Big Formal Decision in Our House.......

[DFD1]

At our house, we are almost to the point where Tuxedos are reserved for weddings and fund raisers.

 

I gave up the Tux for cruising a long time ago. If a dark navy suit, white shirt and conservative tie won't get me into the dining room, I'll just eat in the Lido.

 

Age, airline rules, and a society trending more and more toward casual dressing helped me make the decision.

[sail7seas]

At our house, we are almost to the point where Tuxedos are reserved for weddings and fund raisers.

 

I gave up the Tux for cruising a long time ago. If a dark navy suit, white shirt and conservative tie won't get me into the dining room, I'll just eat in the Lido.

 

Age, airline rules, and a society trending more and more toward casual dressing helped me make the decision.

 

 

^^^^^ Yes, that !!

 

You managed to say in three short paragraphs what I spent four pages and most of today trying to say. :eek: :D

[RevNeal]

Should have quit while I was ahead and followed my own advice to stay out of formal wear and smoking threads. I get what I deserve.

 

I am in total agreement with you there. For the past 2 years I have generally avoided these threads because they usually get uncomfortable. I am sorry if my own participation added to any of the discomfort here. I posted to offer encouragement to my good friend Sail, whose choices I honor regardless.

[innlady1]

At our house, we are almost to the point where Tuxedos are reserved for weddings and fund raisers.

 

I gave up the Tux for cruising a long time ago. If a dark navy suit, white shirt and conservative tie won't get me into the dining room, I'll just eat in the Lido.

 

Age, airline rules, and a society trending more and more toward casual dressing helped me make the decision.

 

DFD1, you've said what many of us feel so well! Thank you!!!

[tip]

Personally, I think too much is made of how or how do...or do not...dress on a cruise. We're all adults...on vacation...and free to make our own decisions of how or how not to dress.

 

Very well said!

[kazu]

[quote name='luxurysailer']I don't understand the logic of ditching a tux, which your DH obviously already owns, for a dark suit. They both take up the same amount of luggage space. Putting on a tux may be a little more difficult, but IMO not that much.[/quote]

actually when dh takes his tux, it also means a sports jacket. If we are going to the PG, Le Cirque or doing pre or post cruise there are times he wants to dress up but not wear a tux. So, when he packs the tux there's also the sports jacket.

A dark suit - the jacket can be used and doesn't look so formal at other functions - the same with the sports jacket. A tux only fits in at true formal. For our Caribbean we opted not to take it - our European - I'm not sure what the decision will be ;)

[kazu]

[quote name='LAFFNVEGAS'][SIZE=3]It is actually very different because most men will bring both a pair of dress shoes and their Formal Tux shoes , then there is the extra Tux shirts, then the box that holds all the fancy buttons for the tux shirts. Not taking all this would definitely save weight and space. My DH usually brings his tux and a dark sports coat so eliminating the tux and all that goes with it would save a lot. [/SIZE][/quote]

so true - mine brings one too;)

[Copper10-8]

[quote name='Seago2']Did you read my explanation yet?

There were some pretty hard slams to Sail for her post- just look at the one referencing boarding in our underwear.

When I am cruising I meet people who I can only describe as middle class, LIKE ME. In fact, I have met one other lawyer, no doctors, definitely not Bill Gates, and while I am sure many of you are extremely well off, as evidenced by your ability to travel so well, I personally have not met people who look like they go to black tie events so often that they would be scandalized if others decided not to. I have only ever met fun, comfortable, outgoing, seemingly sensible people who enjoy life, meeting others, and having fun. That clashes with a few of the other posts below.

Hence my Downton Abbey reference. Like it or not, there is always a hint of snobbery in the formal wear posts. I have not met any snobs cruising! Far from it. Far from it. And I am the farthest from it you will ever meet. My husband is a gardener and he looks great in a tux:cool:[/quote]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=navy]How's that garden looking?;)[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[fuzzywuzzy]

[quote name='bozemanman']I hope you don't think I'm being stupid...but you can always rent if you like. We are going on a TA in a few days...and I didn't want to pack the extra weight, so I am renting. I am bringing my own shoes and 1 shirt. When compared to an extra bag charge both ways, and not having to deal with an extra suitcase...we think it's worth it.[/quote]

My DH enjoys wearing a tux and I enjoy dressing up as well. My DH usually rents a tux and it is waiting in our cabin when we arrive. This way we don't have to lug the extra suit and shoes. This has worked out well. We will be taking a TA cruise in a couple of weeks and we will be dressing up for formal nights.

[Cqis]

I agree with you all. I believe a suit can do as well as a Tux. Now for the "but", I love men in Tux's. The most unattractive man looks attractive in a tux. Were I live we wear lot of formal clothes winter and summer. I have to fight with DH to bring a tux. I don't fight anymore I just let him bring a suit.

Thanks for the hint I may just forfeit a gown for the tux in my bag.

[Boytjie]

[quote name='sail7seas'][B]We've joined the 'now generation', I guess. :D[/B][/quote]

No, you have joined the dark side! :eek: :D

[RevNeal]

[quote name='kazu']actually when dh takes his tux, it also means a sports jacket. If we are going to the PG, Le Cirque or doing pre or post cruise there are times he wants to dress up but not wear a tux. So, when he packs the tux there's also the sports jacket.[/QUOTE]

I wear the sports jacket in-transit to the ship. That way, I don't have to pack it.

[ger_77]

[quote name='RevNeal']I wear the sports jacket in-transit to the ship. That way, I don't have to pack it.[/quote]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS]DH does this too, and it saves having to pack another item of clothing for him. He also loves wearing his tuxedo, so it isn't a big deal for us to bring it along. However, if we cruised as often as sail7seas does, maybe he wouldn't enjoy wearing it quite as much. We only cruise every couple of years, so it is a treat for him to wear it.[/FONT]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS]It isn't as if Sail's DH is going to look out of place on formal nights - I'm sure he will look completely appropriate.[/FONT]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS]Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)[/FONT]

[JDinWA]

The mentions of the "now generation" and society trending caught my eye because of something I noticed recently. We've been going to the theaters in Seattle for over a decade (stage shows, not movies, I mean). Around the turn of the century (gawd that sounds funny), there were more people "dressed up" than not, and that proportion rapidly changed over the years till it seemed most attending were dressed casually. But the past few performances, the pendulum seems to be swinging back the other way. At "Mamma Mia!" last week, not only was a significant part of the audience dressed nicer than usual, it most noticeably the younger people. I wouldn't be surprised if over the next decade, more cruise passengers began to trend toward formal dress (at least on formal nights), just for the fun of it.

[startwin]

Yet another dress code thread. Must be reaching a million or so by now:rolleyes: Let's count ourselves very fortunate we can cruise - however we may choose to dress - while there is so much other stuff going on in this world to be concerned about. I just cannot get upset or excited about what other people wear.

[scraplady]

As a 1st time cruiser, I really want to thank you for the discussion. My DH does not own a tux. He lived in a dress military uniform for a good 30 + yrs and I would be hard pressed to get him in one now. Being of Italian descent, he gets quite tanned in the summer, so a dark suit looks awful on him. So I planned to take his medium grey suit for formal night. Even here in the rural NC we get many semi formal nights and he is very happy to comply for me. So I am looking forward to formal night on our Alaska cruise. If a tux would have been mandatory, we would have rented, but I'm very happy to know that we will fit in quite nicely.This discussion has relived my mind.

[Sir PMP]

"somewhat strange, if I do say so."

Nothing strange to bring a tux instead of a sportscoat, Hal is one of the last few lines to enjoy dressing up formally..

[Sir PMP]

"The most unattractive man looks attractive in a tux"

You got it bb...

[COLLEYBERRY]

[quote name='scraplady']As a 1st time cruiser, I really want to thank you for the discussion. My DH does not own a tux. He lived in a dress military uniform for a good 30 + yrs and I would be hard pressed to get him in one now. Being of Italian descent, he gets quite tanned in the summer, so a dark suit looks awful on him. So I planned to take his medium grey suit for formal night. Even here in the rural NC we get many semi formal nights and he is very happy to comply for me. So I am looking forward to formal night on our Alaska cruise. If a tux would have been mandatory, we would have rented, but I'm very happy to know that we will fit in quite nicely.This discussion has relived my mind.[/QUOTE]


Enjoy your cruise :):) Alaska is the perfect choice to experience cruising for the first time..you are in for such a treat.

For what my humble opinion is worth...a military dress uniform trumps a tux every time ;)

A grey suit will be absolutely perfect for your cruise ,a crisp shirt and his tan...I am sure he will look very sharp.:)

H:)ppy sailings to you both.

[sapper1]

[quote='The Bear';33081039]Sail --- I'd pack a suit 'by accident', then you can gauge how he truly feels for the next cruise.

Personally, I find that it's nice to transition slowly, since I resist sudden change![/quote]
To go off topic for a minute-----I'll bet the falls are quite a sight to see right now with the Florida like weather we had last week.

[kazu]

[quote name='sapper1']To go off topic for a minute-----I'll bet the falls are quite a sight to see right now with the Florida like weather we had last week.[/quote]

they are indeed:D:D it's a good thing it cooled down (not that I like cold) otherwise we'd be in for some serious worries of flooding. I pity the people in Perth Andover:) back to our regular schedule program....................

[Seago2]

Good morning, everyone!

...a new day :).

[kazu]

[quote name='RevNeal']I wear the sports jacket in-transit to the ship. That way, I don't have to pack it.[/quote]

dh does that too for Caribbean cruises Rev, but when you go to Europe in the spring you really need to be prepared for everything - and that means a jacket of some sort on the plane or packed. On the plane works better most times so we are back to packing;)

['The Bear']

'Sapper' & 'Kazu' ---- Yes the falls were quite impressive this year, but all our thoughts are with the unfortunates in Perth-Andover.

Sorry, folks, for the hijacking -------- back to scheduled programming!!

[fuzzywuzzy]

[quote name='Seago2']Good morning, everyone!

...a new day :).[/quote]

Good morning....and a beautiful one here. Back to topic, I guess to each his own.
But I personally like to see me in a tux too- very distinguished. .y DH has also dressed in a dark suit for formal nights. No problem. Either way is nice. Like someone else said, we don't cruise that often comparatively speaking so it's a treat.