AITA for asking my wife to dress up?

When it comes to relationships, support often shows up in the smallest ways—whether it’s standing by each other during hard times or showing up for important milestones. But what happens when a simple request for support turns into a heated clash of values? That’s exactly the situation I found myself in after asking my wife to dress up for one formal evening to celebrate my career achievement. What I thought was a reasonable ask quickly spiraled into a full-blown disagreement.

The Promotion That Changed Everything

The Dress Code Dilemma

My Side of the Argument

Her Side of the Argument

The Unwanted Compromise

Let’s find out what other Redditors think about this story.

In the end, this isn’t just about clothing—it’s about perspective. I see one night of formalwear as a gesture of love and support, while my wife sees it as compromising her authenticity for pretentious standards. Neither of us wants to hurt the other, but we’re clearly standing on opposite sides of the line. Now I’m left wondering—am I wrong for wanting my partner to make this small compromise for me, or is she wrong for refusing to bend at all?2