One of the biggest myths about dress codes is that they exist to keep out clothes. But more often than not, they’re meant to keep out certain kinds of people. Don’t want day-trippers in your Hamptons club? Put the kibosh on shorts and sandals. Jersey Shore types not your thing? Ban Ed Hardy shirts. Don’t care for black people? Just say no to baggy jeans and “bling!”
Yeah, that last one is pretty racist. That’s why The Continental, a frat bar in the East Village, is in trouble with the NYC Human Rights Commission. But it’s a finer line than you might think. Read all about it: Dress Codes in New York Clubs: Will This Get Me in?
Douglas Quenqua 