gail

To marthgrif - have fun shopping for a decent shirt for your son - it may not get any easier. Our son is 18 and he had to shop for shirts with collars so he could eat on our recent cruise vacation. Enjoy your trip.

E

Oh, I don't think it was a silly question at all! In some ways, life was simpler when formality was the accepted standard; business casual, for instance, is a category that drives me crazy, and Vegas, with its "elegant attire" stipulations, worried me, too!

k_999_9

OK, I have to know: Was HyacinthBucket's post about golf and barbarians just a a troll.

If not, it's one of the funnier posts I've read. Golf, a "gentlemen's game"? I'll try to remember that the next time I see John Daly tee up.

And not wearing a jacket while dining exposes one as a "barbarian"? That's just great stuff.

OK, Hy, I'll say it for you to save you the time of posting: I'm not a gentleman and I am a barbarian.

'Scuse me while I go join Attila's army for a little looting and plundering.

mclaurie

I think you have to be prepared for "smart casual," Martha. Neat (vs sloppy) is key rather than the specific pieces. But whatever you need can be purchased when you arrive in the US, so why stress now?

rb_travelerxATyahoo

I'm neither Brit nor stuck up, but I see Roy's point about hats (he forgot to list religeous reasons being acceptable). Not only was I brought up to remove a hat inside, but I also recall the signs posted at the entrances to Petty Officer and Enlisted Men's clubs during my US Navy years:

"He who enters covered here,
Buys the bar a round of cheer"

Hyacenth Bucket ("boo-kay") is a character in a BBC comedy shown in the US on many Public Television stations called "Keeping up Appearances" and seems to play the part quite well in these forums. "Hy" -- say hello to Richard Bucket ("buk-ket") for me!

atilla

ha, k_999_9 I've been recruiting, thanks for volunteering!

rjw_lgb_ca

Whatever you wear, make sure it's clean above all. But your kid should have a nice shirt for the "nicer" sit-down places-- and that goes for hometown places as well as on holiday. Sneakers and jeans? If they're clean, most places have no problem (especially with a nice shirt).

But I have to comment on Las Casuelas Terraza in Palm Springs-- run, don't walk away from that dump. Worst service I've ever had at a restaurant in the desert, and the food was dismal as well. Edgardo's Veracruz, a little farther north on Palm Canyon, has far better and more authentic Mexican food. Even Del Rio's and Blue Coyote are better choices.

HyacinthBucket

Not only for restaurants,but for life in general,one must be certain to always wear clean undergarments. One nevers knows when he may be struck by a truck or jitney!

Here,near the birthplace of golf, it still remains a game of gentlemen and ladies, and it is indeed unfortunate about the American "casualization" of civilization, bastardizing all in life that is sacred. My apologies to anyone offended, but there is no polite way to state it.

Birdie

Since I have a 14 yo son myself I know what a battle ground dressing for dinner can be. You can always wait until you get to Hawaii where he can pick out a cool Hawaiian shirt to wear open over a t-shirt. Add a string of puka shells and he'll be set. Is Quicksilver an Aussie company? They have nice looking polos for teens. Have a great trip. I'm sure your son will have a blast.

gnrbernstein

Patrick - I'm sure that even those guys take off their baseball caps in resstaurants. They just then put a scarf over their heads and sunglasses on to keep from being noticed.

~gnr~

marthagrif

Thanks for the further comments. I got my son a basically plain black shirt to day and he is thrilled!! Good idea Birdie about the Hawaiian shirt I will suggest it when we get to Honolulu. Thanks also to rjw_lbg_ca re ideas for Palm Springs Mexican restaurants, we will try Edgardo's. I e-mailed Prado in San Diego about it's dress code as it looks quite posh on its website. The reply I got was quite amusing.."Our dress code is..... as
long as you ARE dressed...... we get an eclectic mix of shorts and tee's to
slacks and button downs". I am starting to get excited about my holiday now!

Dreamer2

Rich and Famous is not an antidote to ignorance.

In fact, quite the opposite in many cases!

While someone with the creative genius of SS couldn't be called "ignorant," certain behavious can certainly fall into that category. Sometimes the rich seem to consider themselves immune from social niceties and basic considerations, and entitled to special treatment and exceptions. Ah well...

But to "fit in" with some of the nicer restaurants in major cities, I make my son at least wear a collared shirt (even a polo style), and my husband and I would not go in sneakers. (Actually, my husband is a jacket and tie kind of guy.) Since you are planning on going early evening right after touring, I doubt you'll feel uncomfortable in just about anything!

Martha, Have fun, and enjoy!

GoTravel

I would suggest a pair of khakis or cargos for junior. It doesn't take much effort these days.