Dress Codes and Celebrities

Dress codes at many restaurants have changed over the years. The public looks to celebrities for many things, including what to wear, what to drive, where to vacation, where to dine, and even how to behave. Designers from all walks of life notice this and even rely on it. They cater to the whims of the celebrities creating one of a kind fashion outfits, jewelry pieces, accessories, and even home furnishings.

Restaurant owners are no different. Although they will cater to celebrities and their every whim, they will also make allowances for them, allowances that they would never have made in the past.

In particular, dress codes in certain fine dining establishments have been relaxed, so to speak, partly due to the influence of our revered celebrities. Although the result is unintentional, the way the celebrities dress in public has a direct link to what has become an acceptable dress code in most upscale restaurants.

If a celebrity, such as a movie, sports, or rock star, enters a restaurant in very casual attire, such as, dress shirt, torn jeans, and sneakers, more likely than not, the star is permitted entrance. In addition to this, he or she is also given excellent seating, where visibility is high and noise is at a minimum.

To all eyes, it appears that the individual has been rewarded for his or her style of dress. The truth of the matter is, simply put, a famous customer is better than no customer at all.

Celebrities have gotten used to their status; and they enjoy the special perks that it generally provides. They have created images for themselves, complete with clothing and hairstyles. They are not about to dress in a jacket and tie just to dine in an upscale restaurant, unless, of course, that is their typical style of dress. Consequently, many restaurant owners no longer feel that they can enforce a dress code for the average customer if they do not enforce it for the celebrities.

Restaurant owners have dealt with the struggle between their desire for a strict dress code and the public's desire to dress down. A whole gamut of dress down days exist in the world today, including school holiday dress downs, wear a ribbon and support your favorite cause, to the Friday dress down days at work.

When dining out, people prefer ultra casual to dressy and sophisticated. The banker's look is no longer the typical diner's choice, nor is the suave and tasteful look making its appearance on a frequent basis.

The lack of sartorial standards has become an epidemic that has spread from the much more relaxed western seacoast to the eastern seacoast. Although certain cities, such as New York and Chicago, have held out and still suggest, hope, and request appropriate attire in their fine dining establishments, fewer restaurant owners even consider doing so.

Perhaps this lack of a strict dress code is a fad, a passing fancy. After all, hemlines go up and down, jackets come on and off, and fashion changes. Perhaps, in time, strict dress codes will make a comeback. Perhaps celebrities will decide that dressing up is acceptable even just for dining out.