Guest Dressed

Dressing up in Hawai‘i can often mean dressing down, where one sheds layers and leaves an extra button undone. The practical nature of dressing up in a tropical environment often dictates the pieces chosen for a balmy brunch or a sultry evening soirée.

So thankfully, Hawai‘i has always been a place where dress codes have embraced the understated, the relaxed, and the casual over the more rigid styles of the US mainland or Asian countries. Still, “understated” can sometimes devolve into attire that isn’t entirely “fine dine friendly.”

Apparently on the mainland, dining dress codes have made a quiet comeback (the reaction at times, perhaps not so quiet), and with our share of dining establishments touting not only fine cui- sine but dinner served in an equally sophisticated atmosphere, is it a fair ask that diners dress-up for dinner?

“There’s a time and place for everything ... dinner at an elegant restaurant should merit elegant attire,” says restaurateur Vikram Garg of TBD... “Guests should respect what a restaurant’s policies are for the sake of the overall dining experience.”

But in the same vein, he also adds that restaurants — especially here on the is- lands — shouldn’t be so stringent when it comes to dress codes. “For instance, to have a jacket policy in Hawai‘i might be a big ask — visitors coming to Hawai‘i may not even have a sports coat with them, so they’ll be forced to either wear the dread- ed jacket provided by the establishment or find an alternative restaurant.”

In truth, the term “dress code” is such a broad term and more often than not, serves as a friendly reminder to make the effort. Whether one is garbed for London, landing in Lihue, or lounging in Lahaina, showing off one’s sense of style adds that extra oomph to the dining experience — something everyone will appreciate. And when all is said and done, Garg sums it up nicely: “If you want the best seat in the house, dress accordingly.”