Dressing up to go to the theatre?

We dont need a dress code. But, based on my own experience, it'd be nice if we had standards for audience hygeine.

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I say always dress up, at least somewhat. That's not to say wear a dress or suit, but something to look like you actually thought about it would be nice. The only time I have ever worn jeans to a Broadway show was when I was going to be in the city all day, but I still wore my nice dark jeans and heels and a nice shirt. But I still always try to wear black pants and a nice shirt. It's just proper etiquette, I think. But there have been loads of threads on this in the past.

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If it's a planned thing I almost always at least look nice. Maybe that includes jeans, but then I wear heels and a nice top/makeup etc....


if it's a spur of the moment thing, or if I'm in downtown Chicago ALL day and plan on trying the lottery I'm gonna be more comfortable than dressy....



Just please don't go looking like a bum...it disgusts me. $100 a ticket sometimes and people show up looking like they mortgaged their house to be there.

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Sometimes I'm spontaneous and suddenly decide to go to San Francisco at the last minute to see a show, so I wear what I'm in if I’m not coming from home. When a show is in town that I know I may want to see spontaneously, I just make sure never to wear something too crummy. I would say causal clothes are fine as long as it’s not beachwear (like those flip-flops some people love to wear so much) or something that’s worn out.

I don’t think you have to wear heels if you do dress up. Nice shoes are fine. I have very flat feet, so I’m not big on heels.

Updated On: 1/22/07 at 10:51 AM

I always wear a T shirt and jeans. Not just in terms of going to the theatre but in general. Also, I wouldn't say thbat me going to the theatre is spur of the moment. I always plan at least the night before that I am gonna get on the LIRR into the city and go see a show. However, I know that one person said that they would only not dress up if it was spur of the moment. I have wondered about this for me personally in the past. I think that it's I A go to the theatre so often it no longer regesters as as an event. And B it's because I can easilly care less bout what I look like. That's not to say I don't care if I look dishiveled sp? But, I keep my hair neet ( most of the time its nautrally that way) and just throw on clothes on and head into the city.

Kepp in mind, that many is the time that I have heard a person at one of the broadway theatre ticket desks at a hotel tell a tourists that they can go into the theatre generally in whatever they are wearing.

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I think you can tell how much someone respects theatre by how well they are dressed.

"I think you can tell how much someone respects theatre by how well they are dressed."

I am sorry, but that's just idiotic. I go to the theatre once or twice a week. I wear jeans most of the time. For me, seeing a play is no more of a special event than going to the cinema or out to dinner. And that's how it should be.

Theatre survives because of the people who see shows on a regular basis, not those who come into the city once or twice a year to see the latest hit musical. It is usually the latter group that dresses up because for them it is an occasion.

If you want to dress up, that's fine, but please don't judge me and my level of respect based on how I'm dressed. Better yet, save the money that you were going to spend on that special outfit and use it to see an extra show. Believe me, the actors on state would appreciate that a hundred times more than that you're wearing a dress and heels.

I think you can tell how much someone respects theatre by how well they are dressed.

Oh please. I've sat by plenty of well-dressed people who talked during the show, ate, or both. A well-dressed man was eating Skittles IN THE FRONT ROW one of the times I saw PIAZZA in San Francisco. Besides, if it’s a weeknight show, a lot of these people are coming from work, so they are dressed up anyway.

I think you can tell how much someone respects theatre by how well they are behaving.

I think people should at least attempt to look nice.

Who's to say you're definition of "nice" isn't the same as my definition of "nice"? That's pretty vague, and you're assuming that we all see "nice" the way that you do.

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I agree with Wanna Be A Foster one hundred percent. Are others really going to be affected that much by what you are wearing to a show? If they really have that much a problem with what you wear, there's something wrong.

I'd take a person in jeans and a sweatshirt over a loud Skittles-eating businessman beside me at the theatre any day.

God knows I'm not a fan of anything tie-dyed, but Wicked is hardly serious theatre. It's a live-action version of a cartoon. It hardly matters what you wear, just please don't sing along.

Just out of curiosity, I'd like to see a show of hands of who thinks that people should dress up, along with where you're from, how often you go to the theatre and what shows you see.

I am willing to bet that it's mostly the people who see fewer than 5 Broadway shows a year, and that the shows include things like Wicked, Rent, Ave Q, Jersey Boys, etc.

Way to fit the stereotype, people. Give yourselves a round of applause.

Just out of curiosity, I'd like to see a show of hands of who thinks that people should dress up, along with where you're from, how often you go to the theatre and what shows you see.

I am willing to bet that it's mostly the people who see fewer than 5 Broadway shows a year, and that the shows include things like Wicked, Rent, Ave Q, Jersey Boys, etc.

Well I'm the first to answer, and the first to not fit your stereotype. I see many shows every year, Broadway and Broadway Across America. I dress up as much as possible to all of them. Even if I come in from out of town, I always make sure to pack nice clothes to see shows. I prepare for my two outfits a day- one to walk around in, and one to see the show in.

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