NYC dress
 

How dressy is NYC, theatres, dinner, sightseeing? Help. We are coming from casual Los Angeles

Not very. Or rather there is no expected code. For dinner, the higher the price, the nicer the outfit.

I'm curious what restaurants you like to go to in the LA area.

Casual LA to me = T-shirts, shorts, flip flops. Is that what your definition of casual is, bun150?

For NY,
Sightseeing : doesn't matter, as long as you're comfortable, esp comfy shoes for lots of walking

Theatres: if decent seats, then dressy tops, dress pants. If nosebleed seats, jeans are okay

Dinner: depends on how expensive the place is. Most trendy places will be okay with dark, fitted jeans and dressy tops (or button down shirts for men).

The better you dress, the better you will be treated in restaurants.
I live in SoHo and consistently that has been my experience in places where the staff doesn't know me.

People tend to dress according to neighborhoods in Manhattan.

Upper East Side is conservative dressy. Lots of designer clothes and fur coats. Think "ladies who lunch."

Upper West Side is casual preppy. People here tend to look like they just stepped out of a J Crew ad.

Soho is artistic and trendy with a kind of Parisian chic. Broadway, south of Houston, reminds me of Blvd. St. Germaine
in the 6th.

NYU area of the Village--wear black, including black basketball shoes, and carry a huge tote bag from Longchamp.

Tribeca--millionaires in ski parkas and Missoni sweaters. Casual and unpretentious.

Chelsea is very gay boy. Young and cute with great bodies. Lots of pea coats and workout gear.

West Village is gay troll--work boots and Wrangler jeans with leather jacket.

Lower East Side is poor boho punk. Think of Aduchamp with a purple Mohawk.

Chinatown, Little Italy are full of tourists looking for fake Louis Vuitton.

Thin

Thin notes:
Lower East Side is poor boho punk. Think of Aduchamp with a purple Mohawk.

That look was twenty years ago, even this fashion ignoramous knows that, and is now reserved for children from the burbs, such as the Main Line, who still think it is the style.

Ciaony writes:
The better you dress, the better you will be treated in restaurants.
I live in SoHo and consistently that has been my experience in places where the staff doesn't know me.

Beleive me, I do not dress well and I never had a problem with the poor treatment at a restaurant. I think it has to do with one's comportmment rather than attire.

Sorry, but children from Haverford have fauxhawks. Devon Prep doesn't allow real mohawks.

Adu, you don't get poor treatment in restaurants because all the waiters think you are Shecky Green.

Thin

If Shecky isn't dead he should be.

Thin,
Your comment on the West Village is too funny.

This is seriously the funniest thread ever. Thanks, Thin, for the fabulous visuals of the Main Line and NYC.

For sightseeing and theaters there are no dress codes - but be sure you're ready for whatever the weather may bring - as in having real shoes. Last fall saw a tourist family coming out of Grand Central all wearing huge size black plastic bags - to cover their tee shirts and shorts - it was rainy and chilly. And, their feet/legs - in flip flops - were incredibly filthy - and must have been frozen.

For upscale dining most places do not have dress codes - but you will likely get a better table and be treated more graciously if you are wearing at least business casual. But do check - there are some places that still require men to wear jackets and a lot of places that require pants versus shorts. If you want to be comfortable (as in appropriate) do dress up a little for nicer restaurants. If you stick to casuale places, then casuale attire is fine. (But there is a difference between casual and cleaning out the garage - I've seen some groups in clothes that should have gone to Goodwill long since.

I don't like too dress up very often, and I have long since given up caring what others wear to various "events". Thirty-five years ago, when my husband and I went to our very first "fancy" restaurant, we were "shocked" that there were men without ties! We've come a long way. I also wouldn't go anywhere looking like a slob (see nyt's description of tourists above). As long as you're clean and neat, I find that you're treated respectfully everywhere. (Anecdotally, you should have seen my group of college girlfriends at Le Bernardin for lunch a few years ago -- all neat, not dressed up, but let's just say on that bitter cold NY day, we were the only group in ski jackets, and yes, several of them live/work in Manhattan. We got absolutely outstanding service....they were probably so happy to have a group of happy women in ski jackets in a sea of not-as-happy men in suits and ties LOL!)

For goodness sake! It's New York! Dress up a bit.
Depends on when you are visiting and what restaurants you are going to.

We tend to wear a lot of black when in NYC. Black cashmere w/an Hermes scarf. Black boots and a great handbag. Fitted raincoat to layer. The "boys" in my fam wear camel hair or cashmere blazers with jeans or khakis and crisp cotton shirts.

We usually visit NYC in the winter.

309, to each his own. The "boys" in my family wouldn't be caught dead in a cashmere blazer. And I see no need to dress up just because it's NY. Who cares? I am who I am. As I said, I am clean and neat, and that's all that matters to me.

It's hard making generalizations about a city as diverse as New York but overall I'd say that it's casual---but in a neat and stylish way. I'd pack a black button-down sweater or jacket---you'll get a lot of mileage out of it.

When it comes to sightseeing---comfort always trumps style.

Actually, I totally agree with to each his own. But for us it's special to visit NYC and I'm tired 0f people dressing like slobs.
And sf7307, I wasn't addressing you.

thin, i love your description of each neighbourhood.
you are so right on except that i would not know to comment on aduchamp and purple mohawk.
i am going to use your descriptions as a reference.

Thin's descriptiona ARE colorful but as Aduchamp noted, woefully out of date.
"Soho is artistic and trendy with a kind of Parisian chic. Broadway, south of Houston, reminds me of Blvd. St. Germaine
in the 6th."
Broadway, South of Houston, now looks like a suburban shopping mall with more chain stores than almost any other part of the city-- Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, CB2 (Crate and Barrel), Pottery Barn etc.

"Chelsea is very gay boy. Young and cute with great bodies. Lots of pea coats and workout gear."
Chelsea is now more "rich young families shopping at Whole foods and Buy Buy Baby"

NYU--Black sneakers? where??

And the UWS hasn't been preppy since the late 80s. Think mix of the same rich young families as Chelsea (including the stay at home Moms)plus post college kids plus older aging intellectuals. Jeans and sweaters all the way

I think the funniest part of this thread, which really is quite funny is that people try to pigeonhole everyone. As if ALL people on the UES dressed alike, or all the Soho crown called each other to wear matching outfits. What a total crock. While some Soho people are in Brooks Brothers, others are in GAP, still others are in fashion boutique extremes, and others are in recycled thrift store. What makes anyone think you can define an entire neighborhood into one single fashion statement?