? about formal wear

[Sandi149]

Hi ladies,

 

I will be going on the Carnival Miracle on June 4th with my husband. I have two lovely outfits for the formal night. I have a black tea length cocktail dress (the one in my avatar). The top half is all beading and sequins. I also have a very fancy black pants suit. Also with sequins and a bit of rhinestones. I plan on bringing both of them. I plan on wearing the cocktail dress for the first formal night and the pants suit for the second. My dilema is, the zipper on the black cocktail dress always gives me a hard time. It has from the day I bought it. It gets stuck on the beading and you have to really be careful zipping it up or down. I'm just afraid that the zipper might break while I'm on the cruise and then I will be stuck wearing the pants suit for both nights. So is it tacky to wear the same thing for both formal nights? I do have a full length black formal ballgown but I really think that is way too fancy and probably wouldn't fit in my garment bag with my other things.

 

Thanks for any advice. :)

[Wadadli1]

Hi ladies,

 

I will be going on the Carnival Miracle on June 4th with my husband. I have two lovely outfits for the formal night. I have a black tea length cocktail dress (the one in my avatar). The top half is all beading and sequins. I also have a very fancy black pants suit. Also with sequins and a bit of rhinestones. I plan on bringing both of them. I plan on wearing the cocktail dress for the first formal night and the pants suit for the second. My dilema is, the zipper on the black cocktail dress always gives me a hard time. It has from the day I bought it. It gets stuck on the beading and you have to really be careful zipping it up or down. I'm just afraid that the zipper might break while I'm on the cruise and then I will be stuck wearing the pants suit for both nights. So is it tacky to wear the same thing for both formal nights? I do have a full length black formal ballgown but I really think that is way too fancy and probably wouldn't fit in my garment bag with my other things.

 

Thanks for any advice. :)

 

Sandi,

 

Are you travelling with anyone? They could help you zip up the dress, as they would be able to see what's where and use both hands. If not, I don't see why you couldn't ring your steward and ask him/her for a bit of help. I'm sure they've gotten stranger requests. Then repeat when it's time to take the dress off.

 

I'm not saying you can't wear the same thing twice, but I imagine you'd rather not so am focusing on that side of the story.

[ShedQueen77]

Sandi,

 

Are you travelling with anyone? They could help you zip up the dress, as they would be able to see what's where and use both hands. If not, I don't see why you couldn't ring your steward and ask him/her for a bit of help. I'm sure they've gotten stranger requests. Then repeat when it's time to take the dress off.

 

I'm not saying you can't wear the same thing twice, but I imagine you'd rather not so am focusing on that side of the story.

 

I'd have your husband carefully zip you in. Or if he'd rather not, thinking he'd ruin it, ask the steward or a friendly lady "next door neighbor" for help. I've seen posts from female solo cruisers who have said they have their steward help them out.

 

If you do end up having to wear the pantsuit both nights, is there a way to "change it up"? Like adding a shawl or scarf? Just an idea! :)

[Sandi149]

Yes, I'm traveling with my husband and he is the one who always zips up the dress. :p Most of the time he has trouble with the zipper. Last night I wore that dress because I had a formal function to go to and it was in the plastic from the dry cleaners and when I tried to unzip it it took me about 10 minutes to get it unzipped before I could even put it on. He was able to zip it up but it took him a few minutes to do because it got caught on the beading. When we came home I was so afraid that he wouldn't be able to unzip it and would have to cut it off of me.....LOL!!!! Unfortunately, that zipper has given me problems from the day I brought it home from the store. It's a shame because it really is such a lovely dress.

 

Of course, I would rather not wear the same thing twice but just say that while he was zipping it up or down the zipper broke and I had to switch to the pants suit, would it look tacky to wear it on the second formal night also? I do have another option but I'm not really crazy about this other particular outfit and don't feel like going out and buying a new dress at this time.

[Wadadli1]

Yes, I'm traveling with my husband and he is the one who always zips up the dress. :p Most of the time he has trouble with the zipper. Last night I wore that dress because I had a formal function to go to and it was in the plastic from the dry cleaners and when I tried to unzip it it took me about 10 minutes to get it unzipped before I could even put it on. He was able to zip it up but it took him a few minutes to do because it got caught on the beading. When we came home I was so afraid that he wouldn't be able to unzip it and would have to cut it off of me.....LOL!!!! Unfortunately, that zipper has given me problems from the day I brought it home from the store. It's a shame because it really is such a lovely dress.

 

Of course, I would rather not wear the same thing twice but just say that while he was zipping it up or down the zipper broke and I had to switch to the pants suit, would it look tacky to wear it on the second formal night also? I do have another option but I'm not really crazy about this other particular outfit and don't feel like going out and buying a new dress at this time.

 

What?! Don't feel like going out? Go online! :D

 

There have been several suggestions here that if you plan on wearing the same formal outfit twice to use accessories, jewellry, etc. to make it seem less the same. Perhaps a different blouse to go with the pants, too? As an emergency backup sort of thing?

[Sandi149]

What?! Don't feel like going out? Go online! :D

 

There have been several suggestions here that if you plan on wearing the same formal outfit twice to use accessories, jewellry, etc. to make it seem less the same. Perhaps a different blouse to go with the pants, too? As an emergency backup sort of thing?

 

I just bought 1500 worth of new clothing...so I really don't want to spend any more money. I think I will just bring that backup outfit with me even though I'm not crazy about it and hope that the zipper cooperates. :)

 

Thanks.

[smoothdancer]

Are you sure the problem is the zipper getting caught on the embelishments? Maybe it is the zipper. Have you tried having the zipper replaced?

[Jan_In_Maine]

Is there any possibility that a tailor (or seamstress) could fix the problem with it catching? Jan

[Sandi149]

Is there any possibility that a tailor (or seamstress) could fix the problem with it catching? Jan

 

 

I don't think it's the problem with the zipper. I was looking at it yesterday and on the inside the material isn't getting caught. The problem is on the outside, the beading is practically on top of that zipper and that is what is catching. I guess I could bring it into my seamstress and have her take a look at it.

[Jan_In_Maine]

She might be able to move the beading - its worth a shot - good luck! Jan

[Wadadli1]

I just bought 1500 worth of new clothing...so I really don't want to spend any more money. I think I will just bring that backup outfit with me even though I'm not crazy about it and hope that the zipper cooperates. :)

 

Thanks.

 

I don't think I could find $1500 worth of clothes to buy, so I congratulate you! And I understand fully why you don't want to buy more at this time. But I would be willing to bet that sometime in the future that devillish dress will be replaced. :p

[Sandi149]

I don't think I could find $1500 worth of clothes to buy, so I congratulate you! And I understand fully why you don't want to buy more at this time. But I would be willing to bet that sometime in the future that devillish dress will be replaced. :p

 

I really went all out for this cruise. It's basically my first "real" cruise. The other two that I took were only 2 night cruises to nowhere. So this cruise is a dream vacation for us. :)

 

Yeah I'm sure that dress will be replaced soon. It's a shame because it's so lovely and is in great condition. I only wore it maybe 4 or 5 times. Every time I struggled with that zipper. :(

[ollienbertsmum]

Hi ladies,

 

So is it tacky to wear the same thing for both formal nights? .

 

Thanks for any advice. :)

 

No it is not too tacky to wear the same thing twice. If you can, you might be able to accessorise differently such as different stole or shoes or wear a tiara on one night :D No maybe not. I really do not think that people are that worried about what you wear, as long as you do not dribble food down the suit the first night and not have it cleaned.

 

You are on holiday so have fun. If anyone does even notice that you are an outfit repeater then they are immature and their opinion is of no value.

[RI-Sailor]

I don't know if this will help or not, but try having your husband hold the zipper at the bottom down and you hold the very top together pulling up slightly, while he zips. I'm hoping the tension keep the zipper from catching on the edges of the material and the beads.

[ShedQueen77]

I'd have your husband carefully zip you in. Or if he'd rather not, thinking he'd ruin it, ask the steward or a friendly lady "next door neighbor" for help. I've seen posts from female solo cruisers who have said they have their steward help them out.

 

If you do end up having to wear the pantsuit both nights, is there a way to "change it up"? Like adding a shawl or scarf? Just an idea! :)

 

I stand by my "just in case" scenario I presented earlier! :) I don't think it's tacky. I really don't think anyone would notice. I know I wouldn't anyhow!

 

$1500 worth of clothing? You lucky girl! :D

[waiting2retire]

First of all, no, I don't think it's tacky to wear the same outfit both formal nights; most people won't even notice!

 

Perhaps there is something in that $1500 worth of new clothing (yes, I'm jealous too :D ) that you could pair with the black pants you are taking?

 

And finally, would it be possible to snip off the sequins or beading that are closest to the zipper without ruining the look of the back of the dress?

 

Have a great time on your cruise!

 

Bonnie

[Sandi149]

First of all, no, I don't think it's tacky to wear the same outfit both formal nights; most people won't even notice!

 

Perhaps there is something in that $1500 worth of new clothing (yes, I'm jealous too :D ) that you could pair with the black pants you are taking?

 

And finally, would it be possible to snip off the sequins or beading that are closest to the zipper without ruining the look of the back of the dress?

 

Have a great time on your cruise!

 

Bonnie

 

 

The new clothes that I bought are not formal enough to use with the black pants suit. They are all casual clothing.

 

I can't snip off the beading by the zipper because if I do that all the other beads will come off too.

 

I will just take it over to my seamstress to have her look at it and see what she says. If she can't fix it, I will try that idea that another poster said about having my husband hold the bottom of the zipper while I hold the top of it and pull a little. I will also bring that other outfit just in case.