Vienna nightlife dress code: the smart casual rule for the perfect outfit
Regarding nightlife, dress code is an important matter in this city. It can, broadly speaking, be defined as a mix of Berlin, Amsterdam and Italy. So it can be elegant but not too much, it’s not Paris. Just try to keep it a smart casual, like a basic outfit that gives you a clean vibe. Many clubs define the dress code in their webpage as casual chic. So that means that you have to take care of your look, and aim for a clean presentation. Other than that, the rule is pretty simple, have a clean outfit and that’s it.
Red and green flags for dressing to match Vienna style
The red flags are definitely gym outfits or a beach combination if you’re hitting the clubs in the summer. Avoid anything sporty, like, of course, caps or hoods or tank tops, and too much baggy pants or something that reminds you of training, that can make the entrance harder without any good reason. Sneakers? yes, but clean and urban. Sneakers are preferred than heels, for example, and are a way better idea than using sandals or flip-flops or any summer beach shoes.
Bouncers, what are they looking for?
What the bouncers actually look for is that you show coherence, not just nice clothing. Your look and attitude have to match the structure of the night, so have a very calm attitude, confidence, be part of a well-behaved group that has everything under control, and yeah, and you will get in together, no issue about it. A good advice before going to a place is to check their social media, because the same place can have a night where you can wear whatever you want, and the very next day you’ll have a very strict or formalized night.
Central Vienna nightlife dress code
If you’re going to the center, like close to the Ring, Opera or Stephansplatz, this side of the city is more posh, so you will want to have your outfit in order and quite cleaner and actually more than casual, like easy elegant. And of course, Vienna has this very high-end elegant imperial nightlife too. We’re talking about cocktail bars, rooftops, or any bar in the posh zone. You have to take care of your image a lot if you want to go to these places. So, long pants, very clean outfit, and yeah, and if you go there in the winter, think about dressing with layers and using the guardrobe.
Gürtel and other more flexible (with the looks) nightlife areas in Vienna
And in contrast to that, in the Gürtel you can wear almost anything you want, but if you want to get into a special place, be mindful about your outfit. In the middle of the summer, you can wear shorts, but for a nightclub, it’s a risky option. Yeah, it’s always better to use long pants if you’re going to end up dancing. Usually the bouncers don’t like big backpacks or big purses, anything that’s too much of a volume, and also that would be hard if you’re hitting, for example, a pub crawl and you have to dress and undress many, many times during the night to get to one place and go after that to the cold.
The very High-end of drinking areas in Vienna
Vienna has, as expected this very high-end elegant imperial nightlife too, and if you happen to be there for a ball or a dance, that’s a completely worth thing to check out, but you have to get really well dressed, like a smoking or frack, or a super nice long dress to get into these places. For cocktail bars, rooftops, or any bar in the posh zone, you have to take care of your image a lot. The idea is not to overdress without reason, but to understand that your look and attitude have to match the structure of the night.