Making Formal wear look cool?

[Tracy67]

Hi
After watching The X Factor last night I think I may have a way of selling Ventura to my very fashion conscious teenage son.
We have enjoyed an ocean Village cruise and are looking forwards to OV again next year as it suites us perfectly but now we have the cruise bug we are stuck for the future.
NCL has pathetically sized cabins - weird bed layout and all dollars of course.
Thormpson has no teens clubs!
Royal Carribean sounds ideal but is so expensive.
So we keep coming back to Ventura. My daughter loves to dress up and I am fine with smart trousers and a glam top - like what you wear at Christmas dos! My husband could even be persuaded to wear a suite a couple of times as long as he can wear shorts in the buffet for most nights, but my son lives in Henleys, Bench etc.
Would he get away with the Casual approach to formal wear - do other teens wear bow ties draped around their neck - like Danyl Johnson did - he looked pretty good in formal wear!! And Simon Cowell always gets away with an open neck white shirt.
This could be a way of selling Ventura - and saving around £3000. The Royal Carribbean cruise we have our eye on is £7000!
Thanks

[KarenR_UK]

Originally Posted by Tracy67

Hi
After watching The X Factor last night I think I may have a way of selling Ventura to my very fashion conscious teenage son.
We have enjoyed an ocean Village cruise and are looking forwards to OV again next year as it suites us perfectly but now we have the cruise bug we are stuck for the future.
NCL has pathetically sized cabins - weird bed layout and all dollars of course.
Thormpson has no teens clubs!
Royal Carribean sounds ideal but is so expensive.
So we keep coming back to Ventura. My daughter loves to dress up and I am fine with smart trousers and a glam top - like what you wear at Christmas dos! My husband could even be persuaded to wear a suite a couple of times as long as he can wear shorts in the buffet for most nights, but my son lives in Henleys, Bench etc.
Would he get away with the Casual approach to formal wear - do other teens wear bow ties draped around their neck - like Danyl Johnson did - he looked pretty good in formal wear!! And Simon Cowell always gets away with an open neck white shirt.
This could be a way of selling Ventura - and saving around £3000. The Royal Carribbean cruise we have our eye on is £7000!
Thanks

How old is he?

Under 18s havde a smart casual code on all nights (they are allowed to dress above the suggested level)

Children: The dress code is applicable to all passengers of 18 years and over and we request that on Formal or Semi-Formal evenings children wear, as a minimum, Smart Casual dress, however on these occasions dark denim is not permitted.

Smart Casual
Stylish resort or leisurewear is ideal, for example casual separates or dresses for ladies and open-neck polo shirts and casual trousers (not shorts) for men. A jacket and smart trousers may be worn but are not compulsory. Smart dark denim may be worn however we request that the following items are not worn: sportswear, e.g. trainers, football shirts and tracksuits. Bring your brightest clothes for our Tropical evenings. (Applies to all ships.)

both from http://www.pocruises.com/Help/dining-questions.axd

What you describe seems (to me) fine under those circumstances


you might have more problems with shorts in the buffet (see the not shorts in the quote above) and ..

Please do not wear your swimsuit in the lounges, interior bars, restaurants or reception area. A shirt and suitable footwear is required while indoors and when using the buffets. In the evenings all restaurants and bars comply with the dress code of the evening.

Ventura & Oceana are the least formal of the P&O ships; though I've not been on Oceana since the changes or Ventura for very long - but I loved them both.

[Tracy67]

Hi Karen
Thanks for that.
He will be 15 then.
If shorts are not allowed in the buffet then there will be no point in looking at Ventura. I was assuming knee length shorts would be fine in the buffet and casual eating places - which we prefer to long drawn out meals with endless courses. Can do this a few times but not every evening.
Has anyone worn shorts to the buffet on Ventura - I mean longer shorts not the sort you wear in the gym!

[steelerannie]

We were on Ventura last November and ate in the buffet on a couple of nights. There was no-one wearing shorts at night!!! The men wore longish 3/4 trousers or full length ones.

Ann

[luv2krooze1791]

Originally Posted by Tracy67

but my son lives in Henleys, Bench etc.
Would he get away with the Casual approach to formal wear - do other teens wear bow ties draped around their neck - like Danyl Johnson did - he looked pretty good in formal wear!! And Simon Cowell always gets away with an open neck white shirt.

I'm not really sure of everything you discuss - no idea what Henleys and Bench are, nor who Danyl Johnson is - but would seek to dissuade you from suggesting that Formal Wear is either cool or casual.

Casual Formal is an oxymoron.

What is wrong with a simple suit for formal nights? If you buy one that fits it is not uncomfortable. Indeed, a dress suit is not uncomfortable if it fits.

But bow ties "draped around [the] neck" is really something to avoid, save for very late at night. And only then when you have tied it yourself earlier.

I can appreciate that he may not wish to wear a dress suit, and at fifteen one can understand that. If casual is okay for someone of his age, then a nice collared shirt and plain trousers will be fine.

[ROSEBASKETS]

Casual Formal might be an oxymoron, however i'm sure it would suit your son fine. Go with the white shirt / bow tie draped around the neck unfasted, it's cool, (don't think the Rat Pack in the 50's and 60's looked unsmart) and to the older fuddy duddies on here might want your son to tie it, but ignore them!

He'll be far smarter than the oldies who have raided their 70's wardrobes and are dressed like Austin Powers without the irony. Most passengers on Ventura (males) dig their dinner suits out of mothballs once or twice a year and think they dress appropriately, yet if they had any idea of style or fashion would not be seen dead in their dated attire. Those that have recently bought their dinner suits have got them from George at Asda for £29.99 anyway, less than you pay for a bench T shirt! so what do they know!

As for shorts in the Buffet restaurant on an evening there are always people still on deck past 7.30pm with shorts on, who go into the buffet before they "dress" for dinner, so don't worry about eating in shorts, as those who care more about the dress code of others than themselves will already be sat down eating in the main restaurants and won't even visit the buffet.

Some of the old time P&O passengers are going to have to realise that P&O have opened up to the next generation of cruisers and that their tastes, needs and dress sense are different to the 60+ brigade.

Theres a whole new world out there!

[Brayman]

Youngsters look great in formal wear, whetever their age. Here's a couple on Oceana last year, the boy's about 11 and the girl about 15, I don't know them but they were on the next table and really looked the part.

[luv2krooze1791]

Originally Posted by ROSEBASKETS

Some of the old time P&O passengers are going to have to realise that P&O have opened up to the next generation of cruisers and that their tastes, needs and dress sense are different to the 60+ brigade.

Theres a whole new world out there!

I know of people who are young enough to be my son who agree with the basic thrust of my position, and I can assure you that I have a long way to go to get to my 60th birthday.

You are joking about spending more than £30 on a T shirt? Please tell me that you are.

[David&Heather]

Originally Posted by luv2krooze1791

You are joking about spending more than £30 on a T shirt? Please tell me that you are.

Quite easy to spend more than £30 on a smart t shirt, it is possible to dress smart without resorting to the uniform of suit, shirt & dickie bow!

I buy some of my work clothes from supermarkets but would not be seen dead in a suit from george at asda as suggested by some on here

[thranite]

Originally Posted by ROSEBASKETS

Casual Formal might be an oxymoron, however i'm sure it would suit your son fine. Go with the white shirt / bow tie draped around the neck unfasted, it's cool,

What a ridiculous idea. Surely to were a bow tie draped around the neck early in the evening merely indicates the inability of the wearer to tie one?
Do you suggest that he should also have his flies undone?

[luv2krooze1791]

Originally Posted by David&Heather

Quite easy to spend more than £30 on a smart t shirt

Smart T Shirt?

Another nonsense.

And that kid looks dreadful - the one with the blue bow tie. What is it about the words "black tie" that appears to cause people to infer that a coloured bow tie is acceptable? Mind you, the stupid face on both children counts against them - the girl could be pretty and nicely dressed if she acted her age.

[luv2krooze1791]

Originally Posted by ROSEBASKETS

Casual Formal might be an oxymoron, however i'm sure it would suit your son fine.

There are times when one simply doesn't know where to start. This is one of those times.

[capasamari]

To me, a bow tie undone and draped round the neck just looks like the wearer hasn't got the self-confidence to wear it. I thought they looked uncomfortable on The X-Factor.

My son (at 16) had to be persuaded to tuck his shirt into his trousers when we went to hire him a dress suit for his Year 11 Prom night, but when he finally got the whole outfit on properly he thought he looked the bees knees, and even wanted the shiny dress shoes to complete the look!

Carol x

[Brayman]

Originally Posted by luv2krooze1791

And that kid looks dreadful - the one with the blue bow tie. What is it about the words "black tie" that appears to cause people to infer that a coloured bow tie is acceptable? Mind you, the stupid face on both children counts against them - the girl could be pretty and nicely dressed if she acted her age.

Where does it say anything about "Black Tie" for formal evenings, coloured bow ties look pretty cool to me. Also, the girl was in fact very pretty and dressed accordingly, the photo just caught her by surprise.

[ROSEBASKETS]

[ROSEBASKETS]

Originally Posted by luv2krooze1791

You are joking about spending more than £30 on a T shirt? Please tell me that you are.

You can spend £0000's on a cruise yet think £30 for a t shirt is excessive. Welcome to the 21st Century. You might buy your clothes from ASDA OR Matalan but some of us do spend a little more.

And how very rude of you to slag off someones kids who have dressed for the occasion. NO events on P&O are black tie and you should do well to remember that.

And for someone with such a high and mighty opinion you should be aware that Love to Cruise is spelled thus!

[luv2krooze1791]

Originally Posted by ROSEBASKETS

You can spend £0000's on a cruise yet think £30 for a t shirt is excessive.

Of course it is excessive. A T shirt is a cheap wear at home type garment.

But £3,000 for a suit is a different matter. That's good value. If cut by the right cutter, that is.

[luv2krooze1791]

Originally Posted by ROSEBASKETS

NO events on P&O are black tie and you should do well to remember that.

This is the opportunity for ladies to wear formal evening wear such as an evening dress, smart trouser suit or a cocktail dress. For men, a dinner jacket or tuxedo are the norm, otherwise a dark lounge/ business suit and tie or formal national dress is fine. (Applies to all ships.)

I would agree with you that formal dress is not Black Tie. It is, of course, White Tie.

But a "dinner jacket or tuxedo" is merely another form of writing Black Tie. Which, I venture to suggest, is what P & O regard as Formal.

[Brayman]

I think not, otherwise where would ANYONE wear a non-black bow tie?

[ROSEBASKETS]

Originally Posted by luv2krooze1791

This is the opportunity for ladies to wear formal evening wear such as an evening dress, smart trouser suit or a cocktail dress. For men, a dinner jacket or tuxedo are the norm, otherwise a dark lounge/ business suit and tie or formal national dress is fine. (Applies to all ships.)

I would agree with you that formal dress is not Black Tie. It is, of course, White Tie.

But a "dinner jacket or tuxedo" is merely another form of writing Black Tie. Which, I venture to suggest, is what P & O regard as Formal.

Mind reader now? If they meant black tie they would say black tie! These people do this for a living, I'm sure that they are paid very well to explain exactly what they mean in their literiture.

Going back to the OP this LAD is 15 years old, a child, a minor, a youth, and would you prefer he dresses smart caual as P&O suggest or wearing some resemblence to "formal attire"