Formal Attire for Teen/Tween Boy

[disneyfreak]

Let me start by saying we are not rule breakers and we always dress up for formal night. My son is 12 1/2 and has been on 4 cruises with us. I have always bought a very nice suit for him to wear because he could also wear it again for Easter. Now that he is 12 1/2, he does not wear suits for Easter Sunday anymore. My question is: Can he get by with wearing black pants, a white dress shirt and tie or do I need to buy him a suit to wear this one time?

[marle7]

My son, who is 15, always wears black pants, white shirt and a tie. Since that also happens to be his band uniform, it works well. I don't buy him suits at the moment since he is growing so fast still, the suits don't fit after 2 months and I'm not buying a suit for him to wear once. Although he's asked for one for our upcoming cruise.

[disneyfreak]

Thank you for the quick response. My son is growing fast as well and I was feeling the same way....not wanting to buy a suit for him to wear one time. The black pants, white shirt and tie will also be what my son wears in May for his band concert, so I don't have a problem with that at all.

[cb at sea]

There really are no "rules"--just suggestions! Your son will be fine in his shirt, tie and pants!

[RachelD]

We are probably doing the same. My two sons are growing like weeds these days and the thought of buying full suits at this time in their lives just seems a bit wasteful.

We are planning on just having them wear black dress pants, white shirts with ties also. They will look just as handsome I think...and a whole lot more comfortable!

[disneyfreak]

Thank you all for your replies. I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't want to buy a "one time" suit. :)

[RachelD]

Thank you all for your replies. I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't want to buy a "one time" suit. :)

 

Not only that....but I would rather spend that money on other stuff!

It's not like your sending them to dinner in bib overalls and no shirt!!....they will still look handsome in their shirt, tie and dress pants.

[RachelD]

Thank you all for your replies. I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't want to buy a "one time" suit. :)

 

Not only that....but I would rather spend that money on other stuff!

It's not like your sending them to dinner in bib overalls and no shirt!!....they will still look handsome in their shirt, tie and dress pants.

[disneyfreak]

Me, too!!! I'm looking forward to purchasing some local art or pottery from the islands!

[RachelD]

Me, too!!! I'm looking forward to purchasing some local art or pottery from the islands!

 

:D :D Exactly!!!!!!!:D :D

[anchorsaweigh]

I'm in the same boat. Now, I have another question - Black denim - can my son wear black denim to dinner one evening?

[marle7]

I'm in the same boat. Now, I have another question - Black denim - can my son wear black denim to dinner one evening?

 

My son (again) wears black denim every casual night. Smart casual nights he wears black dockers.

[mojitodiva]

my boys always wear dress pants/dress shirt/tie for formal nite never a jacket. :D ;)

[sailorjb]

I understand you want them to look nice, but nice to us Moms isn't always the same. We've been cruising a couple of times a year for 15 years and the dress in the dining room has changed drastically. The last few years we've noticed the majority of the boys @ formal night aren't wearing ties. In fact, some had khakis and polo shirts. I asked my 2 (13 and 15) what they wanted to do this year and their vote was no to dress shirts and ties. Hard for me to o.k., but it's what most were doing the last few years so it's what they'll do this year.

[marle7]

I understand you want them to look nice, but nice to us Moms isn't always the same. We've been cruising a couple of times a year for 15 years and the dress in the dining room has changed drastically. The last few years we've noticed the majority of the boys @ formal night aren't wearing ties. In fact, some had khakis and polo shirts. I asked my 2 (13 and 15) what they wanted to do this year and their vote was no to dress shirts and ties. Hard for me to o.k., but it's what most were doing the last few years so it's what they'll do this year.

 

I totally understand this. It is their vacation as well, and if they really hate to dress up (with a tie) then you will be content if they look respectable and well presented. I think. I'm betting you've already taught them how to dress properly for special occassions at home, so this doesn't necessarily have to be a "learning experience" for them, especially if they've cruised before wearing formal wear.

 

My son wears nothing but tee shirts the rest of the year (unless we're going to a wedding or something important), but wears a polo shirt on board for dinner every night without complaint. He pretty much hates the tie thing though.

 

My son knows how to dress for occassions, but that doesn't necessarily make him love it, which is why we compromise on the formal nights (he's on vacation too), and I was always far more concerned that he had the proper public manners when dining out, which he does.:)

 

My husband wears a suit and tie every day, and we have to attend a lot of formal events because of his job, so it's second nature to him, my son's father does not. He'll put a suit on if he has to, but I bet the last time he was in a tux was his marriage to me, then his second wife!

 

I think you're going to see more kids in less formal wear on formal nights, (although still well dressed), as Royal Caribbean continues to market to the family.

[auntjoan]

My son, 12, wanted to rent a tux from the formalwear company to look like "James Bond". Turns out they do not rent children's sizes on our ship (VOS out of Galveston). I think there will be a lot of us in the same boat.

[marle7]

My son, 12, wanted to rent a tux from the formalwear company to look like "James Bond". Turns out they do not rent children's sizes on our ship (VOS out of Galveston). I think there will be a lot of us in the same boat.

 

:D

 

My son wanted us to buy him a tux a couple of years ago, after he saw my husband in one. I told him we'd buy him one for his 21st birthday after I was sure he had stopped growing! We did however rent him a tux when we got married, and as he was only 5 at the time, he looked adorable.:)

[amybear912]

Just a couple of inexpensive options...

 

Target sells some really nice suit separates at really reasonable prices...

 

Consignment shops can work wonders also...

 

 

I think he will be fine in what you propose but just in case... there are options available...

[SusieV]

Why not buy him used formalwear on eBay, thrift stores, or from rental shops? Then he can wear it the one time and you can resell it if you choose.

 

If you plan on buying any formal photos (which can be a really nice souvenir of your trip! Especially when your family is dressed to the nines), you'll be happy that you chose to dress your son formally.

[bnjrsmom]

Thank you all for your replies. I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't want to buy a "one time" suit. :)

 

Last year, I took my son to get a suit for Homecoming (he's a Freshman in HS) thinking he could use it for the cruise. We found one we liked - they measured him...and he tried it on. Then the on site tailor did her 'pinning'. The sales guy said that it would only work as long as he didn't gain more than 10-20 lbs.... He was in football and weight lifting. But, okay - I didn't foresee that much weight gain...then with the suit, shirt, tie and alterations - $500!!!! I almost fainted...and cancelled right there... I wanted my son to look nice at his first formal dance but I decided there was no way I would buy a one time suit for $500 for a teenager.

 

We ended up buying 'separate' jacket and pants at Kohls for a fraction of that. And even then - I am forcing him to do a formal night on the cruise next month - because I am getting more than 1 use out of the suit.

 

So, yeah - my teen has a suit..but for the other nights (if I can get him to join us) - he will be wearing khakis and a polo shirt.

 

Lisa

[Dlynn]

Will my son be over dressed in a suit?

[mug]

I was going to suggest renting a tux, if he is interested, but auntjoan stole my thunder a bit. I rented mine through cruise line formal; they will tag you back as to whether they have that size available.

 

I can tell you that Men's Wearhouse will rent a tux if your son is interested; they market specifically for kids (weddings) and also teens for prom night. I took my cruise line formal form into my local store to get measured; I had to get a new sportcoat for the cruise anyway.