Teenage boys / dinning room footwear

[Mommatron]

I am curious if hi-top converse sneakers will be frowned upon in the dinning room during dinner any night and/or formal nights. (Yes even with a suit and his tie made from duct tape.) My son has a 'unique' fashion sense. :eek: But hey at least the boys have great table manners best of all we will all be having dinner together.

[pacerzfan]

I guess my sandals with suit are ok, so tennies should be. LOL.....Just let him enjoy himself not all of us are fashion icons!

[oceantravel]

Frowned upon probably yes....but it is your cruise. I could care less what other people wear. I never even took a glance around the dining room on formal night and other evenings becasue I simply don't care. However there are many judgemnetal people out there so yes he will be frowned upon. This thread is going to go down hill real fast. Some people have very strong views so don't take their posts personal.

 

 

People....be nice. The poster has a right to ask the question.

[WellesleyIslander]

You hit the nail on the head-at least you are all having dinner together! That's what it's about....and IMO you are paying just as much as the next person and if they are comfortable in them, go for it. :D

[Nliedel]

Then let him wear them. He is wearing a duct tape tie for crying out loud. No one is going to say boo about his footwear. Most pants cover it up anyway.

 

If he is polite and trying that will be enough.

 

Yesterday I saw a McDonald's employee wearing his pants pratically around his knees.. now that I have a problem with.

[GoinCruisin]

I would have more of an issue with the duct tape tie than the footwear... if he is otherwise dressed appropriately (which duct tape tie for me, in my opinion, would not fit in with "dressing appropriately"), then he will be fine. I personally would rather see him go without a tie than wear one made of duct tape... LOL.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Then let him wear them. He is wearing a duct tape tie for crying out loud. No one is going to say boo about his footwear. Most pants cover it up anyway.

 

If he is polite and trying that will be enough.

 

Yesterday I saw a McDonald's employee wearing his pants pratically around his knees.. now that I have a problem with.

 

people actually eating at McDonalds I have a problem with. :D (joking)

 

Bill

[davidaperryman]

If your son doesn't mind making a fool of himself than at least you should. There will be alot of laughter at his attire but those laughing will be thinking "what an idiot".

 

What an embarassment.

 

What's next? Wearing his underwear outside his pants?

 

JMHO

[L2J]

If your son doesn't mind making a fool of himself than at least you should. There will be alot of laughter at his attire but those laughing will be thinking "what an idiot".

 

What an embarassment.

 

What's next? Wearing his underwear outside his pants?

 

JMHO

 

Thanks for saying that.....pretty much what I had in mind too. *shakes head*

[tef43]

If your son doesn't mind making a fool of himself than at least you should. There will be alot of laughter at his attire but those laughing will be thinking "what an idiot".

 

What an embarassment.

 

What's next? Wearing his underwear outside his pants?

Not to mention that the child's appearance is a direct reflection on *you* the parent.

 

But that's just me...

[TXRoo]

Maybe he should save the duct tape for the prom.

 

http://www.octanecreative.com/ducttape/fashion/prom/

 

http://www.octanecreative.com/ducttape/fashion/fashion.html

[Kernel32mco]

I would point and laugh too. But that's just how I am. :)

[tjohn159d]

The duct tape tie will not look good in your formal pictures, when you show them to your friends.

[hlfdzn]

Anyone who has raised a teenager in this day and age would understand their fashion sense.

 

Personally I think the duct tape tie and high top gym shoes would be fine.

 

I have a son who dresses very nicely and keeps himself impeccably clean....however he makes bad choices and is a drug addict. He steals to support his habit and is facing jail time.

 

NOW my point is....if this young man is a good kid and a nice kid and has great manners, and it sounds like he has a great sense of humor...who gives a hoot what he wears......there are so many WORSE things he could be doing!

 

Flame if you must...cuz it does not bother me

[L2J]

Anyone who has raised a teenager in this day and age would understand their fashion sense.

 

 

I think some of us that do are trying to understand the LACK of fashion sense and why this would even be allowed? Ok, at home maybe if the kids were going to prom and "everyone" was doing it. But on a ship...please....*shakes head*

[conwakr]

This is a tough one for a mom. Personally I give my kids alot of lattitude in how they dress and what they wear, however, they also understand that different social situations call for different behavior and often different dress than what they might "choose" to wear normally day to day. This might be an oppotunity to bring that lesson to bear, or if he's rebelling against the formality of the dinning situation maybe let him eat dinner on his own elsewhere on the ship, I'm assuming he's a middle teenager or older. If he shows up with clean pants and a button down shirt most people won't notice the high tops and the duck tape tie, might actually be intriguing. If he shows up with a ripped t-shirt, purple hair, duck tape tie and converse hi-tops he'll probably get some stares and you might be embarrassed but it's your family and you as the parent have to make that decision. Personally, I don't have a problem with the range of attire seen these days in nice restaurants. Deep inside though, I'm glad they don't allow shorts or jeans in the dining room and let us not foget tank tops on middle aged men - not a good look for most people (LOL).

[alylee777]

hlfdzn,

I think what you said is awesome! I am also sorry about your son. I have an almost 11 year old and we have just begun to battle about clothes and hair. I guess what is really important is that he is a great kid making good grades.

To the OP, I think your kid sounds like a unique, fun individual. Let him ROCK the tie and shoes. Have fun. It's a vacation!!!!

A:D

[ShowSkiMom]

I admire people with the guts to march to the beat of their own drummer. He sounds like a delightful young man with a quirky sense of style so I'd let that shine through no matter what the stuffy, pompus, narrow minded people might think. One of my favorite kids in my son's class at school wears his hair in dreadlocks. He's sweet, mannerly, gets awesome grades and has the confidence to be who he is. That's a pretty big deal when you're in middle school and everyone is trying desparately to fit in. I worry a lot more about the kids who are willing to do whatever it takes to fit in than the ones who are comfortable being who they are...no matter how unconventional that may be. Ted Bundy was always well dressed wasn't he?

 

Just don't mention that when you're at home you don't have dinner sitting at your dining room table every night. That will get you in BIG trouble :D

[Woobie]

Oh of course he can wear the sneakers. :rolleyes: And I think a properly constructed duct tape tie is a very creative way of expressing himself. I'll bet if all of the "oh I'd be so embarassed" posters would remember what it was like to be a teenager for just a second they would see that it's just fine and it'll give everyone a picture to giggle about when he's all grown up.

 

I'm loooong past my teens but I remember the weird stuff we did with our hair... skinny ties made from glitter material and those same high top sneakers made for "teen formal wear". Sure it freaked my folks out a little. But they took it with a sense of humor. And now that I'm over 40 I miss having the ability to laugh at myself and do crazy stuff. So just have fun and show your son how much he will have taking a cruise with his teenage son one day... who will probably be wearing a tin foil tie. :D

[GoinCruisin]

Do what you want, but to say that just because someone does not think clothes made of duct tape being worn to a formal dinner is not appropriate, does in NO WAY make them stuffy, pompous, and narrow minded. There is a time and place for everything. I'm all for encouraging people to express their creativity... but there is an appropriate time and place. Would it be okay to wear this to a wedding? A funeral? A job interview? As I said, there are appropriate times...

 

Not bashing the OP at all.. I know it is trying raising teens, I was there in the not so distant past, so I know it is difficult... but I was also raised to know when I could and when I couldn't let my creativity run wild. Just my opinion :o

[Girlsnightout]

I am curious if hi-top converse sneakers will be frowned upon in the dinning room during dinner any night and/or formal nights. (Yes even with a suit and his tie made from duct tape.) My son has a 'unique' fashion sense. :eek: But hey at least the boys have great table manners best of all we will all be having dinner together.

 

Brings back fond memories of my first boyfriend. He went to prep school and it was very common for the boys to hold their old worn out topsiders together with duct tape...in fact, I almost think some boys put the duct tape around their shoes when they didn't even really need it..:D

 

I don't know, I don't think it's innappropriate, it's a Carnival cruise for crying out loud, not a white house dinner...heck, the old BF who wore duct tape could've bought as many new shoes as he wanted, his grandpa owned Breck shampoo..

[GoinCruisin]

LOL< I have seen many a Chuck Taylor held together by the mighty duct tape!!! LOL!!!!

[ShowSkiMom]

Do what you want, but to say that just because someone does not think clothes made of duct tape being worn to a formal dinner is not appropriate, does in NO WAY make them stuffy, pompous, and narrow minded. There is a time and place for everything. I'm all for encouraging people to express their creativity... but there is an appropriate time and place. Would it be okay to wear this to a wedding? A funeral? A job interview? As I said, there are appropriate times...

 

He wants to wear high top sneakers and a TIE made out of duct tape. Sounds to me like he understands this is a "formal" dinner and he's putting his own spin on "formal" attire. Lets not forget that this is a family vacation on a cruise ship and not an audience with the Queen. I agree that there is a time and place for everything but personally I think a Carnival "Fun Ship" cruise is the perfect place for him to express his creative side. And if I were hiring for a position that required someone who can think outside of the box...something that is required in my profession, I'd hire him in a heartbeat! Different strokes for different folks and all that. I stand by my stuffy comment though ;)

[GoinCruisin]

He wants to wear high top sneakers and a TIE made out of duct tape. Sounds to me like he understands this is a "formal" dinner and he's putting his own spin on "formal" attire. Lets not forget that this is a family vacation on a cruise ship and not an audience with the Queen. I agree that there is a time and place for everything but personally I think a Carnival "Fun Ship" cruise is the perfect place for him to express his creative side. And if I were hiring for a position that required someone who can think outside of the box...something that is required in my profession, I'd hire him in a heartbeat! Different strokes for different folks and all that. I stand by my stuffy comment though ;)

 

Seems to me someone that prided themselves on "thinking outside the box" wouldn't be so quick to judge others for their opinions ;)

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Anyone who has raised a teenager in this day and age would understand their fashion sense.

 

Personally I think the duct tape tie and high top gym shoes would be fine.

 

I have a son who dresses very nicely and keeps himself impeccably clean....however he makes bad choices and is a drug addict. He steals to support his habit and is facing jail time.

 

NOW my point is....if this young man is a good kid and a nice kid and has great manners, and it sounds like he has a great sense of humor...who gives a hoot what he wears......there are so many WORSE things he could be doing!

 

Flame if you must...cuz it does not bother me

 

 

No flame here. I agree. In the grand scheme of things there are a lot worse things. On another board when I stated I didn't want to wear a sports jacket for semi formal dinner they wanted to throw me overboard.

I'm not the fashion police and don't care what anyone else wears. I don't look around and judge people as they walk by. I eat my dinner and chat with my tablemates. :)

I hope the best for your son and family.

Bill