Summary
Lord's runs four dress codes at once. The Pavilion needs a jacket and a tie and refuses denim outright. The Debenture areas and the hospitality suites are smart casual and will take jeans. The general stands ask for nothing at all. Jump to Men, jump to Men or Women, jump to Women below for what that looks like in practice.
On most match days, which code applies to you is decided by which building your seat is in. People get this wrong in both directions. Some arrive in a suit for a seat in the Compton Stand, which is one of the open public stands and has no code at all. Others get stopped at the Pavilion door over their shoes.
Where you're sitting, and what it asks for
- The PavilionFormal. Jacket, collared shirt, tie or cravat. No denim on anyone.
- The Debenture areasSmart casual. Collared shirt at all times for men. Denim fine.
- The hospitality suitesSmart casual at the ground. Our own suite asks for no shorts, sportswear or trainers.
- The general standsNo code at all. Fancy dress is the only thing banned.
The Pavilion is the red-brick Victorian building at one end of the ground, and it holds the Long Room, the panelled hall the players walk through on their way out to bat. Debenture seats are the long-lease seats in the Upper Mound Stand and its balconies. Our own day at Lord's sits in a private suite at the Nursery Pavilion, the building at the far end beyond the practice nets, which puts you in the hospitality band.
Men
- PavilionA tailored jacket or blazer over a collared shirt, a tie or a cravat, and full-length tailored trousers that cover the ankle. Chinos and corduroys count. Example: navy blazer, pale blue shirt, knitted silk tie, stone chinos, brown brogues. Or a grey herringbone jacket, white shirt, club tie and dark grey flannels. On a hot day the same thing works in linen, but the tie stays on.
- Debenture areasSmart casual, with one specific requirement: the collared shirt stays on at all times, including under a jumper or a jacket. Trousers and shorts have to be tailored. Example: dark jeans, white Oxford shirt, navy jumper over the top, loafers. Or tailored shorts in July, a collared polo and suede desert boots.
- Hospitality suitesSmart casual, and more relaxed than the Pavilion. Casual trousers and smart jeans are fine at the ground, though our own suite asks for long trousers rather than shorts. Example: linen blazer, open-necked shirt, chinos, suede loafers. Or smart dark jeans, a fine-knit jumper and leather lace-ups.
- General standsNothing is required. Example: polo shirt, shorts, and a jumper for the last session. Or a T-shirt and jeans, with a cap for the afternoon sun.
Women
- PavilionA dress, a skirt, a jumpsuit, or tailored trousers with a top or blouse, with shoes that suit a formal setting. Example: midi dress, tailored jacket, flat or block-heel leather shoes. Or wide-leg tailored trousers with a silk blouse and a light wool coat. A jumpsuit is explicitly allowed, which surprises people about a room this formal.
- Debenture areasSmart casual, and denim is accepted. Example: dark jeans, silk blouse, blazer, loafers. Or a knee-length skirt with a fine knit and ankle boots.
- Hospitality suitesSmart casual, smart jeans included. Example: printed midi dress with a cardigan, or tailored trousers and a blouse. Or smart jeans, a linen shirt and flat leather sandals. Flats are the sensible call. There is a lot of standing between sessions.
- General standsNothing is required. Example: a cotton dress with a cardigan and flat shoes. Or a sundress with a cardigan for when the shade comes round.
What actually gets refused at the door
- Denim, anywhere in the PavilionHowever dark, however expensive. Dark denim is still denim.
- The Pavilion footwear listFlip flops, Birkenstock sandals, leisure trainers, canvas shoes, walking boots and running shoes are all out.
- Sports trainers and flip flops in hospitalityRefused across the ground’s hospitality. Our own suite also asks for no shorts or sportswear.
- Torn, ripped or unclean clothingRefused in the Debenture areas.
- Fancy dress, anywhere in the groundIncluding the stands that have no other rules.
When the Pavilion code doesn't apply
The formal standard is lifted for The Hundred, for Women's internationals, and for certain other match days set by the MCC Committee. A smart casual standard applies instead on those days, and a collared shirt or a cricket replica shirt is acceptable.
This is why somebody will tell you with total confidence that they wore a polo shirt into the Pavilion last summer. That's usually a Hundred fixture rather than a Test.
Our day at Lord's
A private suite at the Nursery Pavilion with reserved seats for the day's play sits in the smart casual band, so the hospitality column above is the one that applies. Our own suite asks for no shorts, sportswear or trainers, which is a step above the ground’s hospitality minimum.
For a group entertaining clients, that means a private room, reserved seats and a lunch you sit down to, rather than a seat in an open stand.
We confirm which areas your day covers before you travel, and if the standard shifts for a particular fixture we tell you then.
Emma Harrod
Managing Director of Leicester Sales
Managing Director of Leicester Sales at Imperial Corporate Events. She gets to know what suits you, then makes the day happen without the fuss.
