Formalwear...

[JPH814]

I would say that with your old tux, you will definitely stand out from the crowd. Not because of the notches in your lapels, but because you are wearing a tux in the first place.

 

Unfortunately as the dress code has slackened over the years, HAL no longer has formal dress evenings. The code word is now “Gala dress evenings.” A translation here is for men a suit or sport jacket, even worn without a tie. And women with formal gowns are virtually nonexistent.

 

For the past ten years I have always cruised on HAL ships with several tux jackets, three formal shirts and a half dozen cummerbunds. But after my experiences this past winter, I’m afraid this is over.

 

We sailed on eight B2B cruises on the Prinsendam, including two grand cruses. Tuxes were almost never seen. In particular on the Grand Med cruise, (which is supposed to be one of the more formal of the HAL cruises,) on one formal evening I counted a total of two other tuxes in the entire main dining room and on another formal evening I saw only one other tux. It was so bad that I really felt way over dressed and was embarrassed about wearing a tux.

 

I feel this is unfortunate as dressing up for dinner, with Karen wearing some nice jewelry, has always been one of the experiences to which we looked forward. But it seems this has gone the way of the dodo bird.

 

So to answer your question, it doesn’t seem necessary for you to worry about wearing your old tux. From what I have experienced, true formal evenings really no longer exist on HAL ships so IMO it is probably not worth your bringing the tux at all.

 

Scott & Karen

 

Don't give up...keep style alive!

[serendipity1499]

Yes. Without peaks or a shawl collar, the cool kids will beat you up and steal your lunch money. ;)

 

You are SOOO Bad!;)

 

I'll be cruising with HAL for the first time early this fall and have been wondering, The only Tuxedo i currently own has a jacket with a notch lapel. Will this be noticeably inappropriate?

 

 

 

This is exactly the kind of TUX my DH owns & he is not getting a new one.. He wore it in2013 on our long Prinsendam cruise..

 

But on several cruises before that he decided to take & wear his suit instead of his Tux :( That's sad as he looks so handsome in his Tux..

 

I'll still wear my long dresses (not really gowns) & skirts with some of my embellished/sequined/lacy tops or Jackets...That's the only time we get to wear our dressy duds while living in FLa.. :)

Edited July 7, 2015 by serendipity1499

[Khaos WolfKat]

What I want to know is whether those lunch money stealing bullies are part of the Neptune Posse.

[DocF]

I own a tuxedo and will continue to wear it for formal nights, elegant nights, or whatever the cruise line calls it. Dear wife and I deplore the sloppy dress that has affected the US over the last several years. I do not want to give one the impression that we are wealthy or snobbish as nothing could be further from the truth. We just feel it is worth the effort to dress appropriately and that a fine meal is better enjoyed if one looks as good as possible.

 

Yes, my black dinner jacket has notch lapels. I will wear it a few more years until it either looks worn or I get too fat to fit in it. My white dinner jacket does have a shawl collar, but I rarely wear it as I do not like the way it fits.

[rkacruiser]

I vote for powder blue with a ruffled shirt. One of these days I need to get one myself.

 

Once upon a time, like in the 1970's, I owned a powder blue dinner jacket and a light blue/white ruffled shirt with a large black bow tie. I loved that outfit. And, I loved the jacket even more because I found it sitting on a close-out rack at a local department store. (Could not believe something so elegant was being sold for a close-out price and it fit me perfectly!)

[POA1]

Yes, my black dinner jacket has notch lapels. I will wear it a few more years until it either looks worn or I get too fat to fit in it. My white dinner jacket does have a shawl collar, but I rarely wear it as I do not like the way it fits.

 

Just so you know, I was only kidding about the tuxedo lapels. I assumed that the original poster was kidding, so I answered in kind.

[bonvoyagebites]

rkacruiser ... I think that's awesome... I really looked on the internet to see if I could find one. I don't think DW would be nearly as impressed with a Powder Blue Tux and Ruffled shirt.... but it would be a hoot. A fancy, fancy hoot.

[Ricktan]

Just so you know, I was only kidding about the tuxedo lapels. I assumed that the original poster was kidding, so I answered in kind.

 

 

You?? Joking????:D

[colbe]

I'll be cruising with HAL for the first time early this fall and have been wondering, The only Tuxedo i currently own has a jacket with a notch lapel. Will this be noticeably inappropriate?

 

If it was good enough for Sean Connery............

[DocF]

My personal preference has always been for shawl collars, but when I got the current one, there was little choice. I realized you were joking and I sort of was carrying on in the same vein.

[serendipity1499]

My personal preference has always been for shawl collars, but when I got the current one, there was little choice. I realized you were joking and I sort of was carrying on in the same vein.

 

Will try to convince DH that he can still take his tux but he hates those patent leather shoes.. Say's they are uncomfortable & wears his black loafers instead.

 

Sorry to change the subject, but is your Avatar a long Haired Doxi? He/She is beautiful & looks full of the good life.. Ours is a Wire haired & just turned 15.. Starting to sleep a lot but still going strong when she wants her cookies or to go out to play.. She's telling me it's time for bed & her cookie.. You would think I starve her..

 

Forgive me everyone for hijacking the tux thread.. "Keep on Tuxing" :)

Edited July 9, 2015 by serendipity1499

[mudscraper]

Will try to convince DH that he can still take his tux but he hates those patent leather shoes.. Say's they are uncomfortable & wears his black loafers instead.

 

Sorry to change the subject, but is your Avatar a long Haired Doxi? He/She is beautiful & looks full of the good life.. Ours is a Wire haired & just turned 15.. Starting to sleep a lot but still going strong when she wants her cookies or to go out to play.. She's telling me it's time for bed & her cookie.. You would think I starve her..

 

Forgive me everyone for hijacking the tux thread.. "Keep on Tuxing" :)

 

Patent leather shoes fry my feet. I also wear black dress shoes with the tux.

[POA1]

Will try to convince DH that he can still take his tux but he hates those patent leather shoes.. Say's they are uncomfortable & wears his black loafers instead.

 

 

Last spring we cruised with my brother in law and he had a new pair of formal shoes that he said were as comfortable as sneakers. I'll try to find out why makes them.

 

I have a pair of Allen Edmonds Mayfair formal shoes. They're patent, but they're just as comfortable as any of my other dress shoes.

[DocF]

Last spring we cruised with my brother in law and he had a new pair of formal shoes that he said were as comfortable as sneakers. I'll try to find out why makes them.

 

I have a pair of Allen Edmonds Mayfair formal shoes. They're patent, but they're just as comfortable as any of my other dress shoes.

 

 

It is the bending over to tie shoes I hate. That is why I wear my best black loafers. If I could find some checker flag high tops like Kevin Olson used to wear to the USAC banquets, I would wear them.:eek:

[Tennessee Titan]

Whatever floats your boat.....

[POA1]

It is the bending over to tie shoes I hate. That is why I wear my best black loafers. If I could find some checker flag high tops like Kevin Olson used to wear to the USAC banquets, I would wear them.:eek:

Google "men's formal pumps" and "men's formal slippers." (Technically the latter are known as Prince Albert Slippers.) You can legitimately wear slippers to formal night with your tuxedo. They just need to be the right kind. ;)

[kelleherdl]

Google "men's formal pumps" and "men's formal slippers." (Technically the latter are known as Prince Albert Slippers.) You can legitimately wear slippers to formal night with your tuxedo. They just need to be the right kind. ;)

 

possible option for the non-patent-leather lovers... and for those who don't already have formal slippers..

 

I was in a Bass outlet just this week. They now have an ankle boot with inside zipper that has a pretty nice leather upper that would shine up nice. The store manager said they were a new addition. The upper was not embellished in any way and could be worn with a tux. The sole was a composite, but not thick. They were inexpensive as well. 69.95 on sale. I may still go back and get a pair myself.

 

Dennis

[POA1]

Will try to convince DH that he can still take his tux but he hates those patent leather shoes.. Say's they are uncomfortable & wears his black loafers instead.

 

 

Sorry that it took me so long to get back to you on this, but I just heard back from my DBIL. He highly recommends these shoes from Stacy Adams. The style is called Regalia.

 

http://www.stacyadams.com/shop/style/24743-001.html

 

If you prefer lace up shoes, then there's the style Royalty:

 

http://www.stacyadams.com/shop/style/24669-001.html

 

The slip ons are $60 and the lace up shoes are $65. My brother in law is a dancing machine, and he swears that the Regalia are the most comfortable formal shoes he's ever worn.

[Khaos WolfKat]

Sorry that it took me so long to get back to you on this, but I just heard back from my DBIL. He highly recommends these shoes from Stacy Adams. The style is called Regalia.

 

Wow! Those are really sharp! I usually just wear my cowboy boots, shined to a mirror finish, when I'm wearing a suit or tux, but those are actually kind of tempting.

[serendipity1499]

Sorry that it took me so long to get back to you on this, but I just heard back from my DBIL. He highly recommends these shoes from Stacy Adams. The style is called Regalia.

 

http://www.stacyadams.com/shop/style/24743-001.html

 

If you prefer lace up shoes, then there's the style Royalty:

 

http://www.stacyadams.com/shop/style/24669-001.html

 

The slip ons are $60 and the lace up shoes are $65. My brother in law is a dancing machine, and he swears that the Regalia are the most comfortable formal shoes he's ever worn.

 

Thanks for this info.. I looked them both up but neither one of them have a size 10 wide..Now, if he was willing to pay over $100 for a pair of shoes, then it would be no problem, but he hates to spend that for dress shoes.. I of course would spend it but not him..

 

His problem is, he is tall 6'2'' & has small but wide feet.. He actually has long legs & arms which make it very hard to even find clothes for him.. When he played softball for his volunteer fire dept., the other men used to call him "Bones".. Only reason he has a Tux is because he was in a Barbershop Chorus, & that was needed for them to sing in competition & shows.. LOL

 

Thanks for trying for me..

Edited July 12, 2015 by serendipity1499

[qsuzi]

Does POA1 have a pix of himself in a tux he would like to share? One that shows the shoes too?

Edited July 12, 2015 by qsuzi

[Khaos WolfKat]

Does POA1 have a pix of himself in a tux he would like to share? One that shows the shoes too?

I'll second the motion for him to show cause (for his claims of awesome shoes and tux wearing ;) )!