Dressing for Dinner

[thebabessavedme]

I have spent this afternoon watching Saltburn. Are there really still people who 'dress' for dinner every night? I have been to more than my fair share of 'black tie' dinners, always nice occasions in interesting places, generally business related. Its quite nice to dress up a few times a year but every night? What a total ball ache that would be. I can't believe that many people dress for dinner these days, unless you know different?

Not such a ball ache as actually making the dinner.

But no, I don’t know anyone who does.

As in, dinner at your own house with just the people that live there? No, I mean I have clothes on because I got dressed that day but I make no effort to look nice for dinner.
I didn’t think people did that - I don’t know anyone who does that.

I thought this was going to be about having dinner in clothes vs PJs. I was going to say quite normal to be in PJs at this time of year!

I knew this would be about Saltburn!! I discussed this with the friend I went to see it with. I'd love to live such a life where you dressed for dinner and had pre-dinner drinks!

Agree.

op, I’m sure some do do it, but it is indeed easier than cooking it. Put some nice clothes on and sit down.

Having watched the film I'd say they were dressing for dinner as something to do, they all seemed to be terminally bored.

My dad and his wife expected a certain level of dress at the dinner table - no bare shoulders, no shorts, neat and tidy etc.

It was always quite fun.

I had a friend who used to dress up a bit. Her husband had a rural job where he got really filthy so he would shower and change into smart casuals and she would put on a dress. Nice meal with candles and suchlike. Not every night but 3 or 4 times a week I think.

Dh and I did during first lock down. Would take turns cooking a meal in the kitchen, the other person got dressed up and we would rôle play going to a fancy restaurant. It was before kids and we were both furloughed so had a lot of time

I haven't seen the film, but depending on what time cook says dinner will be ready, Jeeves usually helps me on with the cravat and smoking jacket ready to be summoned to the dining room.

In my dreams that is. In reality, we are like the OP and have the occasional work do, and even those appear to be a thing of the past.

Of course not. The point about the film was that it was anachronistic in the modern age. It added to the weird atmosphere.

I don't move in the sort of circles that 'dressing for dinner' might happen on a nightly basis, that's why I asked @mambojambodothetango . I guessed it was partly to make the family seem out of touch with the rest of us.

One or two very smart army regiments still dress formally for dinner every night. And there are still plenty of messes where officers who live in are expected to put on a suit every evening for their supper, just not normally dinner dress.

Old uni boyfriend’s family dressed for dinner. It was surreal! I was a fish out of water and then some. Not sure my little clubbing dresses from Morgan cut the mustard.

Not unless I'm on a cruise, no

Gladly dress for dinner every night if I had a chef to cook it and staff to serve and clear away. If only..

Yes me too, was just coming on to say exactly that.

My parents used to have a meal on Saturday evenings that we called their "special meals". Us children would get a main meal at lunch time, then snack-t type like beans on toast, and then they'd dress up and cook themselves a three course meal with things that we didn't normally eat.

I'm sure that there's going to be people saying how terrible, but actually it was a really lovely time. Us children would do quiet things in our rooms, sometimes together, sometimes separately. It was really calming and I loved it.
I also discovered the joys of volunteering to wash up when older, and I got very good at removing nice parts of their meals. A few prawns from the prawn cocktail, a couple of spoonfuls of egg fried rice and a slice of cake, then I'd sneak it up to my room and have a "feast".
My parents thought children didn't like such things (tbf neither my siblings liked such things)

I suspect they still do, but do occasionally go out now instead.

Some university colleges/halls of residence do at Oxford, Cambridge and Durham. When I was at Manchester 30 years ago one hall did, but the only people I knew who lived there were spoddy in the extreme, and everyone else thought they were a bit sad*

*I realise students are too busy being kind and respecting each other’s identities these days to have opinions like that. This was not the case in the 90s.

People who dress for dinner
have people who cook the dinner and clear and wash up.
have people who re-hang, clean and iron all the clothes they’re wearing.
I have none of these people so will stick to eating in my pjs, at least in the dark, miserable winter.

Nobody has dressed for dinner (ie black tie) for 60 years at least. Nobody has staff as depicted in Saltburn in their country house either.

And no University Colleges routinely do this either!

I've been in a family where you dress for dinner, but we didn't have 'dinner' every night. Often you would have supper (in your comfy clothes in the kitchen or on a tray in front of the tv).

Fucking loved that film.

Can't believe that was his real penis. Absolute donkey.