Teen Dress Attire

[ugobon]

Anyone had any delimmas with Teens and their wardrobes?? I made a comment to my daughter that jeans are not allowed and as you probably all know with teens, she acted as if the world had stopped turning. Plus she is not into 'dressing' up and I can't afford a new wardrobe. We took a gander at her closet and she has several blue jean skirts and some colored jean skirts. What are most 15 yr old girls wearing for dinner? Also this is silly question but at breakfast in the dining area, what do you wear? I really don't want to awake each morning feeling like breakfast but having to 'dress' semi-formal. I told my daughter that during the daylight she can bop around in soffies and a t-shirt with flip flops over her swimsuit.

[familyofd]

My teen during the day will wear shorts and tanks, and at night dresses but mine(teen) was already on a cruise before and knows that she has no choice to dress up, last year I bought all the summer dresses from deb"s at the end of the season some dresses were 5-10 bucks if they last 1 cruise I dont care its cheaper then what idd pay for one now.

[Nebr.cruiser]

Most teens dodress up on formal night, at least to some extent. Many seem to wear prom-type dresses. IMO the jeans skirts just won't fit in, though I'm sure she won't be turned back at the door! See if you can't find some bargains; stores like Dillards usually have some great buys. a cute flirty black skirt and dressy cami would be easy to find.

 

As to breakfast and any time during the day, shorts, t-shirts and flip-flops are fine. The only requirement is to have some kind of a cover-up over a swimsuit when you leave the pool and sundeck and go elsewhere on the ship. For the buffet, a suit and cover-up is fine. If you eat breakfast or lunch in the dining room shorts are ok, but not a cover-up unless it looks like a sundress.

[corbel10]

To continue this helpful discussion, are boys expected to wear suits on formal nights or nice pants and dressy shirts and/or ties?

 

Thanks

[LandLockedInAZ]

I have a 15 y.o. daughter who's been cruising since she was 7. We now ask her to join us for dinner only on the first evening, Formal and semi-formal nights. Other evenings, she's off having dinner in the Lido with her new friends.

For the casual evenings she joins us, I would expect her to wear a pair of nice non-jeans pants with a top nicer than a T-shirt. For semi-formal evenings, she has a couple of skirts with nice cami-type tops. For formal, we usually go all-out with a floor length gown, but this last cruise, she wore a knee-length black satin skirt with a turquoise corset with black embroidery for one of the formal evenings. Most other girls her age wear the same.

I usually see the teen boys in either suits or nice (better than Dockers) pants with a crisp white button-down shirt and tie if they don't own a suit.

[Nebr.cruiser]

I agree, Landlocked. Most boys wear dress slacks and shirts with ties. Little boys might have a vest too. Some do wear suits or even tuxes, and do they look cute!

[chriscruise]

Bonnie, your 15 y/o's wardrobe sounds very similar to my daughter's. We are trying to find some skirts that aren't so short as she currently has(think Hollister/A&F). She is thinking maybe a pair of gauchos and then some type of khaki pants or capris. She has a couple of sundresses and skirts that she l needs to try on to see if they still fit. She is really into the formal wear,but the every evening dinner attire is where we are crossing paths. I was glad to hear her friend tell her the short jean skirt is not appropriate for the dining room. If she finds a couple of different bottoms (skirts, capris, etc) she can just mix different tops each evening. I'm sure after dinner my DD will be in her short little jean skirt!

 

As far as breakfast her Soffee's will work in the buffet.

[corbel10]

Our older son (14) did agree to a suit (looking good!!!!) but our 13 yr old is harder to fit, so feel good about the dress pants with shirt and tie.

 

Thanks again

[KathyRN]

I have a 14 year old daughter who only wears jean skirts if dressing up is required. I just bought her a tiered skirt in black at Walmart and she put on a pretty shirt with some sequins near the neck and loved it. Looks formal enough for us.

[JXOPF]

I just spent an exhausting afternoon cruise shopping w/my 14 yr. old daughter. She wears jeans and keds (same pair) every single day to school. For variety, a short jean skirt. <sigh>

 

Today she actually found a cute (longer) skirt and 2 sundresses. I'm not allowed to call them that. They are simply dresses :cool:. She found them at Forever 21. She found a coverup at WalMart. Swim suit: Target. Shorts are soffies.

 

She and her 16 yr. old sister share clothes which helps. They can switch off with the limited non-jean wardrobe that I forced them to get.

This is their first cruise, but they really have no desire in going totally formal. I'm bringing my 16 yr. old's homecoming dress but she says she's not wearing it. Maybe when she talks to other teens...Regardless, both have banquet type (knee length) dresses that will work just fine, IMO.

 

DH might be another issue, however. He just discovered tonight that he's got to bring a coat and tie. We leave this Saturday. He's having a bit of a struggle adjusting to being in the Carribbean and having to wear a tie. Poor guy. If you see this misplaced fellow looking lost and alone at the Horizon Court buffet, wearing a coat, tie and flip flops and ordering Bananas Foster and a beer...go easy on him. :p

[Binney]

I have 2 DDs - ages 12 & 16...both have cruised several times before. They started out cruising young enough to allow me to instruct them that formal nights were just that...formal nights. So we had a ball buying formal wear. Don't let the words scare you...I recently found a "society junior's dress" at Macy's for $29.99...when I got to the counter, it rang up at $9.99. I got perfectly matching, beautiful shoes for her at Charlotte Russe for $4.99! Just keep your eye open for bargains and you will find them.

 

Now, to convince her to do so...most of the boys her age on the ship will get decked out. On our last cruise, one of the guys in my DDs "crew" wore a tux - she LOVED it. Now, if they guys in her crew show up decked out and she isn't, she will feel really out of place.

[ugobon]

Thanks everyone for your useful information. I too spent an exhausting weekend shopping. Problem I kept hitting was almost everything had a halter top or spaghetti strap (typcial of most 15 yr olds attires). I kept trying to explain that it will be chilly but no what do I know. But overall I think we have it slowly but surely coming together. My husband is a different story. I think he is almost as difficult as the teenager. He is whining about not getting to wear shorts (nice dress type) with nice Tommy Bahama type beach shirts to dinner. I swear this family is driving me crazy. Ummm thought for next year...leave husband and teen home... Probably can't pull that one off.... LOL!!!

[Ehpride]

It can have a halter-style top or spaghetti straps. I wore strapless (I'm 21) and while it was chilly, I just wore a shawl with it.

 

I'd just tell her (and your DH) that most everybody else will be dressed up too and if you dress too casual, you'll take the risk of standing out (nearly every teens biggest fear). Tell her that wearing a dressy dress and looking nice will help her blend in.

[JXOPF]

Thanks everyone for your useful information. I too spent an exhausting weekend shopping. Problem I kept hitting was almost everything had a halter top or spaghetti strap (typcial of most 15 yr olds attires). I kept trying to explain that it will be chilly but no what do I know. But overall I think we have it slowly but surely coming together. My husband is a different story. I think he is almost as difficult as the teenager. He is whining about not getting to wear shorts (nice dress type) with nice Tommy Bahama type beach shirts to dinner. I swear this family is driving me crazy. Ummm thought for next year...leave husband and teen home... Probably can't pull that one off.... LOL!!!

 

Bonnie,

We're in the same boat (pardon the pun). I was so thrilled that my denim addicted DD bought some dresses that I barely noticed they were almost all halter tops. My DH had the same dress code reaction as yours. :cool:

[cruiseburger]

There are tons of dressy camisoles at winter clearance prices at almost any store you go into. Couple that with a black pair of pants and some snappy sandals (lots of the new styles for teens have sequins or beading) and you are set.

 

In the past, I've picked up dirt-cheap formal wear in July for my girls (prom season is over and they have to dump the dresses). Chances are they will be asked to homecoming, prom, etc. In the event that doesn't happen, they can use them for costume parties, pictures, etc.

[Cats' slave]

They sell pretty shawls on the ship for about $10. They come in all kinds of colors. If she wears spaghetti straps and gets cold in the dining room, she could buy one of those.

[MrsPete]

Anyone had any delimmas with Teens and their wardrobes?? I made a comment to my daughter that jeans are not allowed and as you probably all know with teens, she acted as if the world had stopped turning.

My daughter's a year away from officially being a teen, but she sure does act like one! She has her ideas about what she's going to wear and what she's not going to wear. Much like your daughter, she likes her jeans, her shorts, and that's about it. Oh, yeah, and her Rainbow flip-flops.

 

I've told her that she may dress as she pleases during the day (I don't buy overly revealing tops, etc., so that's no problem) and she will be allowed a certain amount of freedom during the day; however, she is expected to attend dinner with the family every night, and she is expected to dress up. Her response: I WILL NOT WEAR A DRESS. But I'll wear a skirt. (We have much the same arrangement about school clothes and church clothes at home, and it works fine for us.)

 

Cool by me. I get what I want, and she feels like she "won" something by being allowed to wear what she wants except for that two hours each evening.

[MrsPete]

Problem I kept hitting was almost everything had a halter top or spaghetti strap (typcial of most 15 yr olds attires). I kept trying to explain that it will be chilly but no what do I know.

1. The stores are full of cute little shrug sweaters that are perfect over spaghetti straps, etc. They're very fashionable among the 15-year old crowd, and that should be plenty to keep her warm at dinner.

 

2. If she refuses, it's HER choice. Let her be cold. You've warned her; let it be a lesson. As a high school teacher, I'm amazed at what kids will wear because it's cool: Rainbow flip-flops in the snow, mini-skirts in December, only a hoodie sweatshirt in February, few real coats anywhere . . . some of the boys literally wear shorts year-round. Seriously, you and I include practicality and comfort in our "must-have" list. Teens don't.

[ugobon]

Whew...thats good news to know that basically all teenagers think alot alike. We are making progress though. Mine will be in skirts with halters/camis majority of the time. If you're going next week on Imagination you'll see her freezing in the cornor huddled with her buddy.

Now we are tackling other shoes besides rainbow flip flops and vans with those skirts. Can someone let me know when its time to go and when I arrive put a drink of any kind with an umbrella in it? Thanks to whoever its gonna be because you WILL be my new best friend.

[Ehpride]

Whew...thats good news to know that basically all teenagers think alot alike. We are making progress though. Mine will be in skirts with halters/camis majority of the time. If you're going next week on Imagination you'll see her freezing in the cornor huddled with her buddy.

Now we are tackling other shoes besides rainbow flip flops and vans with those skirts. Can someone let me know when its time to go and when I arrive put a drink of any kind with an umbrella in it? Thanks to whoever its gonna be because you WILL be my new best friend.

 

You might need to buy a mimosa at the airport after all that work!

 

Now I love my flip-flops (in every color to match outfits :D), but I love dress shoes too (really all shoes...I'm not discrimatory).

[ugobon]

Hello everyone... first back to work from the cruise. My oh my did I learn alot. First and foremost, don't sweat what the teens wear. I saw jeans, shorts, hats with suits as well as flip flops with suits. We did just fine with all our attires, actually I felt alittle over dressed and so did my teens. The buffet was just as nice as the fine dining so we opted for the buffet 3 out of the 5 nights. Teens only made it once to dinner and that was formal night.

[Ehpride]

Welcome back! Did you have a good time?

[ugobon]

Yes we had a great time. I hope to someday get to do this again....!!!!