With the easing of lockdowns in parts of Britain this past spring, I started to hear a surprising amount of talk about visiting casinos. It seems that at least in my circles, people saw this as a fun way to celebrate “returning to the world,” so to speak; casinos are one-stop entertainment venues for dining, drinking, gaming, and of course some of the in-person socialising we all spent 18 months largely missing.
Personally I can take or leave a trip to the casino, and it’s not something I rushed back to. But in the course of some of these conversations with friends, someone asked me how she ought to dress for a night at the Hippodrome in London. It occurred to me that this was an exceptionally reasonable question, because casino fashion is all over the place! Do you dress the same at the Hippodrome as you would for a trip to a Brighton card room? Are people at poker tables dressed like extras in a James Bond film, or more like the hoodie-clad professionals at the World Series Of Poker?
It’s all quite ill-defined, which is why I thought it might be helpful to write up a little guide on the matter. Granted, I do think fashion varies from one casino venue to the next. But here are my four general tips for how to dress for this sort of night out.
1 - Go “Over” Before “Under”
Casino fashion really does range from grey sweatshirts to high-end evening gowns. It largely depends on where you’re going, and when. As a very general rule though, lean toward overdressing rather than being too casual. You don’t want to look out of place either way, but it’s best to be on the fancy side! To provide a slightly more specific tip, I’d suggest opting for a smart-casual look at the average casino. If you know you’re visiting a more upscale venue (say, Casino de Monte-Carlo, or Baden-Baden in Germany), ramp things up accordingly. But usually a smart-casual look will leave you appropriately dressed for most casinos, without ever looking bizarrely overdressed.
2 - Project Confidence
On a more strategic level, you’ll also want to dress in a way that projects confidence! This is particularly true if you plan on playing some of the more competitive games in the casino. As one thorough guide to playing casino poker points out, experienced poker pros “love to pounce on the fish.” That is to say, when skilled players recognise that you’re new or lacking confidence, they’ll take advantage and you’ll wind up out a few chips. Your outfit can’t solve this problem entirely, but a confident and comfortable approach to fashion does help you to project a confident air. It makes you more formidable at the poker tables, and also gives you the self-assurance you need to simply enjoy your night out.
3 - Have Fun with Accessories
I won’t harp on this point, because I don’t want anyone thinking casino fashion should resemble he Grand National Ladies’ Day. But was is the case with horse racing festivals, there’s something a little gaudy and over-the-top about casinos. Because of this, you might feel more at ease having a little more fun with accessories than usual. If you have that one semi-dramatic set of earrings you never have occasion to wear, or you enjoy wrapping up your whole forearm with bangles but sometimes feel self-conscious doing so, the casino gives you an opportunity. So long as you don’t go completely overboard, a few flashy accessories will blend right in.
4 - Stick to Your Look!
Most important of all is to stick to your perfect look! Casinos can project certain vibes, and some of the nicer ones even have dress codes. Most of us have also seen a few casino films that may influence how we view style in this culture. These factors can all be considered, but at the end of the day it’s like any other night out: You want to look your best. That’s what your own, honed, personal style is for!
Hopefully these tips will help you out if you do decide to venture out to a casino anytime soon. Casino fashion is definitely a little bit confusing on the surface, but you can ultimately turn this kind of night out into a lot of fun from a style standpoint.
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