The days when people would dress up in black tie attire to go and play a round of roulette at their local casino are at the moment a thing of the past. Surely, there are still some casinos that require you to dress up nicely and have a strict dress code, but most casinos these days follow just the basic “no shirt, no shoes, no slots” rule, which means that you need to be presentable in order to play at their tables.
This being said, one may think of what appropriate casino attire constitutes. The fact is that there is no generalized dress code – if, for example, you are playing at a UK casino, the expectations may be a lot different than playing at a casino in Las Vegas or at one in Monte Carlo.
However, there are some basic rules that can be followed to make sure you will look good on an evening of fun at a casino.
In men’s fashion, there is a saying we often use according to which you can’t go wrong with wearing a suit. And that is definitely true: a simple, classic suit is an ensemble that can be worn anywhere from work to a restaurant and, why not, in a casino. As a style tip, you may want to consider not wearing a classic black suit, but rather a charcoal, gray or dark blue one, as these will make you look more dynamic and youthful. If you don’t want to wear a full suit, you can go for just dress pants, a dress shirt and a vest. A tie or bow tie are always optional.
Many casinos these days, however, accept a wider range of dress codes. For example, in most casinos, you will find that even a chinos and shirt combination are accepted.
In this case, one should of course think of what is not really acceptable. While accessories such as a nice watch, a bracelet or a pair of cufflinks can enhance your outfit, other fashion items are not really appropriate for a casino environment. Tank tops that show, flip-flops, bathing shorts and other similar items are probably no-gos. Granted, you don’t have to look like James Bond making a casino entrance (although why not?), but wearing well-fitting, structure and polished clothes that frame your body well and that are not completely casual is a good way to go – this way, you will both feel comfortable with yourself and will be taken seriously by the people around you.
To make sure that you dress properly for any event or place, it is always recommended that you do a quick search online and find out what the explicit requirements are, if any. If there are no specific requirements as per the dress code of the place, you can simply make an assessment based on their website, the atmosphere you get from their pictures or from the pictures posted by others on maps websites or social media. Geo-tagged posts can help you get a sense of what is common attire at a certain place in the world.
A very important thing that needs to be said about dressing up for the casino or for any other place for that matter is that the required dress code should not play a huge role in your sartorial decisions. Dressing up should always be primarily done for yourself, so that you feel confident and comfortable within your own image. While we don’t recommend being overdressed, styling yourself up a few notches is sure to always add a layer or two of confidence, which will make you feel better in no time.
Fraquoh and Franchomme
Further reading:
Fashion rules to follow in the casino
How to dress for a casual casino day
Style inspiration from James Bond’s iconic looks
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