Wearing a suit to fancy upscale bars. Good idea?

[dieworkwear]

I'm genuinely surprised by the feedback here. Do you guys not see people in suits at upscale bars?

I wouldn't wear a suit to a dive bar, but an upscale bar, hotel bar, or any kind of "fancier" setting, I think a suit is really common. I can think of many places in San Francisco where a suit would look very normal at a bar. Vox's IG is basically 10% just him drinking at a bar. Before the lockdown, I had drinks with two people at a rooftop bar in San Francisco and we were all wearing tailored clothing.

 

[iloveshirts]

When I see a person wearing a suit in a bar (either upscale or casual, like my own local) my first thought isn’t “My, that gentleman looks well dressed” but “that guy probably came straight from the office”.

There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, and it’s often the truth, but I feel the message it sends isn’t that you made a conscious choice to dress up but that you didn’t have time to go home and change, like an overworked Tokyo salaryman getting a skinful before the last train home. I think a sport coat and odd trousers comes across as a more deliberate effort to dress well. It also gives you more options to mix and match, keeping your look fresh if you regularly visit the same bar.

I am, however, a big supporter of dressing up to the bar, so if your wardrobe is limited go with the suit and enjoy. One of my favourite hobbies is throwing on a tie and revelling in any admiring looks my haggard, married and neutered ass can attract. Helps me forget that I’m rapidly ageing

Thank you ever so much for your very detailed and thoughtful reply. I am grateful.

And how many looks do you get sir? It's amazing how many looks you get when out in a suit. I have even had women approach me and exchange numbers!

 

[iloveshirts]

I'm genuinely surprised by the feedback here. Do you guys not see people in suits at upscale bars?

I wouldn't wear a suit to a dive bar, but an upscale bar, hotel bar, or any kind of "fancier" setting, I think a suit is really common. I can think of many places in San Francisco where a suit would look very normal at a bar. Vox's IG is basically 10% just him drinking at a bar. Before the lockdown, I had drinks with three people at a rooftop bar in San Francisco and we were all wearing tailored clothing.

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That looks like a nice bar. And I too have seen many men out in suits at nice bars during the weekend. Those two chaps in the centre of the pic can you remember if they were wearing sports jacket/odd trousers or was it suit sans tie?

 

[dieworkwear]

That looks like a nice bar. And I too have seen many men out in suits at nice bars during the weekend. Those two chaps in the centre of the pic can you remember if they were wearing sports jacket/odd trousers or was it suit sans tie?

That's a photo from Vox, a member who used to post here. He lives in Boston and I wasn't in that setting, so I can't say.

This is the last bar I went to before the lockdown. The photo is again not mine

However, on many days, you also often see people dressed casually. Not uncommon to see a mix of suited people and casually dressed people

 

[Phileas Fogg]

I'm genuinely surprised by the feedback here. Do you guys not see people in suits at upscale bars?

I wouldn't wear a suit to a dive bar, but an upscale bar, hotel bar, or any kind of "fancier" setting, I think a suit is really common. I can think of many places in San Francisco where a suit would look very normal at a bar. Vox's IG is basically 10% just him drinking at a bar. Before the lockdown, I had drinks with two people at a rooftop bar in San Francisco and we were all wearing tailored clothing.



View attachment 1601185

Who’s the cheap bastard who ordered water?

 

[Keith Taylor]

I'm genuinely surprised by the feedback here. Do you guys not see people in suits at upscale bars?

I wouldn’t know, as upscale bars are kryptonite for me. I drink my beer straight from the bottle and pay $1.92, and the staff at my local see me coming down the street and have a cold one on the table by the time I sit down. Heaven. Being pressured to leave my own version of Cheers for worse, more expensive service at an upscale bar makes me genuinely angry.

And how many looks do you get sir? It's amazing how many looks you get when out in a suit. I have even had women approach me and exchange numbers!

More than my wife would like Tailored clothing isn’t all that common in my country, so a little effort goes a very long way. I could have had a very interesting time if I’d learned how to dress well before I got married

 

[iloveshirts]

Who’s the cheap bastard who ordered water?

That's my sort of water that!

 

[iloveshirts]

I wouldn’t know, as upscale bars are kryptonite for me. I drink my beer straight from the bottle and pay $1.92, and the staff at my local see me coming down the street and have a cold one on the table by the time I sit down. Heaven. Being pressured to leave my own version of Cheers for worse, more expensive service at an upscale bar makes me genuinely angry.



More than my wife would like Tailored clothing isn’t all that common in my country, so a little effort goes a very long way. I could have had a very interesting time if I’d learned how to dress well before I got married

Well at least you have a good back up plan ?

 

[iloveshirts]

That's a photo from Vox, a member who used to post here. He lives in Boston and I wasn't in that setting, so I can't say.

This is the last bar I went to before the lockdown. The photo is again not mine


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However, on many days, you also often see people dressed casually. Not uncommon to see a mix of suited people and casually dressed people



View attachment 1601189

Another nice bar it's making me want to go out! Was this pic taken during the week or was it the weekend? Can you remember?

 

[dieworkwear]

Another nice bar it's making me want to go out! Was this pic taken during the week or was it the weekend? Can you remember?

No idea, just a photo I pulled off the net.

 

[iloveshirts]

No idea, just a photo I pulled off the net.

We will keep the suit torch burning. Where I'm from the women like it so why would I stop?

 

[Phileas Fogg]

No idea, just a photo I pulled off the net.

it’s San Francisco. That’s the Strand theater on the far left (A.C.T on the sign).

 

[dieworkwear]

it’s San Francisco. That’s the Strand theater on the far left (A.C.T on the sign).

??

Yes, I pulled the photo to say that's the last bar I went to before the lockdown.

 

[mhip]

I wouldn’t know, as upscale bars are kryptonite for me. I drink my beer straight from the bottle and pay $1.92

No thanks...
Sooner or later, you'll have to go to the bathroom.

 

[BPL Esq]

I'm genuinely surprised by the feedback here. Do you guys not see people in suits at upscale bars?

Sure, but I only suggested that OP consider the actual venue and the manner in which his party, if any, is dressed. Helps to avoid coming off as very #menswear and try-hard by significantly outdressing your companions or ignoring the actual vibe of the particular bar (aside from the cost of drinks and its physical appearance).

I've worn suits out to bars and have seen plenty of others do it as well.