NationStates Jolt Archive

I'm off to London England - and have reservations at the Savoy Grill for dinner.

I'm curious as to the "standard" dress code I might expect - should I go with a suit w/o tie...suit with tie...blazer, collared shirt and khaki pants.

The website says "smart" with jacket...what does that mean in London?

Thanks.
Wolfish.

I'm off to London England - and have reservations at the Savoy Grill for dinner.

I'm curious as to the "standard" dress code I might expect - should I go with a suit w/o tie...suit with tie...blazer, collared shirt and khaki pants.

The website says "smart" with jacket...what does that mean in London?

Thanks.
Wolfish.

Black dinner suit with bow tie. White shirt. Fashionable cufflinks. Nothing too obvious. Slick, combed back hair. Prefarably black boxers or pants (Don't go commando) Hope this helps.

well frankly i have no real idea, but at a guess, if its the savoy, you can't go wrong with a proper suit (with tie)... can always take the tie off too (and jacket if need be). i wouldn't worry about being 'overdressed' cos in a swanky place like that there's bound to be some proper smartypants people...


i'd stay clear of the khaki trousers myself.
but then i've never been there (and infrequently go to london)

Black dinner suit with bow tie. White shirt. Fashionable cufflinks. Nothing too obvious. Slick, combed back hair. Prefarably black boxers or pants (Don't go commando) Hope this helps.


whoa- dunno if I'd wanna go to a restaurant that checks your underwear.

Thanks...that's helpful (well - not the underwear advice...but you get what you pay for).

Cheers.

I'm off to London England - and have reservations at the Savoy Grill for dinner.

I'm curious as to the "standard" dress code I might expect - should I go with a suit w/o tie...suit with tie...blazer, collared shirt and khaki pants.

The website says "smart" with jacket...what does that mean in London?

Thanks.
Wolfish.

It's a 5 star hotel, you dress 5 star. If you don't know what that means it may not be the place for you. Still, Black tie and suit should suffice unless it's a special event. Collared shirt? You bet your a*s. Stay off the khaki 'pants'. A lot of the top London restaurants and hotels tend to cater more towards travelers nowadays but I seem to recall that the Mayor of Moscow or some such place was refused service recently for violation of dress code. Enjoy your stay!

You have to go to the venerable Anderson & Sheppard on Savile Row and get them to make you a nice suit.

That's london "smart."

Or, if you want to look like a goof, go to Ozwald Boateng.


Really though, just wear a suit (not a brown suit) and a tie (avoid a regimental stripe tie).

Also, wear black shoes if you have some, the nicest ones you own. (go to Lobb St James to get shoes made :D )

NG gives sage advice.

Also, never wear black shoes with a lounge suit.

You have to go to the venerable Anderson & Sheppard on Savile Row and get them to make you a nice suit.

That's london "smart."

Or, if you want to look like a goof, go to Ozwald Boateng.


Really though, just wear a suit (not a brown suit) and a tie (avoid a regimental stripe tie).

Also, wear black shoes if you have some, the nicest ones you own. (go to Lobb St James to get shoes made :D )

Well - unless Anderson & Sheppard can make a suit in an afternoon, I'll have to make due with what I bring...thanks for the input.

As an aside - I do plan on some shopping on the second half of my trip - including getting fitted for some shirts from James & James.

Well - unless Anderson & Sheppard can make a suit in an afternoon, I'll have to make due with what I bring...thanks for the input.

As an aside - I do plan on some shopping on the second half of my trip - including getting fitted for some shirts from James & James.


You should have thought ahead :D

I'm off to London England - and have reservations at the Savoy Grill for dinner.

Just dress in your national costume - think full-blown cowboy duds here - and create a massive stink about racism and your culture being oppressed if they refuse you entry. Go on, you know it would be worth it.

Collar, cuffs, jacket, tie - that's the essential dress code for anywhere like that. It doesn't mean you necessarily have to have cuff links - buttoned cuffs are passable, but basically what this means is it must be a long-sleeved shirt. Whether you have a suit and tie or go for full black tie is up to you.

Stay clear of white tie, though, or you WILL look out of place!

You have to go to the venerable Anderson & Sheppard on Savile Row and get them to make you a nice suit.

That's london "smart."

Or, if you want to look like a goof, go to Ozwald Boateng.


Really though, just wear a suit (not a brown suit) and a tie (avoid a regimental stripe tie).

Also, wear black shoes if you have some, the nicest ones you own. (go to Lobb St James to get shoes made :D )

The sensible part of your post was about right. Imo the Savoy is not what it used to be but still good. You will get away nicely with a paisley tie but as is the case for most up market establishments in London, it is always safer to carry the black one even if you don't wear it. Some places that insist upon it will have one they can loan you if required.
John Lobb leather shoes.......expect to pay about £2000.00 (that is a pair though so it's relatively cheap) :p

Wear jeans and a shirt, and if they don't like it take your money to somewhere that does!

If you are going to a place that expects a dress code of any kind, you would be silly not to observe it just to make a point.

Me and the Canuck are traveling on the Orient Express and that IS black tie for dinner, but smart for the day, so I would imagine that a decent suit and shirt (long sleeved with collar etc) tie and if thats ok for the VSOE it will be OK for the Savoy grill....I hope that you enjoy it!

Smart with jacket.

As the rest have said, pretty much a suit with/without a tie. Many places are becoming a bit relaxed about the tie thing, but want a jacket worn. So my advice would be, nice suit, a tie that goes with the damned suit (if its white so be it).

As it does not say ANYHTING about being black tie, it means you don't have to have a black tie. They would have said otherwise.

I think that 'Black Tie' in this case means Tuxedo, winged Collar shirt and a Bow tie, not just an ordinary black tie, and if it says smart, it means a tie.

We perhaps need a UN resolution on "international standards of dress".

I'm quite familiar with fine dining - having been to some of the best restaurants in New York (lax American standards), Toronto (Hollywood North crowd), Paris (skinny suits suck)...and "smart" or "business" or "formal" can mean so many different things.

Thanks all for the help.

I'll go with a dark blue pinstripe suit (bespoke, Hong Kong), crisp white shirt, no tie, silver cufflinks, brown italian lace-ups and belt.

Cheers.

We perhaps need a UN resolution on "international standards of dress".

I'm quite familiar with fine dining - having been to some of the best restaurants in New York (lax American standards), Toronto (Hollywood North crowd), Paris (skinny suits suck)...and "smart" or "business" or "formal" can mean so many different things.

Thanks all for the help.

I'll go with a dark blue pinstripe suit (bespoke, Hong Kong), crisp white shirt, no tie, silver cufflinks, brown italian lace-ups and belt.

Cheers.

That'll be fine, they have not specified a tie so you needn't have one.

You have to go to the venerable Anderson & Sheppard on Savile Row and get them to make you a nice suit.
Yes! That way you can hopefully whip up some business for my grandad!

Ahem.

Don't worry about slick hair so much; as long as you don't look like you've been assaulted by a bush backwards-style, you'll be OK in that department.

Take a tie just in case. Oh, and some random trivia... the very short street that the Savoy is on is the only street in the UK (as I understand it) where cars drive on the right.

Take a tie just in case. Oh, and some random trivia... the very short street that the Savoy is on is the only street in the UK (as I understand it) where cars drive on the right.

Is this for some Darwinian reason... ie: keeping the ratio of stupid/unaware people to a minimum?

Take a tie...PLEASE...Ties are great..

:D

Also, I suspect that they DO mean you to wear a tie, and if you dont have one they either won't let you in OR even worse, will LEND you one...Mmmm that prospect should scare you enough to take one all on its own...

Is this for some Darwinian reason... ie: keeping the ratio of stupid/unaware people to a minimum?
God only knows. This is the UK - our culture is built on quirks and inconsistencies.