Demographics and the "Requested Dress Code"

[Sky Sweet]

First of all, I think that following a dress code and liking to get dressed up are two different concepts.

 

As to following a dress code, I think it is more a function of how much that value was emphasized in their home than the age of the passengers. Following a dress code and being appropriately addressed for an occassion was very important to my parents, so I picked up on it, and passed it on to my daughter. Even our infant granddaughter was dressed appropriately for formal night on our recent cruise :)

 

Liking to get dressed up I think is more a function of a person's current environment than their age. In some parts of the country you can go to almost any restaurant in jeans, while in other places people dress a little nicer, even though it isn't required.

[sarplum]

I believe it depends on your "other" life more than age. I for one wore

a tie for my business life and decided enough was enough, I will wear

a dark suit and tie for formals but for the casual I don't mind a sport coat as a matter of fact, I enjoy it. Tuxes? only if I am in a wedding party.

Other passengers? The worst ever was wearing a DIRTY t shirt for formal

night - the other a torn one which a least was clean. For what it is worth

they were both in their forties. We are among thos dreaded seniors.

[ellbon]

strange hoe work clothes got into htsi. i have a freind who dressed up for work. when we go out she always has jeans. no mattter what they cost or what top she has on she looks the same all the time. well, I wear nice pants and a top.

but on the ship i do get tired of people who do not know how to dress. for that matter go to a stage paly etc and they do ont dress there either.

 

I lvoe to dress up and look froward to dinners to do that.

[bububr]

"How many of you have ever dressed up for dinner at home?"

 

We do on special occasions, and when we entertain. However we usually don't have FORMAL dinners, but we do wear sportcoats, sometimes ties depending on the occasion. We may also hire someone to serve the meal so we can spend time with our guests depending on the situation. However we always do the dishes later in the evening.

 

If we are having dinner by ourselves at home for a special occasion we set the table in the formal diningroom with the good crystal, china and silver, a floral arrangement.... and then enjoy ourselves to candlelight, music, and conversation that does not include business. later we may go out to a movie or for a glass of wine.

 

For everyday dining its sweatpants, and TV in the familyroom while we do our paperwork and talk on the phone.

 

So its a nice change to have a 'date' so to speak and make the occasion special and not just another day in the life of .......

 

Dave:eek:

[Nonna and Papa]

I believe that there was a time when age may have made a difference as to how appropriately or within stated guidelines people dressed. To a small degree, this may still be true, but it certainly isn't the norm any longer. There was a time when children were taught different aspects of what might be termed "discipline", as it relates to social behavior. As times have changed through the years, such "disciplines" have relaxed.

 

I feel our society has become so casual in areas such as dress, manners and in some respects, attitudes in general, that people do exactly as they please, and will come up with all different excuses to justify their choices, both positive and negative. Many arguments, pro and con, can demonstrate vailid points, of course, but if a person wants to dress as requested by the guidelines, they will. And if a person doesn't want to dress according to the guidelines, they probably won't. It doesn't matter, that one way or the other, we all must put clothes on to venture out in public, and it's just as easy to put on clothes appropriate to an occasion, as it is not to.

 

By the way, I like to dress - can you tell??? :p

 

Mary

[Shipyard Cruiser]

This is what should be done.

 

A list should be made of items not allowed in the dining room.

 

Toss out the dress code.

 

Have a couple of formal nights.

 

This is not ment to offend anyone.

[Jan08Bride]

We love formal nights and dressing up for dinner and we are in our mid twenties. On our 1/6/08 Millie trip, on the informal night I saw two people in the dining room with jeans on. Hardly any of the men had on Jackets. We had second seating. We asked the Asst. Maitre D to make sure it wasn't actually casual night. I know that we're in the Carib. and it's relaxing and all, but c'mon people... no jeans in the dining room!

[CatServants]

dmk - No. I don't think age plays a major role in adherence to dress codes.

 

My DH and I follow the dress codes as published/requested/required by X and not even my preteen relatives consider me "older folks". On our upcoming Carib cruise, my FIL, MIL, DH and I will all be dressed in tuxes/formal gowns or skirts. From past experience, I know my (12 yr old) niece will be in full length gowns (and quite possibly wearing a tiara I gave her!), but that my SIL will be dressed in a long skirt and top or else an ankle length dress. Bububr called it. My SIL is a single mother who's life and fashion revolve around her child and her job not the "Formal Nite" she may experience every 3-4 years.

 

My 14 year old nephew wants us to take him on a cruise AND wear a tux. His father (my eldest brother) wants to avoid a tux. We took my 26 year old niece on a Disney cruise about 5 years ago, along with my mother and they were BOTH dressed to the nines! My niece LOVED her gowns! She felt like a princess and looked gorgeous!

 

So... 7 years of age on up to the 80's, people of all ages in my family enjoy formal nite. Age a factor? Nope. I think it's lifestyle, attitude, the desire to acknowledge that you're experiencing something very special, the pleasure that's derived from looking your very best....and quite possibly, in my case, the need to play out that "Princess" fantasy.:p

 

Happy cruising!

 

Denise

[chefgarden]

Hi Dave,

 

My lst cruise was transatlantic on the QE2, in 1982....we not only dressed for dinner, we dressed "appropriatly" for embarktation.

Not dressing for "formal nites" is just bad manners... no many how many days one wears a stuit to work. If one prefers not to "dress" they should book on cruise lines that don't suggest formal atire, or go to an "all inclusive" on land.

 

Vacation is special time and everyone should select the trip that fits their needs ... not select a trip, then declass it for others. Perhaps some of these people should have a Travel Agent, to direct them.

 

I too buy my gowns at Goodwill ... for my last cruise, I bought my entire wordrobe at GW, almost everything was already pressed or

drycleaned which made my packing very easy !

 

Whoever invented cell phones created a monster ... I understand that some need to conduct business while away. However, the majority of people are just chatting in loud voices (because the connection is not great) and screaming apparently improves that !

 

I live on the Gulf in Fl. More times than not, I have left the beach because of someone screaming on their cell phone ! ..the last was about her divorce, all nasty stuff ...and I went to the beach to

relax !!!!!!!

 

Keep plugging for people to keep up the standards of cruising ...

 

PS: When I lived in Wash. DC., dinner parties were a way of life. ...

Once we hit 30, guys just wanted to come in jeans ... the gals wanted to wear gowns. One of my best dinner parties was when I

said the dress code is: men in jeans, ladies in gowns ... everyone was happy ! ...but that was in a private home, not on a cruise ship.

 

Sail on ! Helen

[Sky Sweet]

First of all, I think that following a dress code and liking to get dressed up are two different concepts.

 

As to following a dress code, I think it is more a function of how much that value was emphasized in their home than the age of the passengers. Following a dress code and being appropriately addressed for an occassion was very important to my parents, so I picked up on it, and passed it on to my daughter. Even our infant granddaughter was dressed appropriately for formal night on our recent cruise :)

 

Liking to get dressed up I think is more a function of a person's current environment than their age. In some parts of the country you can go to almost any restaurant in jeans, while in other places people dress a little nicer, even though it isn't required.

 

I meant to add the following to my original post quoted above. I also don't think that getting dressed up is the same as being fashion conscious.

 

I have always been very fashion conscious and love to get new clothes, but prefer to dress in country club casual clothing than formal attire. I, also, don't think being fashion conscious is related to age, but is more dependent upon where a person grew up, as well as where they live now.

 

As long as Celebrity has a formal dress code, I will adhere to it, but I would love to see them implement a country club casual dress code every night instead.

[Drew B]

I'd guess that the guests in their 40's/50's/60's are best about adherence to dress codes or rules in general. Guests younger than that and older than that seem to think that nobody can tell them what to do... I know that is a gross generalization, but I think there is a grain of truth to it. FWIW, I'm still in the younger category and I'm mortified by parts of my generation and the generation after mine thinking they can do whatever they wish without regard to anybody else.

[Blazerboy]

Removed...... The shorts or the drunks???????

Best line of the thread!:D

 

It's much more complicated than anyone who wants to "win" this argument admits. It's not age, but age can be a factor (EEEK, what things I thought were stylish when I was young!) It's not what you do for work, although that can influence your desire one way or the other to dress up or not. It's not education (I wanted to post to that thread, but missed the boat, so to speak...). It's not geography, although we are often influenced by the norms around us (Locally, it's unusual to see a younger man NOT in a sport coat or blazer out on a Saturday night, albeit with jeans) It's not upbringing (but could be partially a reaction to upbringing!) Sometimes, it is ecomomics, but those of us who are...ahem...thrifty know that that doesn't have to stand in yuor way(please don't call me cheap, even if one of my favorite blazers only cost $5.00:) )

 

It's all of these things, and probably a few more. And the only thing you can do is accept that there will probably be change, and continue to 'model' appropriate behavior that satisfies you. I've never been uncomfortable being well dressed...:cool:

 

Andrew

[HAM]

I guess that older folk are more used to following discipline. But on our last two cruises, I did not see anyone not follow the dress code, apart from 5 drunks wearing only shorts in the bar at 8 pm. They were removed.

 

The shorts?

[Norcal Cruiser]

I'm almost 49 and follow the dress code with one exception.After dinner we go to our stateroom and I can normally be found after dinner in formal wear with my walking shoes on.I wear a size 10 EE.There are no comfortable formal shoes in my size.I will not take a cruise and be in pain.So if you see me please don't judge me by that.:)

[BrendaJ]

My husband and I love formal nights, and both of us would be quite happy to be on a cruise that was formal every night.

 

I'm in my 40's, and most people I know my age still seem to feel that different types of clothing are appropriate for different situations. I wear suits and business-type clothing to work (IT job); however, my co-workers, most of whom are about 20 years younger than me, seem to wear the same type of clothing whether they're going to an important business meeting or playing pool at the local pub. The clothing they feel is comfortable and good for any occasion is jeans or other casual cotton pants, a faded t-shirt with a faded design or writing on it, and casual shoes. Most of them didn't go to our formal dinner/dance because they refused to dress up.

 

Even amongst friends my age, it seems the girls are much more likely to enjoy dressing up, while the men, with a few exceptions, would prefer to wear a golf shirt and khaki's as their most formal attire.

 

I think the world is changing, and predict that, in another 30 years, formal nights on cruise ships will be replaced by "shorts acceptable anytime". The cruise lines have to go with an environment that will attract the largest demographic. Right now, the cruise lines are still trying to please older folks and boomers like me because we make up the largest portion of cruising society. When that changes, you can bet the dress codes will as well. It's already changing on most family-oriented lines; I'm betting informal nights are on the way out shortly, and formal nights will follow when the largest demographic of society is comprised of people who don't own formal wear or enjoy wearing it.

 

However, in my opinion, the whole dress issue boils down to one thing: do you follow the rules or do you just do what you want? I am a compulsive rule follower, and if the dress code said you must wear red in order to dine in the dining room, I'd wear red or dine elsewhere. There are unfortunately a lot of people who won't follow rules unless there are consequences.

 

I'm just going to enjoy the formal nights while I still can.

[Shipyard Cruiser]

[quote name='Sky Sweet']I meant to add the following to my original post quoted above. I also don't think that getting dressed up is the same as being fashion conscious.

I have always been very fashion conscious and love to get new clothes, but prefer to dress in country club casual clothing than formal attire. I, also, don't think being fashion conscious is related to age, but is more dependent upon where a person grew up, as well as where they live now.

As long as Celebrity has a formal dress code, I will adhere to it, but I would love to see them implement a country club casual dress code every night instead.[/quote]

What is country club casual ?

Why not just list the items you don't want in the dining room? Like jeans and shorts.

As a adult do you really need to be told what TO wear?

Why do you need a detailed list of clothing options for every night?

Just have formal nights and casual nights and list what is not allowed.

Most of us dress very well in the dining room.

I guess it would be way too simple:)

[jt1120]

[quote name='dmk'][FONT=Arial][SIZE=3][COLOR=navy]Do you think the age of cruisers influences the way one would decide to wear a jacket or not...a tuxedo or not? It has been mentioned often that "older folks" seem to follow the requested code... while "younger folks" don't.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000080]What do you think?[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/quote]

I'll go out on a limb and say what most people are thinking - young people today dress like slobs, and they're happy to do it. There is nothing wrong with dressing casually. Look at today's fashions, though. The washed out t-shirt is in style. Formal attire, even smart casual, is a thing of the past. The unfortunate thing is that most young people are not taught the degrees of attire. A tie? You've GOT to be kidding? But this doesn't show my cleavage! It's very sad.

I don't blame them, though. Steadily over the years, society has gotten more and more casual. For those who enjoy formal nights, don't tell me you haven't at least cringed when someone walks by you in a baseball cap while you are in a tux. Bothers the heck out of me.

Gone are the days of Ricky and Lucy. You never left the house without wearing a tie and jacket. I'm not saying that things should go back that way (though I wouldn't mind it personally), but I do think that attire is very important, and society today just doesn't care as much. Sad.

For the record, I am 44 years old. OK, I've got my flak jacket on. Fire away...

[Jimsgirl]

Perhaps it is not a case of "old" or "young" but of how a person deals with every day life. Some just cannot behave well no matter where they are or what their age

On a Celebrity cruise last year at a table for 8, three of the passengers were boasting they "never paid full price , they waited until they saw a "fire sale" . All three ignored not only the dress codes but common decent behaviour.
One man aged around late 70-80 , very fat, every nightwore plaid shirts that gaped all down the front , had a long flowing bead, he dropped his food into his beard, and his conversation was a foul as his appearance.

At the next table, the passengers came to dinner after drinking heavily and broke into song every night.

Togther with another passenger I decided to dine each night in the alternative dining area, a section of the buffet.which did have waiter service.
Yes I did speak with the Maitre D' but he could only apologise for their bad behaviour but explained he "could not stop it"

[cruisegal101]

[quote name='jt1120']I'll go out on a limb and say what most people are thinking - young people today dress like slobs, and they're happy to do it. There is nothing wrong with dressing casually. Look at today's fashions, though. The washed out t-shirt is in style. Formal attire, even smart casual, is a thing of the past. The unfortunate thing is that most young people are not taught the degrees of attire. A tie? You've GOT to be kidding? But this doesn't show my cleavage! It's very sad.

I don't blame them, though. Steadily over the years, society has gotten more and more casual. For those who enjoy formal nights, don't tell me you haven't at least cringed when someone walks by you in a baseball cap while you are in a tux. Bothers the heck out of me.

Gone are the days of Ricky and Lucy. You never left the house without wearing a tie and jacket. I'm not saying that things should go back that way (though I wouldn't mind it personally), but I do think that attire is very important, and society today just doesn't care as much. Sad.

For the record, I am 44 years old. OK, I've got my flak jacket on. Fire away...[/quote]

No flak here; I completely agree with you.:)

[drrich2]

[QUOTE]
Gone are the days of Ricky and Lucy. You never left the house without wearing a tie and jacket.
[/QUOTE]

Sometimes I wonder just how much variation there is in peoples' rearing experiences.

I'm 38 years old. I was raised blue-color working class in Arkansas. In my background, a suit was worn only for the following:

1.) Funerals.
2.) Graduations.
3.) Church.

My family would not have so much as dreamed of going to a restaurant that required a suit. If the thought had somehow entered our minds, we might've pictured a snooty waiter speaking French carting around a $200 bottle of wine. Thing is, the thought wouldn't have occured to begin with.

So while formal attire is 'traditional' for some people, for others it's an alien experience.

As far as the 'casualization' of society-at-large, I think part of it is due to a cultural shift where 'the people' are more aware that they have the power to change & define standards.

When I was a kid, there was more a sense that 'this is how it is & you're going to conform.'

More recent generations have realized that traditional social practices from prior generations are not all set in stone, and can be modified to meet the needs & wants of the people living under them at the time.

After all, if someone in 1950 wants to dress one way, it doesn't necessarily follow that someone in 2008 is going to (or should) dress the same way.

Richard.

[woodofpine]

I used to think that formal ware and the adherance or disregard of it on a cruise ship actually MEANT Something... no longer...

Does it mean anything generationally...? nah. Does it mean anything societally...? nah.

I prefer dressing formally on ships, BUT...

To me, these dress threads always seem to conjure up William F. Buckley making out with Heidi Klum on 'Project Runway'. :D ;) :rolleyes: ;) :D

[usha]

[quote name='Jimsgirl']At the next table, the passengers came to dinner after drinking heavily and broke into song every night.[/quote]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=magenta]DH's mom always used to tell him: "Don't sing at the table; you'll have a crazy wife!" Some old wives' tales do come true.:o [/COLOR][/FONT]

[beauxdammit]

IMHO the way a person was raised has less to do with who they are now than what they now aspire to be has. I, too. was raised in a blue collar family that "dressed up" only for the type of occasions cited by ddrich2. As for fancy restaurants or cruises or high level resorts, well!! "We just don't do those kind of things." Now, in my senior years and well before this, I enjoy the opportunity to dress up, to take my lovely wife on my arm and stroll around the ship, seeing and being seen.
To those who would resist the standards of the little shipboard society on the pretense of 1. "I wasn't raised that way," or 2. " You can't make me do it," or 3. "It's my vacation!!" I say, find another venue for your rebeliousness. They are out there and I am sure you will be a great deal happier.

[Drew B]

[quote name='drrich2']As far as the 'casualization' of society-at-large, I think part of it is due to a cultural shift where 'the people' are more aware that they have the power to change & define standards.

When I was a kid, there was more a sense that 'this is how it is & you're going to conform.'

More recent generations have realized that traditional social practices from prior generations are not all set in stone, and can be modified to meet the needs & wants of the people living under them at the time.[/quote]

Your statement is extremely neutral and nonjudgemental about this paradigm shift. I'm not sure what your point of view is about it (if you have one). I will say that I agree with you and my point of view is that I HATE IT. This sort of "empowerment" of generations of young people is disastrous in my mind. The idea that one can adapt or flaut societal standards can only lead to a society that has no standards...

[CatServants]

People in 2008 realize they don't have to adhere to the strictures set in the 50's? We live in a more casual world because there's more room for individuality these days?

Hmmmm. Anyone born/raised in the 60's, 70's, 80's, all the way to present day is well aware that the 50's didn't make it past 1970! And that includes modes of dress. As for more individuality? Don't think so. Every generation seems to create 'uniforms' for itself. Look at any US high school, in any given decade, and you'll see what I mean. Basic 'uniforms' to define age, and subset 'uniforms' to define group. More casual? Absolutely! We live busy lives and don't take the time, or make the effort to 'dress up' on a regular basis, unless we're wearing our work 'uniforms'. I would point out that we, women in particular, admire individuals who make that extra effort, and always manage to look 'put together'.

Fashion magazines, fashion based tv shows, the fashion/beauty industry in general, is a booming business. Think of all the Red Carpet events on tv. It seems to me, we, as a society, ENJOY looking at people in formal clothes.

As for the idea that age defines whether or not people adhere to the requested dress code on X? Paris Hilton (like her or not) wears formal gowns all the time, so does Queen Elizabeth II, and those are two VERY different types of ladies in very different age groups!;):D

Happy cruising!

Denise