The Globe recently released their list of the 25 most stylish Bostonians. Although we were, of course, terribly disappointed not to make the list (note: we are currently wearing a dress from H&M;’s Fall 2006 collection and a sweater we’ve had since junior year of high school), we were pleased to see two major Boston restaurant figures in the line up: Alex DeWinter, wine director at Grill 23 & Bar and Esti Parsons, one of the forces behind Radius, Great Bay, and Via Matta.
Perhaps predictably, both DeWinter and Parsons were asked how they feel about the way diners dress today. Less predictably, both expressed quite a bit of dismay over the fashion sense of Boston diners. DeWinter seemed especially exasperated: “They’re so underdressed. It’s terrible. You can be casually dressed and not be sloppy but we often get guys who come in wearing jeans. When I grew up, going out to dinner was a special occasion whether it was a place like Grill 23 or a local Chinese restaurant. You didn’t go out in jeans. No one should ever be uncomfortable in a suit in a nice restaurant. But now, I think it’s changed. It’s too bad.” While we find his “when I grew up” a bit disingenuous (DeWinter is 29), he does have a point. While we certainly don’t get gussied up for a trip to a neighborhood spot, we do think that it’s nice to get dressed for dinner when you’re going somewhere posh. We don’t necessarily “get all fancy and go out on the town, with gowns, jewels and gloves, the whole nine yards” as Parsons suggests, but a nice skirt or even a good pair of jeans with heels and a nice top goes a long way. Dressing for a meal out shouldn’t be stressful, but there’s definitely something to be said for looking appropriate for the occasion. In other words, don’t show up at L’Espalier or Clio in your house clothes.
The 25 Most Stylish Bostonians [Boston Globe]
[Photo: Art 4 Charity]