Gala Night Query

[The Med]

I’m looking at the theme nights and I know what I would wear for a 20’s night but what do the Gents wear?
 

Also what is a masquerade ball dress code?
Is it just a ball gown worn with a mask?

 

I’m really not keen on these theme nights. I absolutely love wearing a gorgeous gown but of my own colour choosing.

I own some lovely dresses and yet on Cunard it seems that I won’t  get a chance to wear them.

[bluemarble]

Don't stress over the theme nights. Participation in the themes is entirely optional. By all means wear the lovely dresses you had in mind if you'd prefer not to dress according to the themes. You won't be a bit out of place dressing according to the standard gala evening dress code regardless of the theme. In my experience, participation in the themes is not all that high in the main dining room for the Roaring Twenties and Masquerade themes. The participation rate does tend to go up at the gala balls in the Queen Room, but even then not everyone dresses according to the themes.

 

For the record, this is a few years old, but here is what I have for Cunard's suggested attire for the Roaring Twenties and Masquerade themes.

 

Roaring Twenties

Formal Wear
Gentlemen – Double breasted pin-striped suit or tailcoat & waistcoat. Fedora or top hat
Ladies – Flapper dresses, feather boas, beads, headbands and gloves

 

Masquerade

Formal Wear
Gentlemen - Domino masks
Ladies – Fans and harlequin masks
Any Venetian Mardi Gras style masks can be worn
(a selection are available for purchase on the night)

[3rdGenCunarder]

Participation in Roaring 20's varies. I saw good participation on QE last year. I think for men, a dinner suit (tux) with a wing-collar shirt looks very Gatsby and fits the theme. The pinstripe suit and fedora @bluemarble quoted above is going for a 1920's gangster look--think Al Capone. I don't think I've seen anyone dressed like that.

 

I love my flapper dress. It's comfortable, fun to wear, and easy to pack. I would love to take a feather boa, but that is not easy to pack. 

 

Masquerade is only for dancing in the Queens Room, and even then, not everyone bothers. It is not a costume/fancy dress event. 

 

There are few occasions these days to bring out the posh frocks, so pack your favorites and enjoy.

[Victoria2]

7 hours ago, The Med said:

I’m looking at the theme nights and I know what I would wear for a 20’s night but what do the Gents wear?
 

Also what is a masquerade ball dress code?
Is it just a ball gown worn with a mask?

 

I’m really not keen on these theme nights. I absolutely love wearing a gorgeous gown but of my own colour choosing.

I own some lovely dresses and yet on Cunard it seems that I won’t  get a chance to wear them.

For what it's worth, the only 'themed' nights I participate in are red  and gold, as I have a beautiful red and gold jacket, and the black and white theme, except I miss out the white bit. That's because I would be wearing these clothes anyway.

My husband participates in the black and white Gala evenings, every Gala evening.

 

I would say the majority of passengers don't bother to keep to themes. What is noticeable however,is the number of [male] fancy dress outfits creeping in to the Roaring Twenties evening. -think blow up guns to go with the Al Capone dress. For a  very few, it's almost like a fancy dress competition.

[The Med]

That’s all really helpful and reassuring, thank you everyone.

 

 

[Pushpit]

1 hour ago, The Med said:

That’s all really helpful and reassuring, thank you everyone.

You say you have some wonderful dresses that you don't get much chance to put on - I would say that's precisely why you should pack one or two of them. Cunard is different to other companies in this area and so formal nights is the time to roll them out! I actually think the clever ladies are the ones that sneak in an accessory or two that takes a nod to the theme, as a mere male I then smile inwardly and think "ah, I can see what she has done".

[Victoria2]

53 minutes ago, Pushpit said:

You say you have some wonderful dresses that you don't get much chance to put on - I would say that's precisely why you should pack one or two of them. Cunard is different to other companies in this area and so formal nights is the time to roll them out! I actually think the clever ladies are the ones that sneak in an accessory or two that takes a nod to the theme, as a mere male I then smile inwardly and think "ah, I can see what she has done".

As a mere female, there's nothing clever in sneaking an accessory or two which takes a nod to a theme as it's dead easy.

Going with a Cunard theme, be it a nod or going full blown is all down to preferences. To The Med, I'd say, pack as many wonderful dresses as you like, although 'long' every night might be a tad over egging it a bit. 🙂.

[exlondoner]

12 hours ago, The Med said:

I’m looking at the theme nights and I know what I would wear for a 20’s night but what do the Gents wear?
 

Also what is a masquerade ball dress code?
Is it just a ball gown worn with a mask?

 

I’m really not keen on these theme nights. I absolutely love wearing a gorgeous gown but of my own colour choosing.

I own some lovely dresses and yet on Cunard it seems that I won’t  get a chance to wear them.

Why won’t you get a chance to use them? And if not Cunard, where?

[Millieloulou]

67 days to go, and I am already twirling around in my long dresses trying to choose what I need to pack.Trying on different shoes, handbags and jewellery.This is what I love about Cunard.You can just be as you want to be.

[The Med]

27 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Why won’t you get a chance to use them? And if not Cunard, where?

Because I thought that most people followed a theme.

I’ve got all manner of ball gowns, including Silver, bright blue, gold.

 

I think the cruise that I’m thinking of has red/gold night which I don’t have (red doesn’t suit me) and roaring 20’s that I don’t want to wear because I don’t like wearing black.

 

Now that I know I can wear any colour on gala night and that not everyone sticks to the theme I’m more confident to wear them.

[Victoria2]

4 minutes ago, The Med said:

Because I thought that most people followed a theme.

I’ve got all manner of ball gowns, including Silver, bright blue, gold.

 

I think the cruise that I’m thinking of has red/gold night which I don’t have (red doesn’t suit me) and roaring 20’s that I don’t want to wear because I don’t like wearing black.

 

Now that I know I can wear any colour on gala night and that not everyone sticks to the theme I’m more confident to wear them.

that not everyone sticks to the theme

I would say the majority don't stick to a theme although b&W has more adherence than the others.

 

Be a peacock in a flock of black? Absolutely fine. It's your night just as much as anyone else's. The themes are choices, not rules.🙂

[exlondoner]

3 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

that not everyone sticks to the theme

I would say the majority don't stick to a theme although b&W has more adherence than the others.

 

Be a peacock in a flock of black? Absolutely fine. It's your night just as much as anyone else's. The themes are choices, not rules.🙂

Silver would do splendidly for b+w, gold for red and gold, and blue for whatever is left.

 

[The Med]

19 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Silver would do splendidly for b+w, gold for red and gold, and blue for whatever is left.

 

I do have a lovely black and white dress but there isn’t a black and white night on the cruise we are considering.

 

It’s 20’s night and Red/Gold.

 

But yes, I’d wear the gold one and add something red.

[exlondoner]

3 minutes ago, The Med said:

I do have a lovely black and white dress but there isn’t a black and white night on the cruise we are considering.

 

It’s 20’s night and Red/Gold.

 

But yes, I’d wear the gold one and add something red.

I’m sure they wore black in the 1920s. 🙂🙂

[The Med]

16 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

I’m sure they wore black in the 1920s. 🙂🙂

I’m sure they did, and most women love a black dress but I’m not one of them.

Black drains me and anyway, women of my age already struggle to not be invisible. 
 

I’m more into bright colours and getting noticed!

[2Oldpeopleinlove]

2 hours ago, Millieloulou said:

67 days to go, and I am already twirling around in my long dresses trying to choose what I need to pack.Trying on different shoes, handbags and jewellery.This is what I love about Cunard.You can just be as you want to be.

Lovely image! We are on westbound in a little less than your 67 days, and I spent an hour yesterday trying in and choosing which dresses, etc I will take. I love the anticipation!

[exlondoner]

59 minutes ago, The Med said:

I’m sure they did, and most women love a black dress but I’m not one of them.

Black drains me and anyway, women of my age already struggle to not be invisible. 
 

I’m more into bright colours and getting noticed!

Sorry, you said black and white. I’m sure they wore that too. Invisibility is occasionally beneficial when someone deserves to be kicked - like for ignoring one. 🙂

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, 2Oldpeopleinlove said:

Lovely image! We are on westbound in a little less than your 67 days, and I spent an hour yesterday trying in and choosing which dresses, etc I will take. I love the anticipation!

 

I always spend more time trying on and deciding evening wear than daytime clothes. I do wish there were more gala nights, especially when there are a lot of sea days. I would love to wear gowns on the sea days that are "smart casual," or whatever they're calling it these days, but that does seem a bit much. (Don't want to be over egging it, as @Victoria2 put it)  So I wear cocktail dresses on non-gala sea days. And even my "smart casual" is a bit above what Cunard describes. 

[Victoria2]

15 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I always spend more time trying on and deciding evening wear than daytime clothes. I do wish there were more gala nights, especially when there are a lot of sea days. I would love to wear gowns on the sea days that are "smart casual," or whatever they're calling it these days, but that does seem a bit much. (Don't want to be over egging it, as @Victoria2 put it)  So I wear cocktail dresses on non-gala sea days. And even my "smart casual" is a bit above what Cunard describes. 

My evening 'smart attire' could be worn on a Gala Evening apart from the fact I usually wear long formal dresses on those occasions. I don't, however, wear long formal on non Gala evenings although I used to wear maxi dresses occasionally when in the Tropics.

[3rdGenCunarder]

21 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

My evening 'smart attire' could be worn on a Gala Evening apart from the fact I usually wear long formal dresses on those occasions. I don't, however, wear long formal on non Gala evenings although I used to wear maxi dresses occasionally when in the Tropics.

 

Your attire plan sounds like mine. I still like the old semi-formal designation for sea days that aren't formal. 

[Victoria2]

25 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Your attire plan sounds like mine. I still like the old semi-formal designation for sea days that aren't formal. 

Even today, I prefer the 'old' three evening codes

but

rolling with the times, we roll with it and my husband does like the fact he doesn't have to wear a tie if he doesn't want to. So he doesn't although jackets of an evening are still non negotiable. 🙂

 

 

[D&N]

I carried out internet searches many months ago on what gentlemen might have worn to balls and gala evenings in the 1920s.

It would appear that attire was much the same then as now. That would be a dinner suit (tux). They would have been unlikely to wear a double breasted pin-striped suit & Fedora.

That appears to be a fancy dress interpretation taken from what gangsters are reputed to have worn in the same era.

My wife has picked the 14 outfits she likes best for the 14 nights for our next trip. They might change of course as the next one is a while away. They will range from gowns to mini cocktail dresses. The gowns are never floor sweeping though as they need to be short enough for her to dance safely in 3" heels.

We will have masquerade masks but they are mainly for some of the photographs.

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, D&N said:

I carried out internet searches many months ago on what gentlemen might have worn to balls and gala evenings in the 1920s.

It would appear that attire was much the same then as now. That would be a dinner suit (tux). They would have been unlikely to wear a double breasted pin-striped suit & Fedora.

That appears to be a fancy dress interpretation taken from what gangsters are reputed to have worn in the same era.

My wife has picked the 14 outfits she likes best for the 14 nights for our next trip. They might change of course as the next one is a while away. They will range from gowns to mini cocktail dresses. The gowns are never floor sweeping though as they need to be short enough for her to dance safely in 3" heels.

We will have masquerade masks but they are mainly for some of the photographs.

 

 

The pinstripe suit and fedora are appropriate for the '20s, but not for evening wear. It's silly for Cunard to use that description. 

[david63]

1 hour ago, D&N said:

My wife has picked the 14 outfits she likes best for the 14 nights for our next trip.

Surely you meant to say that she has picked 18 outfits so that she options - well that is what my tells me should happen😇

[BigMac1953]

For men, wearing a hat indoors, at any time, is absolutely ill mannered, even when playing Cunard's dressing up game. That nonsense is for children at Hallowe'en. It is certainly not appropriate for a black tie event.