There’s an old saying that “manners maketh man” but it can be argued that it’s equally true that what you wear inevitably plays a big part in what you are too. The way you dress not only sends out plenty of little visual cues that help people to make a snap decision about what kind of person you are, your possible occupation and even your income level, but it also has an impact on the way you feel about yourself.

Dressing well is also a question of context and knowing what is the right dress code for a particular situation or social environment and here we’re going to talk about what to wear to a casino. We’ll look at it in three parts, firstly in a brief analysis of the classic dress code suggested by the mere mention of a casino,then in terms of practicality and, finally, in whether it can have any bearing on how successful you’ll be at the tables – because there is definite evidence that what you wear can affect your performance in a number of ways.

Tuxedo or no?

It’s best to start with what most of us imagine typical casino wear to be. For this we have to look to that classic denizen of the roulette and craps table – James Bond. The image that immediately springs to mind is the tuxedo, preferably white, plain bow tie, and smart dark trousers and, for Bond only, the classic Walther PPK in a discreet shoulder holster. Naturally, this is a pure fantasy image and if you turned up at most casinos in 2018 dressed like this you’d certainly be attracting some curious looks, not to mention setting off all kinds of alarms thanks to the gun.

But that’s not to say that you can go too far the other way either. All casinos do have a dress code of some kind although this is often fairly wide-ranging in terms of what’s allowed. It could probably be best described as “smart casual” – so a shirt with collar, trousers not jeans and a pair of shoes, not trainers, sandals or flipflops. But there’s no need to get too hung up on what you’re going to wear, you just need to be sensible and ask yourself whether a nightclub would let you in dressed as you are. If the answer’s “yes” then you’ll probably be fine for a casino too. Often, where you are dictates a lot about how to dress and each casino has a certain dress code. Most of them today are rather relaxed, but you should always check ahead, to make sure you won’t have a bad experience.

Dress for comfort

Turning to the question of practicality, you’ll want to stay comfortable however long you’re playing and whatever the temperature around you. For example, Las Vegas may be very hot in the shade when you’re out on The Strip, but the heavily air-conditioned interiors of casinos are going to be a very different story. You’re also going to be in there for some time so a looser cut of jacket’s going to be essential if you want to stay relaxed enough to concentrate, whether you’re planning to play like a high roller or stick to the minimum bet.

Dress for success

Looking at some of the world’s most successful poker players you might imagine that the look to go for might be a baseball cap and dark glasses. But poker’s a very particular kind of game where you’re doing your very best to conceal your emotions and reactions from your opponents. Put on this kind of show for a normal visit to the casino and you’ll immediately arouse the suspicions of the pit boss that you may be up to no good.

This is also true if you’re planning to take to the blackjack table and try your hand at a technique that, while not technically cheating, certainly doesn’t go down well with the casinos as Ben Affleck discovered to his cost.

Card counting is an acknowledged technique to cut the house edge in your favor so the more discreet you can be and the more your clothes help you blend into the background, the better.

Casinos don’t like card counters because, when used with blackjack’s basic strategy, the technique can be a very effective. The principle behind it is simple. By assigning a numerical value to each of the high cards and low cards that are being dealt, it is possible to weigh up how likely it will be for the dealer to beat you in each hand. There are a number of different counting systems in use and, once you’ve practiced using them enough having done a little card counting training first, it’s a relatively straightforward process. It becomes a little trickier when there are two decks or more in play but, again it’s just a matter of practice.

It proved to be even more successful in the past when blackjack teams have operated in casinos, as featured in the fictionalized version of a true story in the film “21”.

It’s also important to always be conscious of the fact that casinos have a huge amount of CCTV and other surveillance equipment in operation specifically to spot blackjack players who might be card counting.

Of course, if you want to simply have a good time with friends and to make new friends, dressing up like a poker player won’t do you any good. A Bond-like approach would be better in such a case, as it will make you feel confident and cool and thus, without even noticing you will be more approachable.

Accessorize

In the end, it needs to be said that of course we must not forget accessories. Flashy jewellery like rings and chains are also going to attract unwanted attention and if you have an ostentatious kind of wristwatch it would also be a good idea to exchange this for something a little more discreet. But do try to wear a watch of some kind. That’s because casinos are notorious for having no clocks so that players lose track of time and spend many more hours than they mean to at the tables.

All in all, your casino fashion should be practical, comfortable and, depending on your intentions, it can be very understated or very flashy. If you’re there for the champagne and the mingling, you can even go in full-on red. If you want to play poker and train to become a world champion, it’s best to go for neutral colors and little accessories.

In the end, it’s all about having fun and why not, winning some money?

Fraquoh and Franchomme

Tuxedo or no?

Dress for comfort

Dress for success

Accessorize

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