How many evening outfits do you take?

[Lerin]

For those of you who travel on lines with formal nights or those who just like to dress up, I'm curious how many nice dresses do you take on a cruise?

 

Our upcoming cruise is 7 days and I am taking:

-1 long gown for the 1st formal night

-1 mid length gown for the 2nd night

-2 cocktail dresses for a speciality restaurant and chefs table

-1 black skirt with 2 nice blouses for the other two nights.

 

-I also have the same black sandals for all the outfits except chefs table where I'm told flat closed toed shoes are required. For that I have a pair of ballet slipper type shoes.

 

-Finally I bring 1 long necklace, and 1 short, 2 pairs of earrings, 2 bracelets, and 2 different hair accessories to mix and match.

 

-I only bring 1 black cover up that can be worn with any of the above.

-Never brought a nice clutch or purse, but am considering it after seeing a post here about someones that looked very nice.

 

 

My husband on the other hand is bringing:

-1 pair of Khakis, which he will change out of the second dinner is over

-2 button down shirts, see above for how long he will be in them

-1 pair of black shoes that could also be walking shoes.

-2 pairs of black socks, potentially only 1

-1 tie (actually I'm bringing that for him) :p

-I may be able to convince him to bring an undershirt, but that is doubtful.

 

Once we paid for a cruise that didn't require a tux, his idea of formal went from bad to worse. :D

 

Just curious what everyone else's evening wear closet looked like. :)

[luvscruising2007]

Our next cruise is 9 nights.

I will be taking 3 cocktail dresses, 2 for formal night and 1 for specialty dining. I plan on a different outfit for the other 7 nights. The last night I may wear capris. The other 6 nights I plan on a dress or skirt. We drive to port so there is no limit on luggage. We generally will have 2 rolling duffles and 1 rolling garment bag.

In the past I wore capris or long pants on non formal nights. I would bring 3 different neutral colors and change the top each night.

 

DH brings 3 pairs of chinos/khakis and several different shirts for non formal nights. He always wears long sleeves. For formal night he wears a dark suit with 2 different shirts and ties. On our last cruise he rented a tux but we won't do that for this next one.

 

We like dressing up so this is our choice.

[cruisinwithmaandpa]

For those of you who travel on lines with formal nights or those who just like to dress up, I'm curious how many nice dresses do you take on a cruise?

 

Our upcoming cruise is 7 days and I am taking:

-1 long gown for the 1st formal night

-1 mid length gown for the 2nd night

-2 cocktail dresses for a speciality restaurant and chefs table

-1 black skirt with 2 nice blouses for the other two nights.

 

-I also have the same black sandals for all the outfits except chefs table where I'm told flat closed toed shoes are required. For that I have a pair of ballet slipper type shoes.

 

-Finally I bring 1 long necklace, and 1 short, 2 pairs of earrings, 2 bracelets, and 2 different hair accessories to mix and match.

 

-I only bring 1 black cover up that can be worn with any of the above.

-Never brought a nice clutch or purse, but am considering it after seeing a post here about someones that looked very nice.

 

 

My husband on the other hand is bringing:

-1 pair of Khakis, which he will change out of the second dinner is over

-2 button down shirts, see above for how long he will be in them

-1 pair of black shoes that could also be walking shoes.

-2 pairs of black socks, potentially only 1

-1 tie (actually I'm bringing that for him) :p

-I may be able to convince him to bring an undershirt, but that is doubtful.

 

Once we paid for a cruise that didn't require a tux, his idea of formal went from bad to worse. :D

 

Just curious what everyone else's evening wear closet looked like. :)

 

Mine is very similar to yours. I only bring one pair of shoes that can go with every outfit, one black shawl, 2 formal dresses, and the remainder are short cocktail dresses.

[Keksie]

Our next cruise is 7 nights and I will bring:

2 navy dressy dresses

1 black pair of jeans

1 black skirt

5 tops to go with the jeans and skirt

1 pair of shoes that go with everything

2 shawls (I knit and have many)

[laurspag]

For our 7 night cruise we are going on, it is very much like our other cruises. I am bringing two full length gowns for the formal nights, and almost all cocktail style dresses for the rest. I may bring one that is not quite a cocktail dress to me, but still quite dressy.

 

I can't help it...I love to dress up. So do my daughters, who are 25 and 21. My husband goes right along with it. He wears a nice suit on formal night, and dons a jacket many of the other nights.

[Ehpride]

I prefer dresses so I bring some variation of the following.

 

Nice sundress for the first night.

Gown for elegant night

Nice dress for casual night

Cocktail dress for "pretend elegant night"

Nice dress for casual night

Gown for elegant night

Nice dress for casual night

 

Black high heeled sandals

Silver dress shoes

Nude flats

Colored flats (can also be used during the day)

Espadrilles (can also be used during the day)

Water shoes

2 pairs of flip-flops

 

Jewelry as needed for the dresses and also some day jewelry

 

I tend to bring sundresses for daytime with the exception of one pair of denim shorts that I fly down in.

[toxicfairy]

I take a dress for each night. Plus a full length gown for each formal night. I don't change after dinner...I love to dress up! I won't go into shoes...lol..wayyyy too many.

Dh brings a grey suit , olive green suit, double breasted black w/ thin pin stripes suit, plus chino.type pants and a brown sports jacket,a hand full of dress shirts and a handful of ties.

We both dress up every night on the cruise!!

[AmandaBlue]

For the first formal night, I have a floor length purple gown and the second is a high low blue dress. I am wearing the same shoes for both.

 

But I am probably going to pack a lot because well, I love having a reason to not wear scrubs!

[CELTICGIRLCRUISER]

I take a long gown for formal or adult only dining and cocktail length for every other night. I never recycle anything including shoes but it is no biggie living so near to the port.

[artist47]

Your list is very similar to mine also. I adore metallic shoes, and so I have several and am debating which pair to take. Like you, I want one pair that goes with everything....I find metallic shoes, if they are muted, will go with everything.

 

This next cruise in March is on the NCL Star -- most ppl on NCL like to dress down, or very smart casual...that's perfectly okay -- I still like to "dress for dinner", and so right now I am on the hunt for the one, perfect formal gown.

 

After so many cruises, I still haven't found it... but I never give up hope!

Also, I like what you said about taking a formal clutch bag...I have always taken one and it really adds to your outfit, as well as providing a nice way to carry your cruise card, and your lipstick. :) I have found very good prices on them at TJ Max , Marshalls and Ross Dress for Less. Inexpensive (and sometimes you find designer brands! The latest one I found was a Donna Karan bag...GORGEOUS and only 10 dollars! :)

[Lerin]

Also, I like what you said about taking a formal clutch bag...I have always taken one and it really adds to your outfit, as well as providing a nice way to carry your cruise card, and your lipstick. :) I have found very good prices on them at TJ Max , Marshalls and Ross Dress for Less. Inexpensive (and sometimes you find designer brands! The latest one I found was a Donna Karan bag...GORGEOUS and only 10 dollars! :)

 

Great find! I'll have to check the purse section there next time I go shopping. Thanks for the tip!

[artist47]

Also, I hope you post a pic of your formal dress, if you decide on a new one....great thread! :)

[iCruise717]

For my upcoming cruise, here is what I have tentatively planned:

 

Formal nights: Gold maxi dress, probably going to pair it with some sort of metallic heel and minimal jewlely. And for the second formal night, a LBD with nude pumps and a simple pearls set.

 

Casual nights: I don't ever recycle and typically wear shorter dresses but this cruise I am planning on wearing a maxi skirt with a top one evening. On the first day if my luggage is not available, I will wear white skinny pants and a pink blouse, if not, a casual sundress.

 

As for shoes, I mentioned a metallic heel, nude pumps as well as a brown leather wedge that pretty much goes with all of my casual night outfits.

 

I don't do a ton of jewelry but when I do it's usually wither pearls or a gold necklace BUT I almost always wear a gold watch with outfits.

[Happy ks]

Since I will be attending formal night this next cruise, I will take one LBD and 2 seperate sets of jewelry. The other nights I will pack one pair of nice black slacks and 3 tops. The pants wash up great and barely need pressing, the tops I don't mind wearing a couple of them twice.

 

I may have to take 2 pair of shoes for evening, I won't decide that until I'm packing.

I pack for no more than 5 days/evenings. Edit: I used to pack an outfit for each day/evening but I noticed I was bringing home unworn clothes. Especially the first night, many times we wouldn't change and the last night, we wanted to pack most of our stuff prior to going to dinner.

Edited January 21, 2014 by Happy ks

[Perfect Stranger]

If you're in a long gown and your husband is in khakis, either you will look overdressed or you'll make him look very underdressed. I would wear more similar attire.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

For our 11 night New Years cruise I took 2 gowns and 4 dresses for the evenings. We had 2 formal nights and ate in specialty restaurants 4 other nights, including a chef's table on the 2nd formal night. We also had dinner on our balcony one evening. My DH took his tux and a sports coat that he did not wear.

 

I always bring at least a black evening bag and one to match the shoes I'm wearing with my gowns if they are not black. I packed a lot of jewelry because it takes no room and goes in my carry on. I had 2 pairs of black shoes, silver for formal nights and sandals for day time. We flew southwest and had 3 suitcases and a small tote bag for a carry on.

 

Mary Lou

Edited January 22, 2014 by CHEZMARYLOU

[Laurie S.]

For cruises of seven or less days, I take as many floor-length dresses. Formal ones for formal nights, and more casual, but dressy, sundresses for casual nights. On longer cruises, I will repeat some of the casual dresses. Two Judith Leiber purses for dressier outfits and a colorful Guatemalan textile clutch for the casual ones. I also take four different pairs of shoes for evening--one is high-heeled, one is low-heeled, and are fancy flat sandals.

Edited January 22, 2014 by Laurie S.

[Lady Chew]

Wow, some of you take a lot! On our shorter cruises (under a month) I take one long dress or a cocktail dress. Although lately I don't even take that - just a pair of nice black slacks & one or two dressy tops. On longer cruises, I might take two dresses ... we had a 75 day cruise that had 16? formal nights, I just alternated them.

Edited January 22, 2014 by Lady Chew

[cb at sea]

I take a different outfit for every evening. Usually, we have 2 formals, so I bring a gown and a cocktail dress. The rest of the evenings are "casual", but I still want to look good, so I'm not "too" casual! Capris, with a sexy top and heels is usually my outfit....sometimes, something else. There is little difference in casual/smart casual.

 

Shoes for the outfits....if a shoe can do double duty, it will. One small clutch/bag for evening. No one is looking at your bag, so bring something that can go with everything.

[Lerin]

If you're in a long gown and your husband is in khakis, either you will look overdressed or you'll make him look very underdressed. I would wear more similar attire.

:confused: Uuuummmm no. I can't think of any reason to be matchy matchy

If he wants to look like a slob, that's his issue, not mine. :D

[HeatherC430]

I take a dress to wear every evening on the ship - 2 dressier for the more formal nights, and the remaining being more of the sundress variety. I take a sundress/coverup for each day also. So basically 2 dresses per day, then a throw in a few extra "outfits" shorts/tank as just in case. I know I overpack, but I'd rather have plenty to wear and a few extra things unworn at the end of the week, rather than having to repeat any outfits. I take a different bathing suit for each day too.

[Ehpride]

Wow, some of you take a lot! On our shorter cruises (under a month) I take one long dress or a cocktail dress. Although lately I don't even take that - just a pair of nice black slacks & one or two dressy tops. On longer cruises, I might take two dresses ... we had a 75 day cruise that had 16? formal nights, I just alternated them.

 

Here's my theory though. I don't get to cruise very often and planning outfits/wearing them is a lot of fun for me. And I have to bring a checked bag anyway. So if 2 separate outfits per day for 9.5 days plus a choice of shoes and a couple spare outfits for daytime/nighttime all fit, I want to bring it. Plus, ever since my workplace dropped business casual, I don't even own black pants that fit or are decent enough to be seen in public!

Edited January 22, 2014 by Ehpride

[pcur]

I take lots of chiffon/georgette tops to wear during the day in hot climates, and also wear many of them for non dressy nights.

 

We are taking a b2b2b very long trip this year with 50 nights of cruising. So, to be under the luggage weight restrictions I'm doing the following:

 

For formal nights I'm taking one black and one grey chiffon long skirt, one pair of white dressy pant, and black slinky pants.

 

I also have one long black chiffon open jacket, one grey chiffon long evening coat, and one white chiffon "poncho" evening wrap that is long in the back. These can be worn with a variety of dressy tops that show through the chiffon over layer jackets.

 

My tops range from mint green with silver beading, jade green/white sequined, matching grey chiffon tank for the evening coat, and several black blingy ones.

 

On shorter cruises I bring 2 of the above outfits. On all my cruises I wear my chiffon daytime tops with pants for specialty restaurants or the dining room on any non-casual night.

 

With all these chiffon and georgette clothes I can take a lot of them, be cooler in the day time, have plenty to wear in the evening, and be under 50 lbs luggage weight!

Edited January 22, 2014 by pcur

[kellane]

For a 7-night cruise, I take 3-4 dresses and then a few solid skirts that can be mixed and matched with different tops for the other evenings. I really love the idea of "capsules" so that I don't over pack.

[pcur]

For a 7-night cruise, I take 3-4 dresses and then a few solid skirts that can be mixed and matched with different tops for the other evenings. I really love the idea of "capsules" so that I don't over pack.

 

I would love to do capsule packing, but I'm just too addicted to choices, and lots of them. That's why I've been picking up georgette blouses and tops, and other very lightweight tops, for about 3 years. I want to have more variety, although I applaud anyone that can organize and pack a wardrobe for any trip and take less.

 

Sigh, it's just not me, though.