Many posters are commenting about &quot;dress codes&quot; at Harrods - but the OP's friend was ejected from <u>FORTNUM &amp; MASON</u>.

I would think there is more to the story and it was more than just decent shorts and a tidy polo shirt that got him refused entry.

&quot;The best stores, clubs, and other establishments have no dress code&quot;

Correct, the people know how to dress. You don't walk around at eleven pm in shorts, sandals and t-shirts and expect to go to a bar. The same way you don't wear beach attire with legs that should be permanently hidden for their own sake when going to Fortnum's to purchase food..it would cause loss of appetites en masse.

I'm still laughing about the early post that mentioned &quot;well, healed&quot; British customers.

Maybe the bouncers are there to keep out the sickly and infirm.

Is that like &quot;deep pockets?&quot; :)

I am utterly amazed at the idea of the &quot;best clubs&quot; not screening for clothing. I guess those guys behind the ropes are too busy screening for proportionate body weight, how hot the girls are, how much cleavage they show, and what their &quot;social status&quot; or &quot;trendiness level&quot; are to be bothered with looking at their actual clothes? If this were true how come all the posts about what people should wear to get into the top clubs by passing approval of the guys on the door? What a bunch of baloney!

Gee, I guess that Jean Pierre Cassel's club in Paris only attracts low life. I'd better tell him :)

I just had to say something. London in 6 days yay! But I don't plan on going to Harrod's or Fornum &amp; Mason. It's their store but if the store that I&quot;m providing with business is going to tell me how to dress then I need to take my money elsewhere. Now I do understand restaurants and clubs having a dress code to an extent but a dept store? That's a bit much. So thanks yall I know where not to go shopping while in London.

Now I love to go out to clubs and stuff but will try to stay away from those that require a dress code, if there is one I can just take my money elsewhere. So I'm definately agreeing with AnthonyGA. Now I personally don't wear shorts to th club but if that's what someone else wants to do why should I care?

Now for the ones that are making comments about people wearing shorts, you don't need to be at the beach to wear shorts. If it's hot it's hot. Some people like to wear shorts and flip flops even if it's not that hot. Also fashion trends are localized. It's silly to think that one isn't going to carry the fashion trends from their hometowns with them on vacation. So make sure you're looking good and don't worry about what someone else has on.

Terrence

The clubs with the ropes and waiting lines and dress codes and bouncers are not the best clubs; they are merely highly visible clubs, which are not the same things.

The same is true for stores and restaurants.

High-profile establishments are places in which people are primarily interested in seeing and being seen (the soccer mom from Wisconsin hoping to see Brad, for example). If one is interested in relaxing, dining, or shopping, one goes elsewhere. Places that specialize in maintining high visibility have dress codes and bouncers, because the theater they encourage is their only asset. Other places have no bouncers because only serious clients walk through the door to begin with, and no dress codes because the right people are the right people no matter how they dress.

&quot;The clubs with the ropes and waiting lines and dress codes and bouncers are not the best clubs; they are merely highly visible clubs, which are not the same things.&quot;

That is true, but every bar and club has an unofficial, unwritten dresscode. For instance, no smart hotel bar would let anyone sit there wearing shorts and trainers. They wouldn't be asked to leave because they are inappropriately dressed, they would find that every table was reserved, the bar is full, you suddenly have to be a member etc. etc.

Would you expect a department store to let someone walk around in swimwear? It's just like any other environment, there must be a certain tone and standard set. It is not right for the staff to have to deal with someone wearing shorts that should've been thrown away several decades ago. Shorts are fine for men under thirty with good legs, and at a pinch, a man under forty when by the sea.

I have no problem with Harrods enforcing a dress code. As MKingdom says, it is about setting a tone. If I wanted to shop in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, I could stay home and shop at Dillards.

Absolutely not. Believe me, you'll see anything and everything on your fellow tourists.