like anything goes these days.
Personally, I don't go anywhere but the hardware store without a collared shirt, but folks these days really have to pick their battles and, for a lot of people, changing out of their pajamas just to go to some trash-ass Walmart isn't worth the effort.
My PERSONAL rule of thumb is that I ought to dress one step better than the staff. At Home Depot that just means long pants. Walmart is a polo, flannel, or button-front work shirt. Dining out usually means long sleeves, add a sweater or blazer if the place is a little nicer.
Tree_killer_76@reddit
Look how you want. Personally I think people who wear pajamas everywhere look like trash dumpster fire but you do you boo boo. That’s our culture. Wear what you want but don’t get butthurt when you get judged for it.
Decade1771@reddit
Unfortunately
hardtomakename3@reddit
In nice restaurants its common courtesy to wear nicer clothes, but its almost never required
pizzaanarchy@reddit
It doesn’t matter what rags you drape yourself with, there is still a world of difference between neat and slovenly.
If you can not show respect for yourself, how can you expect anyone else to?
JtotheC23@reddit
The only places nowadays you'll consistently see a strict dress code in the US are country clubs. If there isn't an advertised dress code (and they'll make it known if there is), we're pretty casual. Certain restaurants do have the expectation of dressing nicer, and you may get looks at these places if you're too casual, but you won't be kicked out or anything. That's not a thing at hotels tho, even 5 stars.
CowboysFTWs@reddit
It really depends on the city. Austin is more laid back, than SA or Dallas. I have wore a t-shirt and jeans to all "fancy" places here and no one cares.
Some clubs here in Austin have dress codes that target black people. I.E. No Jordans, no chains, no caps, etc. Some restaurants to are required to wear a tie, or collared shirt.
atelier__lingo@reddit
Venues with a dress code will generally indicate that they have a dress code. I found France to be cold and irritating because people are judgmental about things like this. Who wants to dress in upscale attire for a road trip?
G-Beach-8566@reddit (OP)
En France, on adore critiquer les autres. Le paraître est important pour beaucoup et c'est chiant. Il y a des modes vestimentaires, qui faut suivre pour ne être has been.
Mountain_Remote_464@reddit
Responding in French on an American sub to someone who has not indicated they speak French is the type of off-putting behavior the original responder is talking about.
Square_Medicine_9171@reddit
There is a translate button
crimson_leopard@reddit
I don't see one. I'm using the website.
Square_Medicine_9171@reddit
I’m on the app on my phone. On my screen it’s a tiny symbol all the way to the right lined up with the user name. It’s on the comment itself, not somewhere else on the page
Overall_Occasion_175@reddit
There is? I don't see one
Square_Medicine_9171@reddit
In my screen it’s a tiny symbol all the way to the right, lined up with the user name
SkiingAway@reddit
Translations still are not all that great and lose a lot of meaning with plenty of things.
Mountain_Remote_464@reddit
ប្រាកដណាស់… ប៉ុន្តែ OP និយាយភាសាអង់គ្លេស ហើយនេះគឺជាកន្លែងសម្រាប់សួរសំណួររបស់មនុស្សដែលទំនងជានិយាយភាសាអង់គ្លេស ឬភាសាអេស្ប៉ាញជាភាសាដំបូង និងមិនមែនជាភាសាបារាំង។
BubbleCrum@reddit
That doesnt change anything about it being the type of off-putting behavior that was being discussed.
salbrown@reddit
I appreciate your candor there. Out of curiosity, did you personally enjoy the lack of dress code or did you miss the formality at all?
G-Beach-8566@reddit (OP)
Non, j'adore les USA pour cette liberté sur le style vestimentaire. Cela fait tellement du bien de ne plus avoir à se soucier de regard des autres.
Ok-Possibility-9826@reddit
that sounds so taxing
fbibmacklin@reddit
c'est tout simplement stupide, mon cher compagnon redditeur francophone.
QnsConcrete@reddit
On one of my ship deployments, I got custom suits made in the Middle East with my buddies. When we later pulled into Marseille we thought it would be fun to wear them to a nice dinner. We had more than a few French people give us weird looks. Never really understood that.
astralTacenda@reddit
sounds utterly exhausting
roseccmuzak@reddit
I called a resturaunt a couple ddays ago to ask what the dress code was, honestly just wondering if jeans were acceptable(I was on vacation and didn't plan to go anywhere that fancy) but they said business casual and I panicked and just picked a different resturaunt.
KungFuBucket@reddit
Went to France about 20 years ago during the off season. Had a blast and nobody cared if we were dressed as American tourists. I think they actually enjoyed it and the restaurants were amazing and welcoming - they kept bringing out some amazing food for us to try. Granted, they may have just been having fun feeding the American tourists, but my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I think it also helped that we carried our French phrase book wherever we went and always insisted on trying to speak French and using the French menus.
G-Beach-8566@reddit (OP)
Les restaurants accueillant avec des américains 🤑 ils connaissent votre habitude du tips et vous serez toujours mieux servi qu'un français. C'est tout à fait normal et logique.
AgentCatBot@reddit
Fetch me my road trip attire and the finest truck stop provisions!
OJSimpsons@reddit
Most public places dont have much of a dress code. "No shirt. No shoes. No service." Is the baseline. After that, its location based but usually only the higher end ones care.
Relevant-Emu5782@reddit
No rules. Totally common for people to wear pajamas to breakfast at a hotel. I personally think it's a bit improper, but as long as they're decently covered I don't care. Hell, teens wear pajamas to school now. People will absolutely wear shorts everywhere and that is completely acceptable. Our rule is "why do you care what other people are wearing?".
ryguymcsly@reddit
Yeah, we don’t have to dress up for shit except work, and even then only some jobs.
When traveling we prioritize comfort above all other factors.
Retiredpotato294@reddit
Just sharing, I live in Wyoming. My father was coming to visit, asked three times if he should bring a jacket to go dinner at all. I finally told him I wore overalls into our nicest restaurant on Christmas Eve and no one looked at me twice. They were clean.
DOMSdeluise@reddit
people dress very casually in general but there are nice venues that have, and enforce, dress codes
dweaver987@reddit
Often they have a couple loaner jackets and ties for visitors.
Able_Capable2600@reddit
That should really complement the pajama pants and crocs.
Mjrfrankburns@reddit
I’m sorry but what the fuck is that Utah flag?!?! I lived there for all my life until 2008 and it was all blue….that looks like an Idaho license plate
Able_Capable2600@reddit
Which Idaho license plate? 😅 Lifelong, "old blood" Utahn here, and I prefer the new flag. It's much more representative imo. Blue for the sky, white for the snowy mountains, red for the rock. The old one was just the state seal on a blue background, like so many other state flags.
bluehooloovo@reddit
Utah redid their flag in 2024! I love the new one, it has a beehive on it.
dweaver987@reddit
Maybe not. But it dots the I’s and crosses the T’s.
that-Sarah-girl@reddit
Wait, I can't just Winnie the Pooh it?
big-dal-tex@reddit
I prefer Donald duckin it
skeevy-stevie@reddit
As long as the bottom half is under the table…
shelwood46@reddit
WFH Zoom Call Dress Code
tonyrocks922@reddit
Jackets for sure. I doubt there is a single place left that requires ties, that's not a private club.
Slight_Manufacturer6@reddit
No shirt, no shoes, no service. That is about it.
We prioritize being comfortable over being snobby.
Lostygir1@reddit
best i can hope for is a best western lmao
AssistanceDry7123@reddit
It varies a little bit depending on where you are, but generally... Yeah, no one cares anymore. It got significantly worse after COVID. I feel like I dress like a schlub in jeans and a hoodie all the time. Then I see someone in dirty pajamas and I realize I'm doing okay.
Sufficient_Fan3660@reddit
The richer an american is the less casual we dress.
When you get C level execs at my company they wear shorts, jeans, whatever they want. They own private jets and golf courses. Their golf courses have strict dress codes, but they buy them so that THEY don't have to adhere to the dress code but force everyone else to.
as1126@reddit
The rule is don’t be naked.
ReporterOther2179@reddit
Freedom! To be a slob. Freedom! To be obnoxious. All the freedoms.
VixxenFoxx@reddit
"No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service" so the saying goes. Conversely, the opposite would be Have Shoes Have Shirt Recieve Service. There wasn't any fine print past that.
3mptyspaces@reddit
It’s hot out. Survival trumps style.
DringleDringle@reddit
The rules are cover your genitals
Ancient_Work4758@reddit
It's normal but it wasn't always this way. We've gone far downhill as a society since covid. No one cares about anything and most of us look like slobs.
lil_jakers@reddit
In the USA who don't whose has money/wealth and who doesn't by dress alone.
ChironXII@reddit
People may judge you or find it rude to have a lack of decorum in upscale places, but it would be very rare for people to actually say something about it directly.
Particular_Wonder598@reddit
We aren’t as judgmental about what people wear here
Otherwise-OhWell@reddit
Best question for reddit, ever!!!!1!!2
machagogo@reddit
I can't i.avine caring a out what someone is wearing (assuming they are actually clothed) in the lobby of a hotel
chi_moto@reddit
We went to a fairly nice restaurant downtown Chicago last weekend in rave clothes. Tshirt and shorts and sneakers. No funny looks or anything. Whatever you want to wear is fine
Odh_utexas@reddit
Difference between US and Europe:
U.S.: Nobody is paid enough, trained enough, or treated as a professional in the hospitality industry in the US. It’s grunt work J.O.B. It’s not considered a aspirational career. As a result employees don’t give a shit either. They do their job and go home. There is no reverence or glamour or love of the profession.
In Europe people working at a nice hotel consider it a professional job. They are trained, are respected and paid a little better. As a result there is a different culture and different amount of respect.
ChoosingUnwise@reddit
what are you on? there are entire hospitality schools in the us (such as Cornell) where people enter the field as a career.
DiddledByDad@reddit
Funny story but me and my wife got a really good deal to stay a weekend at the Ritz Carlton in Osaka. We made it a point to dress as casually as possible and even walked into the hotel lobby wearing the goofy ass hats we got at Universal Japan.
The concierge, bless his heart, said the hat was awesome and asked if I was wearing a Luigi hat (it was Yoshi)
lorgskyegon@reddit
Last couple hotels I stayed at (and they weren't that fancy) had rules against pajamas in the breakfast room.
cgund@reddit
Yeah Residence Inn doesn't love it when you're down for breakfast in PJs.
MermaiderMissy@reddit
Right and who is gonna get all dressed up for breakfast? You just woke up. You get ready to go after eating breakfast, typically. And I say this as someone who dresses very nicely for work.
Rockfell3351@reddit
I can't really imagine caring about what someone is wearing just about anywhere, as long as bits are covered. But at a hotel breakfast?! I'm not even awake; I'm gonna be comfy for sure!
shelwood46@reddit
Yeah, a lot of people are just dashing from their room. If they aren't leaving the building, who cares.
FauxmingAtTheMouth@reddit
Even then it depends on what bits we’re talking about
Someguyinamechsuit@reddit
So long as you're not naked and you're wearing shoes you won't be barred from entering most public places.
pdperson@reddit
There isn’t a rule but I’m an American and have self respect and don’t wear shorts/ crocs at all and dress to suit my venue.
Strict_String@reddit
It’s worth noting that nowhere in France is nearly as far south as the vast majority of the United States. Dress expectations, especially with respect to shorts, will be vastly different in South Florida than in North Dakota or New York State.
National-Pressure202@reddit
Alaska might be the most casual imo… not uncommon to see jeans in a fancy restaurant.
Emotional_Shift_8263@reddit
The dress code has all but disappeared in restaurants
MilsYatsFeebTae@reddit
If a venue or event has a dress code, they’ll mention it. Otherwise you might get judged, but a) I don’t think hotel clerks take THAT much pride in their work, and b) I have met at least a dozen millionaires who dress like complete schmucks.
omnipresent_sailfish@reddit
We’re a casual society
nothinnews@reddit
It's not just that but you have to keep in mind outside of summer most of Europe is on average cooler than most of the U.S., this is basically like asking why Americans don't love tea as much as Brits or why we build our homes out of wood rather than stone.
ShowScene5@reddit
Speak for yourself. In florida our homes are cement block.
CatPurrsonNo1@reddit
I saw a LOT of cement block houses and apartments when I lived in Florida.
I can appreciate the practicality of it, but damn they’re ugly and institutional-looking!
snapsfortiffany@reddit
I love a brightly colored stucco house, which are very common in Florida. They're very hurricane-resistant, too.
FlatulousStanko@reddit
Speak for yourself. 4 houses I've lived in in Florida, and all were wood. Family worked in construction, and most building is done in wood.
ShowScene5@reddit
I have lived here 30 years and have watched homes built all around me and literally none of them are wood. I have never seen a wood framed new construction home being built.
Central florida.
Statewide 75 percent of new construction is block, which contrasts with the national average of 90% wood.
FlatulousStanko@reddit
I lived in Florida from 1983 to 2018. While new construction may be block, existing was majority wood. My houses were built in 1985, 89, 93 and 97. I lived in Central Florida until 2001 and Jacksonville after that. Family all over the state. Construction family in Central Florida.
rabid_houseplant_@reddit
Building in wood is cheaper, so there’s a lot of it. But when you’ve got a hurricane bearing down on you, concrete block feels pretty good.
78judds@reddit
Maybe south florida. Grew up in central, live in north, all wood frame homes.
LinuxLinus@reddit
I remember being made fun of for wearing shorts when I first arrived in France at the age of 16. I wish I'd had the wherewithal to say, "You try doing summer anywhere in the continental US in slacks and then let me know how you feel about men wearing shorts."
Seriously, I come from probably the mildest part of the lower 48 (wet side of the Cascades in the PNW), and we still had many days that are hotter than it ever, ever gets in much of Western Europe. These days we get days, sometimes a lot, in the neighborhood of 40 degrees celsius.
whimsical_plups@reddit
As long as you have a shirt and shoes and attire isnt objectively crass, you're probably fine.
Acrobatic-Key-127@reddit
Crocs are objectively crass.
whimsical_plups@reddit
Fair enough but I meant graphics tees of your grandmother's anal beads.
fbibmacklin@reddit
I also choose this man’s grandmother’s anal beads.
Acrobatic-Key-127@reddit
Nah, that sounds like something Balenciaga would put out. Hot Cooter for sure.
shelwood46@reddit
It's fine as long as they have socks on too.
InterestingFact1728@reddit
Anyone else remember when restaurants had signs in the doors “No shirt, No shoes, No service”?
And that was in the 80s.
twxf@reddit
Many businesses still have that here in coastal California, where tourists come during the summer and think they can just walk around the whole city after a day at the beach barefoot in their swimsuits.
river-running@reddit
Even better: we have the option to be whatever we want. Two people can show up to the same public place, one in Crocs and pajamas and the other in tails and a top hat. If somebody wants to judge them, that's also their right. Everyone is free to do what they think is best for them. I love that so much.
Far-Plastic-4171@reddit
I was in Texas and went down to the lobby for some coffee at 5 am.
Dude was sitting there in an absolutely sharp suit and tie combo. And not a business suit. And it did not look like he was there from the night before.
Told him that was way to much style for 5AM.
SpecialistBet4656@reddit
There are places with dress codes, but only people who know about the dress code actually go to them.
SkinyGuniea417@reddit
Certain prestigous restaurants still maintain strict dress codes. It's more about keeping the lower classes out than something inherit to American culture.
Nkengaroo@reddit
Very occasionally a restaurant still enforce a strict dress code, but this are usually VERY upscale, and in very wealthy areas. I could get away with nice jeans and a decent top in an upscale place in Memphis, TN, whereas in the upper east side in Manhattan I would get some chilly stares and my reservation might "disappear".
Oreo_Cow@reddit
It's a shame, but very few fine hotels or restaurants have a dress code these days. "Business casual" is the generally the highest bar and they don't throw you out if ignored. I've had meals at Michelin restaurants next to guys dressed in athleisure pants, a hoodie and trainers. I can't recall the last time anywhere required a jacket much less a tie. There are exceptions, someone noted New Orleans, but it's rare.
MisterHEPennypacker@reddit
Yeah we keep it casual. I personally see no reason to dress up just to check into a hotel. Nice restaurant, absolutely.
I remember in Cannes seeing some British guys get denied entry to a casino, I found that interesting. I mean, it’s a casino. They’d literally rather turn down free money than have to deal the horror that is shorts and a t shirt.
YwTv367v@reddit
There are certainly lesser standards for manner of dress in the U.S. Only rarely will you not be served. That doesn’t mean that staff and other customers don’t look down on people who dress too casually. However, being a snob, or acting like a snob, is looked down upon even worse.
PopEnvironmental1335@reddit
I try to dress ok, but my gym is next to a Michelin started restaurant and I’d be lying if I said I never got an early dinner there in my ratty workout clothes. The only limit is your own sense of shame.
Nagroth@reddit
Unless you're going to an actual Formal Event, the only people who get "dressed up" are poor people who spend all their money trying to look rich.
crevassedunips@reddit
I volunteered at the Detroit Opera House. Gorgeous venue. I saw some lovely gowns but some people also came in jeans. I work at a law firm in a fancy skyscraper. Everyone is dressed casually/in jeans if they are not going to court.
Square_Band9870@reddit
American people I know would think that was a classless way to behave. I have not seen this at 4 & 5 star hotels. People I know won’t leave their house in pajamas.
ileentotheleft@reddit
Bare (filthy) feet seemed to be the norm when I was in Santa Cruz a few years ago. I felt dressed up wearing flip flops.
RedneckBorealis@reddit
The easiest rubric is to assume that America treats money in the way that Europe treats class. Tech and energy - with their informal dress - produced so much extreme wealth that elite service and hospitality businesses adapted. The result is that, within reason, high end restaurants and hotels frequeny accept more casual attire because they know it often says little about the dimensiom that matters here: wealth.
Questions_Remain@reddit
Here the mediocrity is only superseded by the apathy and main character syndrome. The only reason they bother at all with clothes is that laws prevent nudity - and the average American would have an aneurism if they saw a nipple or a penis. Nudity is ultra taboo here - people have seen a nipple in the wild and almost died. It’s a county of hypocrisy, prudes and propaganda.
The funny thing is the person wearing pajama and crocs will criticize someone whose appropriately dress like - “look at that couple who think they are better than everyone else” not the other way around.
Holykatz@reddit
Civility and decorum are no longer something Americans worry about, but it wasn't always this way. People used to "dress" for dinner, events, and travel, as recently as the 1980s, but over time, we've relaxed. A lot.
WideGlideReddit@reddit
If a certain dress code is expected, it’ll be posted.
makeherbeg4it@reddit
This is America...we dress how we want. You will still get judged for it, but not as collectively as in Europe.
BusyBullet@reddit
There are no rules here. Americans wear whatever they want wherever they go.
My wife and I are talking about moving to Italy and she was sure to tell me all about how I will need to pay more attention to how I dress.
And, apparently I won’t be able to go out with wet hair.
inadequatepockets@reddit
If you're going to a wedding, a very fancy restaurant, and maybe the ballet/opera, dress up. Otherwise, as long as you're covered and have reasonable hygiene no one really cares.
Goodbykyle@reddit
Very normal!
blooddrivendream@reddit
Hotel breakfasts are especially lax, regardless of whether or not the restaurant is fancy.
AppropriateCattle69@reddit
Wait until OP sees what men wear to swimming pools here as opposed to France.
G-Beach-8566@reddit (OP)
Ils portent quoi ? Je vais dans les piscines des hôtels mais je suis souvent seul.
AppropriateCattle69@reddit
Swimming trunks or board shorts. Not a speedo to be found.
G-Beach-8566@reddit (OP)
Ah oui c'est pareil en France. À moins d'avoir un corps de rêve, peu de monde porte un "moule bite". Et j'ai pu lire que aux USA c'est limite le speedo ? Il faut éviter ?
NetFu@reddit
You must wear clothes and foot-covers. That's it. It's a benefit.
I'm fine seeing people in their pajamas as long as they are relatively clean and not like they just slid out of bed. And everything is covered.
I_Weep_for_Willow@reddit
Unfortunately, in the US it's fine to walk around like you just rolled out of bed.
TheSkiGeek@reddit
Very, very fancy restaurants or bars might have a dress code. Or maybe a country club. But that’s about it. In touristy areas it’s anything goes.
ShesGotaChicken2Ride@reddit
It’s pretty casual here, but as an American, I find it deplorable when people wear pajamas in public.
champ11228@reddit
A few restaurants might have dress codes but that's about it. The hotter the area the more accepting high end restaurants will be about shorts. Also West Coast tends to be more casual than the Noetheast in general.
Decnav@reddit
Required uniform for eating food seems dumb, but I'm biased and think suits are a relic of times past.
paddlepedalhike@reddit
Embarrassing. We have some sloppy Americans.
blueboxbandit@reddit
Americans can't afford vacations and clothes AND healthcare.
Emily_Postal@reddit
Some individual establishments may have dress codes such as collared shirts, or no ripped jeans, but more and more places don’t care.
I think it’s California’s influence. Athletic wear for every occasion.
__The_Kraken__@reddit
Fun Fact: There is actually a taco stand that has a Michelin star. So you don't always have to dress up to go to a Michelin starred restaurant!
As you have seen, Americans are more casual on average than the people in France. Living in Texas where a hot day is 40 C, I don't bat an eye at shorts, even in nice restaurants. But I will say, last year my husband and I had dinner at a nice steakhouse, and the woman at the table next to us was wearing a nightgown with a cartoon character on it and Crocs. I tried not to stare, but it did cross my mind that that was taking it too far!
billymondy5806@reddit
They do sell nice dress shorts for men and women. Sorry, but in July and August I’m not wearing long pants. Unless it’s a work event.
ToastetteEgg@reddit
There are few if any personal standards anymore. Welcome to America.
pikkdogs@reddit
The only rule is the ones that are enforced. Sometimes restaurants will have rules that they enforce. If not, it’s anything goes.
Mushrooming247@reddit
It started in the 1990s with the tech boom in the US, a lot of the young tech bros were college students who dressed like bums, and had no social skills or awareness, but mastered computers before everyone else.
So suddenly, the worst-dressed person in the room or on the plane was likely the most wealthy and powerful.
Everything changed then, and dressing down became a sign of success, that you were just so impossibly wealthy and successful you could not be bothered to wear anything uncomfortable.
And when kids saw their parents no longer dressing nicely for work, it all collapsed, and they started to wear pajamas and bedroom slippers to school. And now those kids are adults and do not care what they wear.
ReindeerFl0tilla@reddit
I guess, but have some self-respect and awareness of your surroundings.
At home and running errands, I’ll wear gym shorts and a t-shirt. But if I’m at a nice hotel or restaurant, I up my wardrobe game.
Littleboypurple@reddit
Unless there is a specifically stated Dress Code. Whatever is really fine within reason. If people wanna glare at me for wearing shorts at some fancy place, they can stare all they want. I'm paying good money to be here for a good time and to enjoy myself, not to impress some strangers I'll probably never see again in my entire life and said strangers are pathetic if my shorts wearing appearance is enough to ruin their night.
New-Sheepherder2239@reddit
I agree we’ve gotten way too casual in general. My wife has always been very stylish, and I dress like I’m going out to play 18 holes. Unless it’s a truly dressy or formal occasion, we’re almost always over dressed.
I think it started with “casual Friday” a couple of decades ago. Most decent people had Church Clothes but between declining attendance and casual Churches, many people only dress up for special occasions. Suits, dresses and pantsuits were staples at funerals but you’ll see just about anything. And it’s not just poor people either.
Ok-Astronaut2976@reddit
There aren’t rules.
Do whatever you want.
sean8877@reddit
"The line" is don't be a judgemental dick head when people don't meet the imaginary dress code in your head
gagnatron5000@reddit
No shirt, no shoes, no service.
Other than that it's fair game unless a dress code is posted on the door or the invitation.
Ok_Two_2604@reddit
25 years ago I was interviewing for an internship at a law firm in Silicon Valley. Got the internship, but my boss told me to never wear a suit again bc it scares people. I showed up every day in shorts and a t shirt, except I wore a polo for depositions and such.
kwerdop@reddit
We’re much less judgmental than our European cousins. Some clubs and restaurants will have dress codes though
Colonelmann@reddit
Bonjour France has class, we don't.
sean8877@reddit
I prefer to be class-less if it means not dealing with dickheads giving "cold stares" because you're not meeting the imaginary dress code in their head.
Bright_Eyes83@reddit
we used to hand out cold stares like candy, but they didn't do anything so we stopped caring
fraksen@reddit
At my in-laws country club in MO every dining area has a different requirement. It drives me crazy.
LankyJeep@reddit
Unless a dress code is posted anything that covers your chest and legs is acceptable for clothing, there are definitely stereotypes about people who wear pajamas out and about, but otherwise it’s pretty normal to wear whatever you want
Personally I wear a baseball cap, jeans, work boots and a long sleeve or T-shirt every day I’m not at work, I’ve gone to some pretty fancy restaurants dressed like that and still not been the most under dressed person in the room too. But in reality most fancier places (200+ bucks a plate) require business attire or business casual clothing to be allowed in.
yyythoo@reddit
You are right to criticize us for this
sean8877@reddit
Nah, let us be slobs. Who TF are we trying to impress? French tourists? Who would give us dirty looks in the home country. Nah fuck that shit.
Ok-Equivalent8260@reddit
I couldnt care less what someone else is wearing
Future-Cry5734@reddit
Some restaurants have dress codes but they are the minority. As an American, I think that we are broadly too casual but I am also uninterested in policing the attire of others so 🤷♂️
aliendepict@reddit
Depends on the region. Colorado is especially relaxed. In my state you would normally wear jeans or chino style shorts with a shirt thats got a collar on it to a nice dinner. For a 5 star hotel breakfast probably rocking a sweater, shorts and some sliders though. I personally go to many 5 star hotels in europe and i always wear some version of sweater, shorts, and nike slides
sean8877@reddit
No one gives a shit here as long as you are covering your privates and don't stink like BO.
tenehemia@reddit
The only occasions where a high end dress code are really enforced would be places where fancy folks congregate and where other fancy folks are sitting in your presence for a period of time. As you said a Michelin-starred restaurant might be one of these. Most of the others in that category are private events, not just places where you walk in off the street. A hotel lobby could be a fancy place, but it's also not a place where people are expected to exist in the company of strangers beyond the time it takes to talk to the concierge.
Also, the wealthier and fancier the folks in question, the more latitude they have about dress code. Extremely wealthy people can show up in jeans and a t-shirt because the business in question would rather have their money and maybe wrinkle the noses of other guests than not.
Roger-PHL@reddit
I am so old-fashioned. I felt bad going to a grave-side funeral service in blaze, white shirt, no tie instead of dark suit, tie, black shoes. The deceased's brother wore a seersucker jacket and a Hawaii shirt.
Ok-Possibility-9826@reddit
Honestly, I don’t find a blazer and a white button down and no tie particularly offensive for a funeral. I think being formal is fine and it doesn’t disrespect the decedent.
Honestly, I think we should dress how the decedent would want us to dress.
Any-Instruction-3373@reddit
I was at a funeral where the guy in front of me was wearing a Pink Floyd tee shirt.
My family wears black suits and dresses.
Artios-Claw@reddit
Crocs belong at home or camping, full stop.
shelwood46@reddit
Most places do expect you to wear some kind of shirt and shoes, but they care much more about your credit limit than your outfit. If you can pay the bill, no one cares. Along with the fancy places you mentioned, the only other places that have written dress codes are usually dance clubs that have dress codes that are often borderline racist.
G-Beach-8566@reddit (OP)
Tu as des exemples de ces codes borderline raciste ? C'est intéressant. Des choses comme interdire le voile ou des signes religieux ?
stiletto929@reddit
Banning hoodies tends to be one.
shelwood46@reddit
Apparently it is called "Velvet Rope Racism" and there have even been scientific studies on it, it usually specifically calls out what is in fashion right then for Black folks (studies show it's primarily aimed at Black people), on the pretense that it is "gang-related".
maweegabee@reddit
Pants are good, too…😁
shelwood46@reddit
The sign does not mention pants, they should be more specific
RVAGooner@reddit
Money speaks louder than appearances here.
jess8771@reddit
This is hugely true. Decently well-off people will often be the ones that like, wear a tie to a family party on Christmas, or a sports coat to a restaurant. People with F-you money do not GAF. They will wear whatever they want because they can, and often it'll be comfortable because why the hell wouldn't you?
ThrowAwayIGotHack3d@reddit
Yeah that's pretty normal, I mean, for certain things you'd wanna be more formal, like a job interview, fancy dinner, but for day to day life dressing casually like that is normal.
It's common to see stores have signs that say "no shoes, no shirt, no service" essentially meaning as long as everything important I covered it doesn't really matter
Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeess-@reddit
The average American isn’t eating at full star Michelin restaurants or staying at 5 star luxury hotels
BluebirdJolly7970@reddit
The closer you are to water, the less clothes expected is something I’ve noticed in Florida. I’ve heard people care more about appearances in certain places like Atlanta or Los Angeles, but I cannot confirm.
Anesthesia222@reddit
Depends where in LA. Santa Monica Pier or Venice boardwalk? Anything goes. Beverly Hills or Brentwood—not so much.
musical_dragon_cat@reddit
Dress codes are few and far in between here. The only social places that have any sort of dress code are formal events and high-end restaurants. Private clubs have a different sort of dress code, but I doubt that's the kind of dress code you're referring to. Generally, you can go any place in the most casual attire and most people won't give a second thought, as long as you're not flashing anyone or wearing something abhorrently offensive like pro-Nazi imagery.
Timely-Youth-9074@reddit
There are places with a dress codes but they aren’t that common.
No one cares.
It’s not just US; when I was much younger, my Docs warped in the heat and I spent much of the summer barefoot in Northern Europe. No one cared, and unlike the US, no shops had signs saying I must wear shoes to enter.
phantomsoul11@reddit
No one’s going to say anything to you. They’ll just silently judge you and seat you accordingly, though many finer dining establishments do enforce a dress code, at least for and after dinner service.
neoslith@reddit
France? The place where you have to dress up to buy eggs?
Don't be comparing us to those uppity people.
jess8771@reddit
In Pittsburgh there will always be someone in sports jerseys or shirts at a funeral home
IM_RU@reddit
While my preference is for a bit more formality, I'm often reminded that the fact that you're wearing a tie (or shoes, or whatever), doesn't mean you're well dressed. As a young professional I got in an argument with a boss who insisted we all wear coats and ties when we left our internal offices. I pointed out that he bought his ties 10 for $10 outside the drug store. Simply wearing the stuff, doesn't mean you're well dressed.
KrazySunshine@reddit
I remember people would dress up to go out to the theater, restaurants, church, etc., but now being comfortable takes precedence and I love that.
VeryAwkwardCake@reddit
I don't understand this idea that anything other than pyjamas isn't comfortable
Any-Instruction-3373@reddit
The bank. I still to this day put on nicer clothes if I have to stop by the bank.
DanteRuneclaw@reddit
That's more about the psychology of wanting the banker to treat you like you're a serious person, though. And only really an issue if you're, like, doing serious person banking. Of course, if you're doing *really* serious person banking, then the banker will be more impressed by the numbers involved than by your outfit. But that's the whole crazy vs. eccentric spectrum.
shelwood46@reddit
When I was in college in the 80s, the big thing was "dress for the job you want" so even the daytime business students would wear suits to class. I was a theater major, so of course we dressed up like tourists and borrowed cameras from the art department and took pictures of all the other department's students on our quest to understand characters. We perhaps did not need to wear Hawaiian shirts and flip-flops, but we... were very obnoxious, as was our wont. (btw, the science majors were the only ones who figured out what were doing, fittingly).
ZookeepergameOk1833@reddit
Freedom. Less rules.
Thelonius16@reddit
I’m sorry our restaurant workers aren’t pretentious pricks.
Head-Awareness7393@reddit
Yes it is normal and I hate it. I wish people cared about how they looked.
OldBitty95@reddit
High end restaurants will typically say "jacket required" if you need to adheer to a dress code.
Aggressive-Emu5358@reddit
The line? Probably blatant indecency. I’ve been served at very high end restaurants before in running shorts, sandals, and a hoodie. Honestly that’s one of the uniforms of Colorado.
Proper-Application69@reddit
Some people are entitled to not dress for going in public. We refer to them as entitled people. There’s a whole sub Reddit dedicated to them.
Extra_Shirt5843@reddit
Unfortunately, anything goes now. Even the nice places rarely bother enforcing a dress code anymore.
CrySmart@reddit
Why be so judgmental?
G-Beach-8566@reddit (OP)
Où vois-tu une critique ?
CrySmart@reddit
You literally stated how judgmental the French are lol ex: a cold stare for simply wearing SHORTS.
G-Beach-8566@reddit (OP)
Ah dans ce sens, ok. Car on se soucis trop du regard des autres et du paraître. On cherche souvent à être le plus beau/belle et chic ou tendance. La mode est quelque chose d'important.
CrySmart@reddit
I get that. It’s fine to love fashion. Just don’t judge others who don’t care.
Pleasant_Studio9690@reddit
You're not missing anything. We're not big on cold stares in these parts, although there are regional exceptions where the norm is an outright sneer, rather than a stare. Looking at you, Ohio, and the two different old ladies who apparently didn't like my hot pink and blue hair. To be honest, I'd be more likely to judge someone who is obviously judging someone else, than I would be to judge the person they're judging. As long as people are just doing their thing and not intruding on others' enjoyment, note I said enjoyment and not others' expectations, obvious judgement just rubs me wrong. That said, I get that there are huge cultural differences between the US and Europe and why you might react differently than we might.
SgtDoakesSurprise@reddit
I’m more impressed by your proper usage and choice of wording: “…Michelin-starred restaurants or true jet-set venues.” A+ 🌟
No one really cares though. I’ve been in several airport Centurian lounges and you’d think it was a road side stop in the country somewhere with the farmer selling eggs and corn.
I will say some restaurants do have dress codes ranging anywhere from “no shorts” to “jacket required”.
Eric848448@reddit
Yes, normal. No rules.
jay78910@reddit
I swear sometime between 98-2002 (based on my experience) someone wore pajamas to an early class and it stuck. Those students grew up and applied the same dress code for trips to Walmart and then everything else.
yahgmail@reddit
Places with dress codes usually state them or ask patrons to leave if they come dressed inappropriately.
Troutmandoo@reddit
I’m an attorney. I have to talk to some of my clients about dressing for court. Button up shirt and slacks for men. I have to wear a suit, but not everyone has one. Just look presentable. No sweats, t-shirts, shorts. And, judges generally have a zero tolerance policy for hats in their courtroom. I’ve seen them stop mid-sentence to bark at someone about their hat. The last thing you want is a judge chewing your ass before you even finish closing the door behind you. Religious headwear is fine, of course. If you’re Sikh and wear a turban or Jewish and wear a yarmulke, etc. that’s allowed.
Bluemonogi@reddit
I’m 51 years old. I would not walk around even a 1 star hotel in pajamas. But I also don’t care very much about what other people think of my clothing choices. I would wear my nicest t-shirts and shorts to fancy places.
Maybe we are just less worried about strict rules here than you are in France.
Just_curious4567@reddit
Some nice hotels don’t allow you to walk around in your bathing suit in the lobby… they want you to be covered. A very few nice restaurants require a jacket for men and presumably something similar for women. I was with someone who was kicked out of a diner for wearing a robe.
Dress codes are specific to the venue, but for the most part, you just have to be wearing *something*
We are a lot more casual here in the states, even ceo’s of large companies will wear hooded sweatshirts. We’re also less judgmental here about what people wear. It just doesn’t really matter…wear what you want! It’s a free country here.
Twodotsknowhy@reddit
In the US, it's actually seen as rude to be openly rude to someone, especially if you work in costumer service. So while people may think less of someone for dressing too casual for an event, they aren't going to give them the "cold shoulder" so long as their money is still good.
Jonathon_G@reddit
Oh no… a French person will look at me with a mean look. That would incapacitate me.
Free_Divide195@reddit
In general, America is much more lax about everyday dress and dress codes than most anywhere else in the world. Very few people will judge you for wearing casual clothes anywhere, and fewer still will judge you so long as the quality of said clothes is slightly higher. I would have personal thoughts on someone wearing a short sleeve shirt and shorts to a wedding for example, but if it was a nice shirt and quality linen shorts I wouldn't make a fuss.
There are places where you'll be denied entry for not meeting dress code, but they are typically more exclusive venues (or areas with gang violence, where gang-affiliated clothes / colors are not permitted).
11B_35P_35F@reddit
Work attire is more lax too. My last 2 places have been casual. Not business, just casual. Sweatshirts, hoodies, jeans, shorts, whatever. Just nothing offensive (racist, exist, gang related, nudity, etc.) And nothing with holes.
somePig_buckeye@reddit
At my last job (retail) I had to wear black pants and a white or black top when o started in 2010 and no visible tattoos. It was at least 4 years before we could wear black and white print tops. Then about 2017 we could wear jeans and nice tops. Finally they okayed just about anything since we sold sweats and athletic wear. I now own 35 hoodies and sweatshirts.
Free_Divide195@reddit
Yeah, I just got a new job DT Seattle and had a ??? moment when my boss said I didn't need to 'dress up' for work... while I was wearing slacks and a sweater lol. It's funny being like... in the heart of the city but seeing all the tech bros wearing sweats and hoodies to the office.
I think Tacoma (where I live) might actually be a bit more fashion-forward than Seattle, just with the density of our artist community.
Responsible-Chest-26@reddit
Generally speaking, you mind your business. Someone wants to go to breakfast in a furry costume? Let em. Then rip on them in the car afterwards. We are too tired, overworked, and frustrated to care what we wear or to care what other people wear. Those that do care have nothing better to do
Ok-Possibility-9826@reddit
Dress codes for hotel breakfast sounds especially odd to me.
But yeah, in terms of leisure, nobody really cares unless it’s a Michelin restaurant or something or if the venue itself calls for a specific dress code. Other than that, dress codes are reserved for professional settings.
ChangeHealthy2666@reddit
Dress code is no shirt not shoes=no service
InterestingFact1728@reddit
As a kid I used to giggle that ‘no pants’ wasn’t included on the signs.
meimlikeaghost@reddit
Doesn’t have to be said because the fuzz takes care of that one.
AlmiranteCrujido@reddit
Most places, the law won't be bothered if you're out in a speedo, but many restaurants outside of the most casual of beach place will draw the line that your butt-cheeks are not touching their seats directly.
ChangeHealthy2666@reddit
I still wonder why they don’t include it on the sign when I see it
ChangeHealthy2666@reddit
I wouldn’t expect a dress code unless I had to make a reservation. I never go to restaurants that require reservations so I wouldn’t know what is culturally appropriate
PlusEnvironment7506@reddit
I refer to it as the Adam Sandler rule.
Playful_Marzipan8398@reddit
As in dress just slightly better than Adam Sandler would?? What is this rule
PlusEnvironment7506@reddit
Pretty much. And yes, I used to see him regularly. He is so nice.
Serious_Yam2439@reddit
If a place has an actual dress code it's be posted or you'll be told before your allowed to enter. Other then that just clothes that cover you.
stroppo@reddit
Because Americans are slobs. And yes, I'm an American.
G-Beach-8566@reddit (OP)
Je pense pas que ce soit une question de paresse si ? Je pense plutôt au regard des autres et le paraître. Je pense que vous vous foutez du regard des autres, contrairement à certains européens qui ont peur du jugement.
MM_in_MN@reddit
I’m not concerned with the opinions, or cold stares, of others.
If there is no rule for the establishment, I’m wearing what I’m wearing.
DanteRuneclaw@reddit
I mean, fair, but, like, come on. We're trying to have a society here. It doesn't kill you to dress properly for the occasion even if there's not a written rule. But, like, only for truly special occasions.
AlmiranteCrujido@reddit
I've made clear that if my wife wants a funeral for me, people are not to dress like it's s f***ing funeral. Metal band T-shirts or loud print shirts are optional, but encouraged.
mr_wheezr@reddit
If it's a funeral or wedding, sure, but anything else, it's not a big deal.
Appropriate-Bid8671@reddit
America elected a rapist pedophile for a president who is currently looting the fucking treasury completely unchallenged. We don't have a society anymore.
asphid_jackal@reddit
Why are you pretending like society will crumble if we're comfortable?
the_wyandotte@reddit
https://youtu.be/LHhbdXCzt_A?t=22
We're supposed to act in a civilized way!
MM_in_MN@reddit
True. But breakfast, while in a hotel restaurant, is not one of those occasions. Sweatpants and crocs are perfectly acceptable for rubber eggs and watered down juice.
Seeggul@reddit
One time on vacation in Park City, we had checked into our hotel room late and hadn't eaten dinner yet so we walked outside to see what was open. The only place still open with availability was a very fancy steakhouse (like 6 courses and $200 for a 2oz wagyu beef slice fancy). The table closest to us was dressed like they were headed to the Met Gala; I was clearly out of my element wearing my Donald Duck T-shirt that I had worn while driving. We were served all the same as any other paying customer, and whatever judgment the staff and other patrons may have had for us, they kept it to themselves. I would consider this experience typical for this kind of situation.
dbdiver@reddit
One of the Covid hangovers.
bigedthebad@reddit
I'm one of those people who really don't care what you wear. The whole myth about clothes make the man is just that, a myth. I worked at the state of Texas and at Whole Foods and saw some of the most worthless oxygen thieves wearing a suit and tie and some of the smartest, most capable people wearing shorts and flip flops.
Your clothing says nothing, period.
Crafty-Shape2743@reddit
We took your phrase of Liberté, égalité, fraternité and ran with it.
There really is no line among those who can pay. But the minute you are unhoused, it’s a whole other dress code.
Ok-Produce8376@reddit
Just because you don't get kicked out for wearing it doesn't mean you should wear it in public. I don't leave the house in pajamas and/or slippers unless I'm heading to the hospital.
ScatterTheReeds@reddit
I don’t, either, and I don’t understand or agree with being that “casual” (lazy).
Over_Knowledge_1114@reddit
You've never been to Walmart then, because that is the dress code there.
lezzerlee@reddit
One thing California especially is known for (but applies to much of the US) is the wealthiest people not dressing formally it at all. They wear t-shirts, jeans, tennis shoes, polo shirts or office level button downs.
Formal wear is job, event, or actual written dress code specific. Otherwise casual is the most common, including for restaurants.
evilr2@reddit
Eat at a fancy steakhouse in Beverly Hills and you'll see middle class people dressed up nice having a celebratory dinner while the rich locals and celebrities wear their their yoga pants, ripped up jeans and T-shirts.
fbibmacklin@reddit
If we vacation in a beach town, it’s shorts, tees, and sandals every day if we go out. Pretty much the same for everyone else, too. We are chilling. Casual attire is the status quo.
Ellemnop8@reddit
Some restaurants will have a published dress code, but in general, most places won't turn you away if you're dressed. Hotels, especially, are understanding of casual dress as it's expected that people dress comfortably while flying or driving long distances.
There's also a cultural idea from Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg that being the underdressed one in a room can communicate that you are high enough status to break the rules. Doesn't apply all the time, but some people (IME mostly men) subscribe to that and try to follow it when they think they can get away with it.
Mountain_Remote_464@reddit
So true, a hoodie and jeans is the uniform of the most experienced SWE.
G-Beach-8566@reddit (OP)
Merci c'est très intéressant.
YOLTLO@reddit
Just wait until you see someone in pajamas at the grocery store!
G-Beach-8566@reddit (OP)
Mission terminée ✅️
bloodectomy@reddit
Yes, well, we're better at fun and relaxation than y'all.
venus_arises@reddit
Just came back from a two-week vacation in Italy, and all the local girls are wearing athleisure while running errands, and guys speaking Italian are wearing shorts (and we've all been warned that adult men wearing shorts is not a thing). That said... Fashion is at SUCH an odd place for women in terms of silhouette and shape, and I think there's some spillage into the men, and we're all witnessing the casualization of people on vacation. You have to travel light, and as much as I wanted to do a "high heels and nice dress night" (I turned 37 on the trip), I can't justify that in a very tight space that Delta tells me to bring on board.
ElementalPink12@reddit
Why do French people hate shorts?
G-Beach-8566@reddit (OP)
On ne déteste pas. C'est juste pas très "stylé" ou tendance. C'est un peu vu comme un truc de vieux. Mais on en porte quand même en été je te rassure, surtout dans les régions chaudes.
Relative_Specific217@reddit
Kind of depends on where you are in the country, what the weather is like, what people are there to do.
Shorts are very standard in places that are hot and also in coastal areas. Especially if where you are staying revolves around outdoor activities or pools or beaches.
As far as pajamas and crocs at breakfast—I wouldn’t bat an eye at the that if I saw it at like a Hampton Inn or something, but I would give a little side eye if it were at a luxury hotel. Like at least wear nicer athletic clothes or something that’s not pajamas.
ScatterTheReeds@reddit
Where was this. Things have become a lot more casual in the span of my lifetime, over 60 years. Not everyone is that casual, though.
djSush@reddit
Some kids wear pajama pants and crocs to school allll the time
vinyl1earthlink@reddit
At the 5-star hotel, a $250 t-shirt is de rigeur.
asphid_jackal@reddit
Having worked in a 5 star hotel, absolutely not. If you're staying in the hotel, as long as you're clothed, that's all that matters. Not judging you based on your apparel is part of the luxury experience.
FlatChemist8132@reddit
As long as i look hygienic and not like a total slob, i dont really care what other people think. If i want to go to a great restaurant and wear lululemon leggings and a slouchy sweatshirt, that’s my business.
Old_Goat_Ninja@reddit
If I can’t wear shorts I’m not going. I wear shorts 24/7.
doomgeneration91@reddit
Yeah unfortunately it’s very normal here. People go to Walmart to shop in pajama pants and slippers. Hell I see dudes at the gym working out in pajama pants and slides
G-Beach-8566@reddit (OP)
Oui j'ai vu et j'adore 😆 si tu fais ça en France, tu termines sur Tiktok dans la minute et la vidéo fait le buzz.
Low-Palpitation-9916@reddit
If you don't mind looking like a fucking slob, you can get away with a lot. I think most fancy restaurants outside of a beach resort would heavily discourage shorts, but I live in Las Vegas and I've seen it all.
Fecapult@reddit
There's places where fancier dress is encouraged, but it's 40C and humid today. Not really trying to enjoy heat stroke for the sake of fashion.
slingshot91@reddit
We are very casual. I know some fancy restaurants have dress codes, but you’ll need a reservation for those and probably aware enough to show up in appropriate attire. Otherwise, it’s pretty much anything goes. You’d be shocked at what I saw growing up seeing people wear even to weddings or funerals.
West9Virus@reddit
Unfortunately our attire standards are in the gutter.
Myself though, I wouldn't even go out into the front yard in pajamas, let alone a public space.
Quirky-Invite7664@reddit
They just want your money.
Abject-Committee-429@reddit
No rules in the US except that you should probably be wearing a shirt and something that covers your butt
jellybeans_in_a_bag@reddit
If it’s a touristy restaurant anything goes even a fancy tourist restaurant go to some places that are fancy and not tourist attractions and you’ll see more Sunday best clothing at the least if not nicer
CCC_OOO@reddit
There are specific establishments that wish to reduce non-white patrons and that’s where you will see dress codes enforced but the reality is that they are designed to make some folks feel unwelcome. Yes if you are white and in the US you can wear whatever, shirt shoes shorts fine. If you are non-white there are specific places that will enforce dress codes.
Throwaway9902111415@reddit
All completely normal
ZealousidealAgent675@reddit
We have much larger issues than people arriving "under dressed" to hotel lobby free breakfast.
With the exception of the borat swimsuit, or that one teacher on Southpark... I don't care how you dress anywhere.
SkyPork@reddit
We're getting more and more "it's all about me; I no longer need to put any effort into fitting in" lately, and lazy casualness is part of that. There are still places with a dress code, and some of them are really popular, but I'm sure they get tired of having arguments every night with patrons wearing t-shirts. I'm in the desert southwest; it's arguably worst here, because half of the year it's so hot that you really can't dress up safely. But even here there are a few dress codes.
The fancy resorts you're talking about finally realized they value money over fanciness.
WrongJohnSilver@reddit
By the way, visibly judging someone for the way they dress (unless you run the place) is a great way to lose status in America. It's rude, and caring that much about others will make you look petty.
boopbaboop@reddit
Outside of specific formal circumstances, like weddings or court proceedings or your workplace, it’s generally acceptable to wear anything that covers the important bits (upper torso, genitals, and asscheeks) and something between your feet and the floor. It’s very common to do a quick grocery run in pajama bottoms and flip-flops, and was so even before COVID, though I think COVID made us even more tolerant of casual clothing in public.
I will say that certain places might have, not a specific dress code, but a vague, unspoken, and indefinite vibe. Like, it’s technically acceptable to wear jeans and a T-shirt anywhere, but at some churches in the South, the women there wear dresses with church hats, even though it’s not required. It’s also possible to be over-dressed, by the same principle: it’s not illegal or indecent to wear a ballgown at the grocery store, but it doesn’t match the vibe.
Importantly, though, even if someone isn’t conforming to an unspoken dress code, it’d be considered extremely rude to stare or say anything negative to the person. I like dressing up when I go to a restaurant or the theater, but I often see people in jeans and T-shirts and don’t ever speak to them.
crohnscyclist@reddit
The only place where there's a dress code persay is some nice restaurants but they will be explicitly labeled as such.
Mlady_gemstone@reddit
we care what people wear? i must have missed that memo. people wear what they want wherever they want as long as the naughty bits are covered an something on their feet no one cares.
Grindar1986@reddit
It's funny, my dollar is worth the same if I'm in shorts and a tube top or a tuxedo and either way, they want it. Capitalism, the great equalizer.
Glum-System-7422@reddit
OP i have stayed in fancy, famous hotels and i arrived at them after driving 5-8 hours. i looked pretty sloppy. a lot of our best hotels are on the beach so we’re gonna be extra casual too.
i personally don’t understand why shorts are automatically seen as worse than pants. i think nice shorts can be appropriate in most situations jeans would be
fludeball@reddit
Yeah. We're sweatpanted, ball-capped pigs here.
Cpt_Rossi@reddit
There is not enough shame for people being drastically underdressed in America
Triscuitmeniscus@reddit
Assuming you’re fully dressed, the only places you might actually get turned away due to attire are some fine dining restaurants, and even then the dress code may only apply at dinner. Some clubs will have a dress code too, generally in order to maintain the “vibe” they want.
Other than restaurants and clubs, some country clubs/golf courses have a dress code but most of the time that’s just “tuck in your golf shirt” and it’s unlikely to be enforced at all but the most upscale clubs if you aren’t being an asshole.
ladytal@reddit
It doesn't even apply (across the board) to Michelin starred restaurants. Not all of them are high end, have a dress code, or are so stuffily pretentious that they care. I wore jeans (and totally fit in) to the last three Michelin starred restaurants I went to.
Many-Rub-6151@reddit
Hate us cuz u aint us💯
Solondthewookiee@reddit
The only place you'll ever really encounter dress codes is upscale restaurants, and usually clean jeans and t-shirt are sufficient. If you're unsure, call the restaurant ahead of time.
Comfortable_Pepper63@reddit
Not for nothin but does no one really care about how they present themselves anymore? I am no fashion icon but I also don’t want to be in a nice, presumably expensive place with you heathens in your pajamas and crocs. Airplanes, hotels, restaurants, doesn’t matter. Have some self respect and put in a little effort. It’s not asking for much but it’ll go a long way, trust me.
UltraShadowArbiter@reddit
Yeah, unfortunately we don't really have a social dress code anymore. It, unfortunately, got thrown out the window in the name of laziness and comfort.
stiletto929@reddit
If you are going to a fancy restaurant, check their website to see if you have to dress up. You can walk into most places in shorts and a t-shirt though. Some clubs have dress codes.
Particular_Bet_5466@reddit
lol this is exactly what came to my mind. I remember going to a club once and they were telling these dudes they weren’t allowed in at the door because of their clothes, I remember dude was having a meltdown at the door over it which is why I overheard, and I just had like jeans and a tshirt on and they let us right past them without saying anything. It was clearly because they were dressed “urban”
EggplantAmbitious383@reddit
I’m sorry, but I giggled a little at what seems to be your mild shock at pajamas and crocs at breakfast.
I do that every time I’m at a nice hotel, except exchange the crocs for flip flops 😂 I’m hungry, and breakfast hours are limited, so when I roll out of bed I immediately head down to breakfast.
Decent-Structure-128@reddit
Honestly, as long as you’re covered up and not dirty/smelly, most places do not have a dress code, other than “no shirt, no shoes, no service…”
There are classy, elegant places where people dress up. They tend to be more expensive than most road trip stops. In Times Square, going to a broadway show, most people dressed up more.
witx@reddit
Maybe Americans are more live and let live. I’d notice someone super underdressed but wouldn’t give them a dirty look. It’s none of my business what other people wear.
superleaf444@reddit
If you have enough money you can dress however you want no matter where you go.
Phoenix_Court@reddit
People in hotels tend to be dressed casually because most of them are travelling and/or on vacation. So the clothes are a comfort.
As for restaurants, if they have an expectation of what their guests wear they will have a dress code and it will be posted either in person or online. If they don't have a dress code it means you can wear almost whatever you want.
Shoes and shirts are required basically everywhere.
AnswerMyThrowAways@reddit
May I direct you to this ongoing convention:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Vent/s/96Iaq3fvCl
Yes it's normal, no there is no rule, yes they look like slobs and it's awful.
G-Beach-8566@reddit (OP)
Merci je vais regarder. Affreux non, je trouve juste cela drôle et original. J'ai horreur de ces endroits où un déguisement est nécessaire.
SabresBills69@reddit
vacation areas tend to expect vacation clothes. if you are in a city like LA, some restaurants still have a dress code
Hot-Fig-8487@reddit
Yes - Americans dress very casually compared to other countries! We wear athletic clothes all of the time when we are out and about. My husband likes to wear sneakers and a t shirt when we go to nice restaurants, even if I dress nicely lol. His work clothes are also relatively casual, but everyone in his profession dresses that way.
There is basically no dress code unless it’s explicitly written somewhere. I’d say you’re spot on that no one really cares unless you’re at a Michelin star restaurant, etc.
Shorts are definitely acceptable as it gets very hot here. A nicer pair of shorts like khakis or linen shorts are considered nice enough for a nicer restaurant or space during warm weather.
rickybobbyscrewchief@reddit
Nicer night clubs, fancier restaurants, and something like a country club/golf clubhouse might have some dress code restrictions. But that's about it. Hotels? Never seen it in the US other than shirt and shoes required or no swimwear allowed.
Pkrudeboy@reddit
The only places I’ve been with a dress code have been country clubs and some real old school restaurants, and most of that was at least a decade ago.
voltairesalias@reddit
Unless it's a really formal place, wear what you dig man. Nobody cares.
Mikethemechanic00@reddit
Last Christmas had family visit from Germany. We told them not to dress up. The look on their faces when we wore matching pajamas was priceless. They wore suits and dresses. No one dresses up for holiday let alone in General. Not in the USA.
Interesting-Run-6866@reddit
No shirt, no shoes, no service. Everything else is fair game.
FerricDonkey@reddit
Well, don't pooh bear it either.
SockSock81219@reddit
No rules. In fact, I feel like the more casually you're dressed at an expensive restaurant, the more people assume you're a billionaire and this is basically McDonald's, to you. Showing up in a suit and tie to an Olive Garden, oh honey, that's sad, that's sad-poor, that's saying an Olive Garden is a super big deal to you.
It's sick. People should feel inspired to dress up to the level they feel most comfortable.
Some very old restaurants in very old cities might still have tie-and-jacket requirement for men, but that's pretty rare. Dress how you're comfortable. You may get judged if you're over- or under-dressed, but rest assured that means basically nothing in today's America.
sewiv@reddit
Why waste energy caring about what someone else is wearing? What kind of busybody are you?
Pinikanut@reddit
I ask my husband if I look homeless before we leave the house. If he says no, or "just a little" then I'm good to go.
(I'm not even kidding. I do this most days.)
G-Beach-8566@reddit (OP)
J'adore l'idée 😂
revengeappendage@reddit
Buddy, I got upgraded to the concierge floor of a Marriott one time. Rolled into their special lounge with free food and drinks for breakfast in my swimsuit, no shoes, lol. All the business travelers were actually super nice to me and helped me carry plates back to my room. Women too, not just men lol.
It’s a hotel. Rules are different. Except if they have actual sit down restaurants. If those are fancy you gotta dress fancy for them.
FWIW, I’ve been to France, and anything you do there gets you nasty looks lol
Samegenxgirl@reddit
“Someone came to breakfast wearing pajamas and crocs” do you want full glam at 8am Susan or can I have some coffee first?
Adjective-Noun123456@reddit
That there is no dress code unless explicitly stated otherwise.
CuteAmoeba9876@reddit
I have literally never been to a restaurant or hotel that had a dress code. And I like going to nice restaurants.
The rule is just that you must be wearing clothes. Bikini zones covered. That’s pretty much it.
Awsumth@reddit
When you say on the road I’m assuming you mean long distance (1+ hour) travel. It’s hot here, plus the temperature in the car can fluctuate quite dramatically. You’re going to want to wear something that is comfortable. And you’re not going to be rummaging through your suitcase to change for a hotel lobby
Aloh4mora@reddit
You have to cover your private parts.
Ideally, people shouldn't be able to see your underwear.
Uhhhhhh other than that... It's pretty much a free for all.
shammy_dammy@reddit
Yes, it's normal. Actual rule? Only if there's a dress code or it's an illegal level of exposure.
WonderfulVariation93@reddit
Unless a place has a dress code…pretty much where whatever you want.
Most stores have a “no shoes, no shirt no service”. That is prob our minimum.
CaliTexJ@reddit
American culture is extremely individualistic. Personal comfort surpasses presenting well much of the time. It kind of started in the late ‘90s when kids were wearing pajama pants to school, and many didn’t grow out of it. Plus, it became really cool to look like you didn’t care. Now, it’s just something we’re used to seeing.
maryjaneodoul@reddit
Casual. And the further west you go the more casual it is
rubiconsuper@reddit
Unless there’s a dress code do what you want. I mean you did pay for it, as long as it’s not disruptive or disrespectful to other guests it’s really a non issue.
LinuxLinus@reddit
It wasn't when I was a kid, but it definitely is now, at least outside New York (City) and DC. If there were any vestiges of dress code in most places, COVID killed them.
Range-Shoddy@reddit
“No shirt no shoes no service” beyond that… 🤷♀️ I’m not dressing up for an 8 hour road trip. I’ll dress appropriately after I’m in my hotel room. I don’t do pajamas at breakfast but I don’t judge those that do. Mainly bc I’m female and I’m throwing a bra on before I hit the food so I might as well go all the way at that point. I feel like lunch and dinner is different but I can’t explain it. Dinner especially I’m never rolling in underdressed. I’ve been to France a few times and it’s just not the same.
the-quibbler@reddit
Vanishingly few places have dress codes. Part of American egalitarianism.
Express_Barnacle_174@reddit
I used to walk into a fancy restaurant in San Diegoin shorts, t-shirt, and flip-flops when I was in the Navy. I went there regularly enough (and tipped well) that they happily greeted me when I'd wander in after deployment.
On the other hand, there's a Chinese restaurant in downtown Atlanta witha dress code I've never been to in the 10+ times I've been there for DragonCon because I won't be bothered to bring extrashoes that are closed toe, but not sneakers, as well as pants that aren't jeans or capris and a shirt that isn't a t-shirt.
No_Report_4781@reddit
You just didn’t notice the stares
whatisakafka@reddit
Have a shirt and shoes on is the only rule, and crocs or flip-flops definitely count as shoes. Even house slippers is barely bending the rules
Inspi@reddit
There's no universal dress code other than shirts and shoes being required in most businesses 99% of the time. Some upscale restaurants or clubs or whatever may have a dress code, but those are the exceptions, not the rule.
theDailyDillyDally@reddit
The fancier places will frequently have extra navy blazers for gentleman. Also, if you are underdressed they may sit you in the bar or outside as opposed to the more formal "dining room."
cygnus311@reddit
The only official dress codes I’ve ever encountered were at school, work, golf courses, and very high end restaurants. People are especially lenient in places where people are traveling, like hotels.
skaliton@reddit
It really depends on where you are. Most places don't care. But something like a fancy hotel event....the guy who looks like he rolled out of bed 30 seconds ago is the most important person there. He isn't there to impress anyone
DianneNettix@reddit
I hate to to break it to ya, but most of us don't even know you're there. If I'm wearing a tie it's because I'm trying to dress up for the people I'm with. I couldn't give a damn if you showed up in Daisy Dukes. Hell, that'd be pretty funny.
Scared-Quarter-6074@reddit
breakfast is lucky to see me with a bra on or even brushed hair at this point if i'm on vacation unless the place has a dress code or i'm going somewhere where pictures will be taken i will be looking like an actual rat
AdmiralChancey@reddit
One of the few things I love about my country is you can pretty much go where ever you want outside of bougie/over priced places dressed as you want, no body has the time to care
No-Lunch4249@reddit
Probably no one will say anything if you show up to hotel continental breakfast in your jammies but at least some of us will silently judge you
adultdaycare81@reddit
Always hilarious at the type of pretentious hotels that would be mad when some billionaire rolls up in shorts, hat and the polo from a course he plays. Like wtf are you going to say?
Rogue_Apostle@reddit
My teenagers go to school every day in pajamas and Crocs.
0le_Hickory@reddit
Covid shutdowns reset everything essentially. Formally is almost done.
Asparagus9000@reddit
There are restaurants with dress codes, but some of them will only enforce it if they're crowded.
moles-on-parade@reddit
If you're at a state dinner and your jacket has notch lapels, the top 2% of in-the-know people might judge you silently.
Anything shy of that and it's meh, whatever.
the_sir_z@reddit
I would never intentionally go to a restaurant with a dress code. Seems lame.
Drew707@reddit
It depends on the place and location, but generally we are very casual.
I live in a HCOL area that I describe as "agrichic", and there's a three Michelin Star place that's $350+/seat before wine and their dress code is essentially "no activewear". I am not aware of any place in the county that requires a jacket for men.
Less-Load-8856@reddit
Rule? We have no such hard rules.
It varies greatly by location, establishment, socioeconomic status, etc.
We're a casual country, in general, very much on purpose, and we like it this way.
Frosty_Employment171@reddit
Nice restaurant? Table clothes? You dress. Don't be a jerk.
I worked in nice restaurants and remember what one owner/manager said about a dress code; some people save all year for a night and a meal here and then to sit next to some schmuck in a tank top and gym shorts? Please.
Successful-Reason403@reddit
You don’t have to cross an ocean to find a different environment to France. Spain shares a border with France and is pretty casual.
Dignam3@reddit
The "dress code" is far more relaxed vs. many areas in the world I've been to. The only places you'd get weird looks for being under dressed are weddings, funerals, and maybe really fancy restaurants. Airports you'll see the whole range of outfits, and no one really cares. It's about being comfortable when you're crammed into a pressurized tube with strangers for hours.
According-Classic658@reddit
Some places have dress codes, but rare. You will notice a difference in service quality if you show up in pajamas though.
RingGiver@reddit
Having been to France, I got the impression that showing up anywhere in any condition could get you a very cold stare from the waiter.
Certain luxury hotrod's dining rooms might not seat you if you're underdressed, but they will generally tell you beforehand and you are, at the very least, allowed to show up, check in, and change in your room beforehand.
ExternalTelevision75@reddit
Basically everywhere is very casual
OpposumMyPossum@reddit
Australian and American outfits are about comfortable not impressing people.
France is way different.
jettech737@reddit
Most places just wants you to be clothed in general. A few select places have a bit more of an upscale dress code but they are not the norm.
Key_Floor298@reddit
If there is no official dress code on the website or door, you can wear what you want in a public space. Also no one might bat an eye but they might judge you internally. That only matters if you care what other people think.
ReadingRainbowie@reddit
Unless a place has a dress code you're good with almost whatever. You might get some looks though. As for shorts, we all wear shorts, it gets hot here!