Sartorial elegance question

[hermit100]

Good grief! I've been an opera lover since my 'teens, as well as an amateur performer. I might just put on long trousers rather than shorts, but you still get the T-shirt and sandals. I think that's typical. We tend to have a bit of a quiet laugh at anyone doing a peacock act.

Maybe I'm just unlucky. Don't do opera but I like a bit of (proper) ballet. Last few times I've been I've been surrounded, and almost suffocated, by over-perfumed laydees dressed up to the nines. I don't dress up myself, I dress for comfort. Always.

[Clitheroekid]

No I don't think anyone does unless it's the opera or the ballet, then they tend to turn out in full evening wear. Even for a matinee.

I don't really know about ballet, not being a massive ballet fan, but that's definitely not true of opera.

As a regular visitor to the ROH there certainly are quite a few people who dress up, and they often look terrific. But the majority of people wear (dread phrase) `smart casual', and I can't recall ever seeing people dressed like total scruffs.

I think Glyndebourne is probably the last bastion of formal dress, though even there it's by no means universal.