one more stupid questions regarding Paris restaurants
 

My husband and I are spending two weeks between London/Wales and Paris. We were not going to bring suits or jackets (for him). He is bringing Jeans and nice shirts and dockers and sweaters. I am bringing jeans and sweaters and a couple of skirts and nice blouses. Are we going to be okay in Paris restaurants?

I think you are OK for almost any place. I'm not certain about the VERY upscale restaurants but someone will answer that for you.

P.S. Your questions is NOT stupid!!!

He'll be fine in wine bars, bistrots and cafes. But you mentioned in another post that you wanted a charming, romantic place for a special dinner...some of those MIGHT require a bit more than jeans. Instead of posting on your other thread a place you might like in the 6e, but close to the 7e ,where you are staying..Fish on rue de Seine, Chez Fernand on rue Christine, or L'ecluse on Quai de ? near Pont neuf , before you get to Blvd St Michel..I think it's Grand Augustin but the names change every few blocks.

We haven't been in any famous or starred restaurants... we hit the cafes and small local bistros, dressed just as you've mentioned. You'll feel comfortable in fit in just fine.

You'd probably be dressed nicely enough to be fine in a special restaurant as well.

Skirt & nice blouse should be OK. Why not have your husband bring/wear one sports jacket? A tie takes up no room in the suitcase! Assuming you're traveling some time this fall, he'll need a jacket anyways. How would you dress at home if you were going out to celebrate a special occasion or to an especially romantic restaurant?

Dockers are too casual. You see when one says jeans, one must address the brand/designer and style of each pair. You could wear Dior jeans virtually anywhere, but not Dockers.

Nice shirts? One should never wear formal shirts (not fitted, with boned collar) without a tie and/or suit. Now if you wear a fitted shirt, it's instantly dressy without the need for a tie or the suit. So if your husband is skinny get him into fitted shirt, but if he's larger then formal shirts with a modern, plain, elegant tie.

Sweaters are never dressy, and are really only for daywear, and casualwear, certainly not for evening and smart. They can be day-smart, and at a pinch (if you're buying the right ones) evening-smart/casual.

The best solution is to bring a black jacket. Black jackets take you everywhere and are very, very, very versatile.

Suze,

Dockers and a sweater for men is acceptable here in California at just about any restaurant except for maybe in on the Westside (Beverly Hills, West L.A.)

I was trying to make the point that you can simply match the restaurants you choose to go to, to the way you both plan to be dressed. There's surely not one black/white yes/no answer to your question <Are we going to be okay in Paris restaurants?>

I just can't imagine why anyone would want to willingly wear Dockers. They're just soooo shapeless, and boring, and not even boring in a sartorial way. It's quite vile in fact.

Just try to use your imagination a little bit, treat yourself to Vogue Homme, and try to find something a little more modern. Or if you're too old, and/or don't have the figure for runway stuff then wear classic sweaters, classic trousers, classic suits, but make sure it's elegant not gormless.

mkingdom,

When I said Dockers - I meant Dockers style pants meaning casual.

As I mentioned we are spending time traveling in Wales - hiking etc.. We are more interested in nature, beauty etc.. than we are in designer clothing. My husband did not want to bring along something he may not need to wear. You really spend way too much time concerning yourself about name brands etc... Thanks for the help anyway.

mk2: "gormless"? Please explain. I don't want to suddenly be caught being gormless and not know it. Thanks to you I am very clear on "banding" but the thought of possibly being gormless and having everyone laughing at me behind my back, well, i'm just in a terrible state right now. I mean I could have been gormless my whole life without realizing. Oh my word!!!!!! :D

"gormless" That is M_K about the REAL WORLD!

Ok, "banding" is a term I have obviously missed out on. Would anyone care to explain?

Thanks,
Johanna

Despite what MK leads you to believe, the "denim police" are not going to be standing at the hostess stand of any restaurant checking labels by flashlight to see if you are wearing Blue Cult or Target brand jeans. And conversations at nearby tables will not be directed toward you if you are wearing Levis rather than Paper Cloth Denim or some other bullshit label that costs more than $175/pair.


I think you are safer (look more appropriate) wearing darker colored "Docker" style pants rather than jeans or khaki "Dockers" at nicer restaurants anywhere in the world.

I love my Max Studio jeans more than anything else in my wardrobe but I think jeans are really heavy and take up too much space in luggage and I've quit taking them altogether when traveling.

MK, wish I lived your lovely life in a lala land of fashion and food. So sorry I still have to work and live in the real world.

Hi Johanna, "banding" is a term that MK2 came up with a couple of years ago when we all caught h*ll for wearing jeans with black tops!! That is what "banding" is, LOL.

Now about gormless I have no idea. Like Crefloors I wonder if I have appeared to be gormless?? But what the heck, she and I both live in the western US so maybe for all MK2 knows gormless is quite the "in look" here ;;)

"gormless" , means slow to understand or lacking sense.
It is really a great word, it sounds like what it means LOL

We have been in Paris for over a week now, and generally speaking we note that men and women 30 and younger are wearing jeans during the day, and men 40 and over are wearing nice slacks including Dockers style with a nice shirt or sweater. For women, 40 and over we see skirts/slacks with a nice top. We don't dine out at the major establishments, but we are of the opinion that might get a little better seat in a restaurant if you look half way decent in the evening.

Hi Scarlett, well after seeing part of the Oprah show today and being devistated by the reports as to what actually happened in NO I was to worn out to pull out the dictionary.

Well gormless certainly wouldn't describe us on the westcoast for sure. But might be a good description of those in DC. Slow to understand or lacking sense. Yes, that sounds like our leaders in DC.

MKingdom:

Obviously you have not yet seen a man in Dockers who fills them out..ij the FRONT...shapeless and boring???? Not even for you, Baby...