Judyrem

Hello all, I have been going through my restaurant lists for our Dec NYC trip for our anniversary. Many places(like Asiate) state on their web site smart elegant for dinner. What does smart elegant entail? Skirts, dinner suits? Being in a S Fla, we have very few calls for smart elegant;-).

suzanne

I'd say it's somewhere between business casual and semiformal. For a woman, it means the least you could probably get away with is a pair of nice slacks (or skirt) and a blouse or nice sweater. Of course a suit or dress would be fine too.

Judyrem

HI Suzanne, yes, I was thinking of a flrty black polka dot skirt with a black sweater. I also have a black silk dinner suit...but I do't want to bring a folding suitcase.

suzanne

Hi Judy - the skirt/sweater sounds like an appropriate outfit. Hope you have fun in NY!

Judyrem

Thanks again Suzanne, I will. I guess you are the only fashionista out there in Fodors land ;-).

Scarlett

Here I am , here I am I am the other one LOL
and I will be disagreeable..lol..I think a suit sounds better. When we travel , I take my black silk pants suit and even if the place is not that dressy, the pants with a pretty sweater works.
This way you have more options..and I would wear a suit if they say Smart Elegant.
Now that I live in Florida, I do know the dilemma of how smart to dress, here it seems that if you wear shoes, you are dressed! But having lived in NYC, I think a black silk suit would work. Unless a "dinner" suit means it has sequins on it or something?
There, all two of us Fashionistas have spoken, right suzanne?

TC

I travel to NY with a pair of dressy, black silk pants and a black cashmere sweater with a very few little black jet beads sewn around the neck. Paired with black heels and fancy earings (chandeliers or diamonds), this outfit travels well and is appropriate for any occassion. If you add a little evening handbag (something that takes up no room in a suitcase) and wrap up in a big shawl - again, mine is black and it vacuum packs nicely into a zip lock bag, you're good to go.

GoTravel

I think the reason that the south in general is not as dressy in the northeast is because it is simply too hot in the summer for men to wear a sportcoat.

I know around here the only business men that wear suits are lawyers on the days they have to be in court.

LoveItaly

If all of you want to see "casual" you should live in the Sacramento Valley.

I was on my way to SF and had on a pantsuit, gray wood, with Italian loafers. Had to stop at the supermarket before I left town and got asked by about half a dozen people "oh, what are you doing today, you are so dressed up". LOL

TopMan

Are you truly "hot" (yes, you DO know what I'm talking about) and if you are then just about anything "decent" will get you through the door....

Judyrem

My dear fellow fashinistas , I just bought a black silk shantung suit from Talbots for 84$..what a deal cause it was originally 228$. It has just a tab bit of black lace on it's 3/4sleeves. I adored it so much, I bought the same suit in dusty rose(does anyone elsee do that?). I will bring my garment bag under protest, cause it will be Christmas and I will have soooo many other gifts and stuff . I like the black chiffon polka dot skirt and 3/4 sleeve sweater with a bit of pearls around the ribboned neck, but I think I may wear that to the Producers Sat. night. TC, I like that combo too and I may just buy a shawl too. LOveItaly and Gotravel.....closed toe shoes are really dressing up here LOL. It is 86* here now,,,I pity the people in coats and ties and women in suits. I went on chowhound and people were raving about Asiates food and esp, the view!!!! Plus it will be open Mon night, which quite a few places are not. Thanks again my dears, you are all the best!

mclaurie

Hi Judyrem. I'm with Scarlett here. Business casual would not work for this IMO. I'm not sure I understand the issue with the folding suitcase. I also don't know what you mean by black polka dot. Black on black? That would work. Black on white could look a bit too Fla A suit always works.
If the outfit itself isn't dressy you can dress it up with jewelry and accessories.

Asiate would be one of the dressier places I think. Where else are you planning on going?

mclaurie

We were posting at the same time. The new outfit(s) sounds divine. Enjoy and happy anniversary!

Judyrem

Mclaurie, it is a white polka dot on black chiffon flare skirt...it is very "cute", but maybe not smart elegant enough for Asiate. We have been thinking we MAY go to La Locanda, Babbo, Fler de Sel, AngusMcAndoe....I don't think I would go to Per Se this time...that will be for a future trip ;-). Scarlett, my dear, don't you just miss NYC to the extreme? I am so very jealous that you(and other New Yorkers) got to live there.

Scarlett

Yes, honey, I DO miss NYC very much. Especially at this time of year when we would be going to Lincoln Center and the theatre. And the weather, sigh~
I like your new idea, I cannot begin to tell you how many times I tried and failed to "pack light" and it is just impossible.
Have a good time..what else are you doing while there, shopping eating and going to the play?

Leona

"Smart elegant" is one I haven't heard, and I'm from the NY metro area. However, we were in Las Vegas last year, and had dinner at Prime in the Bellagio. We followed the dress code (dressy slack outfit for me, & my husband wore a jacket & dress slacks); however, there was a young woman at the next table who wore jeans. And many people on this same site thought that was perfectly fine.

One should dress appropriately for the setting and according to the dress code. And if a restaurant has a dress code, it should be enforced.

Judyrem

Topman: Hot? Moi? I am just lukewarm (except for hot flashes)! Scarlett & All, we are also going to Radio City Music Hall Christmas show on our anniversary in the afternoon...then dinner that evening at Asiate(if I can get in there). Hopefully we can also do a TKTS show for a Sunday matinee. I am still trying to finagle an extra day there...I am dangling the Letterman show as bait;-D. Leona, I know I never heard the term smart elegant...that is why I asked this knowledgeable group of wonderful ladies. It was on the Mandarin Oriental site FYI. The black silk suit it is!

Scarlett

Smart casual would be dressed down more but not jeans or sneakers or tee shirts. Smart elegant would be just that..I am glad that they do this, so many people come in from places where they never dress up and although it is not terrible to be underdressed, it can be uncomfortable for the people who make the faux pas.
I usually over dress
I am thrilled you are wearing the suit LOL

Scarlett

LOL Judy,
I just had the thought .. now that I am living in Florida also, yes, there are few places that call for smart elegant and I think there are more than a few people in my neck of the woods who would not go because they might think it meant they had to be smart LOL

LoveItaly

Gosh Scarlett, sounds just like Vacaville!