Dress Code

[SLSD]

20 minutes ago, frantic36 said:

Oh Yay, a dress code debate...someone bring the popcorn. 🍿.

 

 

These are my very favorite threads.  So much fun.  

[SLSD]

1 hour ago, geoffieg said:

What is the meaning of “jeans”?  Old style Levi blue jeans?  Modern expensive and tailored dress jeans that are not denim?  Jean style pants (patch back pockets)?  I dare say that if I wear my dress jeans on Ovation next week I will be better dressed than some. 

I don't know officially--but to me, jeans are denim.  Other fabrics are not really jeans.  Others may see it differently.  And I agree, a man wearing high quality dress jeans will be better dressed than a man in old or inexpensive dress pants.  That's a no brainer.  But, that is not the test.  It's mode of dress specified, not quality of dress.  By the way, I am looking for good dress jeans for my husband.  Any suggestions are welcome.  

[Hobar]

18 hours ago, SLSD said:

For clarification, you are saying that you wear jeans before 6pm at the Colonnade and the Patio during the day for breakfast or lunch?

 

No.  I am saying I wear jeans after 6 PM.  (Although on occasion during the day as well.)  

[cruiseej]

7 hours ago, geoffieg said:

What is the meaning of “jeans”?

 

Blue jeans? Black jeans? White jeans? High-end designer jeans which are distressed or ripped? 😉

 

It's a box Seabourn probably chooses not to open because it would be so hard to define what kind of jeans would or wouldn't be acceptable.

 

But they also create unnecessary confusion by saying the dress code requires women to wear "slacks" but not disallowing jeans (except in The Restaurant). So are jeans to be slacks? Are there some jeans which count as slacks and some which don't?

 

Ah, this can go on for years… 😉 

[rucrazy]

I personally get cold on cruises(not matter what the Itinerary).. I don't know what I would do if I couldn't wear my dark levi's in perfect condition during the day. just saying... 😃

[Asquare]

I would like to add more confusion…

In our part of Texas there really is thing called “dress jeans”, they are sent to the cleaners and come back highly starched and with a crease.  This is perfectly acceptable to wear to finer restaurants with a sport coat, bolo tie optional.  My husband looks better in those jeans than his “elegant casual” slacks…but alas they will be left home in favor of nice golf slacks.  We may never make it to The Restaurant.

[lincslady]

Just to add to the confusion - I have worn in the dining room for dinner  (not on a formal evening) black or white denim 'jeans' (with the back pockets covered by a top worn outside them).  Never a problem.  I think it is the blue denim colour that acts like a red rag to a bull for those who disapprove, plus the rivets and a belt.

[rucrazy]

18 minutes ago, Asquare said:

they are sent to the cleaners and come back highly starched and with a crease.

David sends ours to the cleaners as well....(and he is from Los Angeles) agree with a sport coat that combination can look amazing

[CabinBoy2020]

15 hours ago, SLSD said:

I don't know officially--but to me, jeans are denim.  Other fabrics are not really jeans.  Others may see it differently.  And I agree, a man wearing high quality dress jeans will be better dressed than a man in old or inexpensive dress pants.  That's a no brainer.  But, that is not the test.  It's mode of dress specified, not quality of dress.  By the way, I am looking for good dress jeans for my husband.  Any suggestions are welcome.  

 

I'm in Dallas, too.  I like AG Jeans at North Park Center, Neiman Marcus everywhere, and the Joe's brand from California. Of course, it depends on your husband's "shape."  I agree with you that high-quality jeans look much better than the "trousers" many men wear. I'll be on Odyssey soon and will wear jeans in the evening as appropriate.

 

Bill

[SLSD]

2 hours ago, Asquare said:

I would like to add more confusion…

In our part of Texas there really is thing called “dress jeans”, they are sent to the cleaners and come back highly starched and with a crease.  This is perfectly acceptable to wear to finer restaurants with a sport coat, bolo tie optional.  My husband looks better in those jeans than his “elegant casual” slacks…but alas they will be left home in favor of nice golf slacks.  We may never make it to The Restaurant.

I live in your part of Texas and I am aware of this custom.  I would love it if my husband would send nice jeans to the cleaners to be starched with a crease--but he is not into that.  I do think it is a good look.  My husband wears his dress cowboy boots with his tux (he did that last week),  so I get the norms for dressing in Texas.  He wouldn't do this in other locales, and didn't wear his cowboy boots with a suit when he appeared in court in NYC, but did it in Texas all the time.  

[SLSD]

1 hour ago, CabinBoy2020 said:

 

I'm in Dallas, too.  I like AG Jeans at North Park Center, Neiman Marcus everywhere, and the Joe's brand from California. Of course, it depends on your husband's "shape."  I agree with you that high-quality jeans look much better than the "trousers" many men wear. I'll be on Odyssey soon and will wear jeans in the evening as appropriate.

 

Bill

I'll take a look at the AG jeans at Neiman's as well as the other jeans recommended by others here.  Thank you for the recommendations.  I do help my husband with his shopping, but didn't know where to start to find true dress jeans.  He would not push the envelope or try to wear them if they were deemed inappropriate.  He does wear nice dress slacks with his sport coats.   

Edited April 5, 2022 by SLSD

[rucrazy]

4 minutes ago, SLSD said:

didn't wear his cowboy boots with a suit when he appeared in court in NYC, but did it in Texas all the time.  

Didn't McCloud do that? 😝

[SLSD]

8 minutes ago, rucrazy said:

Didn't McCloud do that? 😝

I don't know, but it is common in Texas and no one bats an eye.  Probably common in states like Wyoming and Colorado and New Mexico as well.  It's one of those cultural norms that may not transfer to other venues.  This is what I am talking about when we discuss differences in interpretations of dress codes.  What constitutes elegant casual?  What constitutes formal?  Both are somewhat different, for example in the US and in the UK.  

[Asquare]

That’s just it in a nutshell…the cultural differences in what constitutes appropriate dress.   I love it when the boots come out…but it’s not very often these days.  In some ways I think the men might have a harder time with the “dress code” than women.  I have been doing reconnaissance for jeans for my husband as well.  Thank you for the ideas…Nordstrom carries some of those brands as well.

[Tallante]

Since we are on the Dress Code topic regarding jeans, how about the percentage of cruisers wearing white dinner jackets or dinner suits on formal nights?

[SLSD]

58 minutes ago, Tallante said:

Since we are on the Dress Code topic regarding jeans, how about the percentage of cruisers wearing white dinner jackets or dinner suits on formal nights?

I see you live in Spain and I'm sure there are cultural norms for formal dress there that many of us know nothing about.  I have seen some white dinner jackets on Seabourn ships, but not very  many at all--maybe5 or 6 on any given cruise.   My husband has never owned one as an adult.  

 

 I live in Texas and have attended a fair number of formal occasions and can tell you that in the last 25 years, I have see nonly a VERY FEW men in white dinner jackets at any of these occasions.  The men wearing them were all in their 90s.  And when I saw them, I was in my 50s (I am going to be 70 this month).  No one younger than that was ever wearing a white dinner jacket .  My husband says they were popular in his rural hometown when he was 14 or 15 years old--and his little town was very backwater.  There is no chance that my husband or anyone else that I know would ever have one.  

 

 

I'm not even sure what you mean by a dinner suit.  Are you talking about a tuxedo?

 

We have seen tuxedos on Seabourn--I can't give you a percentage--but maybe 15% of men might be wearing them on a formal night.  

Edited April 5, 2022 by SLSD

[Isklaar]

SLSD, Dinner jacket and dinner suit are used in British English to mean a tuxedo. Can you see how hard the English language is for those of us who do not have it as our first language? 😀

 

Tallante, in my experience on Seabourn the percentage of dinner jacket wearers varies greatly according to itinerary. I'd say it averages around 20% in recent years. White dinner jackets are quite rare but on the Christmas/NY cruises you're likely to see one or two.

[rucrazy]

1 hour ago, Tallante said:

wearing white dinner jackets or dinner suits on formal nights?

Regardless of the cruise line we sail we ALWAYS wear our tuxes on formal nights.. But that is more for us than anyone else.. We still enjoy the dress up party!

[SLSD]

42 minutes ago, Isklaar said:

SLSD, Dinner jacket and dinner suit are used in British English to mean a tuxedo. Can you see how hard the English language is for those of us who do not have it as our first language? 😀

 

Tallante, in my experience on Seabourn the percentage of dinner jacket wearers varies greatly according to itinerary. I'd say it averages around 20% in recent years. White dinner jackets are quite rare but on the Christmas/NY cruises you're likely to see one or two.

Isklaar, I can only imagine what English is like for those who do not have it as their first language.  You do an admirable job in such a minefield of words. 

 

What I am finally understanding is that expectations for formal dress and even elegant casual dress are so different depending on where you live.  I remember reading something a few years ago on this board which really struck me.  Someone said, "I don't understand why American men are always wearing brown pants."  I finally understood that the writer of this was referring to what we call khaki pants in the United States.  These khaki pants are considered very traditional classics and many men wear them with navy blue sports coats (blazers) and are expected to wear this kind of pants unless they are wearing dress pants (usually gray).  You can go into any fine clothing store in the US and khaki pants are recommended with a navy blue blazer.  Evidently, this is not the cultural norm in the UK.  

 

And, by the same token, not a single man we know in the US wears a white dinner jacket.  Now, this could well differ in another part of the country and we could be unaware.  Also, no one really wants to wear a tuxedo here--but many men have them (my husband included).  The tuxedos (dinner suits?) are brought out when an occasion insists upon it.  My husband has worn his tuxedo on scores of occasions.  It just doesn't seem that special these days.  

 

I DO understand why some chafe at the idea of formal wear.  And, I will have to admit that I like seeing everyone dressed up , but it doesn't have to be white dinner jackets and tuxedos.  Others probably see this differently and I completely respect their view.  

 

You are are going to laugh at this, but I am beginning to think that my husband should get a white dinner jacket just to be different (but where are they even sold?)  And what kind of pants are worn with white dinner jackets?

Edited April 5, 2022 by SLSD

[markham]

White dinner jackets are worn south of Lisbon and north of Buenos Aires as per UK naval tradition. So while gentlemen are enjoying warm weather cruising in a white dinner jacket is a smart look. I see no reason not to travel with both white and black dinner jackets on Seabourn long itineraries’ formal nights. The ladies appreciate the gesture as we differentiate ourselves from those wearing lounge suits and (aarrgghh) business suits and especially loafers (the name says it all).

 

Why not make an occasion out of it? A little glamour goes a long way these days! And if not now, when?

Happy and healthy sailing!

 

 

 

[SLSD]

3 minutes ago, markham said:

White dinner jackets are worn south of Lisbon and north of Buenos Aires as per UK naval tradition. So while gentlemen are enjoying warm weather cruising in a white dinner jacket is a smart look. I see no reason not to travel with both white and black dinner jackets on Seabourn long itineraries’ formal nights. The ladies appreciate the gesture as we differentiate ourselves from those wearing lounge suits and (aarrgghh) business suits and especially loafers (the name says it all).

 

Why not make an occasion out of it? A little glamour goes a long way these days! And if not now, when?

Happy and healthy sailing!

 

 

 

Thank you for the explanation of the British naval tradition.  See my post above where I am coming around to the idea of a white dinner jacket.  And yes, if not now--when?  https://www.neimanmarcus.com/s/?from=brSearch&responsive=true&request_type=search&search_type=keyword&q=white dinner jacket&l=white dinner jacket&fl=

 

Edited April 5, 2022 by SLSD

[SLSD]

6 minutes ago, markham said:

 The ladies appreciate the gesture as we differentiate ourselves from those wearing lounge suits and (aarrgghh) business suits and especially loafers (the name says it all).

 

And what is a lounge suit? 

[CabinBoy2020]

6 hours ago, SLSD said:

I live in your part of Texas and I am aware of this custom.  I would love it if my husband would send nice jeans to the cleaners to be starched with a crease--but he is not into that.  I do think it is a good look.  My husband wears his dress cowboy boots with his tux (he did that last week),  so I get the norms for dressing in Texas.  He wouldn't do this in other locales, and didn't wear his cowboy boots with a suit when he appeared in court in NYC, but did it in Texas all the time.  

 

I moved to Texas from California (like so many others) and was delighted to see men in well-made business suits and beautiful cowboy boots.  Sometimes also a handsome cowboy hat.  Now that would really cause a commotion on Seabourn!

[rucrazy]

Language is wonderful, I love to see and hear the variances depending on the region of the world / country we visit.

[dcl999]

We’ve always avoided Seabourne  because of the pictures in the brochures. The only time my husband wears a suit is at a wedding or funeral and wears a sport coat and khakis only with reluctance. It’s rare that I pack more than black slacks and a few nice tops. We’re more of llbean than designer.  From the postings to this thread it sounds like we might be okay.