What to wear to a Night Club

Ah the typical night club dilemma, should I go formal with a classic sport jacket and chino pants? Or is a casual polo and jeans with a pair of Adidas Stan Smiths enough?

Dressing to go to a night club can be a daunting task for some. Let's be honest, most guys go to night clubs in an attempt to pick up women. This causes the dressing dilemma, whether to dress up or dress casual.

What's important to note is that, this question doesn't even need to be addressed at all. What you should ask yourself is: “Am I wearing something Practical and Stylish". Both of the previous scenarios are stylish outfits on their own, but are they practical?

Let's find out:

Dealing with Heat

Night clubs are generally full with people dancing, and that amount of movement anywhere will create heat. Regardless of how good the AC is in the club, you have to be able to deal with the heat. 90% of guys on that dance floor are going to be covered in sweat. Sweat and it's stains are unattractive, so how are we going to exploit this to our advantage?

You don't want to be this guy!

First off, acknowledge that you're going to get sweaty at some point in the night. So to minimise the impact of this we need to:

The undershirt

This can't be stressed enough. You'll need something with a high quality sweat management system. This includes padding around the armpits and chest area. Ideally, you shouldn't be able to see them under your shirt, but it isn't a big deal if you slightly see it as the club will almost certainly be dark. Personally, Ribbed Tee is a good option.

Light clothing

Linen and loosely-woven cotton are the way to go. If you do insist on wearing a suit/jacket tropical-based wools are probably best, but please stay away from thicker materials, flannels and tweeds, all this will do is create a massive unattractive puddle at your feet. Thinly lined jackets are particularly useful in protecting the sweat from showing on the outside. Also, darker colours will mask any stains that manage to get through to the outside

Layers = Unattractive??

Generally, layering can take someone from a 5 to a solid 8. However, in a club the less layers you have the better it is for everyone. More layers= More heat = more sweat = Unattractive. If it is chilly outside, bring a light coat you can hold or wear whilst dancing if there is no coat-check option. Your best bet is to brave through anything the weather might throw at you.

Creating air flow

A classic v neck shirt is ideal for promoting good air flow through the front of your body. Alternatively, opening up the top couple of buttons on a dress/smart shirt is also fairly acceptable in nightclub. Also remember to roll up your sleeves on both jackets (if you have functional buttons) and dress shirts. This will give your skin more exposure to the outside air rather than being hidden away under unbreathable, damp material.

Colour Options

Plain Black or white are the kings of hiding away sweat stains and patches. The more coloured your shirt is, the more your sweat stains are going to show.

Bottoms

Your pants are not going to cause you as much hassle as your shirt, but its important to note that some clubs have restrictions on whether shorts are acceptable. To be on the safer side, always wear a good fitting pair of jeans or chinos. You will never go wrong with them.

Night club Lighting

Night clubs demonstrate both sides of dramatic lighting, both dark and vibrantly colourful. When the lights change in a club it's going to affect the colour of your clothes as the colour of the light and your shirt mix to create a Frankenstein colour. This is unavoidable but we can account for this easily. Dark colours such as black, and grey are always helpful in such a scenario. Try to keep any patterns as simple as possible, as it's just going to disappear when the lights start changing colour. Also account for the time that you plan to go as different times promote different types of crowds. Usually younger, wilder crowds go later at night.

Footwear

Dance floors are typically made to have good grip so that you don't slip over easily. They may also be slightly sticky due to spilled drinks, and dripping sweat, so if you're tempted to wear your $300 pair of black Armani shoes, it's probably best to leave them at home. Formal shoes are great, but not very practical for a dance floor. They usually have less grip on the soles which will pose a major problem if you choose to dance. Typically, a rubber sole is the best option. Some clubs will have restrictions on footwear, so make sure you're well informed before you leave home. Usually, a nice pair of fashion sneakers will serve you well in terms of grip and style on the dance floor.

So what's your conclusion? Is it better to wear a sport jacket and chinos to a club, or is it enough to wear a nice polo and jeans? Let me know in the comments below!