Formal Wear

[Cruisung Lady]

Would someone advise me on formal wear for men. When do you wear a cream or white dinner jacket. Do you wear it the first formal night or after the crew changes to their white uniform.

[songanddance]

Would someone advise me on formal wear for men. When do you wear a cream or white dinner jacket. Do you wear it the first formal night or after the crew changes to their white uniform.

 

I will let the folks on the other side of the pond deal with the TA crossings but leaving any US port one is not sufficiently far enough south on the first several nights out to warrant the cream or off white dinner jacket. Same coming back in. When one gets into warmer waters, there is a mix of Black and cream among the men but the majority will wear dark as many do not pack both types. Of course if you are leaving a US port after May 31 and before Labor Day then possibly it would work but I would plan on the regular tuxedo on the first few evenings out.

[pepperrn]

When do you wear a cream or white dinner jacket. Do you wear it the first formal night or after the crew changes to their white uniform.

 

Well for me, On a TA... NEVER! It's the NORTH Atlantic. On a Warm water cruise, I might. Maybe.

 

Now, that's just my opinion, and others feel they can dress as they please, so If you feel comfortable in a cream dinner jacket, go for it, but black always looks best.

[Kindlychap]

When you're in the tropics, fine.

 

Otherwise, it makes you look as if you ought to play for a second rate jazz band.

 

Matthew

[Cruisung Lady]

The cruise is the QM2 Independence Day cruise out of NY - 4 nights. I talked to the cruise planner, she said there is 2 formal nights surprisingly

[songanddance]

The cruise is the QM2 Independence Day cruise out of NY - 4 nights. I talked to the cruise planner, she said there is 2 formal nights surprisingly

 

That makes sense with first and last nights being unpacking and packing expeditions that allow for informal or elegant casual depending on the ship. For such a short cruise I would go with the regular tuxedo. You will not go wrong with that.

[pb82]

Would someone advise me on formal wear for men. When do you wear a cream or white dinner jacket. Do you wear it the first formal night or after the crew changes to their white uniform.

You might get a kick from this. Wikipedia says (and their editors caution: This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources.):

 

White dinner jackets are only worn in warm climates, and in the summer in some temperate countries. Not only are the British Isles not considered warm enough for white dinner jackets to be acceptable, but the United Kingdom frowns upon their use, even in warmer climates. In the United States and Canada white dinner jackets (as with most of white summer clothing, like all-white loafers, all-white seersucker, etc.) may be worn from only from Memorial Day through to Labor Day.

 

A black dinner jacket (tuxedo, here in the New World) is always correct (they haven't done "white tie" afloat in a long, long time, see any number of "Titanic" films.)

Paul

[patwell]

We saw very few white dinner jackets in the Caribbean last Dec...and I do mean VERY few....most of the men were in tuxes and trust me it was warm there.

 

Personally I much prefer to see the black tuxes...far more elegant IMHO. I can't help thinking high school prom when I see the white.:rolleyes:

 

Cheers, Penny

Penny's Affair to Remember QM2 review

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=471053

[Wadadli1]

Penny,

 

Remember what Rick in Casablanca wore? Well, my husband wore the exact same thing for our wedding, and the cuteness level was off the charts. He will have a white dinner jacket in the suitcases, though he is planning on a black one as well.

 

Just wanted to put in a good word for the white. :p

[pb82]

Remember what Rick in Casablanca wore?

You may not believe this, but it's true, and a great piece of movie trivia. The dinner jackets that Rick, and many others, wore in Casablanca were actually yellow. It seems that the producer got a deal he couldn't refuse to cut his wardrobe budget, and, in black and white film, they looked white enough. There are many scenes in the movie where the jackets are a darker "white" than other certainly white nearby objects.

 

Paul

[ESLO]

Would someone advise me on formal wear for men. When do you wear a cream or white dinner jacket. Do you wear it the first formal night or after the crew changes to their white uniform.

 

Hi Cruisung Lady,

We just returned from a 8 day Caribbean Cruise on the QM2 and did take along my White Tux Jacket.

 

I typically wear the Black tux on the first formal night and if there is another evening with formal designation and we are now close to the Topics by then, the White Tux would be worn at that time.

 

I do not really look or attempt to copy or wear the White Jacket with the Officers onboard.

 

I will also wear the White Tux Jacket in conjunction with a designated evening "Black & White Ball". We saw quite a number of them on this last trip and it really blended into the occassion. It is quite interesting to see a sizeable number of people to make the ship look quite nice.

 

Of course, there were those that did wear only black or dark suits during the trip on formal evenings and also those that did their own thing "Casual - Informal" and stuck out like a SORE thumb.

 

As a Asst Captain in the Brit Restaurant which we got to know very well told us, they can not really enforce the dress code to strictly. The people will and have rose up and protested to return to their cabins to change their clothing. They tell the staff, that they have paid alot for the cruise and can't afford obtain such stuff. And this is what they will wear.

 

We on the 4/10/07 cruise saw and spotted QUITE a number of people that truly didn't care about the dress code.

 

Also we had a number of people that changed no matter what evening, into casual or resort casual for the rest of the evening.

[BeardedGuy]

Remember what Rick in Casablanca wore? Well, my husband wore the exact same thing for our wedding, and the cuteness level was off the charts.

 

With all due respect to your husband, Casablanca is in North Africa, and Rick was supposed to be a saloon owner. IMHO, a white or cream jacket is really too informal. (Actually a black tux is really semi-formal, but since I can't afford white tie and tails, it will have to do.)

 

If you comparing to crew uniforms, you really can't. I don't know what ship's officers uniforms are in comparison to civilian dress, but in the US military, (Army circa 1970), the Green blouse and trousers (worn with tan shirt and black long tie) were equivalent to a man's business suit, the "Dress Blues" were equivalent to a civilian tux (and were worn with a white shirt and bowtie). There were two levels of formal above that - "Mess Dress" which had a short tailed coat and was somewhere between a civilian tux and "white tie", and "Full Dress" which actually looked very much like civilian white tie.

 

Now that I have thoroughly confused the issue, I'll leave.

[Wadadli1]

You may not believe this, but it's true, and a great piece of movie trivia. The dinner jackets that Rick, and many others, wore in Casablanca were actually yellow. It seems that the producer got a deal he couldn't refuse to cut his wardrobe budget, and, in black and white film, they looked white enough. There are many scenes in the movie where the jackets are a darker "white" than other certainly white nearby objects.

 

Paul

 

Paul, I didn't know that, but I'm not at all surprised. We have two copies of Casablanca, one VHS and one DVD. Both have loads of stories and trivia about the making of the movie, but never mentioned the yellow dinner jackets.

 

I recall there were all kinds of tricks they used when films were in black and white.

 

Anyway, he won't wear the white/cream jacket after Labo(u)r Day or when not in the tropics. I don't think he will. If he does, I'll ask him over and get him to fetch me a drink. ;)

[smoothdancer]

My father was a naval officer and he actually had two dress uniforms. Of course the navy blues, but in the summer time his regulation dress uniform was a white jacket white pants...quite dashing! My dad's hair turned completly white when he was in his early 20's, so perhaps you can picture it! Alas, as time went on the only time the whites came out was when he was required to march in a parade!

[pb82]

...Anyway, he won't wear the white/cream jacket after Labo(u)r Day or when not in the tropics. I don't think he will. If he does, I'll ask him over and get him to fetch me a drink. ;)

When in doubt, defer to Miss Manners (Judith Martin, "Guide for the Turn-of-the-Millennium", sub-titled "The Definitive Reference for Civilized Behavior"):

 

Summer clothes include seersucker suits, patent leather shoes, white or very light cream blazers, white cotton gloves, and white dinner jackets (which Miss Manners despises).

 

[about Black Tie] ... Gentlemen exhibit their taste by the exquisiteness of their tailoring, rather than by wearing ruffles or funny colors.

 

[about White Tie] ... and gentlemen strive to look more like orchestra conductors than headwaiters.

 

This won't convince anyone, but it's fun.

Paul

[Wadadli1]

When in doubt, defer to Miss Manners (Judith Martin, "Guide for the Turn-of-the-Millennium", sub-titled "The Definitive Reference for Civilized Behavior"):

 

Summer clothes include seersucker suits, patent leather shoes, white or very light cream blazers, white cotton gloves, and white dinner jackets (which Miss Manners despises).

 

[about Black Tie] ... Gentlemen exhibit their taste by the exquisiteness of their tailoring, rather than by wearing ruffles or funny colors.

 

[about White Tie] ... and gentlemen strive to look more like orchestra conductors than headwaiters.

 

This won't convince anyone, but it's fun.

Paul

 

I love Miss Manners! She used to have a column in our local newspaper every Sunday and suddenly one day, it was gone. Perhaps that is a statement on how unimportant good manners have become in our current, "modern" society? Sigh.

 

Even when she despises my husband's white dinner jacket, she is a voice of good sense, and a sense of humo(u)r, to boot. Oh, I forgot to mention--he's now got a seersucker jacket, too! He's turning into a model of sartorial splendo(u)r, and all because of Queen Mary 2. :)

 

PS: I love your kitty in his jacket. Our kitties would never cooperate like that, although they would look equally as charming. I laugh when I think of taking Mr. Bub on a crossing...he would find a way to escape the kennel and it would take the entire trip to round him up again, cranky and puffed up. He likes to roam.

[pb82]

PS: I love your kitty in his jacket. Our kitties would never cooperate like that, although they would look equally as charming. I laugh when I think of taking Mr. Bub on a crossing...he would find a way to escape the kennel and it would take the entire trip to round him up again, cranky and puffed up. He likes to roam.

I was surprised that not one of the dogs ever took a run at the low gates at the ends of the deck outside the kennels where they exercised. Would have been trivial for a cat to jump too, but we never let Sebastian out on deck by himself because it would have been too easy for him to have fallen through the railing to the deck below.

Paul

[Wadadli1]

I was surprised that not one of the dogs ever took a run at the low gates at the ends of the deck outside the kennels where they exercised. Would have been trivial for a cat to jump too, but we never let Sebastian out on deck by himself because it would have been too easy for him to have fallen through the railing to the deck below.

Paul

 

I noticed in that one picture on your, I mean Sebastian's, blog, the group picture, how well-behaved all the dogs seemed. I also noticed Sebastian's tail was a bit puffed up <g>. Maybe a few too many dogs in close proximity for him? Or perhaps he was just happier lolling about inside instead of posing for pictures on deck and he was showing his preference? Regardless, you taking him along was really neat. The lifejacket pix was equally priceless. He's adorable.

 

PS: At least the pets don't have to worry over which colo(u)r dinner jacket is most appropriate!

[pb82]

The lifejacket pix was equally priceless. He's adorable.

My brother has told me that that picture was worth the cost of the trip. Unfortunately, when I offered to sell him the original for half that, he declined.

Paul

P.S. Bobby, the offer is still open. P

[travel-to-go]

The cruise is the QM2 Independence Day cruise out of NY - 4 nights. I talked to the cruise planner, she said there is 2 formal nights surprisingly

One of your nights will be a "red, white and blue" Ball. You might want to save the White jacket and a red tie (I think blue would look kinda tacky! But then, I am certainly no arbiter of fashion!) for that one.

 

You may not believe this, but it's true, and a great piece of movie trivia. The dinner jackets that Rick, and many others, wore in Casablanca were actually yellow. It seems that the producer got a deal he couldn't refuse to cut his wardrobe budget, and, in black and white film, they looked white enough. There are many scenes in the movie where the jackets are a darker "white" than other certainly white nearby objects.

Paul

According to our Tux shop, there is no such thing as a "White worsted wool" tux. Sheep don't come in white (couldn't prove it by me! The ones across the street from me look pretty white to me except when they've gotten muddy! Especially the little newborn lambs! Of which there have been many this year!) If it is White, it is probably polyester. If it is real summer weight wool, it is cream colored.

 

Karie,

who takes his word for it! He's sold us a number of tuxes and one white tails jacket for me- to which I added a full sized pink sequined flamingo applique covering the entire back!

[pnhmrk]

I think blue would look kinda tacky!

 

I'm of the school that thinks anything other than black looks "kinda tacky":D

[Kindlychap]

[about Black Tie] ... Gentlemen exhibit their taste by the exquisiteness of their tailoring, rather than by wearing ruffles or funny colors.

 

[about White Tie] ... and gentlemen strive to look more like orchestra conductors than headwaiters.

 

I like that. I've always known that I could be a great conductor - if only I could conduct!

 

Matthew

[Kindlychap]

Also we had a number of people that changed no matter what evening, into casual or resort casual for the rest of the evening.

 

I was telling my wife this - which doesn't happen on QE2 - and she looked shocked.

 

Then added "don't they know that they won't be rescued first?" :D

 

Matthew

[songanddance]

I was telling my wife this - which doesn't happen on QE2 - and she looked shocked.

 

Then added "don't they know that they won't be rescued first?" :D

 

Matthew

 

Ah, Matthew you have married quite well indeed.

[pnhmrk]

Then added "don't they know that they won't be rescued first?" :D

 

You mean that someone who makes that kind of faux pas would be worth rescuing?:eek: