When the Vienna Opera started allowing casual wear to shows, the conservative Viennese threw a fit similar to yours. The Opera's response was succinct and to the point: They couldn't sell enough tickets unless they relaxed the dress code.

I enjoy getting dressed up and going to the ballet and theater (not really an opera fan). But I take a different view than you about the issue: Economics.

Nice clothes cost more money than casual clothes, and you can't wear them everywhere (obviously). How many guys have an extra €500 to spend on a Hugo Boss suit they will VERY seldom wear?

In the US, neoliberalism has half the country earning $30k or less. 78% of the country lives paycheck to paycheck. This while the ultra-rich just keep getting richer.

Instead of billions for Bezos, Musk, Gates, and Wall Street, if Joe Biden had delivered on his $2k for each American, instead of $1400, there'd be a whole lot more people with the money for a suit. But the blame doesn't go to Biden alone. Since Reagan, the US has turned away from workers and the middle class and systematically transferred wealth to the top. $50 trillion dollars worth.

With the acceleration of money, that $50 trillion would be making the entire US wealthier for the last 40 years, rather than 3 people at the top having more wealth than the bottom half of the country.

Look no further than our corrupt government (both Rs and Ds), bought by the wealthy, to understand why dress codes are no longer applied. When only the top 3-5% of the public can afford nice clothes for cultural outings, theaters must either relax their dress codes or go out of business.