So when an East Coast visitor recently asked what women in SF wear for a night out — dinner, cocktail bars, speakeasies — the answers told you everything about this city's complicated relationship with fashion.

As one local put it bluntly: "Unfortunately we are known for terrible fashion. People wear jeans and t-shirts to Michelin-starred restaurants. Honestly you can wear what you want."

That's not entirely a knock. It's actually one of the more liberating things about San Francisco. The city's dress code is essentially: there is no dress code. The billionaire in the Patagonia fleece sitting next to you at the bar has obliterated any social pressure to dress up. But that same freedom means nobody will bat an eye if you show up looking like you stepped out of a Vogue editorial, either.

Another SF resident captured it perfectly: "Go as glam as you like. The fact that the guy in jeans and a hoodie may be worth gazillions has had a dampening effect on dress codes — but SF also can be as wild and glamorous as you want."

Here's the real style advice for anyone visiting: your coat IS the outfit. A sharp jacket or a statement coat is the single best investment for a San Francisco night out. Layers are non-negotiable. June nights routinely dip into the mid-50s, and that famous fog doesn't care how cute your dress is.

The practical move? Thermal leggings under everything, a killer coat on top, and whatever makes you feel good in between. One resident noted that her stepdaughter — born and raised here — gets fully dressed up to go out and rarely wears a jacket, prioritizing the look over warmth. That's commitment.

San Francisco's lack of fashion pretension is honestly refreshing in a world where cities like New York and LA practically require a dress code to exist. Here, individual expression wins. Wear what you want, bring a warm layer, and enjoy the freedom.

Just don't pack shorts.