Should expensive restaraunts have a dress code?

[SimplyWandering]

A similar but different situation occurred in Baltimore, MD with a women and son (both who happened to be black ) ... they went on all the press junkets as they filed a lawsuit of discrimination. Baltimore restaurant apologizes for denying Black woman and her son service

So yes, i do think there needs to be some change and loosening of rules. In the world we live in, whether correct or incorrect, this can lead to boycotts, lawsuits and negative publicity for a company. Some of it is forced, but that doesn't change the fact that either a company chooses to stand its grounds lose money and be boycotted or agree with the people "mob." Whether right or wrong.

 

[WildCat]

It's their place of business and therefore their rules. Not that I'd pay $300 for steak, lobster and/or the finest wine on the block, close to a grand for the appropriate attire and my heart and soul for the Mercedes, but at least that's the bright side for you: you're not getting cheated if you're railing against this sort of thing.

As with anything that bleeds luxury, they built it and they all came. If it suits you, just sit back and watch the show unfold.

 

[Myrtonos]

Imagine if the dress code only applied to autistic people and not neurotypicals.

 

[BenderRodriguez]

I think claiming discrimination is a bit much, obviously, private establishments can do whatever they want.

It used to be, but I don't think it's a class thing anymore, have you seen how very rich people dress these days? (edit: I remember seeing an article recently about assistants in very expensive shops paying more attention to people dressed more casually, as it's the less affluent ones who still try to dress "nicer" to make a good impression)

I tend to dislike snobbery and reverse snobbery equally. I used to travel a lot and been to places where even wearing a sports jacket over jeans and a t-shirt would get you nasty "you think you're better than us?" looks and even comments and that's equally ridiculous.

Like someone else already mentioned I dislike places where everybody tends to dress the same way (even colour-wise!), it's boring and depressing.

I usually just go for "smart-casual" for more upscale places and on rare occasions will go the whole 9 yards for going to the Opera or taking my wife dancing to a good Jazz Club. Where I live, you can stroll down the street or go inside a restaurant dressed that way and nobody would bat an eye or stare, Gerontius would feel quite at home here.

Long story short: private establishments can make their own rules, but I can't stand people who police what others are doing and wearing based on their own preferences and perception of what's appropriate, especially if they get rude and pissy about it. As long as decency laws are respected, mind your own business folks

 

[Hazel_1914]

I like your last paragraph about private establishments, and agree that nobody should dress the same way, either. Conformity? Bah.

One thing I thought of, for us Aspies, regarding clothing: I know it's tough for some of us with sensory issues but clothing will get you treated differently. I used to wear, when I was small, a lot of cutoff pants & torn shirts--and I even pulled the necks out of my T-shirts, and refused to tuck shirts in, and hated wearing ties.

Well, I started the sartorial journey finding something nice to wear to Mass. In Catholicism we believe that Christ is truly present in the Eucharist, so naturally I felt rather silly for having worn wrinkled polos and cheap khakis. I started to dress "better" but must have looked like a one-man slum; I was wearing what the department stores passed off as modern menswear and it was uncomfortable, ugly, and cheap.

Being a history buff informed me about a time when people dressed vaguely similar to what is considered "good clothes." But the cuts were different, and the materials were different. Shapes and textures--good Aspie stuff. So I got curious.

Happy to say at this point even my pyjamas are 1910s replicas and I like it this way. It isn't exactly stylish or fashionable but it is comfortable. I fit in my own world. As for in public, sure, I believe one should dress the occasion and the location. In my hometown I do not often wear "my style" because it is no one else's style, and I want to fit in just enough to avoid harassment. (In my work clothes back when I had a job I was said to resemble a 1940s moonshine smuggler.) In any other town, though, I wear what I want and it is fine.

Everyone in this thread makes some excellent points. What would everyone suggest would be Aspie-specific sensory-friendly alternatives, that would support decorum and nice feeling for those who don't like the standard "dress code" sort of clothing?

 

[BenderRodriguez]

You nailed it: it boils down to fabric and cut. Cheap, synthetic fibres can be extremely uncomfortable and don't allow your skin to breathe properly and modern sewing patterns have been simplified significantly due to convenience and stretchy fabrics: vintage ones were constructed very differently to allow ease and freedom of movement. The thing is, outside of second-hand shops maybe or learning to make your own, getting quality in both of them is going to be expensive, so I can't really blame people who opt for very casual or sports clothes TBH.