Can I wear jeans to Providence?

[Obessed]

My SO is taking me to Providence tonight for my birthday -- can we wear (nice) jeans and dressy tops? Is a dress too fancy?

[mandela]

i wore jeans and a nice top, and while no one gave me any trouble, i did end up wishing i was wearing something nicer...but i'm also from the east coast, and wince when people wear baseball hats in restaurants.

i say err on the side of dressy - dining at providence is an occasion!

[slacker]

L.A. is all about casual chic--expensive casual clothes. And L.A. is also really into jeans, we must have more designer jeans in our closets than people in other cities.

Last time I went to Spago, I wore a skirt, and felt like a dork.

[goodhealthgourmet]

funny, i went to spago on a friday night last month...mom & dad were visiting so out of respect for them i decided to forgo my usual uniform [i.e. jeans], and donned what i considered to be 'casual' black pants instead...and felt so overdressed!

[PseudoNerd]

Where couldn't you wear jeans to in LA (especially since most pairs run more than $200)? Then again, where couldn't you wear a dress to?

Those sorts of things are what make LA less stressful.

[Diana]

I always have fun dressing up to go out to nice places. It helps make it feel special to put special effort into how I look. I would never darken Providence's doors in anything less than a nice dress, with hair done right and make up applied. not for anyone else, you undestand, but for me.

My husband won't go in there without a tie and jacket.

[Obessed]

I wore a dress and my SO wore slacks & a button down and we definitely did not feel overdressed. In fact, with the exception of 2 guys sitting next to us, no one else in the restaurant was wearing jeans....but enough about the clothes...OMG it was so delicious!!! We did the 9 course tasting menu (which was actually more like 11 courses). I can't even remember all the courses, but the highlights included the sea scallops and salmon. The last 'food' course before cheese was veal and that was very good also. The dessert was so refreshing - greek yogurt with cucumber ribbons and cantalope sobet. The only thing I did not like was the 2nd course - which was some ort of panna cotta with sea urchin and cavier.

[kevin]

oh, and don't worry LA is not New York or New Orleans.

we put the unfancy in fancy.

[running pig]

That dessert sounds fabulous!

[ipsedixit]

I've been there in jeans (regular Levis 501) and no one batted an eye.

Only restaurants in LA that I can think of that have any semblance of a dress code are "club" type restaurants, e.g. Social, Republic, etc.

[Das Ubergeek]

The Queen Mary has a jacket-and-tie requirement for men. That's the only place I can think of... and the reason I don't eat there, since I don't like choking my food past a tie.

[kevin]

oh, almost forgot the Magic Castle, which adheres to a strict policy, though they do have spare mistmatched jackets on hand.

[amandine]

Call me sexist but I think women can pull off jeans in a more upscale setting if they are high end and not too distressed, with everything else dressy. Men not so much. At the Edison bar downtown (which is a FANTASTIC space with excellent strong drinks and good service by the way) I don't think men can get in with jeans but women can (there's a dress code... I would like to see more restaurants and bars do this in the L.A. area by the way)

[kevin]

knock yourself out.

nice shirt top whatever and top should be all right, just don't weard tennnis shoes with.

[rameniac]

i wore my tennis shoes and jeans. granted, they were boutiquey nikes, but all the same =)

[wilafur]

you can get into edison with jeans but not with sneakers (past 9pm). stupid policy, imo. its a freaking bar downtown.....gimme a break!

[amandine]

I'm glad for it. I'm a bit of a purist-- it irks me how many spots in L.A. are losing focus a la bar/club/lounge/restaurants. I'd rather we have different venues for different purposes. And take it one step further-- that there be sports bars, dive bars, classy bars with dress codes for whatever suits your mood on a given day... much like the range of casual to upscale that are commonly accepted for restaurants.

Which, now that I think about it, makes me kind of a hypocrite for suggesting jeans at Providence. But who's to know when there are no standards? Part of the problem is what STARTED this post in the first place-- that restaurants make no mention of dress code (I'd rather call them "guidelines"). Which is why I LIKE how Edison is upfront about it. Patrons contribute part of the ambiance of a given establishment... why not places have dress "guidelines" to keep things special where special is due?

[running pig]

That is intersting, Amandine, because I probably have the opposite opinion. Men's jeans are getting so nice these days, that I think the guys look pretty spiffy in nicer, properly-fitting jeans. I like us women to be wearing something a little more....I don't know...sophisticated? I would never wear jeans to an upscale restaurant. But to a bar, even an upper-end one, I would.

[Hoover13]

I did and had no problem (but I also wore a suit jacket.)

[Frank_Santa_Monica]

I've never had a prob either. But, it all depends on how you put it together. I remember the party next to me, the gentleman was early 30's or so. He had designer jeans, dress shirt un-tucked with cufflinks. No jacket.

I wore a navy linen jacket, dark jeans, dress shirt, nice shoes.

[rameniac]

designer jeans, fashionably ripped in tokyo, should be ok. lol i met cimarusti and had the super omakase there wearing a plain blue t-shirt and jeans if i remember correctly. all good.

[Obessed]

Thanks for all the comments & suggestions! Since I never really have to dress up I think I might...especially since it is my birthday, I just didn't want to be overdressed since most nice restaurants in LA are pretty casual, but it doesn't seem like I would be :-)

[hrhboo]

I've worn jeans about half the times I've been there and never felt out of place. Having said that, it's always nice to have an excuse to dress up and seeing as it's your birthday you may as well go for it. Happy Birthday!

[David Kahn]

I disagree with the Frank and estone888. I think Providence is about as fancy as it gets in LA (an admittedly low standard), but I think you may feel under-dressed in blue jeans. A dress is definitely not too fancy.

[goodhealthgourmet]

might feel under-dressed if it was later in the week, but on a monday night it shouldn't be an issue.

[David Kahn]

I guess. I usually wear a suit, and wouldn't think of stepping into Providence in anything less than a sport coat, tie and slacks. I think the Missus has generally worn a pants suit or a dress. I recognize, however, that I may be out of sync with the Los Angeles zeitgeist on this issue (among others).

[Das Ubergeek]

I would say almost certainly -- people wear jeans everywhere in this city. And I'm not going to get into the inevitable discussion that will get moved to the NAF board (again) about whether this country is going you-know-where in a handbasket because of its sartorial laxness.

[Frank_Santa_Monica]

Yeah jeans are fine.

[estone888]

A dress is not too fancy. Jeans would probably be okay if the top was nice enough and the jeans were clean and crisp and all that.