Too stuffy for a formal night?

[AmberMarie]

I'm 28, I will be cruising on Carnival Ecstasy, 5 days, 1 formal night. I have been on the ship twice before and the formal nights are not overly formal.

 

BUT, is this too stuffy for a formal night? I bought this dress because I loved the way it looked, but not sure where I can wear it. I'm wearing it Saturday to a wedding with some black espadrilles hoping to make it look less stuffy and more springy (at the suggestion of someone else).

 

http://amberandjosh.weebly.com/uploads/4/8/5/8/4858855/276311.jpg

[Beanie01]

To me, it looks like the kind of dress I'd wear to work. I think you should dress it up rather than down. A nice strappy high-heeled shoe perhaps.

[cb at sea]

Stuffy???? Not at all...it's not a "formal" dress by any means. I, too, would "dress it up"!

[GORDONCHICK]

I don't see how that looks stuffy, unless it's because it's not showing cleavage?

[luckycruzer]

formal about it...nor stuffy...I always go with the Cruze elegant suggestion, as I do rather enjoy dressing every night, elegant to formal=looking

[Andee]

I think it's a pretty dress--but not for formal night. Sorry :(

[AmberMarie]

Maybe I will save this for a non-formal evening or leave it at home. I didn't know how a collared dress would look for a cruise atmosphere. Had nothing to do with cleavage. ;) I, too, generally dress more than this for formal night, thanks for slapping some sense into me.

[ducklite]

I agree, not even close to formal or dressy, I would wear it to the office but that's about it.

[klauer]

I would wear the dress with some strappy heels and fun jewelry. To me it is dressier than the "travel knit" tunics and wide pants that I see a lot on formal nights.

[Kiln Wood]

I would wear the dress with some strappy heels and fun jewelry. To me it is dressier than the "travel knit" tunics and wide pants that I see a lot on formal nights.

 

Good suggestion!!

[ducklite]

It's got too much going on around the collar to add a necklace, so just a bracelet and earrings if you must. But even then, it's business attire, not a formal dress.

[mamasue]

I agree with the others.... pretty, but an office dress!:)

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

Looks more like office attire to me. I'm not sure how it could be dressed up to appear more "cocktail". It depends on the fabric, I suppose. You could certainly wear it to dinner on non-formal nights.

[AmberMarie]

I concur with it being business and not appropriate for the cruise, as I stated above in my additional posts... I'm wondering where the heck I can wear this thing because I certainly can't wear it to work (teacher). WELP I may give it a shot at a wedding tomorrow night. The blousey part up top is sheer, which lightens it a little and also makes it school inappropriate.

[juneagain]

I concur with it being business and not appropriate for the cruise, as I stated above in my additional posts... I'm wondering where the heck I can wear this thing because I certainly can't wear it to work (teacher). WELP I may give it a shot at a wedding tomorrow night. The blousey part up top is sheer, which lightens it a little and also makes it school inappropriate.

 

Pair it with a cardigan to wear to school.

[Cancun01]

Don't beat yourself up over it - you said you loved the dress - just wear it to dinner on your cruise on a non-formal night.

[goLC]

Maybe with some hot red heels and doing something special and exciting with your hair? I have seen such extremes on cruises - formal nights and other - it is nicer than many dresses I have seen worn. I say if you like it, even if you have reconsidered, it could be done!

[LittleJeanne]

I like the dress and would easily pack it for a cruise. Just definitely not for formal night. I love wearing dresses and almost always wear dresses to the MDR.

 

I love black, white, and red and can easily see swapping out the belt for a great red belt and adding red heels, some red earrings and a statement red bangle bracelet. But no necklace.

 

If you don't like red any other color could be inserted in its place for accessories. You could also keep with the black and white and just wear strappy black or white sandals with it and add a black and/or white bracelet and earrings.

 

Just to throw out another option ... I have a B&W dress that came with a belt that has a large statement silver buckle. I always pair it with black strappy heels and silver jewelry.

 

Whatever the case ... the dress is NOT a lost cause for the cruise. Its just for another night other than formal night.

[jp2001]

I LOVE that dress! I agree with others that it not a formal dress but you could definitely wear it for non-formal nights and IMHO you could even wear it for formal night since the standards are not what they used to be, especially on shorter cruises. Now, almost any type of dress will do.

 

Actually, I just bought a pair of Jessica Simpson patent leather high heels (modal JP Janet-X on sale for 49$) to go with a small patent handbag I already had and they would be perfect with your dress. I don't see this style on her website anymore though.

[ducklite]

I concur with it being business and not appropriate for the cruise, as I stated above in my additional posts... I'm wondering where the heck I can wear this thing because I certainly can't wear it to work (teacher). WELP I may give it a shot at a wedding tomorrow night. The blousey part up top is sheer, which lightens it a little and also makes it school inappropriate.

 

You can wear a tank style camisole under it to make it appropriate for school.

[Megs867]

I think it is super cute, maybe not formal but I love it. Try it with something like this maybe...

 

http://www.bakersshoes.com/p-209782-JUDY.aspx?c=311

or

http://www.bakersshoes.com/p-189414-CELESTE.aspx?c=311

or

http://www.bakersshoes.com/p-151078-BERNIE.aspx?c=311

 

and chunky bracelet and earrings

[Happy ks]

I also think it doesn't look formal, but since getting off a cruise last week and seeing how some people interpreted "formal" I'd wear it if I were you. You would probably be dressier than some others.

 

I was ona Princess ship, sitting at the first table close to the dining room entrance and saw plenty of casual black pants, somewhat dressy tops, Sunday best dresses, office style dresses and the occasional long evening dress. I wore cocktail dresses and felt as though I was in the dressier part of the crowd, no bling on my dresses, simple black one night and a plum color the other.