Attire for British Pullman train trip to Highclere

Wear whatever you like.

Alas, no one gets “dressy” any longer for pretty much anything, so no need to worry about your outfit.

That said, it is never inappropriate to dress a little fancier than is expected. :-)

Also: comfy shoes!!!!! And, it being autumn in England - bring a brelly unless the weather report GUARANTEES no rain.

You've probably seen this already but the operator states:

Please avoid casual clothing, including denim, trainers, baseball caps, collarless T-shirts and shorts.

We reserve the right to ask guests not suitably attired to change, otherwise we may refuse boarding. While jackets and ties are not essential, smart attire and even formal dress is welcomed. Aboard our beautiful train, you can never be overdressed.

Fortunately it says nothing about shoes so I would favour comfort over style.

Here is a You Tube video of what to expect on the train.

As well as ‘British Pullman’ and ’Northern Belle’, another luxury train in Britain is ‘Midland Pullman’. Also check > https://www.statesmanrail.com

Please avoid casual clothing, including denim, trainers, baseball caps, collarless T-shirts and shorts.

Marco, aren't trainers a type of shoe? What North Americans would call a running or sports shoe?
DH and I always travel with a pair of leather walking shoes that look to the casual eye like an Oxford or loafer, but with an excellent sole and arch support. Makes a good change from our sportier walking shoes.

That is correct- in the UK trainers means sneakers... so they do want you to wear "nice" shoes. I have to confess I had no idea there was a train here with a dress code!

"...I had no idea there was a train here with a dress code!"

And think of the shock of the (most?) US people. :)

Marco - wow! I stand corrected. And also amazed! Sounds like the Pullman is keeping up the old standards. :-)

Hmm. They only mentioned clothing - I didn't notice on a quick glance they had buried trainers in amongst this list of forbidden items.

Personally I generally don't think of footwear as clothes but clearly they must do (and apparently this is a difference of opinion even within the fashion industry).

Lol. Since shoes are worn, just as clothing is worn, then footwear is certainly part and parcel of ones attire. Ask any woman if she chooses her shoes to complement her attire. And as I recall, any number of resorts, cruise ships, and restaurants include footwear in their dress codes. So no surprise that this train, which wishes to maintain a certain level of class amongst its riders to match the ambiance they have created, would have a dress code. It's certainly not an onerous one.

Would it be considered a faux pas to wear white shoes after Labor Day [first Monday in September, not May 1]?

Would it be considered a faux pas to wear white shoes after Labor Day [first Monday in September, not May 1]?

That "rule" is out of date by about 2 decades. It would be a faux pas only if the shoes didn't coordinate with the rest of the outfit.

As others have said, apart from weddings, basically no one dresses up for anything anymore and they are on a somewhat pointless mission to have this feel like a special occasion. If I was going on this I’d wear neat trainers. They only say ‘try to avoid’. That’s not a rule and I can’t be dealing with sore feet.