How to dress to get into a nightclub

Dressing up so you do not get turned away

On a busy night, those manning the door can decide that they can do without the patronage of the poorly dressed. Your night can end before it even starts if you get rejected from your destination of choice.

You probably already know that shoes are the most important aspect of your outfit, and can be make-or-break for getting in or being turned away. Nothing less than a pair of dress shoes is acceptable for most venues. Now that we have that basic advice out of the way, here are more advanced tips for ensuring you will be let in to your nightclub of choice with no issues.

Match your style to the club

Dressing to the type of club you will be attending is the most important tip for not getting turned away at the door. Some men realise that they need to be well dressed in order to impress the people working the door, but go too far and will not be admitted because their outfits are inappropriately fancy. Suiting up is not going to help you get into the club, especially not for a laidback venue. For a more bohemian club, you will want to dress to fit in with the style of their other patrons.

Dress for the fanciest venue

You may plan to hit multiple venues in the same night. You probably do not want to go to several nightclubs of the same calibre- you need some variety if you are going to have a fun night out. In this case, dressing can be tricky as you will need to fit into the dress code of several venues. Always dress to suit the fanciest club that you are going to go to. You are for more likely to be rejected for being underdressed than for being overdressed.

An expensive, collared shirt

A collared shirt is the bare minimum for being let into any nightclub worth its salt. Beyond that, you want to go for a high quality shirt. Remember, the door bitches are going to choose to admit patrons that look like they will spend money. More experienced workers will be able to tell the difference between a low-end chain store shirt, and a quality shirt from a highly regarded designer. If the club is about to hit capacity, they are going to turn away the guy in the $50 shirt but happily admit his seemingly cashed-up counterpart.

If all else fails: Have a good personality

To master the art of getting admitted to clubs, you need to understand the mindset of the bouncers and door bitches. They want people who are going to add to the atmosphere of the venue, not cause trouble, and spend money. You need to look the part, or you will be turned away. Poor fashion sense is often used as an excuse to not admit a guy who comes across as a boring person. A guy who is friendly to the workers and seems like a fun person will be able to get away with a less stylish outfit.