Can you go without a jacket for dinner?

[geniseg_2000]

My husband is a size 64 suit jacket. Unless I cough up $450+ I can't seem to find anything for him to wear on our 3 day cruise. Can he go without a jacket? I'm thinking nice tie, shirt and slacks

 

ANY advice is welcome:confused:

[jp2001]

Your husband will need a jacket for formal nights.

Another option will be to go to the buffet or your cruiseline (and stateroom category) may offer the option of inroom dinning.

For other nights, I don't think a jacket is mandatory.

[DonnaK]

A 3 day cruise tends to be less formal than longer ones. Even though formal night usually requires a jacket, not every man wears one. If he wears dress pants and a collared shirt and tie, it'll be fine. (He'd probably be fine without a tie too). As long as he doesn't wear jeans, shorts, etc. no one will notice or care. Don't miss the formal dining room dinner just because he doesn't have a jacket.

[Andee]

I'd get him a jacket--every man needs one dark suit for funerals and weddings.

[caviargal]

Personally, I think a jacket is appropriate as a minimum for formal nights. A shirt and tie is not a "finished" look and I would even prefer a sportcoat and slacks with no tie to a shirt and tie with no jacket.

 

A dark suit is better.

[bjboothman]

He will not be the only man without a jacket. Here's a thought, though --- it would be much cheaper to rent a tux and take it with you, or pre-rent one from the cruiseline. I'm sure grooms and fathers of the grooms come in all sizes and shapes --- no doubt they will have something he will look dashing in.

[caribbean dreams]

Try the second hand stores in your area, they normally have all sizes for about $6.

[geniseg_2000]

He checked into renting something at our local Mr. Tux shop. They are able to accommodate him from $200. I thought he would look to over-dressed in a tux though. I mainly want to enjoy our meal and not look out of place. Due to his size and our budget this suit issue is taking on a life of it's own

 

Thanks to everyone for your comments-it's much appreciated :)

[nlb1050]

I really thought about this and did some research. Here's a link to a big & tall shop with very reasonable prices.

 

http://www2.tall.com/ad.php?id=big-and-tall-suits&size=221

 

It looked like a nice site. I have a freind whose nephew probably wears about the same size and I know it is not easy to find something that both fits and looks good.

 

Now for my opinion. If you can't find a nice suit or jacket that is a reasonable price as long as he has a nice pair of slacks, dress shirt and tie on go to the formal diner. I have seen just about everything on formal night on my cruises and really as long as the people are dressed neatly then I never gave it another thought.

[Gingee]

I agree with you don't have to have a jacket. Not everyone does. Granted it looks nice but it isn't worth spending a couple hundred or so bucks on something he can't wear beyond the cruise. Enjoy yourself. You don't know anybody (usually) so who cares?

[caviargal]

I agree with you don't have to have a jacket. Not everyone does. Granted it looks nice but it isn't worth spending a couple hundred or so bucks on something he can't wear beyond the cruise. Enjoy yourself. You don't know anybody (usually) so who cares?

 

I just do not understand that thought process. Do you really dress differently in situations where you do not know anyone? Why? It makes no sense to me.

 

When I am going out to dinner on a ship or anywhere else, I dress for the environment and the occasion. I do not plan my outfit based on whom I may know at the restaurant.

[Jane110]

First, check with the cruiseline if there IS a formal night. As I understand it, many 3 night cruises don't have one. If they don't, then forget the whole thing.

 

If they do, I saw that the big and tall shop and NLB1050 gave you the link to has sport coats for $159. Cheaper than renting a tux and it's his forever. He'll then have a jacket to wear for all formal occasions.

 

Also as someone else suggested, the consignment shops can often turn up something very, very inexpensively. A friend of mine who's a fashion designer loves to comb through them. A few months ago he found an Armani suit with the labels still in it for $50.00. He spend $50. on alterations and for $100. he has a $3000. suit.

 

If you can't find one in a thrift shop and it's going to break the budget for you, most cruiselines will probably let him get away without wearing a jacket.

 

I don't agree with the thought that you'll never see these people again, so who cares what you're wearing. But we all go through life with different attitudes. I like to look good....for myself and for my DH. I have too much personal pride not to. I'd never dress with an "they'll never see me again" or "what can I get away with" attitude. He feels the same way. Only you know what philosophy makes you comfortable.

 

Have a great cruise.

[mrsfuzzmo]

My husband is one of those guys who just will NOT wear a jacket. (Yes, he wore a Tux for our wedding, but that's it). It's not that he is a slob, or that we cannot afford it. He dresses very sharp and very trendy with beautiful dress pants, fabulous tie and perfectly pressed shirts. He is a large size as well and really feels very "bound" by a jacket, so he just does not wear one. I DON'T CARE!!! He looks fabulous to me. He looks no less gorgeous or put together than many of the other guys on the cruises. I, myself, dress to the nines with as much glam as possible! I just love it! We've been on 13 cruises, all different styles and classes of ships, and we've never felt out of place, nor have we ever been refused entry, received snickers or looks of disgust. We look great and we have had wonderful formal nights. He looks much nicer than some of the men in the ill-fitting rental tuxes, or those that wear the suit they bought for their great uncles funeral 27 years ago. I don't think "wearing a suit or tux" makes you look great. It's the way you are put together that makes the "formal" man.

 

I say, let him go as he pleases, as long as he is "dressed up" and not looking like a bum.

 

Mrsfuzzmo

[mom3kids]

We just got back from a 3 day on the Sovereign of the Seas. My husband, along with several others, just wore a shirt and tie with no jacket. I think that they looked fine. If he would have had a jacket on, he would have removed it as soon as we sat down, which a lot of people did. I was pleasantly surprised that everyone was dressed up and looked nice. I don't recall seeing any tuxes, but also don't remember seeing many people not dressed up.

This was my first cruise and I learned not to stress about the little things. As long as you feel that you are dressed up, don't worry about it.

[sail7seas]

Seeing as you asked the question......

 

IMO, he needs a jacket. Big and Tall Men's Store is a very reliable, decent business and have plenty of brick and mortar stores so I would feel safe ordering on line from them.

 

In his normal life, I'm sure there are occasions all men need a jacket for one reason or another.

 

What does he wear to a funeral? A wedding? A very nice dinner out at one of your local restaurants?

 

JMHO .....

[Nebr.cruiser]

The bottom line: Yes, your husband can get by with a dressy shirt, tie and slacks, especially on a three-day cruise. There will be others dressed similarly. Is a suit or tux better? Yep, but I understand your dilemna about buying an expensive item of clothing that he may not wear again or often.

 

Needing a suit can be a highly regional/cultural thing. I see you are from Boston, so he may have more need for a suit than we do here in rural Nebr. Although my husband does wear a suit or sport coat occasionally, and definitely on a cruise, clothing has gotten more and more casual in our area and suits are becoming more and more rare in any situation, including church and weddings, except for some very elderly gentlemen. Not everyone even wears suits to funerals here any more.

 

I'm not saying I like this trend; just reporting what's going on here. Is this trend widespread or just a regional/rural thing?

[Gingee]

I agree that everything is more casual anymore. I even see people go to weddings very casual also. The same goes for funerals.

 

I guess I am in the point in my life if someone doesn't like what I wear - oh well. Now if I am dressing disrespectful for the situation, that is different.

[love2relax]

When cruising with my father,we have skipped formal nights due to his refusal to wear a jacket. He likes to travel light and doesn't want to pack one. On our last three cruises, we have attended formal dinners together while he was in slacks, a dress shirt and tie. He was in good company. On our last cruise (on Royal Caribbean) all of us were told by the wait staff at dinner the night before to please come to formal night; and not worry about being super formal. Enjoy your cruise. It seems that the opinions are 50/50 as to whether or not he needs one. This is only my humble opinion: Since it is only a three day cruise, spend the money on excursions instead of the jacket.

[Sunshine91]

Geniseg - Your sig shows RCI in about 10 days. Not a whole lot of time but I'll bet you're both really excited.

My John is a really big guy, too, about a 56-58 for his jacket, so I know it's tough to find clothing. Fortunately, he already had a navy suit to wear on our 10-day Noordam cruise on the 3 formal nights. We took 3 dress shirts & ties to coordinate with the dresses I was to wear.

Holland America also has "informal" - requesting a jacket but not a tie. We looked at Big & Tall which had a nice selection as well as eBay. What we decided in the end was solid colored, long-sleeved dress shirts with a tie. Since he already has a really nice suit to also wear on those other occasions (like weddings, funerals & other fancy events) we thought why put the $$ into another jacket? He was fine for those informal nights. On informal we really did see a mix of jacket/no-jacket. On formal it's a mix of tux v. suit.

So, check with RCCL or your TA. Especially since it's only a 3-dayer. You might not have a true formal night, but only an informal or semi-formal, in which case a dress shirt & tie will be just fine.

What ever you decide, have a fantastic trip. As your sig says, hope it's the first of many for you! :)

[Nliedel]

Normally I would say he needs a jacket, BUT this is a three day cruise. They will have a formal night, but they tend to be less dressy. There is no way I would rent a tux for a three day cruise, you would only use it one time.

 

I say, and I am the queen of "Dress Up for Formal Night" that he goes without. This is not a normal circumstance.

[kyriecat]

I was on the 3-day Majesty cruise from Miami last year. I would guess less than half the men wore suits/tuxes on the formal night. My husband brought a suit, but he was not in the majority. On our 12-night Med cruise last year, one man at our table showed up in a shirt and tie one night and just the button-down shirt (no tie) for the second formal night. Hubby was wearing his tux. Like it or not, cruises are getting less formal as they become more mainstream.

 

I am a "suggestion" follower. (I didn't say rule since so many people like to point out the the dress code is suggested and not mandotory.) However, I'm not going to stand up and point at someone who is not dressed to the nines for dinner.

[BlueHerons]

Normally, I would agree with everyone else but since your husband wears a size 64 Long, I think under the circumstances I'd skip the jacket.

 

Even the $159 jackets you have to add $40 for his size so you will still be over $200 with shipping.

 

My husband is a size 52 Extra Extra Long and I know what a nightmare it is buying him a jacket and he cannot buy suits off the rack. You'll never find anything at a consignment shop.

 

If it comes down to renting a tux for $200, I'd go ahead and purchase the coat for him. Plan on alterations.

[JmzandJojo]

http://www.kingsizedirect.com/kingsizedirect/layout/layout.asp?referer=1&

 

haband.com

 

blair.com

 

All these offer great buys on suitcoats in larger sizes. Haband has an ultrasuede for around 30.00. Even if it's only used a few times, well worth the price.

 

Hope it helps

[terri1020]

We bought several suits in larger sizes from a guy on EBay. He has great rating, is honest, takes returns, and has great prices along with good quality. I looked at his site:

http://search.stores.ebay.com/DRESS-SUITS_mens-suit-62l_W0QQfciZ11QQfclZ3QQfsnZDRESSQ20SUITSQQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQsaselZ2531616QQsofpZ0

 

He goes up to size 62L, but I just bet that if you contact him he can get 64 also. Where can you get a new suit for $89.99? Worth a try.

[terri1020]

I just looked at the post before mine and Kings Direct just solved my shoe problem. My sons both wear 14W and they are very hard to come by. Thanks!