Unbelievable - In A Good Way! - DRESS CODE

[Rick-cruiser]

I saw a PBS show the other evening all about the 1964 World's Fair, held in New York and attended by over 52 million people worldwide. As such, they showed many, many videos and montages of the crowds of people attending the fair. You would not believe how elegantly EVERYONE was dressed. And I mean everyone...all the hundreds and thousands of people shown walking around. There were NO JEANS, at all, worn by anybody. And not one person was dressed as would be considered "sloppily" or "inappropriately" - there were no tank tops, halter tops, low cut blouses, loose baggy jeans (actually, again... NO jeans), or anything of a "revealing nature". Most men (and boys) wore neatly-pressed pants and dress shirts.. many with jackets and ties. Nearly all women wore skirts, dresses, slacks, and very nice blouses. Everyone looked as though they dressed preparing to go to church, or a catered affair, or any other type of elegant event. It was truly astonishing, and refreshing, to see.

I KNOW that times have changed….. and I KNOW that many people would hate to be restricted and expected to dress this way in public anymore…. but I must admit, by watching this show, you could see how dramatically the standards of dress have changed over the years.

 

I'm just describing these observances about how people dressed back then to offer a reason, perhaps, why some people are so passionate about cruise lines maintaining a higher standard of dress code aboard their ships. I do believe that some people, including me, would actually LIKE to try to recreate an environment where people dressed as they once did - go back to a time when an ambience of elegance and refinement was delineated – in some part - by the way people dressed. And wish that cruise lines would try to preserve this.

DISCLAIMER!!! J please note that I believe that most people DO adhere, perfectly, to acceptable dress etiquette….. but there’s always that guy in front of you in line at the lunch buffet wearing nothing but sweaty shorts….. no shirt.. no shoes.. just the shorts. YIKES!

 

- Rick

[Veronica13]

I agree. How our society has changed.

 

I was at that World's Fair. I was a toddler, very well dressed and being held tight by my father, who was wearing a suit and coat. It was quite cold. My siblings were dressed well, and my mother was in a dress and coat.

 

That was Kennedy era. Can you imagine people going into nice restaurants then, the way they do on cruises? I wonder what they'll be wearing in 75 years?

 

Maybe things will continue to go backward, and we'll have animal skins and clubs.;)

[disfan13]

I saw the same special :) it's amazing how times have changed. I wasn't even born at that time! I too wish (of course now that I'm a bit older) people would present them selve's differently. I could understand opposition from both sides as well. My partner wears a suit every day for work - it's a struggle to get him in one for formal nights. And I can understand that. However we always look presentable!

 

I like to see everyone look neat etc for dinner - it shows respect in a way.

[ellbon]

i started cruising when peopel did dress for dinner every night. i miss that. i always am better dress than most table mates and in restaurants in my home town. does it really kill people to look nice

[florisdekort]

Times did change. Personally I think a pair of $400 Armani jeans is a lot dressier than a $100 Ross Dress For Less Tuxedo.

[Ommadawn]

Maybe I'm growing into a curmudgeon, but I will sometimes yell at the kids who wear their pants at their knees to pull up their pants. Does anybody really want to see their boxers? What is the point of having to hold your pants so that they don't drop to your ankles all of the time? How many belt manufacturers have gone out of business in the last few years because of this trend?

 

While I think that the 70's put elegance in the hospital, I think that the 90's put it on life support. :/

[blueboro]

$400 jeans???? Ever heard of American Eagle or the Gap? Jeans are jeans to me as long as they fit well and don't have holes and tears. But they are still jeans.

[vmarq]

This may date me but I remember having to dress up to go shopping or to fly on an airplane! Even church wear is casual now. I must admit it takes the pressure off a person by being able to wear what you want. It is for this reason I enjoy the formal nights because my DH and I just don't dress up much any more. It is fun to get dressed up; however, I do understand those people that do have to dress up for their jobs and want to be casual on a cruise.

[mek]

On the other hand, just look at the pictures from the 1901 World's Fair in St Louis. Wow, did they dress up then. Women wore long skirts and hats and men had suits on. The 1960's were quite a come down from that. Nice casual and sloppy are two differnet things, but like it or not, we live in a casual world.

[dkjretired]

Times did change. Personally I think a pair of $400 Armani jeans is a lot dressier than a $100 Ross Dress For Less Tuxedo.

 

Sorry, but I disagree, you are probably paying $395 for the name. Jeans are Jeans, I get mine at Costco for $15..

 

This thread reminds me, every see pictures of baseball games in the 30s and 40s. All the men are in suits, ties and hats but you probably also came out of the game smelling like cigar or cigarette smoke even though it was outside. Some things change for the good and some for the bad.

[JanineM]

Yup - we all certainly dressed "better" back a million years ago.

 

We have all kinds of pictures from holidays when we travelled across Canada and the U.S. in a travel trailer. My mom wore a skirt or dress whenever we went into a city, or to church. All of us - mom & 3 girls - wore shifts when we went to Disneyland! And I still often wear skirts when we go to theme parks - it's just much cooler than shorts.

 

But I must admit that a tank top and capris is pretty appealing for day. I do like to wear dresses in the evening, and am pretty happy that hose aren't always necessary as they were back in the sixties & seventies.

[sharpie13]

... I wonder what they'll be wearing in 75 years?

 

 

Starfleet standard issue: Red, Gold, or Blue ;)

[Lois R]

I went to that 1964 World's Fair too:) I was 6 at the time and I

can honestly say I do not remember what I wore;)

 

Wish I had seen that special....are they going to repeat it?

[pete_coach]

At the 1901 Worlds Fair folks didn't dress up, they jut wore what everyone else was wearing. What the men wore to the baseball games in the 30's was exactly what was in style in the 30's. What was being worn in the '64 Worlds fair was exactly what was in style at that time. The 70's didn't put elegance in the hospital, it just exercised the excess away and the people wore what was in style at the time. The 90's didn't put it on life support, just gave a new breath of life to what was in style at the time. Every generation has it's own standards which invariably conflict with the previous generation. Progress and change is what moves the world forward and fashion is part of that movement. Dressing for dinner shows nothing more than complying with someones rules.

All that said, everyone is entitled to their opinion on dress code, the above was mine. Will I comply, yes, just as I do when I have to wear my buisness costume (some call it a suit) to work. :)

[Cruising Carol]

Yes, I remember the early sixties. Could not wear slacks to teach. The best time of the day was when I got the panty girdle with its hose fasteners off. This is before pantyhose came on the market. They were greeted as a wonderful invention. Now young women say no to all hose. Maybe those memories are why I wear pants most of the time now -- even for the cruise formal nights!

[cruisinjudy]

We had to wear dresses or skirts for teaching into the early seventies.

[J & G]

Yes, I recall that going downtown to shop meant wearing a nice dress and white gloves! ARGH! I would NEVER go anywhere now if I had to dress that way.......

 

And I taught in a dress with a girdle and pantyhose.....and spike heels, ....all day! That was torture.....no wonder the students thought I was cranky by the end of the day!

 

That was a LOOOONG time ago.....

[FinelyCruising]

The Atlantic City boardwalk was about ladies in high heels with plugs to prevent them from going through the board slats.

 

Only those humble and well enough educated at the time will understand the history and the meaning of the proper attire.

[TomTN]

The Atlantic City boardwalk was about ladies in high heels with plugs to prevent them from going through the board slats.

 

Only those humble and well enough educated at the time will understand the history and the meaning of the proper attire.

 

During the 70's I was instructed to wear a dark suit with a red tie. That was a position of power.

We soon learned that was the official business means uniform. Absolutely ridiculous. It was intended to intimidate people, and put them in their place. Class control in the USA.

[Host Anne]

Lois ~ here's a link to a small portion of the special on YouTube:

On this page you'll find related videos as well.

 

I, too, remember our family trip to the '64 World's Fair!

[seaworthy1]

High dollar jeans and bling do not make you formal, get over your selves and join the program, let me tell you, no one on the cruise cares that you' are an individual, if the code of the day says dress is formal, then DRESS FORMAL, If you don't like it, stay in your cabin or choose another cruise. Jeez it ain't that tuff. You don't make the rules, Pick the rules and requirements for the iteniary you want, if you don't like the lay of the land, DON"t CHOOSE THAT PATICULAR CRUISE, but most importantantly don't try to change the way it is, "smoke on your own balcony"," wear what ever you want to dinner", a lot of people paid the same price for the cruise, and expect to receive want they paid for.

[sunshine 229]

To my mind $400 jeans do not say "formal", they just say "a fool and his money are easily parted".;)

[FinelyCruising]

During the 70's I was instructed to wear a dark suit with a red tie. That was a position of power.

We soon learned that was the official business means uniform. Absolutely ridiculous. It was intended to intimidate people, and put them in their place. Class control in the USA.

 

Gee are you saying that if you wore a dark suit in an environment that requires a dark suit that you would be intentionally intimidating others by acquiescing to the dress guidelines? :confused:

[Straughn]

After my mother passed away in January, I was cleaning out her apartment and found a scrapbook from my parents first cruise in the early 1970's on RCCL's Song of Norway. In the Welcome Aboard picture, my mother is wearing a white wool suit with dark shoes and matching handbag, a red blouse with fluffy bow and her good pearls. My father is wearing a navy blue blazer, grey pants, striped shirt and a tie. In various pictures taken at dinner, my mother always had a cocktail or after 5 dress on and my father always had a jacket and tie. Everyone at the table was dressed similarly. On formal night every man had a tux or white dinner jacket and the ladies were all in floor length gowns.

 

The white wool suit to board the ship may have been overkill, but I see absolutely nothing wrong with the rest of it. They looked so nice and everyone was smiling and clearly having a good time. I don't ever remember my parents complaining about the dress code until their last cruise, on Sovereign of the Seas, where they encountered what my father referred to "as those dungaree wearing people".

 

Ah the good old days....

[lucky white heather]

After my mother passed away in January, I was cleaning out her apartment and found a scrapbook from my parents first cruise in the early 1970's on RCCL's Song of Norway. In the Welcome Aboard picture, my mother is wearing a white wool suit with dark shoes and matching handbag, a red blouse with fluffy bow and her good pearls. My father is wearing a navy blue blazer, grey pants, striped shirt and a tie. In various pictures taken at dinner, my mother always had a cocktail or after 5 dress on and my father always had a jacket and tie. Everyone at the table was dressed similarly. On formal night every man had a tux or white dinner jacket and the ladies were all in floor length gowns.

 

The white wool suit to board the ship may have been overkill, but I see absolutely nothing wrong with the rest of it. They looked so nice and everyone was smiling and clearly having a good time. I don't ever remember my parents complaining about the dress code until their last cruise, on Sovereign of the Seas, where they encountered what my father referred to "as those dungaree wearing people".

 

Ah the good old days....

 

Have to agree about the "dungaree people" comment...denim ...no matter how cheap or expensive the item made from it is , simply comes into the category of cheap fabric made for working conditions.The designers who have hit on really good way to make money must be laughing all the way to their banks from those who fall over themselves to buy their stuff and think they are "dressy"... ok flame away...I don't care...this fabric was invented in Nimes in France years ago for the working guys who wanted long lasting coarse fabric to withstand rough wear. If you had to wear it all day to work the ideal was NOT to have to wear it in their leisure time as well... ditch it as fast as they could, bath and change into something more "upmarket" . They would not want to be seen dead in it after the day's work finished.