Formal Night Attire for Teens????

[Purplsmurf]

A 13 year old DEFINITELY needs a jacket!! We were recently on a Celebrity cruise and my 13 yo old had his jacket,....which was unfortunately snug on him...but he needed it! We only did one formal night in the MDR because they were strict with their dress code. We went to Bistro on 5 for the other formal night. We saw them turn away men that weren't in a suit coat. We saw a few people leave and return with one on. We asked about it and they told us that it was required for dinner in the MDR on formal night.......regardless of age. We knew of the dress code but weren't sure how much it was enforced. He was more than happy to wear it.....just anxious to get it off after dinner!

 

Changing after dinner was no problem. My husband changed after dinner and didn't look out of place at all.....many people did this.

 

Hope you have a fabulous time, but I would invest in the jacket, even if it is from Goodwill. Better to have it than get turned away at the door!!

[cafediem2]

A 13 year old DEFINITELY needs a jacket!! We were recently on a Celebrity cruise and my 13 yo old had his jacket,....which was unfortunately snug on him...but he needed it! We only did one formal night in the MDR because they were strict with their dress code. We went to Bistro on 5 for the other formal night. We saw them turn away men that weren't in a suit coat. We saw a few people leave and return with one on. We asked about it and they told us that it was required for dinner in the MDR on formal night.......regardless of age. We knew of the dress code but weren't sure how much it was enforced. He was more than happy to wear it.....just anxious to get it off after dinner!

 

Changing after dinner was no problem. My husband changed after dinner and didn't look out of place at all.....many people did this.

 

Hope you have a fabulous time, but I would invest in the jacket, even if it is from Goodwill. Better to have it than get turned away at the door!!

Hi Purplsmurf - hope you had a great cruise - did you get your son some long trousers? I seem to recall your parenting being questioned just because you asked whether shorts would be accepted...

[Purplsmurf]

Hi Purplsmurf - hope you had a great cruise - did you get your son some long trousers? I seem to recall your parenting being questioned just because you asked whether shorts would be accepted...

 

 

Yes!! We had a fabulous time!!!!...............yes, I bought him a pair of khakis and he also had new jeans. I didn't see one person (adult OR child) in the MDR with shorts so it all worked out well!!

[junglejane]

Cunard is probably the most formal line out there, but even Cunard doesn't require children to strictly follow the dress code. The Cunard website FAQ says: "Children under 18 do not have a dress code but should dress as smartly as possible in relation to the information given." https://ask.cunard.com/help/cunard/life-on-board/child_dress

 

If the boys are interested in girls at their age, and they see how much the girls love to dress to the nines, they might want to really dress the part also. Boys that age are always wanting to look "hot" for the ladies, so that might be an argument for dressing up.

 

Good point! Yesterday DH and I stopped by Men's Wearhouse to buy DH some shirts. The store was crowded with teen boys and their moms, returning rental tuxes from Saturday night proms. So it just goes to show that if sufficiently motivated, a teen boy can be persuaded to wear formal wear. :)

[cafediem2]

Yes!! We had a fabulous time!!!!...............yes, I bought him a pair of khakis and he also had new jeans. I didn't see one person (adult OR child) in the MDR with shorts so it all worked out well!!

 

Excellent!!! You need to book another before he grows out of them! Looking forward to my cruise in August, seems so far away...

[Big_G]

When your kid grows up and starts robbing banks, you're gonna' look back and say, "I should've bought that damn jacket for the cruise." :eek:

[nothriver]

We've had a black suit for my son for formal nights since he was an older teen. The price of the black suit was worth it to me for the family photos alone. I bought my son's first black suit with a coat and two pair of matching pants, one that fit at the time, and another pair in the next size up. At that age, it was almost impossible to find a suit and shirt that fit properly, as he was just out of a boys 20 through the shoulders but but we could't find something narrow enough through the body in the mens department. However, we finally find something passable, and with the two pairs of pants got at least two years use of it, a couple cruises, many many dances, and yes, several funerals, too. I'm thinking I got the coat and the two pairs of pants for $120 on sale at a department store, so maybe $200 total with shirt and shoes, and I still feel that was a good investment for us lasting through the second half of high school. The suit after that purchased for a cruise just before college was more expensive, but by that point he'd passed the crazy growth spurt phase hopefully it will fit for job interviews!

 

As for boys sport coats, I suggest finding them on sale rather than second hand because of the cost of dry cleaning a used sport coat, you might as well just get a new one. My son is very tall and thin, and we usually have pretty good luck at JC Penny's finding slim fit dress clothes at a reasonable price.

 

Anyway all that said, I see many boys that age in dress pants, dress shirts, and ties - no coat, which I think is fine. I don't like this outfit accomponaied with ratty shoes however, ick.

 

The idea is to try to honor the spirit of the dress code while doing what works for your family. If it is too big of a hassle to "dress", you could always enjoy the buffet on formal night - there are options!

[DebbieMacG]

This is a thread resurrected from December and the OP has now sailed.

 

Some people made well meaning suggestions of where the OP could purchase a jacket for her son but she was located in the UK so couldnt have used any of them :(

[martodd]

 

Found a very reasonable jacket and dress slacks at JC Penney. Just after the communion/Confirmation season on clearance.

We have been cruising every few years since my 3 were babies and they look forward to the one or two nights of dressing up.

My son used to like looking like dad in the rental tux but now prefers a jacket, tie and slacks.

And it makes perfect pictures to look back on someday!!

[Onessa]

Some people made well meaning suggestions of where the OP could purchase a jacket for her son but she was located in the UK so couldnt have used any of them :(

I'm know that even in the UK there are thrift stores (perhaps not called "Goodwill" but charity-type second-hand thrift stores all the same) and there are consignment shops. There are department stores and some of them are discount department stores. There are also times of the year when suits and blazers are "on sale" in the UK. And who knows -- the OP might just have been sailing from a US port and planned to spend a few days pre-cruise in the states and may have popped into a Target or JCP or Kohls or where ever (with a 15DD, shopping may likely be a high priority). Not to mention readers from all over the world other than the OP who might have searched for "teen" and "formal" because they were looking for the same information. Let's focus on the positive and turn that purple frownie upside down(ie) :)

[lawblond7]

Because spending good money on a blazer for a 13 year old whose body is continually growing just makes soooooooooooooo much sense...doesn't it folks?

 

I have 3 boys twins who just turned 16 and my oldest just turned 20. Last time we cruised on RCI - they were 14 and 18. My oldest actually had 2 suits and my twins each had a blazer. All my boys have had blazers since they were little. Granted I had an older son so had a few that could be handed down. But when my boys needed jackets at a time when they were growing very fast I went to the consignment shop (or thrift shop) and got 2 blazers and funny each actually had the original tags on them as they were never worn for about $10 each. Also target and walmart sell smart blazers for under $50.

 

Just my opinion but my boys also like to get dressed up. Just got them all new suits this year for a bat mitzvah (in January) and one I think has out grown it - Kohls also has a great selection. One of my twins is very skinny - size 16-18 boys I can get away with. I got him a polo suit at Kohls size 18 for $80 - so if he wore it a few times I consider the battle won.

 

We are going on Celebrity for a 12 night cruise in the Baltics and Scandinvia and oldest will have 2 suits and probably a blazer he can wear with jeans or pants and twins will each have a suit and a blazer. They love ties so they mix and match. Each has their own particular taste in color and style of shirts

 

Sharon

[lawblond7]

This is a thread resurrected from December and the OP has now sailed.

 

Some people made well meaning suggestions of where the OP could purchase a jacket for her son but she was located in the UK so couldnt have used any of them :(

 

True but I think this is a question many face as I did 2 years ago on our first cruise.

 

also I agree with the poster abotu shoes - luckily my oldest has stpped growing (at least in Height and shoe size) but the twins I tend to go to target or payless for dress shoes when needed because they usually one wear them once or twice - although that has slowed down too.

 

the other alternative I think for a teen is a sweater - one of my boys loves his cardigans :)

 

Sharon

[dkjretired]

True but I think this is a question many face as I did 2 years ago on our first cruise.

 

also I agree with the poster abotu shoes - luckily my oldest has stpped growing (at least in Height and shoe size) but the twins I tend to go to target or payless for dress shoes when needed because they usually one wear them once or twice - although that has slowed down too.

 

the other alternative I think for a teen is a sweater - one of my boys loves his cardigans :)

 

Sharon

 

Don't feel bad, my son wears size 18 shoe.

 

I have avoided dress code threads like the plague but would like to say that it is up to the kids and parents what to wear. With that being said, I would not want to be in a position where my child was denied entry into the dining room for improper dress whatever it might be. Not saying this is going to happen, probably won't but it could happen, just depends on who is at the door. I would not take the chance to have my child embarrassed.