With lockdown measures easing, what will be your first out-of-home activity? If you’re anything like us, you’ll be heading to the pub for an ice-cold glass of your favourite beverage! With beer gardens opening up — and soon pubs — you won’t need to wait much longer to soak up the atmosphere of your favourite public house or pub garden.
That means it’s time to think about swapping that go-to loungewear you’ve been wearing all year for some ‘proper’ clothes. Here’s our guide on what to wear to the pub this spring and summer.
Contents
- Can guys wear whatever they like to the pub?
- What to wear to the pub for guys?
- What to wear to the beer garden for guys?
- Take-home message
Can Guys Wear Whatever They Like to the Pub?
Yes! One of the best things about going to the pub is that you can wear exactly what you want. Oh, and the fact that if it’s your local, it’s pretty much within walking distance or easy to get to by Uber, which means you can enjoy a drink and a few other things. There is usually somewhere comfortable to sit or stand, food or snacks on offer so you can eat if you want to, and a smoking area if that’s your bag. Plus, the atmosphere is friendly and the music is the right volume to enjoy, but you can still talk to the person next to you.
Actually, come to think of it, there is so much that’s good about going to the pub. Boy, have we missed it!
Anyway, there really is no dress code when it comes to pub outfits for guys. You have absolute freedom to wear whatever you like unless you’re going to a hotel or rooftop bar or some other swanky setting, of course.
We’d like to bet, though, that when you think about what you want to wear to the pub, you prefer practical items. By that, we mean clothes that are easy to wash and wear, you can mix and match, and make you feel comfortable and confident. And of course, you want to look cool. With all this in mind, consider the following.
What not to wear to the pub
It’s worth remembering how a pub in Edinburgh banned punters from wearing certain items if they wanted to drink in their establishment. Specifically, men sporting grey marl trackies were not welcome, and neither were those wearing shoes with no socks when teamed with half-mast jeans. This second fashion faux-pas shows off a certain part of a man’s lower leg, coining the phrase ‘mankles’. This particular pub was also considering banning flip-flops.
What to Wear to the Pub for Guys?
Whether or not you agree with a pub setting down rules for their customers’ attire, it’s probably best to avoid grey tracksuit bottoms and flip flops, and to keep your ankles covered. So, what should you wear to the pub on a Friday or Saturday night?
Sweatshirt and ripped jeans
For a night that starts and ends at the local pub with a few of your besties, perhaps with a game of pool or darts thrown in for good measure, bleached, distressed or ripped jeans are just perfect.
Light coloured ripped jeans look great with Vans, Converse, black plimsolls or trainers, and dark-coloured canvas shoes. Add a long-sleeve top, hoodie or sweatshirt, and accessorise with a chunky necklace or pendant on a chain.
Check shirt and straight leg trousers
Stepping away from jeans for a moment, straight leg trousers are a great choice. Wear with a white t-shirt and your choice of long sleeve checked shirt, whether that’s a cotton blend regular fit check shirt or a boxy fit spiced check shirt. And remember, you can’t beat pristine white trainers with black cord trousers.
Denim shirt and chinos
Regular fit chinos are super-easy to wear, very flattering, and since they’re made from cotton, they keep you cool when the weather warms up. Wear ecru, navy or black chinos with a t-shirt, long-sleeve Western denim shirt, or a varsity bomber jacket. A gilet over a printed t-shirt is another great suggestion for men’s pub outfits this year.
What to Wear to the Beer Garden for Guys?
- White shirt and black skinny jeans
- Denim jacket and straight leg jeans
- Check overshirt and cargo trousers
Few things are better than a summer’s evening spent in the pub beer garden chilling out with friends. However, if you’ve ever spent time shivering your way through a British summer’s night, you’ll know that as glorious as they can be, temperatures are known to turn a little chilly. Here are our suggestions for what to wear to the pub on a Friday or Saturday night if you’re planning on sitting in the beer garden.
White shirt and black skinny jeans
Skinny black jeans are an absolute go-to piece for guys’ pub outfits, and they’re great because you can dress them up a bit with a smart long-sleeve, collared shirt. Or, if you’re in the mood to show off your physique, team your black skinnies with a muscle fit t-shirt or a muscle-fit long sleeve shirt. Windbreaker, anorak, or parker is optional, depending on the weather forecast.
Denim jacket and straight leg jeans
Light blue jeans are all the rage this season, and they’re great for summer. Team straight leg jeans with a grey denim jacket with an oversized borg collar. Wear a long-line white striped t-shirt that shows just below the hem-line of your jacket. Or, a hoodie looks great under a denim jacket with the hood laid over the top of the back of the collar.
Check overshirt and cargo trousers
A lovely big quilted utility check overshirt with a hood will keep you nice and warm in the beer garden. When choosing a colour, be as bold, colourful and eye-catching as you like. You can wear your check overshirt with just about anything, including utility pocket cargo trousers for the ultimate in easy summer evenings’ drinking.
Take-Home Message
Finally, when you’re heading to the pub this summer and planning your pub outfit, don’t forget your shades! Whether or not the sun makes an appearance, accessories will make all the difference to how street-wise and stylish you look.
Now, what are you waiting for? Open up your wardrobe and get a hold of your proper clothes from where you’ve been keeping them this past few months. It’s time to formulate a plan of what you’re going to wear to the beer garden this Friday night.
