Ladies do you wear your formal wear for more than 1 cruise?

[Turtle05]

I always re-wear mine. I don't have ballgowns but I do have a couple floor length formal dresses. I usually take one floor length formal and one cocktail dress.

[BND]

I re-wear all my cruise clothes. While I wear cocktail length for cruises now, I used to take long formal gowns and everyone (I had 2 or 3) were worn on several cruises. I'd still be wearing a couple of them if most still dressed up and if they still fit lol.

 

No one is going to know or care if you re-wear.

[vegasgal47]

I absolutely wear my gowns and cocktail dresses multiple times. Frequently I repeat within a year or two; last cruise I pulled out a dress I had gotten back in the 90s and it fit just great and looked totally classic. It went on that cruise, and I got lots of compliments. I got it at a charity store, by the way, as I do with most of my formalwear.

That's not to say I never shop again because I have eight or so great dresses. I still look, and sometimes buy.

 

 

 

Theres no reason not to wear it again. You’re probably not going to see the same people on another cruise. [emoji4].

 

I used to dress up. Too much to pack. Now I bring one pair of dressy pants and some sparkly or dressy tops.

 

 

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[Madden05]

I am bringing a dress I have worn before. I do not have any too many opportunities to wear formal dresses.

What do people wear for smart casual?

 

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[scubaslayer]

I don't understand why anyone would spend that much money (or any amount, for that matter) on an outfit that they only wear once. Why, ladies, is it that you would only wear an outfit one time?

 

I am going to give you your answer Ken. I don't hold to this rule entirely but I do have several dresses for this reason. My husband is military and has a formal once or twice (and if they are really obnoxious 3) times a year. The reason you don't wear the same dress to more than one is so that you are not going to a formal occasion, with the same people, dressed the same every time. They tend to be in the same unit for 2-3 years and there is always that group that looks down on you if they see you in the same dress more than twice over a few years. So we bargain shop. If I see a gown I like, at a great price, I grab it. Even if the last formal was a week ago and I may not wear it for a year or more. However, I am cheap and believe in rotating my gowns. I have had 6 or 7 that I wear until they are worn out, don't fit, or I just don't like the style anymore. The line of thought that you can only wear it once, makes no sense for cruising. What are the chances you would see these people often enough to care about wearing the same outfit again? That entire thing is about status and showing off anyway. For our cruise, I took one formal gown and a cocktail dress. Will I wear the same ones next time? Possibly, it will depend on my mood when packing.

 

As to the OP, if you want a gown, go for it. Ross, Amazon, and even thrift stores have great deals on formal wear if the full price is more than you wish to spend.

[goldgirl2]

I bought a beautiful fancy evening gown at a second hand store for $14.00. I have brought it on every cruise. I love dressing up on formal nights!

 

 

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[nealstuber]

Theres no reason not to wear it again. You’re probably not going to see the same people on another cruise. [emoji4].

 

 

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One reason for different outfits is its nice not to be in the same clothes for all of your vacation photos.

 

 

 

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[ditmar2007]

Does something go wrong with it after wearing once?

 

This!

 

I’ve never understood the concept of not wearing a garment again.

[GUT2407]

Why wouldn’t you wear it on more than one cruise:o:confused:

[Dixie1337]

We have always dressed up for formal night but never actually in “formal wear”. I was thinking about getting a long formal dress but not sure I can justify $200 to only wear once. I would have no reason to wear a gown on land :). I’m thinking if I wore it for a couple cruises maybe. What is everyone else’s experience?

 

 

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more than one cruise? I wear it more than 1 night on the same cruise LOL

[ReneeFLL]

Ok, I'm going to tell you a dirty little secret. I was on a cruise that had 3 formal nights. I only brought 2 gowns so I wore one of them twice. :eek: I have about 8 gowns so I switch them around. I just didn't feel like traveling with 3 of them. We usually sit with different people doing my time dining and even if we sat with the same people I still would have only taken 2. I would rather wear a gown twice than wear some of the clothes that I have seen others in. I definately would spend the money if you would wear it more than one time.

[mollyeilis]

I messed up the quote, but photos were mentioned. Early on I was taught by my friends that accessories were everything.

 

Which was good, because we didn’t have a lot of money.

 

For my junior prom (in ‘86) I got a dress that was tea length with an underskirt that would make it floor length. It was white (oh the 80s). Wore it with the light pink waist sash it came with and matching shoes etc, tea length. Then I was asked to senior prom, and I wore it full length with a different color sash (dark red) and got red shoes etc. A year later I went to my senior prom, went floor length again, with a wide blue sash, and re-died the pink shoes to match and had blue accessories.

 

A couple friends of mine never realized it was the same dress.

 

Plus we never do pictures anymore for cruises. We never look at them so what’s the point?

 

 

 

We have always dressed up for formal night but never actually in “formal wear”. I was thinking about getting a long formal dress but not sure I can justify $200 to only wear once.

 

 

If I wore the same dress to three events inside of just over a year, with all the same people in attendance, of course I would rewear a dress on different cruises.

 

I am going to give you your answer Ken. I don't hold to this rule entirely but I do have several dresses for this reason. My husband is military and has a formal once or twice (and if they are really obnoxious 3) times a year. The reason you don't wear the same dress to more than one is so that you are not going to a formal occasion, with the same people, dressed the same every time. They tend to be in the same unit for 2-3 years and there is always that group that looks down on you if they see you in the same dress more than twice over a few years.

 

 

 

I would be so irked to feel the need to dress for those women, especially since the husbands are wearing the same thing each time. But I know that being a military wife isn’t easy, and you do get your picture taken. So that’s one exception. :)

[misty57]

I've had 3 Mother of the bride/ groom gowns/dresses. I have worn the full length gowns once each on cruises but the most recent one is 5 years old and knee length. I too found it at Nordstoms and had it altered then. I have worn it once or twice each year since. I have truly gotten my $ worth and will continue to wear it until it is too outdated or falls apart! I usually wear that one on the first formal night and then just another dress or skirt that I would wear to church for the second formal night. I wear what I want and don't care what anyone else wears. :D

[L1211]

If you are interested in dressing up for formal night and cruise more than 1 time a year, you could definitely justify that purchase of a dress. Everyone is different when it comes to what to wear for formal night. I personally don't get dolled up for it anymore...I'd go in my PJs if it wouldn't raise too many eyebrows lol

 

 

I hear you!!!

New to RCI, been sailing NCL and don't do "formal" but certainly appreciate that some love it! I used to on my cruises in the 80s but my vacation views and life have certainly evolved over the years... I need to do more research on dress!!!

We'll likely do 4/5 nights speciality restaurants MDR only a few times at night. Do speciality restaurants have formal nights? Thanks for any input!!!

 

 

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[aubreyc1988]

I hear you!!!

New to RCI, been sailing NCL and don't do "formal" but certainly appreciate that some love it! I used to on my cruises in the 80s but my vacation views and life have certainly evolved over the years... I need to do more research on dress!!!

We'll likely do 4/5 nights speciality restaurants MDR only a few times at night. Do speciality restaurants have formal nights? Thanks for any input!!!

 

 

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the formal nights are "Ship wide" so you won't look out of place dressed up anywhere on the ship! usually i just take a pair of dress pants and a nice shirt these days or a short simple dress, but you can get away with jeans and a shirt if you want as well...like you said, to each their own! I personally don't get bothered by what anyone wears on a cruise, especially in the dining room...I'm too focused on my plate :hearteyes:

[sellwingri]

Does anyone know if people dress up more on Australian and New Zealand and/or transatlantic cruises?

[Desert Cruizers]

I did buy a long dress for our first two cruises, but have now cut back and wear my nicer black pants and change out the top for each formal night, sometimes wearing a top twice for the first & last formal night. Casual nights, I will bring 5 different slacks and alternate during the week and repeat the 2nd week with a different top. Some I will wear 2 to 3 times over the two weeks I cruise.

[grest]

Interesting....some people are fine with jeans, so why not formal wear, and why not more than once? If this is what you feel good in, go for it.

[griffy116]

We used to go full-blown long gowns but over the years, we've gone more and more toward packing light and more toward "acceptable" formal wear that doesn't include the long flowing gowns. Everyone is different and you won't be out of place with a long formal gown. I have a spare closet and when we return from a cruise, the clothes are laundered and dry-cleaned and most of them go right back into the "cruise closet." I take a pair of dressy black slacks paired with two different tops. I now have a few different choices of tops but I still have my "go to" slacks. These mix and match outfits have gone on about 10 cruises and I've yet to run into anyone that recognizes them (other than my daughters who go with me on these cruises). I can assure you that if I spent that much for a one-night gown, it would be worn on multiple cruises. The only way you will have anyone know you wore it on more than one cruise is if you have formal photos taken on each cruise and this dress is the same one in all the photos.

[JimAOk1945]

My wife wears long floor length gowns on every cruise. She wears the same ones on each cruise but she changes the accessories to give them a different look. I love the way she looks and I am glad she takes the time to get "dolled up" for me!

[ditmar2007]

Ok, I'm going to tell you a dirty little secret. I was on a cruise that had 3 formal nights. I only brought 2 gowns so I wore one of them twice. :eek: I have about 8 gowns so I switch them around. I just didn't feel like traveling with 3 of them. We usually sit with different people doing my time dining and even if we sat with the same people I still would have only taken 2. I would rather wear a gown twice than wear some of the clothes that I have seen others in. I definately would spend the money if you would wear it more than one time.

 

I have a gown that I can wash in the sink, and it'll dry in three hours. It's supposed to be wrinkled - it's part of the design.

 

I asked the dressmaker to make me a dress that would withstand a suitcase, a sink wash, and five kilograms more weight on me.

 

She did. I have a gown that will last me the rest of my life (I don't use gowns very often)

[mek]

One reason for different outfits is its nice not to be in the same clothes for all of your vacation photos.

 

 

 

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Who takes photos? LOL

[JimAOk1945]

We do, on every cruise. I always think of each cruise as if it might be our last. Life is unpredictable. I want to have as many pictures of our time together as I can get.

Who takes photos? LOL

[poncho1973]

I always think of each cruise as if it might be our last. Life is unpredictable.

 

Oh wow.

[motherof]

Youngest daughter-of is getting married this June. Is it wrong that my second thought after finding the perfect mother-of-the-bride dress (on clearance for less than half price, no less!) was how great it would be for our cruise? ;p Cruising Daughter-of will have her bridesmaid dress, plus another formal dress she got for another wedding (and found on the clearance-of-the-clearance rack at Nordstrom Rack - a $600+ dress marked down to $32 that is stunning on her). And I still have the formalwear from my previous cruises, so I'm good to go. So, yes, I do re-use my formal dresses, even without paying anywhere near $200 for them.