Ladies - what was/is your favorite formal night dress?

[Anni_M]

One of the reasons I love cruising so much is that I LOVE being able to get dressed up! Part of my closet is dedicated to my "cruise dresses". I love buying them - I love wearing them! It's just too bad I only get to wear them once a year!

My very, very, favorite is a dress I "won" at an auction. I paid $125 for a "Romantic night on the town" package - mainly because I wanted the dress. I ended up with a $600 designer gown, hot pink and silver sequins that weighs a TON. I feel like a movie star - I can't wait till January to wear it again! What's your favorite?

A~

[dnice1979]

One of the reasons I love cruising so much is that I LOVE being able to get dressed up! Part of my closet is dedicated to my "cruise dresses". I love buying them - I love wearing them! It's just too bad I only get to wear them once a year!

My very, very, favorite is a dress I "won" at an auction. I paid $125 for a "Romantic night on the town" package - mainly because I wanted the dress. I ended up with a $600 designer gown, hot pink and silver sequins that weighs a TON. I feel like a movie star - I can't wait till January to wear it again! What's your favorite?

A~

 

I have a black one that i wore to a military ball a couple of years ago, its pictured below

[jayesouthworth]

My favorite dresses are the kind I find for real bargains at thrift stores. Where I live, there's only two reasons for people to get dressed up and that's even stretching it - funerals and weddings. Since I don't go to either, the dresses just hang in the closet ready for cruises.

[marvlgirl]

My favorite one was the one I just wore last week! It was a black strapless silk dress with pleats in the bodice. I got it at Banana Republic and it was originally $200 but I got it on sale for $60 got to love a bargain. The best part though was it was a size 4. I had been busting my butt since march on my exercising and diet and had lost 40pds. Totally worth all the hard work!

[dnice1979]

My favorite one was the one I just wore last week! It was a black strapless silk dress with pleats in the bodice. I got it at Banana Republic and it was originally $200 but I got it on sale for $60 got to love a bargain. The best part though was it was a size 4. I had been busting my butt since march on my exercising and diet and had lost 40pds. Totally worth all the hard work!

 

Congrats

 

On the weight loss I too have been working out to fit in this dress. This is not me in the dress but this is the dress that i will wear on my upcoming cruise.

[aggieastrosfan]

I have two. The first one is from 2004. Haven't fit into it since then <sigh>. Maybe by May...

 

The second one I got back in August at the BCBG Max Azria outlet, an I LOVE it! Originally almost $500, and I got it for $90. Bad picture, but great dress!

 

[LambKnuckles]

Ahhh, I LOVE to dress for formal night, and every night for dinner. On the casual nights, it's just a cocktail dress or business clothes -- but on formal night, something long, feminine, and makes me feel special.

 

Who knows what I'll wear in Feb. I haven't been shopping yet. But, I have worn a long skirt, royal, midnight blue shades that fades into black, with a black, sparkley tank top and jacket. I have worn black velvet slacks, with a sequin top. I have worn silk hostess pajamas, with a mid length kimono type jacket. I have worn a sik sari with shawl..

 

Dressing up is for us, the woman inside each of us. To make us feel like a woman and a sexy one! Half of it is what we have underneath... Part of it is color... And all of it is how we feel. The looks we get, the results we get.. Those are great, too --

 

Dress for you and what you like!!

[St. Louis Sal]

A few years ago I found the perfect travel dress for formal night. It's a grecian style long black knit dress with a side slit up to the thigh. I usually wear it with a gold wrap and a gorgeous beaded evening bag. The bag I bought at a fair trade market for $30 and it is a one of a kind. The wrap is an Anne Klein that I bought on sale at my local department store. The big bargain was the dress. I picked it up on sale at Famous (now Macy's) for only $30 (originally $150.) Besides the great price the dress is also machine washable and I can roll it up and pack it in a ziplock bag with my long slip and stockings and stick it in my carry on. It looks really elegant but feels like you're wearing your nightgown. I have found a few other nice knit and sequined pieces to pack as well but the dress is a real find. If I was better at the computer I would stick in a picture, unfortunately you'll just have to use your imagination.

 

Happy Traveling to all,

St. Louis Sal

[Anni_M]

I totally agree - that's half the fun - getting a dress you love for a great bargain, and then feeling ike a queen when you wear it. With the exception of my $125 auction gown, I honestly don't think I've paid more than $40 for any of my dresses - bought them all on sale. this makes them even more fun to wear!

I too, live in a small town now, and going to church is as dressed up as I get! Actually, even in my business, when I lived in Denver I never got to get dressed up like I do on a cruise.

Yay formal night!

A~

[LHP]

Solid Black Albert Nippon palazzo pant suit.

 

Original price $400.00.

Worn once. Sold to me for $37.50!!! :D

 

Light weight. Comfortable. Love it!!!

[momofmeg]

I had this champagne colored dress in a satiny material. It was done sort've bohemian with patches of lace on it and had an old fashioned look ,sort've turn of the 20th century look.

 

 

Very pretty, but as it is a size 8 I can no longer get into it.

[Willie T]

I bought a black strapless empire waist long dress a few years ago at a Mexican outlet store. Non wrinkle, love it. But it stayed home this year as all our formal pictures were just alike! Found 2 new at Ross, simililar, got both for under $30. Now I can tell what year it is!

[nattie]

Ok, I see that a lot of people have the ball gown dresses. I also have one that I LOVE, but I've never taken it on a cruise, since it just takes so much space and bound to get all wrinkled.

My question is: "How do you manage to pack the ball gown dress without having a separate suitcase for it and wrinking it to death?" FYI, mine has a BIG skirt...

 

Thanks in advance for any replies!

[greatam]

Like the OP, I LOVE my heavily beaded gowns. Yes, they weigh a ton, but they don't wrinkle.Actually almost wash and wear (woolite and large towels). My favorite is probably an Oscar de la Renta that I bought at a consignment shop in LA for less than $200.00. Long, red, loaded with sequins/beads, long sleeves demure front, PLUNGING back. VERY classic.

[kazzercruise]

My question is: "How do you manage to pack the ball gown dress without having a separate suitcase for it and wrinking it to death?" FYI, mine has a BIG skirt...

Thanks in advance for any replies!

 

Good question Nattie!

Just realised that I've got that problem in a couple of days, large dresses, small suitcases!!

 

What I've done in the past is laid the bottom of the gowns in the case with the waist upwards hanging over the edges. Then I pack hubbys shirts, soft items, wraps etc on top of the gowns and then fold the waist/shouder straps over the top. It sort of makes a parcel out of the clothes and saves the gown getting really creased by wrapping it ar ound the other items. It seems to have worked in the past for me! :) It was also recommended to me that one should wrap ones gowns with tissue paper to stop the majority of wrinkles.

 

What I also do is as soon as I can unpack, I'll hang the gowns in the bathroom and turn the shower on really hot and close the door and let the steam take out the bulk of the creases! :)

 

We're also lucky that we live close to Southampton, so we tend to leave packing to the very last minute! But when we've flown to the US and cruised out of New York, I try and go for the beaded gowns that don't crease, but cost hubby more as I plead with him to upgrade the flight!!! :D

 

Good luck with your packing!

Karen

[luckycruzer]

I'm always dressed to the 10's..thaz juust past the nines!..Shoes, bag. fab clothes that suit my age and body type..get loads of compliments.and think..4 outfits..but 3 days pre, and after NYs post....packing as we speak for next Sat on GOS..while waiting for the plumber guys to install my new HW heater.., glad it was today, and not nxt week..

[liverpool-lou]

My favourite is a satin trouser suit, it has a long beautifully patterned coat with plain trousers, almost oriental with a manderin collar, i bought it in 'Lord and Taylor' in Miami a few years ago, i always got great comments whenever i wore it, sad thing is it wont fit anymore :( , ha too many cruises later... but i swear i will never chuck it out ;) sigh!

 

Mo

[sgttami]

One of my most favorite formals ever was a Bob Mackie that I bought in the early '80s. One of my friends was in the fashion business and I got the sample at a steal..

 

Black sequin, long sleeve, high neck, floor length...slit up one side..stunning to say the least.

 

I wore it to several formals in that era and even though I've "outgrown" the fit, the gown is still timeless to this day. If I could shake off 20 pounds, I'd wear it on a cruise..

 

Yes..I still have it. One of the few fashion pieces from 25 years ago that would still work today!!

[RachelD]

I have different styles of formals, but the one that I always turn to is my floor length oriental one. It has a mandarin collar, short sleeves and is fitted throughout with slits up the sides (not too long....just to the knees).

I think the thing that makes this dress so stunning is the color and the embroidery throughout. It is a blackish/greenish shade with gold vines sewn throughout.....just a touch of sparkle.

 

I bought this dress about 7 years ago and I still get compliments on it whenever I wear it.:)

[caviargal]

I have a Carmen Marc Valvo gown I bought at Saks in Manhattan about 10 years ago on sale (I saw it, fell instantly in love and made them take it off the mannequin for me). It is copper/olive/dark brown silk velvet, back is draped and very low, front is a soft cowl neck, sleeveless and very fitted with a mermaid hem. It is total glam and I love it!

[Jan_In_Maine]

Our first cruise in 2003 I purchased a beautiful royal purple dress, ... I still love it ... and although it is now too big, I plan to wear it again for our next cruise in August... I'll just have to have it re-sized! Jan

[Jane110]

I have different styles of formals, but the one that I always turn to is my floor length oriental one. It has a mandarin collar, short sleeves and is fitted throughout with slits up the sides (not too long....just to the knees).

I think the thing that makes this dress so stunning is the color and the embroidery throughout. It is a blackish/greenish shade with gold vines sewn throughout.....just a touch of sparkle.

 

I bought this dress about 7 years ago and I still get compliments on it whenever I wear it.:)

 

 

It's called a Cheongsam.

[RachelD]

It's called a Cheongsam.

 

Thanks Jane! I knew there was a name for it....just too lazy to look it up...:)

 

The dress that you mentioned with the overlay sounds utterly gorgeous! I love dresses with interest!:)

[Jane110]

Thanks Jane! I knew there was a name for it....just too lazy to look it up...:)

 

no problemo pal. my head is filled with all kinds of useless information. LOL!

 

The dress that you mentioned with the overlay sounds utterly gorgeous! I love dresses with interest!:)

 

Thanks! It really is a stunner. (even if i do say so myself! :))