Formal Night Suit Colour

[Bell Boy]

On 1/19/2024 at 10:17 AM, wetterthanwater said:

Asking for a friend - if one turns up for "roaring 20s" in a regular suit (dark blue) and tie, is that a problem?

Non whatsoever , in fact more preferable  than some of the sights many of us witness these days.  Blokes dressed up as gangsters in Trilby hats with their Plastic Guns  🤦‍♂️

Edited January 24 by Bell Boy

[Solent Richard]

On 1/13/2024 at 4:48 PM, rmsEtruria said:

No matter what some will say, cummerbunds are not de rigueur with a tux. Bond never wears one, and neither do I.

 

Who says James Bond never wears one? 

 

https://www.mytuxedocatalog.com/blog/the-cummerbund-5-facts-every-gent-should-know/

 

May I respectfully remind @rmsEtruria that 'Bond' was, by true profession, a member of the same Senior Service as I was and,  as a serving Commander, Royal Navy, would have upheld the highest standards of dress and formality: where a cummerbund would certainly be 'de rigueur' - required by etiquette, fashion or custom I believe.

 

To the best of my knowledge in all the photographs of Commander Bond in 'black tie rig' that I have seen his tux is buttoned and therefore, as with all good tailored jackets, the cummerbund would not be visible.

 

A relaxed unbuttoned tux would of course show a cummerbund...

 

 

...though I doubt in the case of one previous comment regarding 'portly gentlemen' that such chaps would find a cummerbund  of sufficient girth.

 

Whatever one's view though, mine is categorically .... 'why spoil the ship for a ha'p'orth of tar'?

 

😄

[Solent Richard]

On 1/24/2024 at 8:17 AM, Bell Boy said:

Non whatsoever , in fact more preferable  than some of the sights many of us witness these days.  Blokes dressed up as gangsters in Trilby hats with their Plastic Guns  🤦‍♂️

 

Better plastic than imitation @Bell Boy  😂😈

[Thud007]

1 hour ago, Solent Richard said:

 

Who says James Bond never wears one? 

 

https://www.mytuxedocatalog.com/blog/the-cummerbund-5-facts-every-gent-should-know/

 

May I respectfully remind @rmsEtruria that 'Bond' was, by true profession, a member of the same Senior Service as I was and,  as a serving Commander, Royal Navy, would have upheld the highest standards of dress and formality: where a cummerbund would certainly be 'de rigueur' - required by etiquette, fashion or custom I believe.

 

To the best of my knowledge in all the photographs of Commander Bond in 'black tie rig' that I have seen his tux is buttoned and therefore, as with all good tailored jackets, the cummerbund would not be visible.

 

A relaxed unbuttoned tux would of course show a cummerbund...

 

 

...though I doubt in the case of one previous comment regarding 'portly gentlemen' that such chaps would find a cummerbund  of sufficient girth.

 

Whatever one's view though, mine is categorically .... 'why spoil the ship for a ha'p'orth of tar'?

 

😄

Point of fact is that in the films, 007 wears a cummerbund in some but not all the films. He sports one in both Skyfall and Diamonds Are Forever but not in The Living Daylights or Casino Royale. The biggest mistake people make is believing it is a belt instead of the real intent, which is as a decoration for the waist. 

[Bell Boy]

8 hours ago, Solent Richard said:

 

Better plastic than imitation @Bell Boy  😂😈

Don't encourage em Richard , Sensible dress attire after 6pm is already going down hill with some of the newbies .   😉 

Edited February 7 by Bell Boy

[rmsEtruria]

17 hours ago, Solent Richard said:

 

Who says James Bond never wears one? 

 

https://www.mytuxedocatalog.com/blog/the-cummerbund-5-facts-every-gent-should-know/

 

May I respectfully remind @rmsEtruria that 'Bond' was, by true profession, a member of the same Senior Service as I was and,  as a serving Commander, Royal Navy, would have upheld the highest standards of dress and formality: where a cummerbund would certainly be 'de rigueur' - required by etiquette, fashion or custom I believe.

 

To the best of my knowledge in all the photographs of Commander Bond in 'black tie rig' that I have seen his tux is buttoned and therefore, as with all good tailored jackets, the cummerbund would not be visible.

 

A relaxed unbuttoned tux would of course show a cummerbund...

 

 

...though I doubt in the case of one previous comment regarding 'portly gentlemen' that such chaps would find a cummerbund  of sufficient girth.

 

Whatever one's view though, mine is categorically .... 'why spoil the ship for a ha'p'orth of tar'?

 

😄

Regarding the Bond of the movies, may I respectfully point you to my post #48 in this thread (and see @Thud007 in #79)? As far as Bond’s “true profession” is concerned, the matter is more complicated. In the movies, yes, a serving Royal Navy officer recruited into MI6 and holding the rank of Commander. But the real Bond of the books never served in the navy, not even for a day: like most MI6 operatives of his day, he holds a nominal commission in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve, at the rank of Lieutenant Commander.

 

My current tux being double-breasted, cummerbund is not an issue. But your and others’ weighing in on this subject have given me pause to reflect on my position, and I am now inclined to go with a cummerbund for the single-breasted version I plan to acquire before our TA next year—and, for variety’s sake, with a waistcoat (channeling the Pierce Brosnan Bond) as well.

 

And, finally—what a splendid portrait!

[Solent Richard]

5 hours ago, rmsEtruria said:

Regarding the Bond of the movies, may I respectfully point you to my post #48 in this thread (and see @Thud007 in #79)? As far as Bond’s “true profession” is concerned, the matter is more complicated. In the movies, yes, a serving Royal Navy officer recruited into MI6 and holding the rank of Commander. But the real Bond of the books never served in the navy, not even for a day: like most MI6 operatives of his day, he holds a nominal commission in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve, at the rank of Lieutenant Commander.

 

My current tux being double-breasted, cummerbund is not an issue. But your and others’ weighing in on this subject have given me pause to reflect on my position, and I am now inclined to go with a cummerbund for the single-breasted version I plan to acquire before our TA next year—and, for variety’s sake, with a waistcoat (channeling the Pierce Brosnan Bond) as well.

 

And, finally—what a splendid portrait!

 

Good morning Sir and thank you for your kind comment.

 

While we may be in danger of steering too far off topic I'm impressed with your Bond knowledge. You'd no doubt be impressed with my recent holiday to Puglia,  Matera & Gravina in particular, in search of Bond's latest movie scene locations...

 

 

But to keep us reasonably 'on topic' I also wonder how many of Cunard passengers sailing out of Southampton appreciate how close in proximity they sail to  the British SIS training establishment at Fort Monckton, a mere stones throw from yours truly's pad on the Solent shoreline....

 

 

******

 

 

 

[Thud007]

12 hours ago, rmsEtruria said:

Regarding the Bond of the movies, may I respectfully point you to my post #48 in this thread (and see @Thud007 in #79)? As far as Bond’s “true profession” is concerned, the matter is more complicated. In the movies, yes, a serving Royal Navy officer recruited into MI6 and holding the rank of Commander. But the real Bond of the books never served in the navy, not even for a day: like most MI6 operatives of his day, he holds a nominal commission in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve, at the rank of Lieutenant Commander.

 

My current tux being double-breasted, cummerbund is not an issue. But your and others’ weighing in on this subject have given me pause to reflect on my position, and I am now inclined to go with a cummerbund for the single-breasted version I plan to acquire before our TA next year—and, for variety’s sake, with a waistcoat (channeling the Pierce Brosnan Bond) as well.

 

And, finally—what a splendid portrait!

Bond's rank in Fleming's novels is Commander and in an interview before the Bond films were made Fleming described his character as a former SOE operative meaning he served in WWII (source Author John Griswold in his book "Ian Fleming's James Bond" and officially approved by Ian Fleming Publications Ltd.).

[rmsEtruria]

On 2/8/2024 at 5:43 AM, Solent Richard said:

 

Good morning Sir and thank you for your kind comment.

 

While we may be in danger of steering too far off topic I'm impressed with your Bond knowledge. You'd no doubt be impressed with my recent holiday to Puglia,  Matera & Gravina in particular, in search of Bond's latest movie scene locations...

 

 

But to keep us reasonably 'on topic' I also wonder how many of Cunard passengers sailing out of Southampton appreciate how close in proximity they sail to  the British SIS training establishment at Fort Monckton, a mere stones throw from yours truly's pad on the Solent shoreline....

 

 

******

 

 

 

Thank you, Sir, in turn for pointing me to the SIS training facility at Fort Monckton, of which I was quite unaware; I will look for it when we head down the Solent from Southampton next year! And with your visit to Apulia, you are way ahead of me—I have yet to watch the latest Bond movie, having reacted with disdain to the producers’ decision to kill the man.

[rmsEtruria]

On 2/8/2024 at 12:46 PM, Thud007 said:

Bond's rank in Fleming's novels is Commander and in an interview before the Bond films were made Fleming described his character as a former SOE operative meaning he served in WWII (source Author John Griswold in his book "Ian Fleming's James Bond" and officially approved by Ian Fleming Publications Ltd.).

Indeed, I was wrong about the rank, relying on faulty memory telling me that in Fleming’s last novel, The Man With the Golden Gun, Bond was referred to as Lieutenant Commander; at least in the last three novels, he consistently goes by “Commander Bond.” But it is M.’s long obituary in the Times, as reprinted in You Only Live Twice, that confirms the principal point I was trying to make: that Bond never spent time in the Navy in a capacity that would be associated with naval service.

“By now it was 1941, and by claiming an age of nineteen . . . he entered a branch of what was subsequently to become the Ministry of Defence. To serve the confidential nature of his duties, he was accorded the rank of lieutenant in the Special Branch of the R.N.V.R. [Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve, not to be confused with the Royal Navy Reserve], and it is a measure of the satisfaction his service gave to his superiors that he ended the war with the rank of commander.”

This can be interpreted, as Fleming himself seems to have done in that interview, to the effect that Bond did serve in the Special Operations Executive during the war; and indeed, the vast majority of SOE operatives were recruited directly from the civilian population, without having performed any prior military or naval service. (The distinction matters because the Bond of the movies is portrayed as a serving naval officer that has been recruited—or transferred, if you will—into SIS; note that he never wears the uniform of the RNVR, but always that of the—regular—Royal Navy.)

[tv24]

I wear black blazer, black slacks, white shirt.  It gets me into all the venues on Cunard and gives me some clothes I can wear while traveling.  Versatile and compliant.

[Thud007]

8 hours ago, rmsEtruria said:

Thank you, Sir, in turn for pointing me to the SIS training facility at Fort Monckton, of which I was quite unaware; I will look for it when we head down the Solent from Southampton next year! And with your visit to Apulia, you are way ahead of me—I have yet to watch the latest Bond movie, having reacted with disdain to the producers’ decision to kill the man.

Matera, great pic!

 

I have read it was Daniel Craig's insistence on filming a death scene. The first director was replaced early in the process due to his refusal to kill Bond (per his own words). I also think it was a mistake as is Craig's inconsistent portrayal of the character.

[maggielou362]

7 hours ago, tv24 said:

I wear black blazer, black slacks, white shirt.  It gets me into all the venues on Cunard and gives me some clothes I can wear while traveling.  Versatile and compliant.

Versatile, compliant but also timeless and elegant. Wish there was a ladies' equivalent. Any thoughts, Cunard girls?

[Victoria2]

30 minutes ago, maggielou362 said:

Versatile, compliant but also timeless and elegant. Wish there was a ladies' equivalent. Any thoughts, Cunard girls?

Black, narrow leg, ankle length evening [ can be worn during the day with appropriate top] trousers, and a selection of beautiful silk tops or overshirts/jackets and  black camisoles.

[rhiannon84]

2 hours ago, maggielou362 said:

Versatile, compliant but also timeless and elegant. Wish there was a ladies' equivalent. Any thoughts, Cunard girls?

LBD? And a different coloured scarf/jewellery for the gala nights? 

[D&N]

Nora has always felt that black didn't suit her complexion. We manage to get her wearing a fair amount of black by really glitzing it up with diamante, silver, white etc.

But she'll narrow the wardrobe down to 26 different outfits to cover 14 nights and 12 daytimes, as she did last time. There won't be many colours left out, and there will be suitable shoes for each.

What puzzles us is the difficulty folk have in fitting it in to their luggage. We need to fly to and from the UK but we could take nearly double the weight we do.

[rmsEtruria]

2 hours ago, D&N said:

Nora has always felt that black didn't suit her complexion. We manage to get her wearing a fair amount of black by really glitzing it up with diamante, silver, white etc.

But she'll narrow the wardrobe down to 26 different outfits to cover 14 nights and 12 daytimes, as she did last time. There won't be many colours left out, and there will be suitable shoes for each.

What puzzles us is the difficulty folk have in fitting it in to their luggage. We need to fly to and from the UK but we could take nearly double the weight we do.

What puzzles me is how you do manage to fit 26 different outfits into what essentially amounts to (if I remember correctly from an earlier post) two suitcases and two carry-ons . . . !

[maggielou362]

10 hours ago, maggielou362 said:

 Wish there was a ladies' equivalent. 

Actually, who am I kidding? I admire and respect your abilities to collate an elegant minimalist wardrobe, @Victoria2 and @rhiannon84. Very versatile and classy.

Much as I'd like to have a capsule of beautiful separates, I am in truth more like @D&N's Nora, perhaps more of a princess showpony! I am packing two suitcases for ME, and stealing some of my husband's suitcase space as well because I am going to dress up to the nines for my first QM2 voyage. Have already budgeted for the excess baggage charge on the flight to Perth.

[maggielou362]

Just adding, I mean I am the showpony, NOT Nora!

[D&N]

16 hours ago, rmsEtruria said:

What puzzles me is how you do manage to fit 26 different outfits into what essentially amounts to (if I remember correctly from an earlier post) two suitcases and two carry-ons . . . !

Four carry-ons! The backpacks are almost max cabin size, hold about 40 litres, are very light, and go in the overheads. We are also allowed two small bags that must go under the aircraft seat in front of our feet. The black one holds 15 litres, the Radley is smaller but we've since bought a bigger version. All bags, from 80 litre checked cases, to smallest carry-on can weigh 23kg. We make best use of the cabin bags by putting the heaviest stuff in them first.
The small black bag takes all the camera gear, electricals, magnetic hooks, washing line, and anything with a battery. If there's space one or both pairs of my leather shoes go in as well. The Radley bag gets jewellery, non liquid make up, medications, anything else heavy and possibly a pair of Nora's heels.
For the big backpacks; the heaviest garments are laid out on top of each other, most likely to crease at bottom to lace and knits at top. The bundles are then rolled and put in the backpack with most of remaining shoes and stuff to pad out the corners. That leaves all the lightweight stuff and any liquids to jam into the suitcases and should leave enough weight to spare in case we discover that Cunard are still having Grand Marnier supply problems, if so we can put a bottle in each case.

We have bought one bigger case, but the trade off is that the extra 31 litres space we gain loses us 800g weight.

 

Following the swimming luggage debacle, we'll pack anything hard to replace in the cabin bags. All the gowns are easy to replace online, but some stuff bought up to 25 years ago would need to be made from photos we have of them.

 

You've probably seen the photo before. The setup is also really easy to manoeuvre through airports and on public transit if we need to, and all fits in the boot/trunk of an average saloon car.

 

 

[D&N]

On 2/10/2024 at 4:02 PM, Victoria2 said:

Black, narrow leg, ankle length evening [ can be worn during the day with appropriate top] trousers, and a selection of beautiful silk tops or overshirts/jackets and  black camisoles.

That didn't go down well.

I suggested that for some future two week trip on QM2 we try reducing our clothing to a minimum and try and travel on hand baggage only (just to prove we could do it), while still dressing formally every night.  I'd half the number of suits I took and use the cleaning services as required. Nora would go for mainly blue and brown separates on a mix and match basis.

I'd rather NOT! was the response.

However she did welcome the revelation that for €80 each way we could check another 23kg case. I'm now tasked with planning a future trip where she has specific outfits for breakfast and afternoon tea in addition to what we have had before and plan for 2025. 🤣

Edited February 11 by D&N

[maggielou362]

Oh GREAT idea, Nora! Now I need to make some more space for my breakfast and afternoon tea outfits too. 

[Victoria2]

On 2/10/2024 at 9:53 PM, D&N said:

Nora has always felt that black didn't suit her complexion. We manage to get her wearing a fair amount of black by really glitzing it up with diamante, silver, white etc.

But she'll narrow the wardrobe down to 26 different outfits to cover 14 nights and 12 daytimes, as she did last time. There won't be many colours left out, and there will be suitable shoes for each.

What puzzles us is the difficulty folk have in fitting it in to their luggage. We need to fly to and from the UK but we could take nearly double the weight we do.

I continue to be intrigued with the amount of input you appear to have in your wife’s wardrobe. My husband knows what I’m wearing, when he sees me wearing it. 🙂

 

For me, a Cunard cruise is a holiday, not a sartorial assault course to be micro managed to within an inch of every waking hour although I certainly shower and change when going for lunch after a morning in the sun or dusty excursion.

 

I throw things in a case knowing I will have enough to wear and will decide on the spur of the moment each evening what to put on.  I will take three or four formal [as opposed to just maxi] long dresses depending on the number of gala nights on a two weeker, but I might re wear one or even two if the mind takes me. Same for non gala evenings. As for during the day, I’ll put on whatever I feel like when I wake up.

 

Just  for the record, being less than a Slim Jim, separates suit me more than dresses and  I would pitch my evening trousers and evening jackets/over shirts  eg [now considered vintage] Escada, Elie Saab for starters, against the  majority of long dresses worn on a Cunard QV gala evening as they  are a darned sight more formal than many of the long dresses I have seen. 

 

Taste in clothes is very personal. I see what I think are sartorial blunders, day and evening  but the wearer will think they look fine or even fantastic and that is all that counts at the end of the day.

[Victoria2]

On 2/11/2024 at 12:37 AM, maggielou362 said:

Actually, who am I kidding? I admire and respect your abilities to collate an elegant minimalist wardrobe, @Victoria2 and @rhiannon84. Very versatile and classy.

Much as I'd like to have a capsule of beautiful separates, I am in truth more like @D&N's Nora, perhaps more of a princess showpony! I am packing two suitcases for ME, and stealing some of my husband's suitcase space as well because I am going to dress up to the nines for my first QM2 voyage. Have already budgeted for the excess baggage charge on the flight to Perth.

Oh don't praise any ingenuity.

My comment was the asked for suggestion and is definitely capsule but it forms only part of my actual packed items. 🙂

[D&N]

2 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

I continue to be intrigued with the amount of input you appear to have in your wife’s wardrobe. My husband knows what I’m wearing, when he sees me wearing it. 🙂

 

For me, a Cunard cruise is a holiday, not a sartorial assault course to be micro managed to within an inch of every waking hour although I certainly shower and change when going for lunch after a morning in the sun or dusty excursion.

 

I throw things in a case knowing I will have enough to wear and will decide on the spur of the moment each evening what to put on.  I will take three or four formal [as opposed to just maxi] long dresses depending on the number of gala nights on a two weeker, but I might re wear one or even two if the mind takes me. Same for non gala evenings. As for during the day, I’ll put on whatever I feel like when I wake up.

 

Just  for the record, being less than a Slim Jim, separates suit me more than dresses and  I would pitch my evening trousers and evening jackets/over shirts  eg [now considered vintage] Escada, Elie Saab for starters, against the  majority of long dresses worn on a Cunard QV gala evening as they  are a darned sight more formal than many of the long dresses I have seen. 

 

Taste in clothes is very personal. I see what I think are sartorial blunders, day and evening  but the wearer will think they look fine or even fantastic and that is all that counts at the end of the day.

We're all different.

We know that we're unusual compared with friends and family. We've been joined at the hip for nearly 36 years and always been happy with that. I'm sure we must have argued about something over the years but I can't think what it was, probably something to do with relatives! Lockdown was easy for us because nothing really changed other than how much time we could spend outdoors and some restrictions where we could go. Just about the only thing I didn't have input to was my wife's wedding dress. She invariably asks my opinion on outfits knowing she'll get an honest and objective opinion. e.g. Dark colours or mixes rather than cream when going for a curry or if she's likely to feel too hot or cold in something. And when we were fat I'd tell her if one outfit made her look slimmer than another. She'll spot things on her phone then it's up to me to look for it on the big screen and check sizes, see if a discount can be obtained or find something similar of a better cut or fabric.

 

For us a QM2 crossing is not a holiday. It's a dressing up and dancing ocean voyage experience.

If we want a holiday we just stay right here, it's much more relaxing, we know the food, drink and climate suits us and we don't have the trauma of leaving our cats. It would be much cheaper as well!

 

I'm sure you dress very elegantly, but Nora likes light colours and glitzy dresses and heels, as long as she can walk in them, and mainly keeps trousers for casual wear. As long as she's happy, I'm happy.