Formal nights for ladies

[roofyapple]

Do all ladies need to wear a dress for formal nights? Will slacks with a buttoned shirt do?

[caviargal]

Not all ladies wear dresses. Dressy pantsuits or dressy slacks/skirts with a sparkly top are pretty common as well.

I am packing a pair of matte jersey evening trousers with a beaded halter for one of the nights on the OS next month.

[innlady1]

Do all ladies need to wear a dress for formal nights? Will slacks with a buttoned shirt do?

I wear dressy black pants and various tops. I have a beaded jacket, and other dressy tops that I switch out. Makes for easy packing!

[mamaofami]

I stopped taking fancy gowns because they took up too much room in my suitcase. For a 7 day cruise I take one pair of dressy black pants and one or two tops with a beaded jacket over it. Works great for 2 formal nights since you are only in the clothing from dinnertime on. I use Chico knits under the beaded jacket because they don't wrinkle.

[hammybee]

I often wear slacks, usually EIleen Fisher silk in black or ivory, matching silk tank top and a silk jacket or sparkle thing. They work well with my flip-flops :)

[innlady1]

I often wear slacks, usually EIleen Fisher silk in black or ivory, matching silk tank top and a silk jacket or sparkle thing. They work well with my flip-flops :)

LOL, hammybee!

I usually wear travel knits, mine are from Coldwater Creek. They take up little space in the suitcase, don't wrinkle, and I can mix and match for Formal Nights and the rest of the nights. Works for me!

[mamaofami]

Hammybee, now that you've worn the flip flops for one formal night, and no one threw you overboard, why bother with shoes? Keeps the luggage lighter.:D

[innlady1]

Hammybee, now that you've worn the flip flops for one formal night, and no one threw you overboard, why bother with shoes? Keeps the luggage lighter.:D

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.....maybe Hammybee will start a new trend in cruising footwear!

[Copper10-8]

I often wear slacks, usually EIleen Fisher silk in black or ivory, matching silk tank top and a silk jacket or sparkle thing. They work well with my flip-flops :)

Nothing wrong with thongs!;)

[ger_77]

Copper, tsk, tsk, tsk!!! Let's see that picture of you in the man-thong again! :eek:

In answer to the OP, if you've got a simple "buttoned shirt", you might want to accessorize with some really nice jewelry You don't have to wear a dress or a ball gown, but for formal dinners it's nice to dress as though you were going to a fancy land-based restaurant.

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[roofyapple]

The reason I'm asking is I'll be travelling around the world for 3 months before the 7 day cruise. I don't want to carry anything that is not necessary and things that will add to the limited luggage weight. Very difficult let me assure you!

Nice dress gowns will completely be ruin living in a suitcase for 3 months. At least slacks and shirts can be revived through a bit of ironing. Maybe even a suit jacket (or would that be too business dressed?)

[cranethie]

Guess what we call flip-flops Down Under - Thongs.:)


Cathy

[cranethie]

I had a similar problem with clothing last year, when visiting Family and Friends along with DH's Airforce Reunions last August/September meant 3 weeks in Great Britain, 3 weeks in the Maritimes ( Nova Scotia ) followed by R & R of 1 week on the Zuiderdam in Alaska and 1 week in Hawaii.

Black crepe trousers, nice sparkly tops, good jewellery and a new hairdo fitted the formal bill for me on several occassions and because DH already had to take a suit with him he couldn't grizzly about having to find room for one in his luggage to use on Formal Nights :)

20 kgs is not a lot of weight when you try to pack for long trips and you have to be very selective with what you put in that suitcase.

Cathy

[mamaofami]

Definately lose the gowns. You don't need them. You don't need a suit jacket either. A pair of nice silky llike pants and a dressy top and jewelry really will do it. And, you might want to add a nice shoe instead of the flip flops.

[mamaofami]

Or, after reading the thread about shoes, maybe some crocs with sequins on them.

[tinaparrotthead]

Well this thread certainly has me re-thinking formal nights on the Zuiderdam next Saturday cruise. I have packed a very formal gown, black long matching sholder scarf and my husband (no tux) but a black suit and white dress shirt. I'm thinking now that I read all the responses to the OP, we will be way overdressed??? He is also taking a sport coat with dress shirts (no tie) for the 2 informal nights..are we over the top?

[serendipity1499]

Well this thread certainly has me re-thinking formal nights on the Zuiderdam next Saturday cruise. I have packed a very formal gown, black long matching sholder scarf and my husband (no tux) but a black suit and white dress shirt. I'm thinking now that I read all the responses to the OP, we will be way overdressed??? He is also taking a sport coat with dress shirts (no tie) for the 2 informal nights..are we over the top?

You will not be overdressed at all..My DH always wears his TUX for formal nights & many men do..It just is a bit simpler for many of us to take long skirts or dressy pants & combine them with sparkly tops rather than gowns...However, many ladies will still be in gowns..DH always wears a sport jacket with a tie when we go to the Pinnacle....

[RuthC]

Well this thread certainly has me re-thinking formal nights on the Zuiderdam next Saturday cruise. I have packed a very formal gown, black long matching sholder scarf and my husband (no tux) but a black suit and white dress shirt. I'm thinking now that I read all the responses to the OP, we will be way overdressed??? He is also taking a sport coat with dress shirts (no tie) for the 2 informal nights..are we over the top?
I agree with Betty. You will be dressed to code. Even if others are underdressed you will be reaching the standard of "formal".

And, from your description, it sounds like you will look gorgeous! Get a picture done while you're at it. ;)

[middle-aged mom]

Well this thread certainly has me re-thinking formal nights on the Zuiderdam next Saturday cruise. I have packed a very formal gown, black long matching sholder scarf and my husband (no tux) but a black suit and white dress shirt. I'm thinking now that I read all the responses to the OP, we will be way overdressed??? He is also taking a sport coat with dress shirts (no tie) for the 2 informal nights..are we over the top?

I wore only long gowns on our formal nights on our recent Amsterdam Caribbean/Panama Canal Christmas/New Year's cruise. That was a pretty dressy cruise, as I recall. I don't know if it was because of the holiday season, or because many of the passengers were from Europe and South America. But we didn't feel out of place in our tux and gown. I think a number of people may be rethinking what they pack for formal nights due to recent airline luggage restrictions.

Karin

[mamaofami]

The reason I'm asking is I'll be travelling around the world for 3 months before the 7 day cruise. I don't want to carry anything that is not necessary and things that will add to the limited luggage weight. Very difficult let me assure you!

Nice dress gowns will completely be ruin living in a suitcase for 3 months. At least slacks and shirts can be revived through a bit of ironing. Maybe even a suit jacket (or would that be too business dressed?)


I think the OP asked the question because her gowns will be crushed for three months before she gets to the cruise. In her case, it makes sense to take something that will pack easier and look ok after three months in a suitcase.

[caviargal]

Well this thread certainly has me re-thinking formal nights on the Zuiderdam next Saturday cruise. I have packed a very formal gown, black long matching sholder scarf and my husband (no tux) but a black suit and white dress shirt. I'm thinking now that I read all the responses to the OP, we will be way overdressed??? He is also taking a sport coat with dress shirts (no tie) for the 2 informal nights..are we over the top?

Not at all! DH wore his tux both formal nights on ZUI and I wore long dresses. My taste runs to simple and classic so my dresses were black, matte jersey sheaths. We were in good company so attired and are packing the same type of formalwear for our cruise on the Oosterdam in 3 weeks.

[tinaparrotthead]

DH won't be in a tux but a dark suit and white dress shirt. I will keep that gown packed now! Question: It is my understanding that not much happens on the Zuiderdam (may be that way for all HAL ships) the first formal night expect pictures and dinner but that on the 2nd formal there is the baked alaska march in the dinning room making it festive?

[Copper10-8]

DH won't be in a tux but a dark suit and white dress shirt. I will keep that gown packed now! Question: It is my understanding that not much happens on the Zuiderdam (may be that way for all HAL ships) the first formal night expect pictures and dinner but that on the 2nd formal there is the baked alaska march in the dinning room making it festive?

The first formal night is usually the captain's "welcome aboard" reception in the show lounge. It's pretty festive;)

[tinaparrotthead]

The first formal night is usually the captain's "welcome aboard" reception in the show lounge. It's pretty festive;)

And what is that? Complimentary cocktails and the captain introduces his staff? Anything else? I ask because if that is basically it, we may skip the first one.

[Copper10-8]

And what is that? Complimentary cocktails and the captain introduces his staff? Anything else? I ask because if that is basically it, we may skip the first one.

That's it!

[luckycruzer]

The reason I'm asking is I'll be travelling around the world for 3 months before the 7 day cruise. I don't want to carry anything that is not necessary and things that will add to the limited luggage weight. Very difficult let me assure you!

Nice dress gowns will completely be ruin living in a suitcase for 3 months. At least slacks and shirts can be revived through a bit of ironing. Maybe even a suit jacket (or would that be too business dressed?)

Pick up a nice shawl/scarf to drape round your button shirt..good any where!

[madelinerose]

John, on the Noordam in December, so if that's it, what makes it "festive"?

Karen ;)

That's it!

[Copper10-8]

John, on the Noordam in December, so if that's it, what makes it "festive"?

Karen ;)

Well, I would imagine to some people, the atmosphere, ambiance and the fact that everyone (strike that, the majority;) ) of folks are dressed up. (No thanks, don't want to start another "dress code" thread:eek: )

The "welcome aboard" reception is a tradition (and not just on HAL ships). You probably already know about the receiving line (captain, H/M and C/D handshake, unless under or just after a code red), the formal photographs (involving subsequent lines) and the complimentary drinks after being seated.

The actual talk by the captain and the introduction by him of his staff does not take that long and a lot of that will depend on the personality of said captain as far as "entertainment" and "gee, I never knew that" value.

Look, the main positive value for me is that the likelyhood of any man boobs being present at that function is pretty much zero:)

[ger_77]

Look, the main positive value for me is that the likelyhood of any man boobs being present at that function is pretty much zero

So what you're telling us is that you keep your shirt buttoned up during formal evenings??? :D

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[Copper10-8]

So what you're telling us is that you keep your shirt buttoned up during formal evenings??? :D

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

I always start out that way, eh;)

[mjs125]

The reason I'm asking is I'll be travelling around the world for 3 months before the 7 day cruise. I don't want to carry anything that is not necessary and things that will add to the limited luggage weight. Very difficult let me assure you!

Nice dress gowns will completely be ruin living in a suitcase for 3 months. At least slacks and shirts can be revived through a bit of ironing. Maybe even a suit jacket (or would that be too business dressed?)

For something that can be made formal that will last through traveling, you may want to check out Chico's if you have one near you---they have a whole lin eof basic black tops, pants, skirts, and long dresses that are made specifically not to wrinkle. I think the line is even called "Travelwear". Although the items are not necessarily formal, they can very easily be dressed up with a scarf and/or jewelry. They have several different styles of pants, tops, and skirts. I've only seen one dress (it was a long black dress). I also think it comes in navy and maybe other colors, but the basic black I think would be easiest to dress up. Plus, these items are very lightweight and can easily be packed in a suitcase. Good luck!!!

I always start out that way, eh;)


John, you scare me. :eek: :D

Meg

[madelinerose]

Yeah, but it's a good kind of scared. ;)


John, you scare me. :eek: :D Meg

[mjs125]

Yeah, but it's a good kind of scared. ;)

Of course! ;)