London Theaters - How to Dress
 

When we see the shows at the theaters (Mousetrap, etc.) is this a coat & tie affair, dress casual, or casual?

Thanks

You will, as in New York, see every conceivable mode of (un)dress from coats and ties on down...a lot depends on what groups are attending but in my experience wearing a coat and tie are not mandatory nor will you necessarily feel "under-dressed" if you don't.

wear whatever you darn well please. Coats and ties will definitely be in the minority. Dress up if you want, dress down if you want. (Where I'm eating dinner usually has more bearing on what I wear than the theatre)

I'd say smart casual. People will say that you'll see tatty jeans and trainers at theatres, but just because scruffs don't get thrown out, doesn't mean that you have to emulate them.

Well when I was there, most people were dressed fairly nice, not formal but fairly nice. The best thing to wear for men from what I saw is slacks and a shirt no tie is needed if you don't want to wear one and for women, slacks/skirt and a nicer blouse or top. I wouldn't dress formally but I wouldn't dress real casual either if fitting in is your concern.

Don't forget..we paid to see what's ON THE STAGE..NOT what everyone is wearing

I'd say smart casual. People will say that you'll see tatty jeans and trainers at theatres, but just because scruffs don't get thrown out, doesn't mean that you have to emulate them.>

emulate these mainly Brits? tourists often naively feel compelled to go 'smart casual' but you can wear jeans and athletic shoes perfect OK - no one will bat an eye

and tourists like me who pack light that's all you may have - now i am not talking about jeans with whole in them though that IME is OK too.

Only a few folks like Miss P will look down on you (and from her comments much of the crowd)

I agree with Janis - "wear whatever you darn well please." Anything goes and don't worry about it - these are casual affairs. so do as the Brits do - anything goes.

Thank you for your replies. We'll go with what we term "Office Casual" which is nice slacks and shirt sans tie. Wife will likely wear a pants and sweater set.

office casual or casual smart is good idea. no one is there to look you up but u don't have to emulate others! enjoy it!!

WATCH MY LIPS. NO-ONE CARES.

honestly, they really don't, unless you are going to the opera, and then no-one cares much.

regards, ann

well Miss P cares

I'm more likely to be surprised by people who are very dressed up than by people who are very dressed down. I usually wear slacks and a nice blouse, but if I were out "touring" and didn't have time to get back to the hotel to change, it wouldn't bother me to go in whatever I was wearing during the day.

I care for myself because I like to look neatly and cleanly clothed and would feel uncomfortable in a theatre or a nice restaurant if I went dressed in my gardening gear.
Pace Pal, I think that you will fit in very well with the rest of the audience in your office casual.

I do generally dress the way that is appropriate for me, and perhaps what I plan to do after. However, in London, some of the matinees have pretty scruffy people in them IMO, and some of those theaters have eensy-teensy seats so it actually would be a waste to even dress up at all in those conditions, I think. IN some of those cases, I would be uncomfortable dressing up, actually.

I'd say smart casual. People will say that you'll see tatty jeans and trainers at theatres, but just because scruffs don't get thrown out, doesn't mean that you have to emulate them.>

Miss P - i misread your quote here - i thought you were saying that the theaters should throw the scruffs out - re-reading i see you did not say that.

sorry

Londoners dress casually for theatre, unless it's a premiere or a gala night. Those dressed in jacket and tie are probably those who have come straight from their offices without having had a chance to change.

While I agree that people can wear anything, I think people today have gotten a little too casual sometimes. In my humble opinion, I think when one is going out to a play or the theatre in the evening or something, one should dress a least fairly well and not come waltzing in looking like a slob. That's just my take.

"<i>one should dress a least fairly well and not come waltzing in looking like a slob. That's just my take.</i>"

Absolutely. I agree - I generally dress up for the theatre, though sometimes I just pop into a matinee during a day of sightseeing or shopping. But the question was "<i>is this a coat & tie affair, dress casual, or casual?</i>" and the fact is no one will care one whit what the OP wears -- as long as they hopefully don't reek. One can wear anything they want. It is a bit of a leap to equate "casual" and "slob". Ain't the same thing.

"It is a bit of a leap to equate "casual" and "slob". Ain't the same thing."

I wasn't equating the two. In my opinion, going to the theatre anywhere, not just in London, wearing tatty jeans and trainers, shorts, flip flops and tank tops, or workout suits for example is "slobby" for the theatre, but not for everyday life. It's too casual. Yes, you can wear it but personally I think people should put forth a little more effort. One doesn't have to be stiff and formal but at least dressed reasonably nice say in slacks and a nice shirt or top.

How to dress : Washed and not naked, otherwise pretty much anything goes