A New Zealand cinema has banned patrons from wearing pyjamas, dressing gowns dirty gumboots and onesies to their screenings, in a bid to raise dress standards in the small town.

“Like many other businesses and people in town we have noticed an increasing trend of people thinking PJs/onesies and dressing gowns are appropriate to wear in public,” Hawera cinema 2 posted on Facebook.

“It is not the vibe or environment we want to encourage here at Hawera Cinemas.Please no pyjamas, onesies, dressing gowns or dirty gumboots – no matter how cute they are!”

The small town of Hawera in the North Island is home to 12,000 people, and many applauded the cinema’s specifics regarding appropriate dress for cinema goers.

“It’s amazing people need to be told to get dressed before going out,” wrote Greg Burgess.

Others, however, accused the cinema of over-stepping the mark by telling customers what they could and could not wear.

“Wow didn’t know you guys were the fashion police,” wrote Paygeen Williams. “But you are tho, in a nutshell making it your business to tell your customers how to dress. I happen to like bringing my dressing gown in.”

The cinema said the new rules were not based on any one individual, but a general trend for bedtime attire to be worn at screenings – a trend they said had been noted all over town.

The post attracted hundreds of likes on Facebook, with many commenting that a similar dress code should be introduced in supermarkets and other public places.

The cinema is operated by a community trust on behalf of the South Taranaki community, and its website says the cinema “is a community asset that all are proud to be associated with”.