Cunard Ladies Dress Question

[elmsliebev]

Roman have provided me with some lovely things. 

I don't know if Debenhams still have an online store, they were always good for cruise frocks too. 

[Victoria2]

13 hours ago, RedMeerkat said:

TK Max, Matalan and your local charity shops.  Yes, really, and scouring the charity shops was way more fun than buying expensive new stuff.  

My mother used to love her ''charity runs'' and being a fabulous seamstress, would alter and adapt whatever she bought into  one offs. I have a wonderful photo of my parents at a Cunard World dinner in Hong Kong and I know for a fact her outfit pre tampering was under £10.

 

Although I do have expensive clothes, I also like M&S which I use for some  day time basic separates, mostly white jeans and denim cut offs, and  camisole tops. Very affordable and easy to co ordinate with other items. One of my favourite long dresses is an M&S Sale item. Not seen it anywhere else and I love it. Looks very expensive and yet I know how little it cost.

 

To Holidayfun141, don't get hung up on clothes. There will always be the  be peacocks around and then there will be the rest of us who dress to suit our  wallets and more important, our figures which in my case, is most definitely not of the Vogue model variety.

[Holidayfun141]

Thank you to everyone for all the information.

I am now on a mission to visit all the charity shops.

I had been interested in Shein and Ever Pretty but the reviews were not very good.

I miss Debenhams as it was my first stop for clothing.

 

[2Oldpeopleinlove]

53 minutes ago, Holidayfun141 said:

Thank you to everyone for all the information.

I am now on a mission to visit all the charity shops.

I had been interested in Shein and Ever Pretty but the reviews were not very good.

I miss Debenhams as it was my first stop for clothing.

 

Good for you…and the planet! And UK charity shops are even better than the good ones we have here. We never fail to visit at least a few when we come over.

[D&N]

6 hours ago, Holidayfun141 said:

I had been interested in Shein and Ever Pretty but the reviews were not very good.

We've used SHEIN for nearly 3 years. My wife has 3 Ever-Pretty dresses (awaiting 4th). All are well made and did fit when bought. We've been delighted or pleased with most stuff. A green pleated jump suit you'll find in an old thread of mine is stunning!

One garment was as photo but the fabric was horrid, straight to bin. 2 items were wrong, size or item different from bag label. Both times return label promptly provided and refunded when La Poste scanned as I handed it over.

 

Our issue is that some items ordered before my wife dropped 2/3 dress sizes over the last 2 years to a healthy weight is now a bit big.  She has some larger relatives, so we give hardly or unworn stuff away.

 

Deliveries from China take between 6 and 14 days to France.  We get 25-30% off if we place an order over €105. You do need to take care. They give the model's sizes and you can compare them with the garment size. If there's customer feedback with photos we compare colours taken in their snaps and how the garment sits on real people.

 

The latest Ever-Pretty dress was seen on their own site but detective work found it on SHEIN much cheaper with discount. The red one will be her first BABYONLINE D.R.E.S.S. the model claims to be 1cm taller and her dress 5cm shorter than our order. Hoping the outer layer can be easily trimmed if too long for dancing, otherwise we have alteration services nearby.

 

Both Ever-Pretty and BABYONLINE D.R.E.S.S. do bespoke sizes on their own sites and we have a gorgeous grey gown from JJ's House, which are another specialist dress site. Can be quite expensive though unless it's a reduced line.

[doog442]

The better half who knows her stuff states Monsoon.. quote 'they do beautiful beaded and velvet dresses'

 

I have to agree, she wears it well as do my two daughters. The returns policy is excellent, no quibble. 

[LibertyBella]

Dressing up is part of the highlight of a Cunard cruise for us! 

 

If you ever make it to Philadelphia, PA, we have a large mall nearby and some of my favorite stores for gown/dress shopping are Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's, Macy's, and Nordstrom.  We also have a Saks Fifth Avenue nearby, but they have more online than in person.

 

One of my favorite stores, Lord & Taylor, permanently closed but they still sell gowns online. 

 

In the US we have many, many frequent sales, and there are also lots of coupon opportunities.  

Also we have two or three malls just full of outlet stores--they sell regular new merchandise at bargain prices--as well as off-price stores like TJ Maxx and Marshall's.

 

I am too old to go looking in thrift shops for bargains, but my nieces like to do that.

 

We always love to take photos on the cruise ships.  The photographers on the QM2 told us last Summer that the British are more "shy" about taking photos as compared to Americans, so that is why the photography studios on the Cunard ships are more subdued.

 

Here is my newest dress purchase for my next cruise (Princess, not Cunard). 

 

 

[Victoria2]

3 hours ago, LibertyBella said:

Dressing up is part of the highlight of a Cunard cruise for us! 

 

If you ever make it to Philadelphia, PA, we have a large mall nearby and some of my favorite stores for gown/dress shopping are Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's, Macy's, and Nordstrom.  We also have a Saks Fifth Avenue nearby, but they have more online than in person.

 

One of my favorite stores, Lord & Taylor, permanently closed but they still sell gowns online. 

 

In the US we have many, many frequent sales, and there are also lots of coupon opportunities.  

Also we have two or three malls just full of outlet stores--they sell regular new merchandise at bargain prices--as well as off-price stores like TJ Maxx and Marshall's.

 

I am too old to go looking in thrift shops for bargains, but my nieces like to do that.

 

We always love to take photos on the cruise ships.  The photographers on the QM2 told us last Summer that the British are more "shy" about taking photos as compared to Americans, so that is why the photography studios on the Cunard ships are more subdued.

 

Here is my newest dress purchase for my next cruise (Princess, not Cunard). 

 

 

Now that, is a DRESS!! I wish I could wear that.

 

My first visit to Lord & Taylor was the Rittenhouse Square store. I've still got two articles of clothing I bought there and that was so long ago. Classic stuff.

Just had a look at their web site. Some great long dresses. Next time I visit our Boston friends, I might order online.

[D&N]

Should have mentioned "Chesca". I believe they only deliver to UK & Ireland. They do from UK size 12 to 24. My wife has 2 x 16s, both worn last June on QM2. First bought full price in John Lewis' Oxford St and the other in their online sale. Their styles are very forgiving but although she would probably be ok with their 12s now, the 16s don't look really big.

 

There are services available that will provide a relay address in UK or many other countries then forward to you, charging for the shipping and customs fees.

[BestGuessed]

I have found Phase Eight to be a very useful source of nice evening wear and have at least half a dozen long evening gowns from there which I regularly take on cruises with me.

[Victoria2]

32 minutes ago, BestGuessed said:

I have found Phase Eight to be a very useful source of nice evening wear and have at least half a dozen long evening gowns from there which I regularly take on cruises with me.

I've bought some lovely floaty silk tops from them too. They go really well with pedal pushers during the day.

[D&N]

Nora's last night dress was below knee Cornelli style from Phase Eight. It would look great on sizes above and below it's label. It can be crushed in a bag and come out perfect.

She has another that we felt was a bit wedding'ish for Cunard.

I think we've only ever paid sale prices for their stuff.

 

Next Direct are another good source, with lots of different labels that may not be in their shops.

[navybankerteacher]

On 1/13/2023 at 11:25 PM, LibertyBella said:

…

 

I am too old to go looking in thrift shops for bargains, but my nieces like to do that.

 

….

 

Here is my newest dress purchase for my next cruise (Princess, not Cunard). 

 

 

You certainly do not look “too old” for thrift shop bargain hunting.🫢

[2BACRUISER]

On 1/13/2023 at 1:33 PM, Holidayfun141 said:

Thank you to everyone for all the information.

I am now on a mission to visit all the charity shops.

I had been interested in Shein and Ever Pretty but the reviews were not very good.

I miss Debenhams as it was my first stop for clothing.

 

If you go on Vinted you can filter clothes from brands that no longer trade Debut by Debenhams is one of my go to there are some marvellous bargains to be had, most new with tags or worn once for a special do. I got a beautiful black and white Julien Mcdonald dress for £10. Also have a look on line at John Lewis sale now on 👍

Edited January 15, 2023 by 2BACRUISER
Typo

[LibertyBella]

9 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

You certainly do not look “too old” for thrift shop bargain hunting.🫢

 

 

Thank you so very much, but that is not my body in the photo, although I did buy that dress (probably in a larger size than the model)!!

[buchanan101]

Generally not ball gown type stuff, but OH bought a couple of nice knee length dresses* from Hobbs for our crossing. Hobbs are also in John Lewis but better selection in their own shops/online

 

(*reminds me of Wordle from a day or two ago ... "frock"..does anyone call dresses "frocks" any more?)

[exlondoner]

4 minutes ago, buchanan101 said:

Generally not ball gown type stuff, but OH bought a couple of nice knee length dresses* from Hobbs for our crossing. Hobbs are also in John Lewis but better selection in their own shops/online

 

(*reminds me of Wordle from a day or two ago ... "frock"..does anyone call dresses "frocks" any more?)

Yes.

[navybankerteacher]

3 hours ago, exlondoner said:

Yes.

Absolutely - of course it depends upon the dress — some are frocks, some are not.   Somewhat comparable to the terms “men” and “gentlemen”  - some men are gentlemen, some are not.

[Victoria2]

4 hours ago, buchanan101 said:

Generally not ball gown type stuff, but OH bought a couple of nice knee length dresses* from Hobbs for our crossing. Hobbs are also in John Lewis but better selection in their own shops/online

 

(*reminds me of Wordle from a day or two ago ... "frock"..does anyone call dresses "frocks" any more?)

My Grandmother used to. 🙂

[Victoria2]

29 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Absolutely - of course it depends upon the dress — some are frocks, some are not.   Somewhat comparable to the terms “men” and “gentlemen”  - some men are gentlemen, some are not.

Not sure where your  analogy fits.

[buchanan101]

16 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Not sure where your  analogy fits.

I think it’s “all gentlemen are men but not all men are gentlemen” type analogy. 

[Host Hattie]

Must be used differently on the other side of the Atlantic, I'm pretty sure all dresses could be frocks here.

[Victoria2]

15 minutes ago, buchanan101 said:

I think it’s “all gentlemen are men but not all men are gentlemen” type analogy. 

and frocks, apart from the frock coat, are dresses so  I ask again, where does the analogy fit?

[D&N]

The red dress turned up today and the purple last Saturday.

The overlay on the red dress is 3 layers of soft net without a hem. We will carefully trim them to the level of the under lay (which is hemmed) and that will make it safe to dance in. My wife finds it difficult to make "heel turns" in heels of over 3".

The purple will be a candidate for a smart night on our next QM2 crossing, but will probably get used going to restaurants here.

 

We got our cyber girls to model them for us....

 

[navybankerteacher]

5 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

Must be used differently on the other side of the Atlantic, I'm pretty sure all dresses could be frocks here.

I suppose all dresses can be thought of as frocks, but some frocks are hardly properly referred to as dresses - those long garments worn by monks, or those protective outer garments also sometimes referred to as smocks - which would also include pinafores - which some, I suppose, could wear as dresses.