CS dining critic Michael Nagrant gave a rave review to West Loop sensation Girl & The Goat—which was no surprise because he's already made it clear how much he loves it in other articles.
The surprise was the "dress code" the magazine recommended to its readers for the hottest restaurant in town. Their suggestion of what to wear: a No-Fuss T-Shirt and Jeans, which translates roughly to something you'd probably put on when you're running errands on an average Saturday afternoon.
Yeah, this set me off, and I totally expressed my opinion to Nagrant on the matter.
What's most interesting is that my comment set off a firestorm on Twitter, but only between me and several guys. No girls. So is this a matter of fashion sense between men and women when it comes to dining out at three-star restaurants?!
Granted, women do tend to dial it up when they're out on the town, but that's no excuse for guys to show up sloppy. And while I don't consider "jeans and a t-shirt" necessarily sloppy, recommending folks to dress in a "no-fuss t-shirt and jeans" will encourage folks to do so.
There have been arguments made that restaurants like G&G, Blackbird and Sprout are casual-dining establishments, but to me (and others!) that doesn't translate into showing up looking like you're hitting up an ordinary spot.
This is basically the point. For the guys: If your female significant other has made an effort to dress to impress, then you should too. No one's telling you to put on a suit and tie and channel Don Draper.
Just look like you care. Since these restaurants make an effort to offer you the best in cuisine, service and setting, you should too. That means no flip-flops. No Timberlands. No baseball caps. And absolutely no "no-fuss t-shirts and jeans."
5 comments:
AMEN. Casual dining at Blackbird, G&G, Purple Pig, etc.. is not the same as casual dining at BK or McDs. I like the idea of getting dressed up a bit when we go out to dinner and I am sure the management of the restaurant agrees. Also, nothing stands out more than a female significant other who's dressed up for the 'date' and the male looking as though he's headed to the bar for brewskies and wings.
I agree. Men need to step up their game. I know some men can pull off a polished look in their fitted (insert name brand) T-shirt, but the thing is when someone says "jeans and a t-shirt" to your average man, he takes this to mean his old ill fitting Hanes T, Jeans and his New Balance sneakers.
If you are going somewhere that requires reservations - then at least look presentable.
Damn it, Audarshia. Just let me channel my inner alt-girl and get away with not trying. That's like my bread and butter.
Dining out is an occasion... and should be treated as such. If you need to be in Tshirt/jeans then invest in a nicely fitted sport coat, great pair of shoes and hey maybe even a pleasant looking watch....Just my 3 cents. But what do I know, I'm just a guy...;-)
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