Let's talk formality.

[cureless]

A discussion on a board I frequent along with a trip to the symphony this weekend prompted this post about formality, and how much we take it into account. Customs are different everywhere, and there's been some clashing between Americans and Europeans on the board about what is considered proper at a wedding

Comments

[ninjadebugger]

Where I come from, it's impolite if you -don't- take food home with you from a wedding reception.

And, uh... where I'm from jeans -are- considered eveningwear, honestly. If it's not business related, nice jeans are fine.

[lirazel]

In Boston, where dressing down is not an indicator of the status of the event or of the person attending(check all the Old Money still wearing out Grandpa's corderoy jacket), you dress up for Symphony if you are sitting in the Orchestra or Mezzanine. In the balconies, it is assumed you are in the cheap seats for a reason and no one cares. (Well, the T-shirt and something on one's nethers aren't optional, but other than that.) And, in fact, they are trying to draw in more students/young persons in order to ensure that there's an audience in The Future, so I saw a lot of jeans in the Orchestra when we last went. We also saw a lot of very snappy dressing, but the women tended to be much more dressed than the men

[guppyur]

Baltimore perspectives:

- I'd think a wedding guest was kind of weird for taking home food from the reception unless the host told them to. Exceptions for bringing food to kids at home.

- I would generally expect staff service with formal attire or anything higher. It would seem normal to me for semiformal occasions as well, but it wouldn't be weird not to have it. Business casual, not especially. All kinds of informal shit is business casual.

- Symphony: At least put on slacks and a button-down shirt.

And let's be honest, folks... if Baltimore thinks you're underdressed, you probably ought to go change.

[ninjadebugger]

Baltimore is practically New Jersey. When -Omaha- thinks you're underdressed, then you have a problem.

[eviene]

I HATE people who wear jeans to the theatre. I don't go to the symphony much- the last time I went it was at a venue where you sit on the grass, but I can only imagine if I did go the the sympony at a real venue I would reigiously uphold a proper dress code.

[caratyzna]

I always dress up to go, because I like to dress up. But I wouldn't want to pass on one just from having nothing to wear..might just be the Mo attitude, I do see some pretty casual people around. And here, dressy jeans as just as good as slacks..I even can wear them to work.