How strict are the dress code themes?

[bergenbird]

Yet another dress code question: for a black and white night, would it be permitted to wear a silver ballgown? I know, I know, but I don't have a long black dress, only a fancy shorter black cocktail dress, and I am so eager to wear the ballgown...

[Host Hattie]

Of course, the themes are only suggestions. I'm sure it will look wonderful. 

[BigMac1953]

Probably only 10-15% stick rigidly to the theme, and mostly, they are the ballroom dancers.

[exlondoner]

I would say that last month almost everyone in the QG was adhering to the black and white theme, which a silver gown would do perfectly.

[2Oldpeopleinlove]

Silver sounds fabulous! 💜

[naturelovergirl]

The dress code is formal on a Gala night- some people might give a nod to the theme (that would be us), others may go all out with the theme, while some people do not do the theme at all.

The main thing is to dress formal.

Oh, and have fun!

[WantedOnVoyage]

We just say NO to the odd Cunard morphing of dressing for dinner with a costume party. And we are certainly not alone.  

 

It's curious that Cunard, given the innate resistence nowadays to any sort of "dress code" for cruising (or work or anything) would add on another layer of potential angst and worry with this "theme" concept.  Personally, I think it's nonsense bordering on balderdash. 

 

So if it's not your thing... forget it.  You will not stand out or feel alone, trust me. 

[Rothko1]

You'll fit right in, in a silver ballgown.  Enjoy!

[neeuqdrazil]

I've only dressed to 'theme' once during my 3 TAs/7 gala nights, and no one batted an eyelid. 

[D&N]

There was of course one theme night when we intentionally dressed for the wrong theme.

 

Our trip had two Roaring Twenties Gala nights. The first had originally been listed as a Masquerade night.

 

We dressed as planned for the Masquerade theme, although we only donned our masks for some of our own and some of the professional photos.

 

I don't think anyone really noticed and we certainly didn't feel out of place.

[lissie]

The themes are entirely optional. I do have b&w because that's what I wear for all my formal nights. Ithink its a bit of a shame because some people treat it like a  fancy dress up night which its not - its a formal night 

[tv24]

Silver?  Woo!  You go!

[neeuqdrazil]

On 6/21/2023 at 12:43 AM, lissie said:

The themes are entirely optional. I do have b&w because that's what I wear for all my formal nights. Ithink its a bit of a shame because some people treat it like a  fancy dress up night which its not - its a formal night 

 

On my last TA, there was a ... gentleman ... in full Tarzan getup on one of the gala nights. 

[exlondoner]

Just now, neeuqdrazil said:

 

On my last TA, there was a ... gentleman ... in full Tarzan getup on one of the gala nights. 

What theme was that?

[neeuqdrazil]

4 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

What theme was that?

I think it was the Masquerade? 

[exlondoner]

9 minutes ago, neeuqdrazil said:

I think it was the Masquerade? 

Hmm.

[Rothko1]

29 minutes ago, neeuqdrazil said:

 

On my last TA, there was a ... gentleman ... in full Tarzan getup on one of the gala nights. 

 

How do you not know that that was the real Tarzan and not just an imposter?

[WoorimBeachLady]

We honestly just make a token effort. Or don’t. It’s up to you if you are the sort of person who likes fancy dress or not. 

[ballroom-cruisers]

Irrespective of discussions on the forums on all the voyages we have been on, including the QM2 voyage that returned from the Mediterranean yesterday, the majority of passengers dress in traditional evening wear on Smart Attire evenings, and dress to the nines on Gala nights, even if the theme is not something that has a lot of adherence. The masquerade Gala evenings have almost everyone in Formal dress/tux/suits and lovely evening dresses, even if only a smattering wear masks.  However for Black and White nights almost everyone follows the dress code, but then that is easier than the Masquerade theme. Quite a few have tassels or flapper dresses, and ladies wearing headbands and pearls for the Roaring 20s evenings, but almost everyone else is in formal wear for that evening, even if not in 20s style. It is very apparent that dinner looks pretty formal on Gala nights, and clear that very few aren't dressed for the occasion, including passengers new to Cunard. So the traditional dress code is largely being adhered to and that has been the case on all three ships on the voyages we have been on.

[D&N]

There is of course no need to follow any theme other than the Gala Night dress code.

 

However themes such as Black & White, Red & Gold or Ice White are fairly clear to most folk.

 

A few people mistake the intentions of Masquerade and Roaring 20s as being fancy dress/halloween party themes.

I'm sure the intentions are to recreate the elegance of aristocratic Venetian and 1920s events rather than to dress up as Batman & Robin 🦸‍♂️ or 1920s gangsters (can't find an emoji).

[Victoria2]

On 6/19/2023 at 3:27 PM, bergenbird said:

Yet another dress code question: for a black and white night, would it be permitted to wear a silver ballgown? I know, I know, but I don't have a long black dress, only a fancy shorter black cocktail dress, and I am so eager to wear the ballgown...

I follow the black and white/red and gold themes purely because I have those colours in my wardrobe. The other themes are my normal formal wear so your colours sound great.

Only a small percentage actually adhere faithfully to the other themes, and some [Roaring 20s here] going more fancy dress  than a formal interpretation.

 

Not sure where Tarzan fits in to any of the Gala themes.

[Victoria2]

2 minutes ago, D&N said:

There is of course no need to follow any theme other than the Gala Night dress code.

 

However themes such as Black & White, Red & Gold or Ice White are fairly clear to most folk.

 

A few people mistake the intentions of Masquerade and Roaring 20s as being fancy dress/halloween party themes.

I'm sure the intentions are to recreate the elegance of aristocratic Venetian and 1920s events rather than to dress up as Batman & Robin 🦸‍♂️ or 1920s gangsters (can't find an emoji).

You beat me to it.

[exlondoner]

1 hour ago, ballroom-cruisers said:

Irrespective of discussions on the forums on all the voyages we have been on, including the QM2 voyage that returned from the Mediterranean yesterday, the majority of passengers dress in traditional evening wear on Smart Attire evenings, and dress to the nines on Gala nights, even if the theme is not something that has a lot of adherence. The masquerade Gala evenings have almost everyone in Formal dress/tux/suits and lovely evening dresses, even if only a smattering wear masks.  However for Black and White nights almost everyone follows the dress code, but then that is easier than the Masquerade theme. Quite a few have tassels or flapper dresses, and ladies wearing headbands and pearls for the Roaring 20s evenings, but almost everyone else is in formal wear for that evening, even if not in 20s style. It is very apparent that dinner looks pretty formal on Gala nights, and clear that very few aren't dressed for the occasion, including passengers new to Cunard. So the traditional dress code is largely being adhered to and that has been the case on all three ships on the voyages we have been on.

I think I agree with all of this, except I don’t understand what you mean by traditional evening wear on smart attire evenings, unless it is that a surprisingly large number of men wear a tie.

[ballroom-cruisers]

Yes at least the vast majority on the Gala theme evenings dress in style and don't try to go in fancy dress. It is thankfully regarded by most as an elegant evening of classy atmosphere, with a small minority overdoing it, with an occasional man carrying an inflatable plastic machine gun on a Roaring Twenties evening, or an occasional couple dressed as if they are farmers out to tend their cattle, but it is clear the overwhelming majority just dressed elegantly in nice evening formal clothes.

[WantedOnVoyage]

What do they say about intentions? If the result is "an occasional man carrying an inflatable plastic machine gun," I might suggest it's well past time to retire the "Roaring Twenties" theme altogether. 

 

How about instead ladies and gentlemen dress as, well, ladies and gentlemen should on a formal night on a Cunarder?  And leave the costumes to the brochure models.