Do you dress up to go out to restaurants? Gordon Ramsay is...

[KateDelRick]

.. bemoaning the standards of dress at his restaurants. He's complaining that people wear casual clothing, joggers, hoodies etc. I like to dress up to go out to dine, but what do others think?.

Open toes were fine with a heel

But dressing up doesn’t mean wearing make up tights and heels , surely.

It can be a pair of loose slacks, or a dress , skirt /top combo that is not restrictive, and flat shoes, inc the ubiquitous white leather trainers or leather loafers. Dressing up for a restaurant does not mean heel tights and make up. Those days are long gone.

But I don't want to wear a dress or a skirt or 'loose slacks' (that sounds so old fashioned!). I'm happier in jeans (admittedly usually black, and relatively smart). Smart trousers and a 'nice' top = work wear, and I spent too many years in work wear! (Including massive shoulder pads, tight skirts and high heels, back in the 80s )

@yeoldbamboo I see. For me, pumps = the sort of shoes you wear at school for PE. (I won't use the actual word as that will get me banned, as there's an algorithm to pick that word up, as it links to a particular troll).

I couldn't understand why a form of gym shoe would be more acceptable than flat sandals!

I agree with you, @Sillystrumpet . I never wear high heels and can't remember the last time I wore tights! I think that you can look stylish and smart in a good pair of trousers and top, maybe a loose jacket, flat shoes or sandals. Or a dress or skirt and t-shirt. You can still be comfortable. I'm on my feet all day at work, we're not allowed to wear trainers so I've found smart shoes which are good comfort wise.

Jeans can look very smart, I've seen them very dark blue with a slight sheen worn with a shirt and waistcoat (man) and he looked smarter than the men in tweedy suits obviously old, but he got so much grief from the old school cruisers (this was Cunard). This idea that slacks = smart jeans = casual just isn't the case, depends on the style.

You're right. Dark jeans can look smart. As you say, with a white shirt, a blazer or a waistcoat 👌.
Much smarter than, say, those cargo pants or joggers.

I suppose it’s a shortened version of ballet pumps. Anyway - even when I did want to wear them I could never get a pair that fitted.

I know! I always think of gym shoes.

Ok, then no one is going to force you to wear anything but jeans and go to only places you can go in jeans.

Well quite!

... although as I have said, if there is a dress code then of course I will respect that.

Due to limited finances we don't eat out regularly so I like to get dressed up - it's a treat!