The fact of the matter is that Las Vegas is—as we see it—the hottest nightlife market in the United States, if not the entire world, and if you’re going out to a multimillion-dollar nightclub, you should look your best. You need to look like you belong there. Our nightclubs are as good as they are because of the end product they offer. For many, a strictly enforced dress code is equally as important in attracting the desired customer base as the almighty girl-to-guy ratio. And if you aren’t certain that what you want to wear will be acceptable at a particular nightclub venue, you should play it safe and abide by the below rules and suggestions:
HATS: Baseball and casually worn hats and ’do-rags are a big no-no at nearly every Las Vegas nightclub, and, as a general rule, hats of any kind are typically not allowed inside of clubs in any situation. But with every rule comes the rare exception. If you have a seriously fashionable hat that you are just really itching to rock (think pork-pie, fedora, top hat, a bowler!), feel free to try your luck. Just have a solid backup plan to kill the raging case of hat hair in case things don’t work out so well at the door.
SHIRTS: The all-too-common un-tucked, pinstriped button-down collared shirt is truly the Ford Taurus of men’s fashion. Sure, it will get you there and back, but in a stunning display of blandness and with an overall lack of originality. Not a great way to gain the attention of the fairer sex, to say the least. You can definitely get away with wearing a stylish designer T-shirt anywhere as long as you have some sort of a sport coat or blazer paired with it, and this really gives you a lot of freedom with your nightlife ensemble. Go to the mall, go to Buffalo Exchange, or even spend a little quality time on eBay. Just, for the sake of humanity, please don’t match all of your friends. And their friends. And their friends’ friends.
JEANS: If they aren’t too baggy or distressed (torn), jeans are perfectly safe and widely accepted at all Las Vegas nightclubs. Denim is actually preferred over khakis or casual dress pants as they make you look far less stuffy. Designer jeans will take you even further—think True Religion, Rock & Republic, 7 for All Mankind and Earnest Sewn.
SHOES: With the growing popularity of “athleisure” shoes in men’s fashion (Chucks, or brightly colored athletic-style sneakers with a twist of dressiness), many nightclub doormen are increasingly finding themselves in the unprofitable position of having to reject people for wearing what is clearly popular and considered stylish. In most cases, the official dress code on the matter is “no sneakers, open-toed sandals or work boots.” This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to show up in patent leather prom rentals but if you aren’t ready to try out your new kicks, you are certainly always safe with a nice pair of black leather dress shoes. Diesel, Aldo and Kenneth Cole each offer lines of stylishly designed dress shoes that are completely acceptable by doormen throughout Las Vegas, and can easily be found in stores or online for under $100.
JEWELRY: When tastefully done, wearing a minimal amount of jewelry and/or fashionable accessories can go a long way toward setting you apart from the masses. We aren’t suggesting that you take out a second mortgage on your house so that you can have your initials embossed on a giant diamond-studded chain, but you can certainly take that route if you feel the need to. Otherwise, a cool belt buckle, watch or even a necklace can up your velvet-rope cred.
SUNGLASSES: Wearing sunglasses to a nightclub is the most obvious sign of someone trying too hard. Don’t be fooled. They actually make you look impersonal, distant and unaware. Due to the many dangers of trying to navigate through an incredibly crowded dark area, wearing sunglasses can often lead to a shirt covered in spilled drinks, fights as a result of elbowing strangers or worse. Most people who wear sunglasses to a nightclub will often realize the pitfalls halfway through the night, and will be seen walking around with them resting on their forehead instead. This is, quite literally, like walking around with a big sign on your forehead admitting that you’ve done something stupid. So feel free to wear them at your own risk. Not so much at the risk of being rejected at the door, but rather that of looking completely foolish among the masses. It’s your party, dress how you want to.