dress summary

[mtbny7]

I am short and round. Ball gowns look ridiculous and whimsical on me. So for the formal nights, I am going to wear three different elegant and sequined pant suits with one that looks like a tux but with a feminine flair. Also with coiffed hairdo, glittery jewelry and a Judith Lieber evening purse, I think I should blend in pretty fine with the crowd.

 

Me thinks one should wear whatever one feels comfortable and confident in, keeping close with the theme of the evening.

 

 

Susan,

 

I too think your elegant pantsuits sound great! But I am sorry.... no matter what size/shape/education/economic bracket one is in : a PAIR OF SLACKS and an UNTUCKED FLOW-Y BLOUSE do not cut it on a formal night.

 

Michael

[elaine61]

I had the image in my mind of a Cinderella gown! Thanks for the clarification!

 

AAAAArrrrrrgggghhhhhh No!!!!!!! Like Belle or Cinderella at Disney, No thanks!!!!!

 

Elaine

[dtwtraveler]

Elaine: since we will be with you on the NYC-Southampton crossing, I am anxious to see your lovely gowns.

Since I have pared down my luggage, my formal attire consists of a long black wool knit gown.

I use different jackets....sequined/beaded, silk chiffon, jewelry, and scarves to change the look. I too, feel elegant, and enjoy dressing up. My dress fits into a large space bag and takes little room. I also have a closet full of the more ball-type gowns, as we attended many black-tie events when DH was working. Now, I feel they are not "me" anymore, but they are still beautiful and I have a hard time giving them up!

My big problem is with daytime wear on the ship....my grandmother (a very prim and proper dame) said every lady should have a grey pleated skirt and a red cashmere sweater uniform! I remember when I was 13 she gave me an outfit similar.

Now searching for daytime clothes........lol.

 

Grace

 

I wore slacks and sweater sets on a transatlantic crossing. They were comfortable, suitable and I rolled the sweater sets in the suitcase with no wrinkles when I unpacked!

[susan1234]

Susan,

I too think your elegant pantsuits sound great!

 

Thanks.

 

But I am sorry.... no matter what size/shape/education/economic bracket one is in : a PAIR OF SLACKS and an UNTUCKED FLOW-Y BLOUSE do not cut it on a formal night. Michael

 

I agree... but does anyone care if Pamela Anderson is wearing it? :p

 

(Ok, for me, Pierce Brosnan can wear anything and still looks fabulous!)

[elaine61]

Didn't realise that MY idea of formal wear would cause so much debate. I'm sure we will all look wonderful in whatever we wear (draw the line at birthday suit though)!!!!! ;) Grace I am sure you will look wonderful too in your outfits and I look forward to seeing you in them. 4 weeks on Monday and we will be ready for the off!! One thing less to worry about now!!! Daughter got dumped today by her boyfriend of 4 weeks!! She'll live!!!! Plenty more fish in the sea etc!!!!!

 

Elaine

[dtwtraveler]

Didn't realise that MY idea of formal wear would cause so much debate. I'm sure we will all look wonderful in whatever we wear (draw the line at birthday suit though)!!!!! ;) Grace I am sure you will look wonderful too in your outfits and I look forward to seeing you in them. 4 weeks on Monday and we will be ready for the off!! One thing less to worry about now!!! Daughter got dumped today by her boyfriend of 4 weeks!! She'll live!!!! Plenty more fish in the sea etc!!!!!

 

Elaine

 

Perhaps your daughter will have a shipboard romance with a dashing officer or guest?

[LuAnn]

Elaine...I agree with you...I'm sure that we will all show up looking A-ok..afterall we are doing this to have fun, see new places and meet new friends, relax etc. Let's just have fun!!!!!!!

[elaine61]

Perhaps your daughter will have a shipboard romance with a dashing officer or guest?

 

They do have some rather dashing young officers on board the ships don't they!! Now there's an idea!!!!!!! At the moment and with her running record with men (she says they are all the same) she is determined to be a spinster. I keep telling her the right person will come along eventually!!!!!

 

Elaine

[Jeanne S]

Elaine,

 

Good advice! Once, early in her premiership, Margaret Thatcher was horrified when she got to the palace to discover that she and the queen were wearing identical outfits. When she got back to Downing Street, she had an aide telephone the palace to suggest that in future, Downing Street would call the palace ahead of an audience, to find out what the queen was wearing, and if necessary, Mrs Thatcher would change. 'Oh, that won't be necessary' came the reply, 'the queen never notices what anyone else is wearing!'

 

Peter

 

I remember reading this about what- 25 years ago. It was seen by the NY Times correspondent as a put down to the PM. So both the Queen and Mrs. T employed the services of Hardy Ames?

[Jeanne S]

Got it, thanks. I thought ''Black-Tie'' was the ultimate formal, then ''Formal'', then the rest. Now it is clear.

\

 

 

I believe the Ultimate (and please correct me gentlemen if I am wrong) Formal would be White Tie which used to be the evening dress on crossings in years gone by.

[blue_crystal]

elaine: my condolences to your daughter. as someone recently in that situation, I know it's hard to have faith, things always seem very painful. but i'm sure if your mannerisms on the board are any reflection on your family, your daughter is a lovely young woman who will find someone when the time is right.

 

but isn't shipboard romance a nice thing to ponder for us singles..:D

[elaine61]

elaine: my condolences to your daughter. as someone recently in that situation, I know it's hard to have faith, things always seem very painful. but i'm sure if your mannerisms on the board are any reflection on your family, your daughter is a lovely young woman who will find someone when the time is right.

 

but isn't shipboard romance a nice thing to ponder for us singles..:D

 

Blue Crystal

 

Many thanks for your message. She is getting rather used to it now!!!!! Trouble is she now thinks all men are the same when in reality they aren't. The right one will come along one day and at only 21 I'm not encouraging to walk down the aisle just yet!!!!!! Anyway, I've got the solution to try and cheer her up!!!!!!! Were off for some retail therapy today!!!!!!! Well we are going on holiday soon :D . Not that she needs any nice dresses to impress the officers!!!!!! She's pretty good as she is (and yes I am biased)!!!!!!

 

Elaine

[LuAnn]

If my husband brings a very nice sport coat, and he wears that with good slacks and an open collared shirt will that work or is the tie a must? He is also interested in buying a white formal dinner jacket..this is the Fall Color Cruise late September into October...we're from California so not sure if the whole no white after Labor Day is valid back east? (maybe that's just shoes??? :) :) We have never been on Cunard and it does sound quite a bit more formal than Princess and/or Celebrity ...any feed back? Thank you!

[elaine61]

If my husband brings a very nice sport coat, and he wears that with good slacks and an open collared shirt will that work or is the tie a must? He is also interested in buying a white formal dinner jacket..this is the Fall Color Cruise late September into October...we're from California so not sure if the whole no white after Labor Day is valid back east? (maybe that's just shoes??? :) :) We have never been on Cunard and it does sound quite a bit more formal than Princess and/or Celebrity ...any feed back? Thank you!

 

My husband will be taking a white dinner jacket!! But then we are from the UK and don't know your customs!!!!! I should imagine he will wear it for sure on the black and white nights!!

 

Elaine

[susan1234]

We have one of each on our crossing itin: 2 formal, 1 black & white formal, 1 informal and 2 casual. I would guess that 'informal' requires a sport jacket while a sweater will do for casual?

[carlmm]

We have one of each on our crossing itin: 2 formal, 1 black & white formal, 1 informal and 2 casual. I would guess that 'informal' requires a sport jacket while a sweater will do for casual?

 

Informal requires a jacket and tie. This might be a, often dark, suit or a sport jacket.

Slacks and a sweater or shirt will do for casual, yet many men decide to wear jacket and tie on this evenings, too.

[Jeanne S]

If my husband brings a very nice sport coat, and he wears that with good slacks and an open collared shirt will that work or is the tie a must? He is also interested in buying a white formal dinner jacket..this is the Fall Color Cruise late September into October...we're from California so not sure if the whole no white after Labor Day is valid back east? (maybe that's just shoes??? :) :) We have never been on Cunard and it does sound quite a bit more formal than Princess and/or Celebrity ...any feed back? Thank you!

 

Have not seen anyone in over 25 years wearing White Tie at sea in summer or winter.

 

Ties should be worn on Informal Night, although on QM2 have seen passengers with only jackets.

 

Jeanne

[gracecarmo]

Will someone elaborate on the events of this evening?

 

Grace

[Jeanne S]

Susan,

 

I too think your elegant pantsuits sound great! But I am sorry.... no matter what size/shape/education/economic bracket one is in : a PAIR OF SLACKS and an UNTUCKED FLOW-Y BLOUSE do not cut it on a formal night.

 

Michael

 

 

Hi Michael. This was one of my complaints about PG on QE2 when I wrote in a review it was "Attention K Mart Shoppers" - it was those untucked, flowing mumu type outfits that just did not cut it.

 

 

JEanne

[Jeanne S]

Will someone elaborate on the events of this evening?

 

Grace

 

Is formal night and the recommended dress is Black and White all evening. The ball is held in the Queens Room which is decorated in B&W. Aside from the ball, nothing much else is going on unless this coincides with a Captain's Cocktail party.

[atticus]

I have seen several white dinner jackets on the Caronia and QE2 in the past five years.

 

The cruises they were worn on were Med. and Caribbean. I tend to think of white dinner jackets being worn in warmer climates though.

[Ab Ovo]

If either Queen is on a cruise, and on a southern, warm sea, white dinner jackets are quite the thing! I've left NYC and Southampton in December, the men at table wearing black tie. Once on warm waters, the men wore white dinner jackets; going back to the cold they went back to black tie. They got my vote!

 

The white dinner jacket crowd sported rather nice madras bow ties. And somehow, even the women's dresses seemed to change and be appropriate for warm waters. I guess it's all in the weight and color of fabric.

 

Maybe twice I have seen full white tie worn....once a table of six having a Very Special Occasion Sailing.........but mostly, and quite properly so, my experience is men wear black tie for all formal nights, (white dinner jackets in warm waters, if you want to,) suit & tie for informal nights and sport coat and tie for casual nights and getting on and off. This works for me!:)

[mufi]

Casual means just that. Not many pax wear a tie on these nights, and most would wear sport coat and tie on informal.

 

David.

[Ab Ovo]

On my times on QE2 I have found that not to be so.

 

Perhaps on "lesser" ships. I see much chat on these boards about proper dress and people rising to the occasion. Most traveling QE2 do. QM2, not so much, but that too, is changing. As I see it. I've seen posts reminding people at sea on the Queens they are not at home in backyards and if they don't want to buy into the code of dress most fellow passengers prefer, stay home or go on other ships.:)

[mufi]

Ab Ovo - Did not see much sign on QM2 last month. Don't know what constitutes a "lesser" ship, but on a Saga cruise last year everyone was correctly dressed at all times. So maybe it is the people QM2 are attracting these days. Me, I think I am correctly attired with open neck on casual nights - as the QM2 daily programme states - "for genlemen, no jacket is required, a collard shirt with slacks is perfecly appropriate.

 

David.