Style on the Rocks: What Should Bartenders Really Wear for Work?

During my time as a bartender in the Philippines, I met all kinds of people- backpackers, couples, upper-class women (typically from London), and groups of guys whose ages I could never quite guess. It was fun, and I often saw the same customers returning night after night. Eventually, I started naming people by their regular drink orders instead of their actual names because I simply didn’t remember them. As familiar faces kept coming back, I began noticing how stylish they all looked- from bohemian beach ponchos to perfectly ironed Hawaiian shirts (I didn’t even know those were back in style!). I started reflecting on my own lack of style as a bartender. What should bartenders really wear to work?

​ The next day, I started going through my simple but tropical closet, trying to find something to spice up my uniform. I found some gold jewelry and an ankle bracelet with puka shells that I had bought for 75 pesos at the beach. Then I moved on to my hair- curly, straight, ponytail, bangs? Bangs were definitely a bad idea.. Next, I considered my shoes, but sandals were really the only practical option. I realized that wearing the right set of accessories as a bartender was kind of tricky. I took the creative liberty of cutting my uniform t-shirt into a crop top, making it off-the-shoulder- and I liked it. I also liked the amount of tips that ended up in my tip box during that time. My boss once told me, “Be happy you are a woman because the best tippers are men over 50,” but he never said it depended on how sexy you dressed. Still, I felt like I had more style than before. Great! So, is the perfect way to dress as a bartender to show a little extra skin? In a way, my confidence seemed to rise along with the tip box.

One night, I noticed a fellow bartender who worked at a rooftop down the street. Her name was Irah, and the difference between her and me was that she had been doing this for years. Irah had this effortless, magnetic energy- always laughing and always in control. She wore a pair of high-waisted linen shorts together with her perfectly fitted uniform t-shirt. For accessories, she had a pair of big hoop earrings, velvet-colored lipstick, and a dark blue flower behind her right ear. Her style was simple but intentional. "It’s not about looking hot," she told me while she poured a margarita out of her shaker. "It’s about looking like you know exactly what you’re doing, look at my plastic flower for example- everyone thinks it’s real." That stuck with me.

On the flip side, when I think back to nights out with my girls, sitting on the other side of the bar, I can’t recall a single outfit any bartender wore. What I do remember is the atmosphere. I remember which bars made me feel welcome and which ones felt cold. I remember which one had the best mojitos and which had the worst. Maybe that’s the key! Maybe the perfect bartender style isn’t about standing out but blending into the experience and making people feel comfortable the same way Irah made me feel in that roof top bar. I can imagine a clean, simple style fitting into this- a black or white t-shirt, faded denim pants, and dirty sneakers. It’s practical, comfortable, and lets the baratmosphere do the work. And the best part? It works for all genders. The risky part about this style is that it can turn you invisible, and just overall boring. That’s why adding a little extra accessory that complements the surroundings (shells and tropical plastic flowers in my case), can potentially create the perfect bartender look in my opinion.

​ Finding out what you should wear as a bartender can be a tricky balance in the service industry. If you wear too much, you risk overshadowing the atmosphere; too little, and you fade into the background. Regardless of your preferred style, it’s essential to remember that bartending is an actual job. No matter how much of a fashion show you attempt to put on behind the bar, practicality will always take precedence. Moving quickly and shaking cocktails without stressing about a wardrobe malfunction or a minor bob slip should always be a priority.

Looking back, I realize that my initial question, “What should bartenders wear to work?” doesn’t have a single right answer. At first, I thought the key to dressing well was earning the highest tips, but Irah showed me that true style was more about owning your space. After all, getting hired as a bartender means passing a face-to-face interview where your presence, energy, and ability to connect are put to the test- something your employer likely recognized from the start. So, if you ask me the secret to the perfect bartender style, I’d say wear whatever makes you feel like you belong behind the bar. But personally? I’m all for a well-placed, spicy accessory that makes people order a double shot. Confidence is the best uniform of all, but a little signature flair never hurts.