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Posted on 03/28/2026 6:42:05 AM PDT by DoodleBob
Several years ago, I joined some friends on a trip to Mackinac Island, a place famous for its Victorian culture and ban on automobiles.
After bicycling around the island, we decided to splurge and have tea at The Grand Hotel, which is as polished as its name sounds. Before trooping in for tea, however, we stopped in a nearby restroom to exchange our sports clothes for something a little classier, for the hotel requires its patrons to dress up before entering its domain. Such a change was a bit of a bother, but in the long run, it made me value my experience far more. Because my outward appearance was more polished, my inward self could relax and savor both the food and my surroundings.
The good ol’ Grand Hotel isn’t alone in its dress standards anymore. Ruth’s Chris Steak House recently announced a new dress code for its patrons, posting the following on its website:
BUSINESS CASUAL – PROPER ATTIRE REQUIRED PLEASE.
Kindly remove all hats when entering the restaurant. Guests wearing ball caps are asked to dine in the bar/lounge.
The following attire is not permitted in our dining rooms:
Gym wear, pool attire, tank tops, clothing with offensive graphics or language, revealing clothing or exposed undergarments.
The famous steakhouse was mocked for these (rather minimal) standards by fellow restaurant chain Chili’s, which claimed that you only have to be dressed in order to enter their restaurant.
It’s an admittedly touché response … but does it really win Chili’s any points in the long run? Put differently, if money were no object, would we rather go to the trouble of dressing up to sit and enjoy the upscale Ruth’s Chris than go to Chili’s just so we can bum around in our shorts and t-shirts? Most would choose the former without question.
Some might consider this snobbery. The dress controversy between Chili’s and Ruth’s Chris, however, is really a microcosm of the larger culture war which has raged over of how we present ourselves to the world for years.
The viewpoint of Chili’s is the one toward which our society has been slouching for many years. “Come as you are,” they say, “we won’t judge!” Thus, what once was considered acceptable dinner attire – a nice dress for women and a sport coat for men – gradually morphed into jeans and a blouse, then booty shorts, crop tops, or sweatshirts and pajama pants.
Americans cling to such clothes, loving the comfort that they bring above all else. Yet at the same time, we also complain about how difficult it is to get ahead in the world and how hard it is to get others to respect us. What if the two are related? Might we see more success in our relationships, jobs, and other aspects of life if we didn’t cling so obstinately to the Chili’s dress code of “anything goes”?
Famed Hollywood costumer Edith Head would have said yes. In her book, “How to Dress for Success,” Head wrote, “No matter in which direction your strivings for success are pointed, what you wear and how you look can make the difference between moving steadily toward your goal or just rocking back and forth in the same spot.” In other words, if you want monotony and stagnation, keep choosing those casual, comfortable clothes when you go shopping, dine at restaurants, attend church, or even go to the office.
But those who want to move forward in life should consider a different tactic. Although it sounds a bit crass, Head encourages us to think of ourselves “as a product” that needs selling. And in order to sell that product, one must seriously consider how to improve it.
“The difference between ‘packaging’ you and a static product like a can of beans is considerable,” Head goes on to explain. “The beans are going only one place. You are going many places, and the way you look in each special situation, at different times of the day and on varied locations calls for a variety of looks, a number of moods and a diversified wardrobe.”
If we can control nothing else, we can always decide how we dress, Head says. “When you know what you want out of life—the areas of success you desire—then it is easy to dress ‘in character’ to create the most exciting, pleasing, attractive appearance for your audience.”
Yet so many of us do the exact opposite. What, after all, do our sweats, ripped jeans, and skimpy shorts and shirts say about us? Do they signal that we are a “product” that is clean, neat, alert, responsible, and quality material worthy of advancement … or do they signal that we are dumpy slobs, more interested in lazing through life and getting by with minimal effort?
It’s completely our own choice as to which of these options we’ll follow … but just remember, that choice may be the difference between a Ruth’s Chris or a Chili’s life.
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The latest craze at work/indicator of the decline of western civilization is wearing a down vest in the office.
I like Chilis. Their tortilla soup is great.
In before people post about dressing up to fly back in the day. So strange how people keep selling this outdated dress uncomfortably mindset. Form over function.
And brown shoes with black or navy slacks! Ugh!
Brown is considered acceptable with blue these days.
I want to a funeral and people showed up like they just left the beach
But would it kill a man to wear west black wingtips?
If you wanna be “edgy” get Doc Martens wingtips. You can then mosh after work.
Does anyone else here remember when people dressed up to go to church? Those days seem like they are long gone
I would rather dress comfortably. Suits suck. I don’t want to put a noose on. Shorts and t-shirts is good enough for me. I wouldn’t eat anyplace that disagrees. Luckily I live in Tucson. We’re casual here. Even great restaurants. So we can not dress up, and not go to Chilis. Honestly all the people whining about how we now dress comfortably are just silly. Really, if you have a problem with people wearing a down vest in chilly weather, that’s a YOU problem. Dress how you want, and we won’t bother you. We dress how we want, you should keep your opinion to yourself.
I’ve been to too many dr appointments where some are wearing a onesie PJ outfit with feet. And no shoes. And they have to provide a urine sample. If you are behind them be prepared to wait for them to get undressed and then redressed. They are whiners, too.
And their Cajun pasta is ever so delicious.
A good fitting suit and tie is not be uncomfortable. I belong to an organization that strongly encourages men to wear suits. We voted last month to buy suits for new members if they do not have one. I have bought a couple as have others as gifts. I tell the men that they aren’t wearing the suit to please me, but to acclimate themselves to wearing a suit. When they need to wear a suit they will look comfortable. Always look classy.
Looks don’t bother me much as I can always turn or close my eyes but I can’t turn or close (without some effort anyway) my ears or nose. I don’t care how anyone dresses, just as long as they aren’t noisy or don’t stink.
I remember back in the day in Tucson when you went to pinnacle Peak with a tie on, they would cut it off of you and staple it to the wall.
On the flipside, a good friend of mine who’s a 747 pilot said it made him nuts when people came on board in flannel PJs and slippers. Not because it offended his sensibilities (it did), but because he said it’s the least safe way you can be dressed if there’s an emergency.
I dress to match the occasion. I don’t dress up to go to Chili’s, but I don’t wear the same clothes I cut the grass in either. At funerals, I wear a suit out of respect.
I don’t have a Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse anywhere close, but I’d go every once in a while, if I did.
Yes, at one time wearing a suit was just getting dressed, not dressing up.
If your suit is uncomfortable, get one that fits.
It’s a real thing.
How much seed oil is in those two (and, every other one of their) dishes?
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