Dress codes are normally just for work and private institutions, but for my guy friends getting through the door at most Sacramento night spots is like facing the nuns with the rulers back in high school.

Having attended private schools up until college I never knew what it was like to have the freedom to wear whatever I wanted. I always had to follow a dress code that consisted of many ridiculous rules like wearing a blue sweater on what they called formal days and a grey sweater on casual days. Many of the rules were insane, especially in high school where even our dances were restricted.

When I got into college I saw it as liberation from people telling me what I could and could not wear. I was finally able to go out and have fun without someone taking out a ruler to measure the length of my skirt to make sure it passed the 12 inch length requirement and if it didn’t, I would be turned away at the door.

Recently, one of my guy friends turned 21 and a group of us decided to take him to a couple of bars in Sacramento.

The first bar we went to, Z bar in downtown Sacramento, let all the girls in but when my guy friend came up to the door he was turned away simply because he was wearing a football jersey. Our group decided to move on to the next bar, Press Club, which was a block away and again my guy friend was not allowed to enter for the same reason.

When we asked the bouncer at the door what the big deal was about wearing a jersey he explained to us that jerseys cause fights especially when people are drunk; one guy sees another guy wearing a team he hates and all of a sudden people are throwing punches at each other. We moved on and by the end of the night we ended up at a bar in a restaurant where jerseys were allowed.

As I ventured to more popular night clubs in Sacramento I noticed that dress codes are more enforced on men rather than women when it comes to getting in at over-crowded venues.

Casey Hartwell, a club promoter in Sacramento, said “The type of patrons the club wants will determine the dress code whether it be a sophisticated code where only suits and skirts get in or a casual upscale to where jeans, buttoned ups and dress shoes are required, or you can have the clubs where it doesn’t matter what you wear as long as you’re having fun and spending money.”

After watching people wait in line at most clubs in Sacramento, I also discovered that the ratio is often three girls for every guy but I guess clubs need girls to attract guys who are likely to spend more money to pay for cover charge and drinks if they think the club is worth it.

Mark Reyes, a manager at the popular Sacramento nightclub Azukar, said that dress codes are enforced to create an upscale environment and the reason guys are often turned away at the door is to keep the ratio even. “We can afford to send guys home,” he said.

It’s tough love for guys trying to get into over crowded clubs in Sacramento but there are a wide variety of options to have a good time. If one door closes because of the color of shoes you are wearing another one is likely to open, it just depends where you go.

Anna Torres can be reached at [email protected]