DH wants to wear shorts to birthday meal

[Lins77]

I've arranged a big family lunch at a very smart hotel to celebrate DH's Significant Birthday. He's worn shorts every day over the summer (he doesn't work). I said he should wear long trousers but he doesn't see why he should. What do you think?

If my DH felt more comfortable in shorts (and given that the weather is scorching at the moment) I would've booked somewhere less swanky and more suited to his preferred attire. It is his birthday after all, so surely the arrangements should be geared around what suits him best (within reason) and not what Aunty Gladys thinks or whatever!

Do you have the same criteria for women?

This ^

It’s a joke. The joke is people don’t normally apply that standard to men.

Oh well, there we are. If the royals wear long trousers …… 🙄

WTH has that got to do with anything?

George is a boy most people will have seen photos of at formal functions, that's what.

I mean I could tell you how old the boys in my family were when they started wearing long trousers for formal meals out, but I kinda felt that would be of less relevance still ...

I guess you've never heard of formal dress shorts.

Referencing the stuffy, backward, old-fashioned royal family where the poor children have no choice in what they wear really doesn't help your argument. On the contrary, it makes ours.

Plus fours?

????

Again, not the least relevant to what the fella wants to wear to his birthday lunch.

Not the least interest in what you or the royal family believe acceptable, tbh.

Perfect! 🤣

(If usually somewhat itchy and better suited to a straightforward shooting weekend 😁)

My DP is a middle aged man with somewhat old fashioned views about proper dress dor an occasion. For anything smart this summer he's worn tailored knee length shorts and a casual shirt sleeved shirt.

we don't know that the venue won't allow shorts. Its the OP who thinks he shouldn't wear them.

I don't actually see the issue with this if the weather is meant to be warm.

I think it depends on what the venue where they will be having their smart family lunch requires - if they are likely to turn the OP’s husband away if he’s wearing shorts, then surely the best thing would be for him to wear long trousers. Clearly, if they were going to a Macdonald’s, there’d be no problem with whatever he wanted to wear. But he certainly wouldn’t be allowed in wearing shorts (or jeans, to be fair) at The Ritz, for example, whatever the weather.

well if the OP is arranging it she can ask the venue and if they say no, then her husband can decide what he wants to do.......its not rocket science.

Why can't he look on the venue's website for the dress code or call them if he can't find it? If you are worried about him being under-dressed and therefore feeling uncomfortable just let it happen (although it sounds like he won't care). But if he does he's remember it and it'll help in future. At 50+ he should be able to sort out what he's wearing without your "help".

@Lins77 really think, if he is of retiral age, then he should know what decorum means!

One would certainly hope that the venue would be slightly less sexist and more forward-thinking than the stuck-in-the-past schools that have appropriate hot-weather dress code options for girls but not for boys.

Unless they're one of these pompous, stuffy places run by dinosaurs that values appearances over comfort every time.

He should wear whatever he wants I reckon.

"retiral age"?????

Then why on earth would you be partaking in a thread which is asking people's opinions on exactly that question: what do people think about shorts for a dinner out at a nice restaurant?

You are going to get opinions - some of which may have the temerity not to conform to yours. Its a bit petulant in that context telling other posters you couldn't care less what they think,

This is exactly the issue: it depends on the venue and I doubt op would be posting if she felt - bearing in mind that she knows the venue - shorts would be appropriate.

Quite right. I worded that post very poorly. What I had intended to post was “royalist” posters like yourselves.
Frankly, anyone who takes their guidance, sartorial or moral, on how to behave from that absolute shower really needs to delve deep into their soul.