Unless you live in Las Vegas, Monte Carlo or Macau, it’s highly unlikely you’re going to get suited and booted before hitting the casino. These days, most of us play our games online, so there is simply no need to dress for the occasion.
With the exception of a few online betting games that require us to be visible, casino fashion for men is pretty much a non-starter. But if you’re serious about your gaming the chances are that you will find eventually yourself enjoying roulette in a real-life casino.
So, what are you going to wear? After all, you can’t just rock up in a vest and flip-flops. Some casinos, like the Hippodrome in London, might accept a more casual look, but prestigious places like Les Ambassadeurs will expect you to be dressed sharply.
If you’re considering purchasing a new suit for the occasion, it’s worth noting that the quality and fit of a suit can make a world of difference. While you might not wear a wedding suit to a casino, the meticulous tailoring and attention to detail that go into creating wedding suits can be a good benchmark for what to look for in a suit for a high-end casino. In other words, aim for that level of sophistication and quality in your attire.
Besides, looking and, more importantly, feeling the part is a quintessential aspect of the casino experience. You want to contribute to the atmosphere, not suck it dry with sliders and socks, and that’s where we come in.
Let’s begin by understanding what a dress code entails. It’s no good if the casino requires that men wear ‘black tie’ which you interpret as merely wearing a tie that’s black.
- Black Tie: black leather shoes with a black tuxedo, a black bow tie and a white shirt with cufflinks. If you want to go the whole hog you might want to wear a waistcoat or a cummerbund -that’s a wide silk pleated sash worn over the waste.
- White Tie: We’re only mentioning this out of respect for best practice as it’s highly unlikely you’ll be asked to wear the ultimate in formal menswear. It’s similar to black tie but, you’ve guessed it, the bow tie is white, and the tuxedo is replaced with a tailcoat.
- Formal Dress: Essentially, this is a three-piece suit worn with a tie and smart leather shoes. It’s best if the suit is on the dark side and the shirt white, but it’s not mandatory.
- Semiformal: See above but lose the shirt and go for a plain, round collared tee-shirt. This way you can look smart but without that sense of having been in a business meeting with a bunch of investors.
- Business-casual: Speaking of business, this form of dress isn’t actually as austere as it might sound. It’s basically formal dress but without a tie. The blazer doesn’t need to match the chinos, say, and you can slip on a pair of loafers and lose the lace-up shoes as well.
- Formal shirt and jeans: Don’t take liberties with the jeans, by the way, if they’re ripped or dirty you might find yourself being shown the door. But assuming they’re smart, match it with a formal shirt (i.e., long sleeves with a collar) and you’re good to go.
That’s as basic as it gets but do bear in mind that the dress code might differ from the day to the night. For example, you might be able to get away with a tee shirt and jeans in the afternoon, but in the evening, you’re expected to go for a more formal look.
Nor is the above a one-size fits all breakdown of casino fashion for men in a global context. Look at the word ‘fashion’, if you’re gambling in Las Vegas it might be perfectly acceptable to wear a Hawaiian shirt for example.
Needless to say, the best thing to do is check with the casino and check it out in practice by examining the pictures on the respective website. It might also clear up some concerns you have about the tricky aspect of accessories.
Back to Vegas, that Hawaiian shirt might look great with a Yankees baseball hat and hi-tops. But that look isn’t going do you any favours in Les Ambassadeurs, or putting it another way, you won’t get in.
So what accessories are acceptable? A casino is one of the few places where wearing sunglasses inside is perfectly acceptable, but do note, Google Glass most certainly isn’t.
As for hoodies and bandanas, they may be as unwelcome as baseball caps in some establishments. But even more formal headgear might be unacceptable as well in the interests of security and surveillance, again, check first.
Finally, where can you pick up a decent suit should you find yourself a few weeks away from attending a casino in London, for example? If you’re on a budget, Charles Tyrwhitt is a safe bet for anything from Tuxedos to business casual.
If you have got a little more to spend, why not try Gieves and Hawkes, Hugo Boss, Burberry or Armani? A good tailor is also a great source of advice for getting your casino look as sharp as your suit too.
Over to you, Mr Bond.
