Years ago when I lived near West Side Avenue, a local bar had a dress code posted that said something along the lines of "no hoodies, no gang attire, no pants without belts" etc..

Basically it was "no gang bangers".

How was this dress code racist? I've seen people of all races wearing the items described on the list. It is within the owner's rights to say what he doesn't want people wearing inside his establishment. Did somebody see some kind of subtle overtone from the list and get offended? Just don't patronize the place if you have a problem with it.

I wouldn't call it racist, more like pretentious. You are in Newark Ave., not downtown Manhattan. If you want to enforce such a rigid dress code which is entirely your right, don't expect people not to give you grief over it. And if you are going to enforce it, you better be damn sure you are consistent about it. It's a recipe for profiling so why bother.

I hear the place hardly cards anyone so it seems like they are going for the younger crowds. What the hell do they think young people wear nowadays? Dumbasses.

And the American confusion and conflation about race and class marches on. Had they simply said "professional attire required" and tried to enforce it, they would have been accused of subjective discrimination due to the lack of a posted specific policy. They can't win.

For some inexplicable reason I don't imagine myself going to the Ashford too much, but still I sorta like the dress code. I am so sick of people mostly men wearing hats while in doors.

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A new N.J. bar?s dress code was called racist. The owner says it was ?an oversight.?

Updated Jan 15, 5:25 PM; Posted Jan 15, 5:06 PM
By Jeremy Schneider | NJ Advance Media For NJ.com

The opening of a long-awaited Jersey City bar has been marred by a dress code sign that some have interpreted as racist.

The sign at The Ashford, which referred to its dress code as ?upscale business casual,? banned oversized jeans and shirts, head gear, ball caps, work boots, gym sneakers, shorts or athletic apparel, sweatpants or joggers, cargo pants, oversized jewelry and chains, sunglasses, camouflage, low or baggy pants and headphones. The code also required belts be worn with pants.

https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2019/ ... -it-was-an-oversight.html