What to wear to the Theatre & Matinee Shows

On the weekend my husband and I went to the Lyric Theatre in Brisbane to see the matinee session of Mary Poppins. The show was fantastic and we had a wonderful time, but preparing my outfit for the show wasn’t too fun.

We have gone to the theatre before, but have attended the night performances, not the day ones. My dilemma was ‘Is the dress code different if you attend the matinee show?’

In the end I decided to wear the black dress I recently bought from Target. (you can read that post here) I dressed it up with a black belt, Scarlett red heels and a Kate Hill handbag with jewellery to match. It had been a wet week in Brisbane and the weather on Saturday was dreary. I didn’t feel like wearing something bright or over the top.

My husband wore his grey pants fromCountry Road and a blue checked shirt from Rhodes & Beckett. We looked smart and stylish. I was surprised to see the attire of other attendees which included a tee, jeans and thongs for some or a simple day dress and sandals.

It raised the question about what is acceptable attire to the theatre and after some research into the matter I have concluded that the Theatre is a once in a blue moon function to attend… unless you are rich and can afford to go to every show that is shown at Qpac! So it requires our respect and we must dress accordingly.

Throughout history only the elite and prestigious townspeople went to the theatre and they wore their Sunday best. Hats and tail coats for the men and Victorian dresses for the ladies. History hasn’t changed much except that it isn’t the elite and rich that attend the show nowadays, it’s those that can afford such luxuries or wait for the opening sales to get the best seat at the cheapest price.

The theatre is an atmosphere and production show that requires the respect of our attire. For women a smart cocktail dress or pants suit would be correct choices. Choose an outfit that you would wear to a wedding or formal function. Not formal enough to wear to a black tie unless it is the premier or opening night. These same outfits should be worn to the matinee sessions. The theatre is the theatre whether it’s day or night. Also make sure you bring a bolero or a pashmina for your shoulders if you get cool from the air conditioning. For men a classy suit worn open with a long sleeve shirt. A tie should be worn on opening night.

What’s the big deal about dress code anyway? Well it’s a big deal when you attend a job interview or when you perform your job. What we wear leaves an impression on the people we meet. It’s also a reflection on you as a person. A neat and tidy appearance says you respect yourself and others enough to put the effort into making your self look good.  By dressing formally to the theatre you are giving respect to the many actors and actresses that have spent time practicing to give you a good show. It’s not often we get dressed up, so going to the Theatre is a good reason to wear that expensive dress you thought you’d only wear once to a wedding!