Stategy to....for elegant night

[arush5268d]

From another man..

 

Tell him to grow up. A real man knows how to dress decently / presentable for his lady.

[MrPete]

Hi,

 

I am taking my BF on his first cruise, but I am having a hard time to convince to bring something nice for elegant night. I am only asking for sport jacket and slacks...maybe a tie would be nice.

 

He is a very casual person.

 

Then I wonder, how do you all fellow cruisers convince your dearly to wearing something nice for the elegant night.

 

Maybe some tips from the guys too?

 

Thanks

Carol

 

Should be simple.

 

Change the strategy from asking him to dress for "them", to dressing for YOU. The best part of his attire will be YOU on his arm.

 

And if he won't do that request for YOU, it's time to re-evaluate the relationship.

[mudpievelour]

I gave him a choice. He could wear a jacket or he could wear a tie. He chose the jacket. He looked great.

[stone1061]

Because the cruise ship affords so many opportunites for professional pictures my husband never argues about wearing a suit and tie. We will always have the pictures and we find there are very few opportunities that we can just get pictures of ourselves...

[hunniebee724]

My brother is 19 and has to wear a tux for my wedding on embarkation day. That was hard enough. (He wanted to know *exactly how long* he would have to wear *that thing* lol) He is refusing to get dressed up 2 more times, so I convinced him to eat in the MDR for one of the formal nights by telling him it would be the only time in his life he'd get to have all you can eat lobster.

[SmudgeCat]

My DH HATES dressing up. He is happiest in cargo shorts and a T-shirt. That being said, on our last cruise in 2007 (when he was still my BF) the bribe that worked for him was the food! He loves trying new (and good) food, and he realized that if he didn't dress appropriately, it was the buffet for him (alone!)... and he didn't want that. Obviously that won't work for all men. :p

 

Also... in the grand scheme of things, he really did it for me too... as I reminded him that wearing the outfit for 3 hours out of his entire life wasn't going to kill him. We agreed he could take it off immediately after dinner, wihch made us an interesting couple later that evening, him in shorts and me in the cocktail dress! It worked out well though...

 

Good luck! Pack the outfit even if he balks... he might change his mind, and it's cheaper than renting at Formalities! ;)

[LemurCat]

no, I am not going to fight with him.

 

but I want a nice picture with him. That's all. Not going to fight with him, as i want him to enjoy cruising, so he can go with me all the time :)

 

Since I start dating him, never see him wear a tie, or jacket, figure it would be a nice opportunity

 

So what? You're just going to manipulate him into doing what you want instead?

[cnssu123]

So what? You're just going to manipulate him into doing what you want instead?

 

Not manipulating. It's call negotiating, or compromising.

[LemurCat]

Not manipulating. It's call negotiating, or compromising.

 

Right. Have you considered simply asking him to do it for you, as a special evening? I mean, this shouldn't be such a big deal.

[zqvol]

Everyone needs to lighten up. The OP simply wants photos. All the whinning about being able to eat in the MDR, etc, is just a bunch of bunk. He is not going to be denined access to teh dining room wearing what he wants.

 

He should step up to the plate and dress to get the pictures made and then do what he wants.

 

If the OP is really that concerned that he dres up to eat, then she has made a bigger mistake by bringing him on the crusie with her to begin with, because it is hard to change the stripes on a tiger.

[cruisedawgg]

Geez you would think this wouldn't be an issue! I mean, a man cannot even step it up for one night for his lady? :confused: It's 2 / 3 hours at the most! He should be ashamed of himself.

[pjtulsa]

Does he even have a jacket? If not, its probably not worth buying one just for a few photos. If he does have one and just refuses to wear it he does need to grow up and realize that you have feelings too....

 

If he doesnt have a jacket take him shopping for an outfit that you both can agree on. Something that is resort elegant without the tie and you might get him to agree..

 

Good Luck, hope you have a great cruise...:)

[cnssu123]

Right. Have you considered simply asking him to do it for you, as a special evening? I mean, this shouldn't be such a big deal.

 

Of course I did already. His reply was, "Hell no! I would rather eat at the buffet"

 

You are right, it's not such a big deal. Like I said it would be nice, and it's my wishlist, not a must have.

 

and as I suspected a lot of women encountered similar problems in the past, which would be nice to share their experience.

[LemurCat]

Of course I did already. His reply was, "Hell no! I would rather eat at the buffet"

 

You are right, it's not such a big deal. Like I said it would be nice, and it's my wishlist, not a must have.

 

and as I suspected a lot of women encountered similar problems in the past, which would be nice to share their experience.

 

I'd take any advice given here with a grain of salt. Every relationship has it's own dynamics. His answer might be acceptable to you, might not be to others.

[twinklen01]

like you said compromise soooooo

 

i think nice slacks(black) and a nice shirt polo or long sleeve button down collar shirt with or with out a tie. Thats what my hubby wore. We dont like dressing up. I dont like wearing dresses so i wore nice pants.

 

maybe the two of you can come to some type of an agreement. He needs to feel comfortable .

 

What is he willing to wear?

[Fairhope]

I'd take any advice given here with a grain of salt.

Or even a salt lick.

[lawskool10]

Geez you would think this wouldn't be an issue! I mean, a man cannot even step it up for one night for his lady? :confused: It's 2 / 3 hours at the most! He should be ashamed of himself.

I agree. It's not like you are asking him to wear a tux.

[Bdd2043]

I'll quote my DGF.. "I L-O-V-E it when you dress up!" So I bought a Tux. Best investment I ever made <WINK!>

 

But really, You're on a cruise, doing somether fun and DIFFERENT. Wearing the same old seems boring!

[f7prez]

I'm a guy, so this might seem harsh....Tell him to grow up!!!!

 

Great advice. Simple, yet it says it all.

[sjn911]

You seem easygoing OP and I bet some of the answers here can be put into your language and relationship..I hope you get him to find a "little dressy" method that makes him feel good..and surprises himself on how much fun it can be..to look good and dine together.

 

Let me tell you about "cowboy country". Where over 50 percent of the dressy "eating out" local crowd may be "black tie" and "blue jean" at best...best boots, new jeans and new western shirt, (maybe) a vest..button down..collar..bolo and/or new silk scarf and new looking cowboy hat...all the way to the polo/docker look...then the new Western wool/silk jacket (similar to sport coat) and the regular coat and tie look... all mixed...the new "dressers" learn they stand out and look good with their ladies...and want to follow "suit"...so much variety here is ok..and out of the baseball hats they realize the attention...smiles..have a good time!!! sjn911

[BlueJacketsFan1]

I'm a guy, so this might seem harsh....Tell him to grow up!!!!

 

 

I'm also a guy and couldn't of said it better. I am a tee-shirt and jeans guy myself, but we are talking about only one or two nights of a wonderful cruise vacation. My wife and I truly enjoy dressing up for the formal night. We don't go to places back home where you need to dress up. So we go all the way with me in a tux and her in a formal dress. Tell him to dress for formal night or simply find someone else to go in his place.

[sjn911]

Suits and tuxes rule!!

 

Seriously love the guys who do not mind dressing up once in awhile..for whatever benefit!!

 

Luckily, even in a more casual area...looking good meant and said so many things about self -esteem. It's funny being back here after being gone for 20 years. The "country dance" is alive and well..more folks just go out dancing..while I get sick of "country"..it affects the getting cleaned up quotient...it's just an interesting to me thread. I suppose now at 50 and kicking and screaming all the way to middle age; my era had more respect toward dressing; but, the high school prom march I just attended this spring made mine look sloppy. I think things may be swinging back to a bit more dress desired again. sjn911.

[vonster]

i dont have any dresses but have tons of work suits...

 

are blazers and work pants appropriate for formal nights?

[sjn911]

i dont have any dresses but have tons of work suits...

 

are blazers and work pants appropriate for formal nights?

 

 

Yes..on Carnival..even a button down shirt and nice slacks are formal enough..or some even say a Polo and dress pants or dockers. Your idea is nice and just right in the middle of the "well dressed" group now that things are a bit more casual.

 

A woman could wear a dressy change of a top with suit pants or skirts to make it work..sjn911..even a suit would maybe be ok..just maybe less evening dressy feeling..wear what you are comfortable with.

[Thoth]

As a single guy, I have NO regrets with purchasing a black suit which passes as quasi-tux. The ladies seem to like it that way. hint hint