Cold Weather Stalls Sag Harbor's Dress Code Enforcement
Officials in Sag Harbor, responding to the ongoing cold temperatures, have decided to suspend enforcement of the village’s summer dress code.
“The code is meant to go into effect annually on April 15,” says Peter Young, Chief Dress Code Coordinator for the village. “We realize that’s early, but we figured if it coincided with Tax Day, people would remember it. And usually it’s a lot warmer by that date!”
Summer dress code legislation stipulates that all Sag Harbor residents and visitors should be dressed casually, and forbids wearing garments such as sport coats, neckties, formal winter coats, fur coats and dress slacks. As Young notes, the Sag Harbor summer dress code is designed to sustain a relaxed, fun vibe in the quaint old whaling village.
“Sag Harbor is the un-Hampton, right—and we take our role quite seriously. We do not hesitate to arrest and remove from our streets individuals who violate our cool, casual standards,” Young says. “And we will continue to do so, make no mistake,” he adds. “However, right now the rules are on hold while the temperatures remain unseasonably low.”
Young notes that several dress code arrests did take place over the course of last week, before the decision to suspend enforcement was reached.
“Our code enforcement officers did find several violations,” Young says. “Under the authority of the summer dress code, which had yet to be suspended, they arrested four individuals.”
Since temperatures were hovering around 45° at the time suspects were arrested, Young concedes they were simply dressing for the weather, but he still defends his department’s actions. “Our officers administer the law without fear or favor,” Young says. “The arrested individuals will have a chance to present their cases before our tribunal.”
Young says his department will resume enforcement of the code on May 1.
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