Is Cunard tweaking the Gala Evening dress code?

[DynamoLiz]

40 minutes ago, 2Oldpeopleinlove said:

Seems unlikely, but such snickering says WAY more about the snickerer than about the snickeree. 

 

21 minutes ago, naturelovergirl said:

Please have him wear his white! Enjoy!!!

You both will look fabulous for the Ice White Gala Night!!!!

 

 

 

 

6 minutes ago, Brummel said:

Even the Beau would think that's a good occasion to break the rules. Enjoy!

Thanks everyone! We're looking forward to it.

[Rothko1]

On 4/23/2023 at 1:01 PM, NE John said:

Question — is it ok to wear a white dinner jacket in the evening on a TA?

I know with the bad news out of Southampton today dress code talk is a minor issue, but I’ve always wondered. 

 

When we did a trans Atlantic on QM2 in June of 2019, several of us brought white dinner jackets and wore them.  Perfectly acceptable, in my opinion.

[Rothko1]

On 4/23/2023 at 1:15 PM, Brummel said:

No. White dinner jackets are reserved for tropical climes. 

 

I'm going to respectfully disagree with you on this.  While certainly appropriate for tropical climes, I believe it can be worn during the warmer months in non-tropical (i.e. - north of the Mason Dixon line) areas.  And I also think it is especially appropriate for slightly less formal environs such as country clubs and cruise lines.

[D&N]

Further to my post #142 on the subject; I just re-read an article in Gentleman's Gazette, which reminded me that many consider the start of the "Summer Season" as Memorial Day.

Taking that into account it appears I haven't broken any "rules" in past, and can happily plan to wear an off-white jacket on future June crossings. 

[Victoria2]

38 minutes ago, Rothko1 said:

 

I'm going to respectfully disagree with you on this.  While certainly appropriate for tropical climes, I believe it can be worn during the warmer months in non-tropical (i.e. - north of the Mason Dixon line) areas.  And I also think it is especially appropriate for slightly less formal environs such as country clubs and cruise lines.

Luckily, all CC sartorial edicts can, or should,  be read with a pinch of salt.

 

If a chap cares enough to want to know if his dinner jacket is the righter shade of pale [Procul Harum anyone?] then that's good enough for me. 🙂

 

As I might have mentioned, faux pas at that level are in the eye of the beholder and not the wearer.😄

[exlondoner]

58 minutes ago, Rothko1 said:

 

When we did a trans Atlantic on QM2 in June of 2019, several of us brought white dinner jackets and wore them.  Perfectly acceptable, in my opinion.

What uniform were the officers wearing? Wouldn’t that be a good indication?

[ExArkie]

Two separate questions have been answered in this discussion: 

(1) Does what I wish to wear conform to the Cunard dress code?

(2) Does what I wish to wear conform to the socially accepted standards for evening formal wear? 
 

The former is a valid question for discussion and needs to be answered by each person on the trip.
 

The latter cannot really be answered well unless one presumes there is an agreed-upon culture and society whose rules of etiquette are to be followed. Since a Cunard trip always involves multiple nationalities and many may have conflicting societal standards of comportment, why should one abandon a different set of standards because there are participants who may not acknowledge possible differences?

 

For me, if it complies with the dress code, it is allowed. If I choose to wear a polka dot shirt with my white dinner jacket and the dress code allows it, why should I not? “It simply isn’t done” seems a bit arbitrary.

 

[D&N]

The OP's original question was "What do you make of this?" to a change in wording on websites.

 

I don't remember every single post, but I don't recall anyone demanding that all must follow certain standards. My impression has been that most posts were intended to be light hearted.

 

I only became aware of the existence of any "white tux rules" when a friend commented on them after seeing photos from our sailings last year. In practice I'm unlikely to pay much attention to them.

[Rothko1]

5 hours ago, exlondoner said:

What uniform were the officers wearing? Wouldn’t that be a good indication?

 

I really have no recollection.  It wasn't something I was paying attention to.

[alc13]

It was a Red and Gold Gala on the QE last night and I have to say, most people looked stunning.  Lots of true formal wear, and the lesser choices looked good, too.  The Japanese passengers were almost always dressed beautifully, and the non-Japanese passengers mostly complied with the dress code as well.  This crowd, at least, isn’t looking for permission to dress down.

[techteach]

Let’s just do what we want to do and not judge others negatively for what they want to do. There are so many more problems in the world we could be worrying about.

[JSR]

I have not read every page of this thread though what I have read I have enjoyed. Just to bring up the past my husband crossed multiple times on the SS United States in the 60s. Tuxes were required at dinner every night, made packing for men easy, and required a lot of luggage for women who would not repeat a gown during the voyage. my husband was also allowed to keep his pet hamster in his cabin, and they brought their dog and car along... ah the old days. 😀

[D&N]

12 hours ago, techteach said:

Let’s just do what we want to do and not judge others negatively for what they want to do. There are so many more problems in the world we could be worrying about.

Is it really so wrong? 😂

 

I have to confess that we often have private conversations about outrageous attire that we see.

Sometimes no conversation takes place; we just look at each other, or one nudges the other and we roll our eyes. We do keep it all between ourselves and are careful not to make it obvious.

I'm sure others reciprocate now and again.

 

One night last June there were some folk in bleached light blue jeans with "designer" knee tears, and sporting red and white striped tee shirts. It was one of the non ballroom nights in the Queens Room and this group were dancing some form of swing or jive and the outfits may have been donned for that particular form of dance.

[Windsurfboy]

23 hours ago, ExArkie said:

Two separate questions have been answered in this discussion: 

(1) Does what I wish to wear conform to the Cunard dress code?

(2) Does what I wish to wear conform to the socially accepted standards for evening formal wear? 
 

The former is a valid question for discussion and needs to be answered by each person on the trip.
 

The latter cannot really be answered well unless one presumes there is an agreed-upon culture and society whose rules of etiquette are to be followed. Since a Cunard trip always involves multiple nationalities and many may have conflicting societal standards of comportment, why should one abandon a different set of standards because there are participants who may not acknowledge possible differences?

 

For me, if it complies with the dress code, it is allowed. If I choose to wear a polka dot shirt with my white dinner jacket and the dress code allows it, why should I not? “It simply isn’t done” seems a bit arbitrary.

 

 

Agree completely 

 

Only question 1 is relevant in that there is a defined Cunard dress code in black and white.  It's easy to understand

 

Question 2 , cannot be answered as there is no definitive answer to what is socially accepted standard. Everyone will have their own definition. Some are stuck in the fifties,  some think anything goes especially if it has the right label. 

 

Why are people making a simple question so difficult.  

[3rdGenCunarder]

7 minutes ago, D&N said:

Is it really so wrong? 😂

 

I have to confess that we often have private conversations about outrageous attire that we see.

Sometimes no conversation takes place; we just look at each other, or one nudges the other and we roll our eyes. We do keep it all between ourselves and are careful not to make it obvious.

I'm sure others reciprocate now and again.

 

One night last June there were some folk in bleached light blue jeans with "designer" knee tears, and sporting red and white striped tee shirts. It was one of the non ballroom nights in the Queens Room and this group were dancing some form of swing or jive and the outfits may have been donned for that particular form of dance.

 

Back in the days of QE2, we traveled with friends and had our favorite table in the Chart Room, where we could see the queue of people waiting to get into the Queens Room for a cocktail party. The guys didn't care, but my BF and I had that same eye-roll "did you see that?!?" look. Most of our comments, I'm pleased to say were of the "OMG, I want that dress!" ilk, rather than derogatory. 

[D&N]

It wasn't quite such a simple question. In fact I was wrong in an earlier post; it was two questions:

"What do you make of this? Am I reading too much into this or do you think Cunard is attempting to signal some loosening of the Gala Evening dress code requirements?"

 

Both questions are inviting personal opinions rather than clarification of Cunard policy.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Just now, D&N said:

It wasn't quite such a simple question. In fact I was wrong in an earlier post; it was two questions:

"What do you make of this? Am I reading too much into this or do you think Cunard is attempting to signal some loosening of the Gala Evening dress code requirements?"

 

Both questions are inviting personal opinions rather than clarification of Cunard policy.

 

That's probably because so much of Cunard's communication lacks clarity, especially regarding the dress code. 

[Victoria2]

13 hours ago, techteach said:

Let’s just do what we want to do and not judge others negatively for what they want to do. There are so many more problems in the world we could be worrying about.

Being judgemental seems to be a sport for some. They obviously get some enjoyment out of it. Luckily, very few participate. 😄

[Rothko1]

21 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Being judgemental seems to be a sport for some. They obviously get some enjoyment out of it. Luckily, very few participate. 😄

 

People watching is a pleasant activity.  For example, in the cafes of Europe, where you watch the world go by.  I don't think too many people take it to an outright judgmental level.

[techteach]

@Rothko1 I hate to disagree with you but there have been lots of judgmental comments made. Hattie usually locks them when they get bad.

[Victoria2]

4 minutes ago, Rothko1 said:

 

People watching is a pleasant activity.  For example, in the cafes of Europe, where you watch the world go by.  I don't think too many people take it to an outright judgmental level.

I wasn't alluding to people watching. Judging sartorial attire has long been a sport on this board, but, as I said, by the few and not the many. 🙂

 

 

[Rothko1]

1 minute ago, techteach said:

@Rothko1 I hate to disagree with you but there have been lots of judgmental comments made. Hattie usually locks them when they get bad.

 

I didn't mean online.  It's too easy to be mean / sharp / inconsiderate, on an anonymous website.  

 

I meant in person.  Like on a ship.  I think even the judgmental types here wouldn't actually have the audacity to go up to someone they saw on a ship and make a judgmental statement to them.  

 

People might roll their eyes to their friends/spouse; or make a snide comment to a friend, but that's about the extent of it.

[DynamoLiz]

1 minute ago, techteach said:

@Rothko1 I hate to disagree with you but there have been lots of judgmental comments made. Hattie usually locks them when they get bad.

I came on this board to build excitement for our upcoming cruise but in reading some of this thread I've wondered what have I gotten myself in to. Hoping this is just a very narrow representation of Cunard cruisers. I enjoy changing for dinner but seriously ... ??? If someone at the table next to me is wearing jeans and a tshirt on a non-gala night, heck even on a gala night, it wouldn't bother me in the least or diminish my enjoyment of the evening. Before anyone jumps on me, yes, I realize tshirts are not to dress code, just saying I wouldn't be rolling my eyes.

[Host Hattie]

If you are in the main Dining room and the Maitre D' is doing their job they won't be sitting next to you !

 

[exlondoner]

14 minutes ago, DynamoLiz said:

I came on this board to build excitement for our upcoming cruise but in reading some of this thread I've wondered what have I gotten myself in to. Hoping this is just a very narrow representation of Cunard cruisers. I enjoy changing for dinner but seriously ... ??? If someone at the table next to me is wearing jeans and a tshirt on a non-gala night, heck even on a gala night, it wouldn't bother me in the least or diminish my enjoyment of the evening. Before anyone jumps on me, yes, I realize tshirts are not to dress code, just saying I wouldn't be rolling my eyes.

I might be tempted to make a politely sympathetic remark, asking how Cunard had lost their luggage, because that could be what had happened.