Jacket/tie for dinner in France?
 

We will be in France for 2 weeks in Sept, and just starting to get a packing list together. My husband wonders if he should bring dress shoes, jacket and tie for dinners? I think he can get away with nice short sleeved shirt and grey slacks. Would hate to have to pack extra black shoes and jacket if it is not necessary - but he does like dressing nicely and fitting in!

Where are you going in France?
We've been going to France for years & my husband wears a sport coat on the plane & packs 2 dress shirts (more casual type, stripes, checks, etc.) no tie, and he fits in any of the places we go for dinner.

We'll be in Paris in Sept......could be warm, could be a bit cooler & need a jacket at night anyway.

If you're planning a very upscale dinner in Paris he may need a coat & tie.

Just one Fodorite's opinion.

I never wear a tie. A dam every week in a French restaurant.
Am wearing a jacket 5% of the time.

It depends on the place. Even at Michelin starred restaurants, I see a whole range of what people wear: from slacks and shirts, with sweater, sport coat, or suits. Those catering to traditional business people would naturally have a lot of business diners with suits.
For clothing expectations, they sometimes slip in some verbiage in inconspicuous part of webpages. Sometimes you see them when you click the reservations button. You might see wordings such as "Appropriate dress code ... T shirts, shorts and sports clothes will be refused," "Formal dress required," "For men, a jacket is required for dinner." etc.

Depends completely on where you will be eating. At pleasant restaurants - yes with linens and crystal - suit and tie are not necessary.

At some very upscale places they do require a jacket but does not need to be a suit or tie and a more colorful shirt is fine. Not sure what you mean bey "dress shoes" - to me that would be those going with a tuxedo. Should be real shoes rather than sneakers - but loafers or similar would be fine.

If in doubt check the web site for either specific instruction or photos of diners.

Your husband will probably need a long-sleeved shirt and possibly a cardigan or pull-over sweater in September. This would get you in anywhere in Paris.

No tie or sports coat unless eating in a place that costs more than 100 EU per person, without wine. "Big deal" restaurants like Tour d'Argent, etc, put on a show for their customers and expect that they will play their part and dress up to make it fun for everyone.

Shoes do not matter - absolutely nobody will look at anyone's feet. You can always claim you had bunion surgery.

I would emphasize having a long-sleeved shirt or two. Brooks Brothers no iron cotton shirts are great because they look good after hand washing.

My memory doesn't show nearly as many short sleeve shirts in Paris as in the US, though I have worn a black blazer over a black t-shirt without provoking negative reaction.

If your husband is good-looking and wants to be on trend, a black blazer over a white shirt; dark trousers, even jeans; and a two day beard will make him fit right in!

I'd turn the question around. I wear casual clothes on holidays, and never pack a tie. I might describe my style as ranging between "smart casual" and "downright scruffy". I have never had a problem with dress codes in restaurants, even those that offer a proper dining experience. And if I found a place that didn't suit how I dress, then I'd simply go somewhere else - and not feel disappointed.

Listen to the Europeans here in this thread - we are eating every week in fine restaurants.

Jackets and ties are worn by business people.

Those who can afford to pay for themselves wear what Americans call "smart casual".

(Same with hotels. In luxury hotels, you hardly find a gentleman wearing a suit, let alone a tie. Suits and ties are typical for business hotels like Hilton, Marriott etc.).

In Europe, it is not the dress code that counts but the overall impression you make.

I have seen men in shorts in Michelin-starred restaurants (admittedly on hot days), but they managed to look quite elegant with short-sleeved polo shirts and decent shoes and were treated well by the waitstaff and the chef.

Even in 3-Michelin-star restaurants I had worn short-sleeved polo shirts, and often, when you appear with a jacket, the waitstuff will offer to take the jacket to the cloakroom. So why packing a jacket into a suitcase when it lands in the cloakroom anyway?

If you really want to behave bad in a fine French restaurant, then order cola and ketchup!

If you order a set menu and a bottle of wine, you will be treated well. It is not necessary to order a grand cru classé (everyone can do that). The true connaisseur is able to find excellent drops at the upper end of the wine list.

"My husband wonders if he should bring dress shoes, jacket and tie for dinners?"

Nope. He can even wear shorts.

I always bring a blazer, though I agree with those above who say it isn't necessary. I like the extra pockets when traveling. I no longer pack a tie. I never wear shorts in any city, period. It's my contribution to urban beautification.

I think that if anyone is insecure enough to ask about wardrobe options on a public travel forum, this means that he/she probably could not (or wouldn't want to) carry off the "m'as-tu vu?" attitude required when going to high-class restaurants wearing shorts and a polo shirt.

Most of "those customers" are VIPs, and well-known to the staff.

I've seen otherwise perfectly respectable people turned away at popular Parisian bistros because the men were wearing tank tops and shorts.

A tank top is a no-go.

And I cannot imagine a respectable person wearing one.

My husband usually wears a sports coat and he likes wearing a tie (never has to dress up for work, so enjoys doing so on vacation). He will often do this and wear very dark, nice jeans .That said, we are usually over-dressed for most restaurants that we go to.

I gave up wearing ties when I reached 50. I felt that if the President of Iran could get away with it, so could I.

I only pack a jacket if Mrs B wants me to, so for a wedding or a party.

Shiny shoes, never was in the military.

I visit Frane most every year for the past 40. I guess I've worn a jacket on 4 occasions, nearly always because I have driven by car from the UK.

I once took a Jacket to the states, never again.

I would not schlep (by air) a Jacket or shiny shoes to France to make some maitre de happy. If he has a problem he will find me a Jacket or I'll eat elsewhere and since I normally eat Michelin 1 star at least once a trip (sometimes more) I have never been asked to do so.

But do say hello and goodbye to the staff.

Tell to "GOOGLE" images

france restaurant or cafe or bistro

You might also add the name of town where you'll be.


He should get the idea.

Just to address one issue, IME, short-sleeved shirts, whether polo or cotton, are uncommon with French men, except for rural inhabitants at a communal dinner or barbecue, in which case they consider that a nod to "getting dressed up." Plus, September weather could very well not be suited to short sleeves.

Jacket, tie, and "dress shoes" are unnecessary, though you are likely to see some very nice men's footwear in France. Maybe he'd like to buy a pair there, NOT shiny ones.

<i> I gave up wearing ties when I reached 50. I felt that if the President of Iran could get away with it, so could I. </i>

My husband thinks that Sergio Marchionne (CEO of Fiat Chrysler) is copying his style of dress, never anything more formal than a sweater and sports shirt. He only wears a tie to weddings of immediate nuclear family members.

<i> I only pack a jacket if Mrs B wants me to, so for a wedding or a party.
</i>

If I suggested that my husband pack a jacket, he would tell me to go alone and leave him at home.

bvlenci :-)

Spring, summer, fall, my husband wears non-logoed polo shirts and cotton pants for travel. He usually brings Ecco leather shoes and nicer looking hiking shoes. That's pretty well it, and it's easy to fit into a carry on.

I once talked him into bringing a nice crisp Oxford cloth shirt, and it never left the suitcase. I also encouraged him, early on in our travels to bring a navy blazer to wear with dark jeans, like at home, but, really, it didn't make sense space wise.

He's always very well groomed, polo shirts clean and tucked in with a good leather belt, and we've never been refused entry, never even felt uncomfortable. He'll choose more conservative colours for an evening restaurant, rather than an orange or yellow golf shirt.

I see all the no options for a sport coat but my husband likes to wear one on the plane(take it off & put it in the overhead while flying) for the pockets and for a jacket with a casual shirt & jeans if it's cooler at night.

Since we travel with a carry-on only this means that he doesn't have to pack it. As far as shoes----not shiny for sure but, as said above, Ecco leather shoes are comfortable & look good with anything.

There really isn't a right or wrong on the jacket issue. For us, it just comes down to how often will something be worn. Space is too precious to be taken up by anything that doesn't work hard.

Having said that, I brought a leather jacket to Scotland this past May. It was either that or a down jacket that could fit into a small pocket. Obviously, the down jacket was way more space efficient, and would have layered so much easier, but I really wanted something a little dressier. Sometimes you just gotta be a little impractical!

If your husband normally wears a sports jacket, and likes wearing a sports jacket, that's obviously fine.

I myself wouldn't take a leather jacket on a trip. You can't wear it in the rain, it doesn't really keep you as warm as a windbreaker and a wool sweater (which can be worn separately as well), it's hell to pack, and I would probably spill something on it that would require an expensive cleaning when I get home.

In fact, a wind-and-rain-resistant jacket with a hood and a wool sweater are my standard outerwear in spring and autumn.

blvience...lol. I wouldn't normally take a leather jacket either! I actually did bring a wind and rain resistant coat with hood, and a fleecy.

For some reason, on this trip, I really wanted something nicer. It actually earned its keep, but I doubt I'd do it again. ��

Most people have no clue how to dress well. It's not like you're born knowing what to do.

Most people have no sense of style. If you have it, you tend to really stand out in a crowd. Acquiring style requires talent, and the talent needs to be nurtured. The vast majority of actresses in Hollywood have no sense of style. That's why many hire professional stylists when they walk a red carpet event.

If I'm dining at Lasserre or Ledoyen, you better believe I'm drop-dead gorgeous. And if the man I'm with looks like George Clooney, you better believe he dresses as well, too.

I wouldn't be caught dead in public with a man who didn't care about style. If I dated a guy who told me to "go by yourself" after I asked him to wear a Brioni suit and tie, I'd tell the guy to take a hike and never come back.

Some women are so afraid to be alone, they'll tolerate anyone for company.

Take a sport coat only when I intend on dining in a Michelin star restaurant.

Like all Europeans, I wouldn't be caught dead in public with a human being using the phrase "you better believe".

As for trusting their advice on anything...

incroyable!

On ne doit pas voir NYCFS en public bien souvent.

Amen to the comments by Traveller1959.

I have absolutely no desire to "stand out in a crowd".

Sure, if the occasion calls for looking gorgeous then dress up if you must.

But what about those of us who look gorgeous no matter what we wear?

<i><font color=#555555>"I have absolutely no desire to "stand out in a crowd"."</font></i>

Which kind of belies your prolific presence on crowded internet travel boards.

Yes, it's true, people can hide many things behind words written on the internet. Bad taste in clothing and a lack of style are just two examples. No one can see what you look like here. No one can clock your face, your hair, your weight, or the clothing you wear. It's so easy to give fashion advice to strangers when strangers can't see the source. No one without a sense of style wishes someone else to have it.

There are many different styles of "stand out in a crowd." An Audrey Hepburn style is not the same as a Kim Kardashian. The bottom line is: No matter what style you choose, any desire to make a claim to presence in public requires a high level of confidence. Confidence done well is impacting.

If you're the type who wishes to hide and remain invisible, then you're free to join the masses, because that's the category where most people live and feel comfortable.

On this board, some people choose to wear negativity as their fashion statement. And it's never attractive, no matter how hard they try.

When it comes to dress codes there is an interesting difference between the Anglo-Saxon world and continental Europe.

On the continent, you hardly find any dress codes - not in restaurants, not in theatres, not in ballrooms, practically nowhere (the only place in Europe where I found a dress code was most suspicious nightclub in Vienna).

In UK and US, you find dress codes everywhere: cruise ships have them (whereas even the German luxury ship "Europa 2" has omitted the dress code) and many restaurants.

We had once been in a 4-star hotel in England and they had a dress code for their restaurant, requiring a jacket, a collared shirt and "no jeans". Of course, we entered the restaurant wearing jeans, but in the usual continental fashion, together with shirt, jacket and decent shoes and we were happily accepted although we obviously violated the dress code. But the overall appearance was good and certainly better than that of some Brits in their ill-fitting brown suits with pink shirts and poorly bound ties.

However, if an Anglo-Saxon dress code says "casual" the result is often enough catastrophic - with people wearing beach clothes or other things like you find here: http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/

>>> No matter what style you choose, any desire to make a claim to presence in public requires a high level of confidence.

I find a little modesty goes a long way towards alleviating anxiety about standing out in society.

If I were Caesar, I might slip on a pair of red boots, but knowing I'm not, brown loafers will do.

"some women are so afraid to be alone , they'll tolerate anyone for company"

Some women are so desperate to think of themselves as special they will cover their shell with glitter and date another shallow person ,just so they look like a matched set, even if they don't like each other. Now that's a definition of desperate to most folks.. lol

NYCFS I feel sorry for you.. most of us happily partnered people have learned a few decades ago that it DOES matter whats inside.. and that you can dress up a pig , but its still a pig.

<i><font color=#555555>"NYCFS I feel sorry for you"</font></i>

What an absolutely silly thing to say to a stranger. No matter what I write here, you don't know me. You've never met me. It just goes to show you take your investment in this travel board too seriously. Perhaps someone should feel sorry for you.

If calling a stranger a pig (or insinuating it) is your idea of "what matters on the inside," then I would say your inside is not very attractive.

(I happen to think some pigs are adorable, though.)

justine,

line,

you crossed it.

A friend I travel with always has a blazer/sports jacket with him. He usually wears it on the plane. I think it makes him look pulled together.

That said definitely don't bring the black dress shoes.

Since it's September I'm wondering about short vs long sleeved shirts, but because of temps not fashion.