I Think Department Stores are Reading HAL CC......

[sail7seas]

I shopped yesterday for a few new dresses to wear for formal nights on the ships. I'm not as slim as I used to be, I'm not as young as I used to be and I'm not as joined by other ladies wearing long dresses on formal nights as I used to be.

 

I have taken to wearing more little black dresses and other cocktail type clothes to the knee and am done with long dresses on recent cruises but have had trouble finding just what I wanted.

 

I always liked the simple dresses with a slightly fitted top, very light beading or sparklies (not enough to make the dress very heavy or over glitzy) and the dress to have a soft, perhaps chiffon skirt.... one piece. They were always long to the floor or at the best tea length. Voila........ someone at Nordstrom's must have read my mind as there was the perfect black dress yesterday, in my size, no tailoring necessary and just below the knee. :) I'm sure they are realizing us cruisers who buy many of their dressier clothes are not getting quite as dressed as we used to and are now offering knee length and not as glitzy and easy to pack.

 

Found another I won't bore you describing but the stores are reflecting what lady cruisers seem to be seeking.

 

One pair of shoes, one evening purse, two new easy to pack dresses along with one or two I already own and I am READY TO CRUISE. :D

[sail7seas]

Ladies:

 

How many of you used to wear long dresses/gowns but are now wearing shorter dresses or pants/sparkly tops on HAL ships?

 

[Diane Rose]

I used to love wearing a gown, but now dressy pants or cocktail dresses is the way I go. I find I get more use of these outfits at home, as well.

 

Diane

[Sage]

I'm so glad that you found just the right dress. I know you will look beautiful. I'm still going with the long gown, as my arthritis is really catching up with me, and it is easier to hide my comfy shoes under a long gown.

[debsjc]

I would always wear a dress on formal nights, but the length varies. This time I wore a longish black beaded dress, but I have just bought another dress which is shorter and more cocktail style.

[mamaofami]

Ladies:

 

How many of you used to wear long dresses/gowns but are now wearing shorter dresses or pants/sparkly tops on HAL ships?

 

 

Me. I started wearing really formal gowns and switched to long pants and or long skirts and sparkly tops and jackets. I might switch to shorter skirts this year. All the same color, and one pair of shoes and purse to cover it all.

[dobiemom]

Ladies:

 

How many of you used to wear long dresses/gowns but are now wearing shorter dresses or pants/sparkly tops on HAL ships?

 

If I were thinner I would wear my long dresses/gowns :o but I have found some really great "fancy" shorter dresses at an excellent price in the last year or so, so that's what I wear.

 

Congrats on your find!

[kyriecat]

I used to bring the long, beaded or appliqued dresses for formal nights - 1 per night. I stopped doing that a couple years ago when the airlines started charging for each bag. Those dresses are gorgeous but they weigh too much. I have one that weighs 8 lbs because of all the beadwork. I bring a long skirt and dressy pants with a couple sparkly tops now for formal nights. I'll wear each top more than once with different accessories.

 

I'm not sure what to do with my formal dresses. I'd bring them if we drove to the ports, but Galveston is the only one within reasonable driving distance and I don't like most of the itineraries from there. My husband and I don't dress formally very often at home. The company Christmas party is about the only time and even though the invitations say "black tie", most people dress like they are going to church or an afternoon wedding.

[peaches from georgia]

Dressy pants and cocktail dresses have been in the majority for years. Not saying we haven't seen long gowns, but fewer and fewer for a long time.

[sail7seas]

We saw lots of tuxes and gowns up to about a year ago. Not so much anymore but DH just got another new tuxedo. He is not ready to give up black tie for formal night and his other tuxes had 'seen their day'. We'll be fine together with him in tux and me in black cocktail. Works for me. :)

 

 

[IRL_Joanie]

Yes they are listening to us! Thank Goodness!!

 

I wear one long Black, with hand sewn Gold Trim Caftan, with matching full length cape with a hood dress for one formal night (it is the real thing!! A friend picked it up in a bazaar for me in Morrocco for $10.00 32 years ago and it is still in excellent condition) I'll post a photo from our cruise next month when we get back:)

 

On our 2nd formal night I picked up a just below the knee chiffon cocktail dress at Dillards. I'll post that one also.

 

Joanie

[esther e]

I'm so glad you found something you like!:) When I was younger and thinner I used to wear long gowns all the time. Now it's mostly tea-length or dressy pants or those wonderful Eileen Fisher dresses. If I wear black silk pants I have dressy tops. Incidentally, I dress for dinner every night, including embarkation. Perhaps less dressy than a formal night, but definitely not travel clothing. And we saw fewer tuxes on the last cruise, especially on the second and third formal nights. In fact, the tuxes stood out from the suits and slacks and blazers.

[SwissMyst]

Ladies:

 

How many of you used to wear long dresses/gowns but are now wearing shorter dresses or pants/sparkly tops on HAL ships?

 

 

 

Me too. And sparkly tops with tea length black silk skirts too.

[SwissMyst]

I used to bring the long, beaded or appliqued dresses for formal nights - 1 per night. I stopped doing that a couple years ago when the airlines started charging for each bag. Those dresses are gorgeous but they weigh too much. I have one that weighs 8 lbs because of all the beadwork. I bring a long skirt and dressy pants with a couple sparkly tops now for formal nights. I'll wear each top more than once with different accessories.

 

I'm not sure what to do with my formal dresses. I'd bring them if we drove to the ports, but Galveston is the only one within reasonable driving distance and I don't like most of the itineraries from there. My husband and I don't dress formally very often at home. The company Christmas party is about the only time and even though the invitations say "black tie", most people dress like they are going to church or an afternoon wedding.

 

You said it all. Last time I brought the heavy sequin top was for our Oosterdam Christmas trip when we too were able to drive to the port in San Diego. It was amazing how many pounds a few of those special occasion dresses and jackets added to the airline weight allowance.

 

Thanks for that tip about the Nordstrom's dress. It is hard to find one that both work and pack lightly. I picked up a couple from the Travelsmith catalogue that are good basics that go up or down depending upon accessories.

 

Ahhh, the good old days: http://shop.nordstrom.com/c/womens-dresses/evening?campaign=1102womenlptile2&origin=wdlp

[SwissMyst]

Warning: Uh, oh, don't open that Nordstrom link for evening dresses unless you also open your check book. What a lovely collection. I succumbed to at least one of them.

[hal lover]

Hey Sail, you did great!

 

I'm wearing more mix and match formal clothing at this time. One formal black skirt and one formal pair of black flowing pants will go with a lot of light weight sparkly tops. However, I really do miss dressing in a long gown! Perhaps next year, and 10 pounds lighter, I will shop for a new one. I have one that is timeless and somehow, thank goodness I can still wear it well.

 

One of my greatest memories~ DH in rental tux from HAL and myself in that timeless gown. Dancing the night away!

 

BTW Sail~ we embark on the lovely and elegent MS Maasdam this Friday. This time seems even more special (if possible), because I understand the ship is going into drydock and will never be quite the ship that I fell so deeply in love with. I plan to treasure every moment!

[localady]

Ladies:

 

How many of you used to wear long dresses/gowns but are now wearing shorter dresses or pants/sparkly tops on HAL ships?

 

 

With the new packing restrictions I pack 2 "little":rolleyes: black dresses and one pair of pumps to work for the cruise. I mean I still have to have space for the important stuff, like my prescription mask, fins and snorkel!! ;) :D

[jaderbee]

I plan on wearing a dressy maxi dress for the formal nights. DH is refusing to wear his blues so I don't want to look overdressed next to him in his suit. IF he would wear his blues I would wear an elegant formal gown to compliment (to heck with current cruise fashions).

[tomc]

They don't stock heels in 10-1/2 D.

[Cruising-along]

On our first cruise 6 years ago I thought finally, I can wear all those long, sparkly gowns I had in the closet from our Navy function years. Alas, I found that even then, 6 years ago, I was in the minority when wearing a long gown.

 

Now I bring cocktail dresses or a long black slinky skirt with different sparkly tops. They're lighter and easier to pack anyway, leaving more room in our bags.

[fisheswithbears]

Looks like I'm with the majority: one or two cocktail-type dresses, a fancy top with dressy black pants covers my formal wear needs. We never get early seating on HAL so I find myself less concerned with how many times I wear the same thing to dinner.

[SwissMyst]

BTW Sail~ we embark on the lovely and elegent MS Maasdam this Friday. This time seems even more special (if possible), because I understand the ship is going into drydock and will never be quite the ship that I fell so deeply in love with. I plan to treasure every moment!

 

Please make your treasured Maasdam moments double for me too. Ouch. I hope they don't ruin her with the "changes" that have not worked on other ships.

 

Nordstrom is listening and giving us some beautiful, classic and well-priced evening wear choices. HAL, listen up too and keep the Maasdam beautiful, classic and well-priced too.

[RuthC]

After many years of wearing a long black skirt with beaded tops, I got sick of them. Put them away, and went out and bought some lovely, light-weight, dressy dresses. One is long, two are tea length, and one is just below the knee. They are all colorful, which always brightens my mood, and pack up in not much more space than a few handkerchiefs.

The same pair of shoes, same handbag, and a variety of jewels, and I could do a World Cruise.

Congratulations on finding the perfect dress, Sail. That's always a successful shopping trip when you find just what you want.

[sail7seas]

Thanks, Ruth. I came home a happy shopper/cruiser. It was rather painless when I fully expected dragging around all over the place to find a few new 'frocks'. Your new dresses sound lovely. Wear them in good health and on lots of wonderful cruises.

 

 

Hey Sail, you did great!

 

I'm wearing more mix and match formal clothing at this time. One formal black skirt and one formal pair of black flowing pants will go with a lot of light weight sparkly tops. However, I really do miss dressing in a long gown! Perhaps next year, and 10 pounds lighter, I will shop for a new one. I have one that is timeless and somehow, thank goodness I can still wear it well.

 

One of my greatest memories~ DH in rental tux from HAL and myself in that timeless gown. Dancing the night away!

 

BTW Sail~ we embark on the lovely and elegent MS Maasdam this Friday. This time seems even more special (if possible), because I understand the ship is going into drydock and will never be quite the ship that I fell so deeply in love with. I plan to treasure every moment!

 

 

 

Hal Lover......

Take good care of 'our' :) beautiful Maasdam until we arrive in December. I agree I will pay special attention to those spots I know will never look the same again. We are booked to sail her again in June so will see her not long after her drydock. For those of us who love that ship so much, we are all edgy how she'll look 'post op'. Thankfully, she is not getting The Retreat. Whew..... that was close!!!

 

Have a great cruise.

 

 

 

They don't stock heels in 10-1/2 D.

 

Try zappo.com

They claim they can fit everyone. :D

 

[solocanadian]

Ladies:

 

How many of you used to wear long dresses/gowns but are now wearing shorter dresses or pants/sparkly tops on HAL ships?

 

 

I still wear long to hide comfy shoes since one foot really swells due to an old injury. They are made by Spenser Alexis. Some have lace and a very few beads. They roll up beautifully for packing and are as light as a feather. Don't know if they can be purchased Stateside.