h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I was once refused entry to a strip club of all places because me and my friends had on ball caps. We didn't decide to stay, we went on elsewhere to another across the street that wasn't so "swanky". I prefer going to establishments that don't give a rip what you do or don't have on.

That was a long time ago by the way. I don't frequent strip clubs anymore.

Dress codes and "temporary memberships" were used to facilitate discrimination in Alabama during the sixties and seventies. The third item on every dress code list for privately owned recreational facilities was NO AFRO HAIRSTYLES. I think this went on at least until 1976 or so.

The late 70's early 80's had a bigger dress code than today or was it that I was a teen early 20's then? I remember getting banned from The Bell in Walcot, Bath for wearing a biker jacket.

I don't know, I reckon most places still have a dress code, it's just they aren't organised enough to write it down anymore. They just giveyou evil stares if you turn up wearing the wrong things... Also, they're still used for discrimination - as a hat fanatic I'm aware a lot of places have a 'no hats' policy, so, when out in a hat, I always check with the bouncer or barman "Am I allowed in with this on?" Strangely, they always say yes - possibly because I'm female, well spoken and wear proper hats and what they really mean is no working class young men in baseball caps... Which is funny, really, because one of the reasons people say 'no hats' is because they can hide the face, and a fair few of mine have veils...

I got stuck in Dublin one night (missed my last train home), and my friend decided it was high time I visit a gay bar. I was refused entry, apparently because my trousers didn't quite reach my ankles, and therefore counted as "informal".

My friend said she thought the bouncer's real reason was that he thought we were a couple.

TRiG.