Question for the ladies. . .

[alwayssingin]

The past few days I've worn white pants, white capris, and white shoes, all of which I planned on taking on my Hawaiian cruise in January. Then I started wondering if the "no white pants/shoes after Labor Day" rule applied to tropical island cruises and Hawaii in general!

 

So, fellow cruisers and Islanders, what's the concensus. Yea or Nay on the white stuff? :D

[lambs2]

It sure does not apply here in Florida, so I assume it would be the same in Hawaii!

[dyslexic pirate]

I don't think anyone abides by that rule anymore, regardless of where they live or even their age.

 

If it looks cute on you and it's appropriate for the weather by all means wear it!!

[CruisinMK]

White always looks good on a cruiseship, at least until it gets covered in food stains. :)

[jessica42980]

I'm going ona cruise after labor day (sept 9th) and Im bringing some white capris, I wear my white pants and white shoes/sandles whenever I want-

 

I never followed that rule!:rolleyes: So I say go ahead and wear what you want! After all, your on vacation to have a good time!

[Suebee]

There are no such rules here. In fact, matching is optional. ;)

[cruzegirl]

I say as well to wear what you want..... I wore white pants in Hawaii last year in October, both in Oahu for the land part & on the ship.... And I wasn't the only one...... Lot's of women were wearing white.... So go for it.....Have fun........:D

[Lady Slipper]

I`ve just a bought a pair of white capris for our cruise in October and my only concern is.........will they stay clean for more than a day?:D Who goes by the rules, beside eons ago they had the saying .... "Blue and Green should never be seen, except for inside a washing machine" since then Blue and Green has been in style, out and back again!

[PACURN]

Hummm I plan on wearing white while I'm there in Oct. Can't say that I have ever followed that rule. I think that rule went out of style a long time ago, or maybe it's just here in California. You knw us crazy Californian's.

[beachchick]

No that rule does not apply in Hawaii. Frankly, I think it's a stupid "rule"--who decided it should be a rule anyway and by what "fashion" authority? Wear white all year round in Hawaii with no fear that the fashion police will arrest you or that you will be snickered at behind your back. No fear--white is always in style.

 

beachchick

[jerseyjk]

There are no such rules here. In fact, matching is optional. ;)

 

Now that's funny ... thanks for the laugh. Be sure to wear that crazy Hawaiian shirt with those white pants.

 

From a google search

 

An old, and now largely ignored, custom prohibits the wearing of white after Labor Day. The explanations for this tradition range from the idea that white clothes are worse protection against cold weather in the winter than colored clothes to the intention of the rule as a status symbol for new members of the middle class in the late 19th century and early 20th century.

[alwayssingin]

Thanks for all the repllies! :) I'm no slave to fashion, and probably would have packed my whites anyway! I just didn't want to hear a giant gasp as I walked into the dining room one evening...

 

I did a search online to try to find out who made up this rule and got lots of hits. One said that Mss Manners Rule #9 was "No white after Labor Day." Also found this:

 

"Several sites quoted a charming refrain about G.R.I.T.S. -- girls raised in the South. This bit of folklore states, "Southern girls know bad manners when they see them," and a clear sign of bad manners is wearing white shoes before Easter or after Labor Day. Because fashions in the American South can be a little more formal than elsewhere, perhaps the no-white-shoes rule came from south of the Mason-Dixon Line? Even Star Jones (an otherwise fashion-forward Southern lady) admits that white shoes "are for Easter Sunday and not the dead of winter."

 

Having grown up in the south (but also lived on Guam, in NY, CA and Germany), it makes sense now that I would have had that rule drilled into my head.

 

Thanks, ladies. See you in January all dressed in white! :p

[Suebee]

JerseyJK - Yep - I dont wear white because my son still thinks I am a napkin so those aloha shirts reeeeeeaally help disgusing the stains!

 

alwayssingin - sounds like you grew up military with all of the places you lived. If you still have that status, you can ask me anything about military discounts and other benefits here.

[alwayssingin]

alwayssingin - sounds like you grew up military with all of the places you lived. If you still have that status, you can ask me anything about military discounts and other benefits here.

 

Yes. Grew up military with my dad, and am now married to it. My husband retires in March, but will begin his "terminal leave" mid-December. He's currenty deployed until mid-October. He emailed me a copy of his retirement papers the morning he got them, then called me that afternoon to tell me that he had booked a Hawaiian cruise to celebrate his retirement and everthing we've missed over the past year! :)

 

If you know of any Hawaii military secrets, please fill me in! We could not get in at the Hale Koa, so are staying in a B&B. We did get military rates for our rental, and will for PCC. And we'll go shop at the commissary before boarding our ship. That's about all the military benefits we're taking advantage of, so far.

[bleuseas]

If you're on a ship, the crew wears white after Labor Day and doesn't think anything of it, you can just blend in with them.

 

Wear what you want!:)

[Suebee]

While youre at the commissary, stop by services....or MWR for Navy. You can get tons of discounts for the islands. You can also buy the entertainment book and aloha diner book for less money. Here is a sampling of the offerings and prices http://www.hickamservices.com/itt.htm

 

Golf courses also give discounts...and there is a beaute on Hickam. The discount at other courses is significant.

 

There are also cottages at Bellows AFS, Barking Sands (Kauai), Barbers Point (Oahu) and Kilauea Military Camp (Big Island) where you can use the facilities or simply refuel the rental.

 

I would also keep trying the Hale Koa. I tried to reserve and was told there was nothing and my husband called a week later and got reservations. We are staying a week in december. The Hale Koa has a nice luau, revue and magic show as well as excellent restaurants at shockingly lower prices. They make a mean Mai tai too!

 

One more thing that hardly anyone knows....you can arrange a VIP tour of Pearl Harbor and the Arizona. Its done through the Navy. I have to ask my husband how he arranged it....but its done as a complete boat tour of the harbor, ford island, Missouri and Arizona. Its pretty awesome. Since he will be retired, he wont have to be in full dress.

 

Thats off the top of my head.

[spleen93]

That last part is good to know, Suebee. I'll have to remember that for our military cruisers.

 

Spleen

[kddy]

Suebee, you mentioned the luau at Hale Koa. Does it compare to the other larger luaus on Maui or Oahu? We will be in Hawaii next June with my mother and father (retired AF) and husband (also retired AF), 10 yr old DS and me. I really don't want to spend lots of money on a luau, but want the experience and the Hale Koa sounded like just the thing. Would you recommend it? Also any info about the Pearl Harbor tour would be wonderful! We'll be spending a week on Oahu after our POH cruise.

 

Thanks!

[alwayssingin]

One more thing that hardly anyone knows....you can arrange a VIP tour of Pearl Harbor and the Arizona. Its done through the Navy. I have to ask my husband how he arranged it....but its done as a complete boat tour of the harbor, ford island, Missouri and Arizona. Its pretty awesome. Since he will be retired, he wont have to be in full dress.

 

This should be renamed "Military Tips" thread...

 

Question about the dress. Since he officially won't be retired until March 31st, even though he'll be finished working for the Army, would he have to wear full dress? I know he's not going to want to pack that!

 

Thanks for all the info, Suebee!

[Suebee]

I went with my MIL, FIL, husband, son (age 5) and daughter (age 7). The food is superior to the Paradise cove luau. Its cooked on site, served to your table (no buffet) and is fresher quality. Also your drinks are served to the table or you can go to the bar.....big difference. The preshow is a lovely group playing some hawaiian tunes and then they do the Imu (pig) ceremony. It was well ordered and very comfortable (not a crowded feeling).

The entertainment however was not my taste....I do have to say that I have met people who LOVED the show there so it will be totally your own opinion. But I just didnt like the MC at all whereas the one at P.C. has an excellent sense of timing and flow. But overall, great food, service and location (and price) would make it worth it for a family of such varying ages....we could go right back to our room with the kids while the elders went for a beach walk after the show. You cant do that at any other major luau.

 

As for the tour.....I cant ask DH right now but I thought it was done though the public affairs office. You could try to give a call. As for the dress...alwayssingin I cant answer that because its such a fine line question. My DH did. It could be that because he would be on leave, he might get away with no uniform. That's a question for when you reserve.

[kddy]

Thank you for the luau information. I certainly understand the idea that different people have different opinions about the same experience. I just hadn't heard anything about the luau, and the description on the Hale Koa website is somewhat generic. Thanks again, and if you think of any other "military secrets", let us know!! :D