What sort of clothing is appropriate to wear for a Sunday matinee performance of a ballet (Swan Lake

[jack1066]

I'm a young guy (22) taking my girlfriend (21) to see Swan Lake on NYE (she says it's something she's always wanted to do). Other relevant information is that it's a closing performance (starting at 2 p.m.), Russian state ballet and orchestra of Siberia, at a larger theater but not necessarily a very posh one (it's St David's Hall, Cardiff, UK), and I booked the 2nd most expensive seats.

I want to dress well for my date but I also don't want to appear overdressed, and I'm aware that classical music concerts (at least in my area) are a lot less formal than they have been because I sometimes go to them and have done since I was a small child- not sure if it's the same for ballet.

I was thinking of something along the lines of a sports coat, chinos, some nice brown brogues, a white shirt and maybe a knitted or woolen tie. Is this too much or about right? Should I ditch the tie for a nice jumper (it means I don't need to get my shirt dry cleaned and pressed tbh)? Thanks!

 

[maxalex]

In an age when billionaires wear hoodies, concerts have indeed gotten less formal, and not only in the provinces. But the lack of a dress code is not in itself a dress code—you are not obligated to present yourself as a douchebag merely because others have decided to do so.

Your suggested attire of a sport coat, chinos and a knitted tie would fall on the more casual side of appropriate concert wear, but these days should be fine in most venues. You will certainly look “overdressed” compared to the nouveau-riche who show up in dad jeans and a hoodie, but in the interest of respecting your date it’s a cross you must bear.

Dress shirts do not need to be dry cleaned, which shortens their life, thus wasting money two ways. At the end of the night, throw your dress shirt in with your regular laundry. Hang it to dry. Press it yourself in under ten minutes. Take the money you’ve saved and buy yourself a pint in the pub.