Figure 1Photo by Benjamin R courtesy of Unsplash
If you’re planning a trip to a conventional land-based brick-and-mortar casino, you need to think about your casino attire. Whilst the casino clothing rules have relaxed considerably with the passing of time, you ought to be aware of the proper guidelines, otherwise you could find yourself denied entry.
While the team here at GamBonus.com focus mainly on online casinos, we are also very conscious of the fact that a lot of our readers also like to frequent traditional land-based casino establishments from time to time. For them, and anyone else planning a visit, we thought it would be helpful to publish a blog about casino attire, so if this is you, please read on.You’ve only got to explore the former Vegas casinos that are no more to realise why Las Vegas was christened the
Do Casinos Have Dress Codes?
Casino di Venezia By Dennis G. Jarvis courtesy of Wikimedia
The history of casinos dates back to 1683, when the Casino di Venezia first opened its doors to the Venice elite, high society, aristocrats, celebrities, and rich traders. It wasn’t only a gambling establishment, however.
The ‘well-to-does’ came to the magnificent Renaissance-style palace that housed the casino also to meet, talk, and make lucrative deals.
Being the elite, their attire was classically formal and stylish, and so it set the gambling attire code of the time, a code that has continued to this day, albeit as time progressed, it has become more relaxed, apart from the most celebrated casinos. Originally, wearing three-cornered hats and masks was considered to be very chic,
The Growth of the Casino Industry and Casino Attire
Inside the Casino de Monte Carlo by Matthew Hartley, courtesy of Flickr
In the early days of casinos, gambling was seen as a pastime for the rich. They demanded the very best of everything, and this included the establishments they visited for their gambling pleasure, and so it continued as other cities across Europe sought to repeat the success story of the Casino di Venezia. London, Monte Carlo and Paris followed suit. When the Casino de Monte-Carlo opened its doors in 1863, it confirmed to the world that Monte Carlo was the place to go to enjoy gambling at its luxurious best.
As you can see from the photo above, the opulent surroundings of Casino de Monte Carlo screamed first class, and only those who followed the correct dress code at Casino de Monte Carlo were granted entry. It was all about class, and giving the rich the opportunity to show off their wealth in terms of the clothes they wore.
As time wore on and the number of casinos proliferated worldwide, dress code and casino attire became an integral part of the premium casino experience. But it also extended beyond an atmospheric contribution. The outfits casino visitors wore imparted confidence to the wearer. When everyone was dressed to the nines, you could join more experienced players at a table, and no one would be able to tell that you were any different from all of the other sophisticated-looking gamblers all wearing their fine casino attire.
The Extension of the Casino Clothing Rules Over Time
Casino dress attire rules started out as “White Tie”. It was, and still is, very formal with little or no room for manoeuvre. A tailed suit jacket with satin detailing on its lapels and pockets. The lapels are what is known as ‘shawl style’ – one piece of fabric that extends around the collar and lapels. The jacket should have a slight sheen finish. The full dress kit consists of:
- High-waisted trousers, which should be made from the same material as the jacket. They should also have braids, which are seams of silk sewn into the trousers to hide the seams.
- A stiff front white shirt with a stiff detachable collar and cuffs.
- Cufflinks.
- White waistcoat.
- Top hat.
- Black patent leather Oxford shoes
These days, White tie events are very special occasions and are attended by invitation only. If you’ve received a White Tie event invitation, you should watch this Gentleman’s Gazette video. Not many people own their own White Tie outfits unless they move in the upper echelons of society. Most people will hire them if and when needed.
Black Tie – Slightly More Relaxed Casino Attire
For men, Black Tie casino dress attire requires wearing a Dinner Jacket or Tuxedo (without tails). Dinner Jacket is a UK expression, whereas Tuxedo is American, the latter originating in 1886 from the Tuxedo Club in New York.
In the beginning and for many years that followed, casino attire was all about class. But, as time progressed and more casinos appeared, the less wealthy began attending. However, casinos strove to maintain their class, premium experience atmosphere by maintaining formal casino dress attire rules. It was a successful strategy for many years as it created a general casino atmosphere that patrons could enjoy, regardless of their social class or standing.
Black Tie, while still formal gambling attire, is more relaxed in terms of what it consists. As explained above, the jacket doesn’t have tails and can be any colour. Black is the most popular colour, closely followed by white, with maroon and purple being less popular but often seen. Some even have patterns woven into them, similar to the jacket shown at the start of the blog.
The jacket should have a one-piece silk shawl extending around the collar and lapels, and silk covering the pockets. Dress shirts are quite acceptable, and these too can be different colours. White is the norm, but you can also buy them in pale blue, pink, or black if you choose a white or other coloured jacket. No need for stiff fronts or cuffs. You should, however, wear cufflinks.
The ensemble should also include a waistcoat. The colour can vary to match or offset the colour of the jacket, and patterns (including tartans) are quite acceptable.
The trousers for Black Tie wear should be black and have full-length braids to cover the seams. Finally, the shoes should be black patent leather.
We’ve talked about casino attire for men, but what about the fairer sex?
Casino Clothes for Women
In the early days of casinos, while their menfolk wore While and Black tie dress, the women wore elaborate gowns and bedecked themselves with dazzling jewellery. This continued up until the 1920s – the so-called Roaring 20s. It was a time of significant cultural and social change, and also a time when casino clothing rules began to bend.
Jazz music started to become popular, and the young people of the era began to express themselves more liberally, especially the women.
Leading up to the 1920s, the formation of the WSPU (Women’s Social and Political Union), driven by Emmeline Pankhurst in 1903, was the first significant step towards recognising women and moving toward securing them the right to vote. In 1913, Emily Wilding Davison purposely stepped out in front of a horse at the Epsom Derby, which brought huge publicity to the movement.
Suddenly, the elegant gowns that women previously wore in casinos began to give way to the advent of flapper dresses. Casino attire has always been influenced by fashion, particularly women’s fashion, and as the flapper dress represented a new era of female emancipation, with its feathers, fringes and sequins, it became the thing to be seen wearing.
They were a dramatic departure from the old, restrictive, corseted dresses of Victorian times. Flapper dresses had no sleeves. They had straight, loose silhouettes with a drop-waist, and somewhat shockingly at the time, hemlines became knee length, allowing the wearer greater freedom of movement.
The casino clothes women wore had changed forever. But of course it didn’t stop there.
After the rigours and years of worry and the deprivation brought about by the Second World War, as society began to recover, casinos were seen as a place where people could indulge themselves in luxury and elegance, and sophistication became the watchword in women’s dress code at casino venues. The late 1940s and 50s were the times of the cocktail dress.
Typically, cocktail dresses were knee-length and had tailored silhouettes that emphasised the wearer’s waist. They were made from unashamedly luxurious fabrics such as silk and satin. Lady casino visitors often paired their dresses with gloves. Another popular accessory of the time was a string of pearls to complete the look. Meanwhile, men continued to wear their suits, but now of a more relaxed fit than the formal tuxedos of earlier eras.
The Impact Las Vegas Had On Casino Attire
When Las Vegas began to establish itself as the western world’s gambling capital, another style of fashion began to exert itself. It reflected both the neon-fired glitz and glamour of the expanding Las Vegas Strip and the practical need for lighter clothing. While women were comfortable in their sleeveless cocktail dresses (now without the long-sleeved glove accessories), casino clothing rules were changed, allowing men to wear lightweight suits.
Changes to Gambling Attire in the 1960s and 1970s
A lot was happening in the 1960s and 70s, including the music world exploding when the Beatles arrived on the scene/ James Bond also made his first screen appearance in Dr No. In the Beatles’ first movie, A Hard Day’s Night, actor Wilfred Bramble (Paul McCartney’s screen father) appeared in a scene in a casino playing Baccarat. The casino in which the scene was filmed was Le Cercle at the Ambassadors club in London, the same casino where James Bond, played by Sean Connery, played Chemin De Fer and uttered the immortal words “My name is Bond, James Bond”. Both actors were decked in black tie evening wear. The Rat Pack (Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and Sammy Davis Junior) were also frequent visitors to the Las Vegas Strip for a little gambling fun, often wearing Black Tie, but sometimes in ordinary suits.
Celebrities were big news and an important part of the casino publicity machine, and it prompted a further relaxing of casino clothing rules. Ties were no longer enforced, and blazers and trousers were allowed to be worn by gamblers. Women mostly stayed with cocktail dresses, but even there, the rules for the casino clothes women wore were also easing.
The Casual Casino Attire of the 1980s and 1990s
The relaxation of social standards across society became more accepted as people became more aspirational and were not prepared to be told what to do, what to wear, and how to behave. More and more casinos were appearing, and the newer, smaller venues were significantly more relaxed when it came to the rules around what gambling attire to wear. They had to be in order to continue to attract new clients.
It was also in the 1990s when the first online casinos began to appear and brick-and-mortar establishments began to realise the threat they posed with their no-dress code necessary approach.
What is Casino Attire in Today’s Gambling World?
Dress Code is now so relaxed that you can enter many casinos dressed almost as you wish. Open necks, jeans, chinos, shorts, and sandals are accepted by the majority of establishments, but there are still many premium casinos where people want that high-class, luxurious atmosphere, casinos like those in Monte Carlo.If you’re not sure about the casino clothing rules at the establishment you plan on visiting, the sensible thing to do is to check online to see what their recommended casino attire is. Some people frequent casinos simply to have fun and perhaps win some money in the process. Others want to savour the atmosphere and be amongst like-minded people who like to dress up and even show off. Whatever your preference, there is a casino out there to satisfy your desire, even if that desire is to go wearing 1920s fancy dress.
