Smart Casual or How Confusing Dress Codes are these days

So there is yet another "wrinkle" to the complex set of dress code terms that I have just realized. We are going to Cafe Mozu at the Mandarin Oriental here in town. It is DC Restaurant Week and they have special dinner pricing at certain restaurants ($30.05 prix fixe per person for dinner). The reason to go is of course to eat at wildly overpriced places you could not normally afford. I'm all for it and was quite excited about going to this place with my friends. The hotel is ostensibly brand new (though in a weird location of town, set away from everything and close to the highway overpasses but I digress) and "high-class" so of course the restaurant has a dress code.

Fine. I gotcha - I understand why they have them. Sometimes it is not ok to roll up to dinner in shorts and a wifebeater - we understand each other here. But this business of using phrases like "Smart Casual" or "Trendy Casual" - what the hell is that? To me, that means, dress like you are going out to get some booty (but in a classy way) I'm not known as Mr. Blackwell, but I think it is well-accepted now that jeans are not the faux-pas they were before. The designer, snug-fitting jeans, plus funky shirt or t-shirt plus vintage blazer and shoes sounds about as smart and casual as you can get. But one man's smart casual is another's social no-no. My South Afrikaan friend told me no jeans and we searched on the web to find out. In fact it seems, jeans are a no-no, even designer ones. Oh poo. I for one look way better, way smarter and way more casual in jeans than in any pants, especially khakis or those dress slacks without pleats (tho amen for pleatless pants - finally!). But then again you have a wide and varied definition b/c I went out and googled "smart casual" and got this answer - jeans are ok in the US, if accompanied by a sport-coat. So who is right?! Exactly. The whole damn thing is stupid.

But fine, you got a dress code? I'll deal. But all these snotty, trying to be alternatrendy places need to cut the crap when it comes to wording. If you are embarassed at having to tell people how you want them dressed, then tough it up, grow some cajones and come out and say it.

Creating all these silly & vague catchphrases is cowardly and plain ignant. They just confuse most of us normal folks (and I am talking about your everyday non-fashion obsessed types, not the fanny pack wearing tourists from conservative locales) and just increases the chance of someone showing up in something you don't want. Or maybe that is how these places like it - we'll see. I am excited to try some new food & forget about work for a while with my peeps.

Hmm the more I look, I find more websites supporting my definition. Maybe I should consider wearing my jeans with my vintage blazer... Hmm. Do I or don't I?