For you younger gentlemen. The Bar is low… · Real Men Real Style Community

For you younger gentlemen. The Bar is low…

Last night in my first ever OOTD post, I mentioned that the wife and I were headed out for a nice dinner at a place we enjoy. I’m not sure what made me decide to post my outfit. I think (other than keeping busy as I waited for my lovely wife to get ready) I was actually feeling a little self conscious about how I was dressed. That I was a little too everyday casual for the venue. I had intended to wear my Navy Blue Blazer, over the outfit but upon pulling it from the closet I saw some smudges where it had brushed up against something and so into the dry cleaning bag it went.

To help paint the picture, the place we had reservations for is a fine dining establishment, on a coastal community estate, with that old country club feel, complete with valet parking, pianist playing on the grand piano in the piano bar while you dine, professional well dressed staff, and excellent chef.

The type of place where before the pandemic, to dine gentlemen were “strongly encouraged” to wear a jacket.

The staff opened the car door for my wife, greeted us by name, I handed my keys to the valet, and they took us to our requested table all set for us. As we walked through the piano bar to the dining room, knowing glances and nods from some of the regulars and a smile and welcome from the pianist.

Then a scan through the room showed a drastic contrast. The over forty set and the under forty set. With a few notable exceptions the over forty set were dressed well, ladies well put together in nice dresses or pant suits, men dress shirts or oxfords, sweaters and or jackets. The under forty set. - again with a few very noticeable exceptions (and here in lies my point) blue jeans, sweatshirts, athletic pants, yoga pants, running shoes, etc. One young couple the young man was I ripped jeans and a bright red tattered zipper front hoodie emblazoned with his favorite sport team’s logo on it.

What amazed me the most wasn’t the dress itself, but the fact that they were completely oblivious to the incongruence of it all. They were just as comfortable in this setting dressed as they were as if they were grabbing a burger at the local McDonalds. They seemed to look at all of us “old farts” like we were the odd ones.

At the risk of sounding like a grumpy old man, and a snob, it used to be understood, that if you walked into a dinning establishment and the wait staff was dressed finer than you. That you’re not appropriately dressed.

So for you younger guys, under forty set, you really don’t need to dress up much to make a huge impression. There were some well dressed young men in there, and they stood out as fine young men. - Just some chinos and a Henley or crew neck sweater, maybe an Oxford shirt with leather sneakers will elevate you over the majority of your peers. Throw a blazer over it and you’re top notch!

And if you’re here, you’re in the right place

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