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White dinner jackets on a Cunard cruise black and white ball


Drunkensailor123
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Hi, I'm brand new to cruising and this site so if this is in the wrong place I apologise. Just a quick question, we are going on a cruise on the Queen Victoria in December around Europe. Can men wear white dinner jackets to the black and white ball, I know white jackets aren't correct form in the winter and non tropical climes and as it's our first cruise I didn't want to get it wrong, can anyone help ?

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Hi, I'm brand new to cruising and this site so if this is in the wrong place I apologise. Just a quick question, we are going on a cruise on the Queen Victoria in December around Europe. Can men wear white dinner jackets to the black and white ball, I know white jackets aren't correct form in the winter and non tropical climes and as it's our first cruise I didn't want to get it wrong, can anyone help ?

 

I wouldnt wear a white dinner jacket in European winter, but I have never noticed any comments on others doing so.

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Drunkensailor123 --- You pose an unexpected question. Clearly, yes, you may wear the white dinner jacket, but I would suggest that perhaps it would be best (and simpler) to wear a black tuxedo or a dark suit. For one thing, since you specifically mention the Black & White Ball, why would you pack a white dinner jacket for a single night's dance? Besides, from my experience, no one particularly pays much attention to what a gentleman wears in terms of color at the Black & White Ball on a Cunard ship ---- it seems to me that it is treated primarily as just another formal night (unlike Valentine's or Mardi Gras, for example). A black tuxedo with a white shirt and a black bow tie seems to me to be the perfect and obvious easy choice for a Black & White Ball for a gentleman. You can wear the same outfit to every formal night dinner or ball!

 

And, yes, it is Winter in Europe --- not the Caribbean or the South Pacific. All the best.

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We normally go P and O , but are trying Cunard later this year. OH has a cream Tux. He wears it wherever we are cruising-even the Norwegian Fjords. As long as you are smart and comply with the dress code I cannot see what difference a white tux or black jacket would make.

The white tux would be coming with us when we are with Cunard.

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We normally go P and O , but are trying Cunard later this year. OH has a cream Tux. He wears it wherever we are cruising-even the Norwegian Fjords. As long as you are smart and comply with the dress code I cannot see what difference a white tux or black jacket would make.

The white tux would be coming with us when we are with Cunard.

Your OH has a white dinner jacket? Most are ivory/off white or cream. So well done if he was able to find a white one, they are rare (be careful he is not mistaken for a steward).

 

There is only one "colour" that is suitable for dinner suits in non-tropical waters; black.

 

Some will say that unless you are a band-leader, or James Bond (or believe others will think you are... ;) ), ivory dinner jackets shouldn't be seen outside of the tropics. Or... "when the officers wear white uniforms on formal nights, male passengers can get out their ivory dinner jackets".

 

And surely, black allows the lady to be seen in her finery without competition from her partner, as the gentleman alongside doesn't draw attention to himself by wearing "look at me" colours.

At least, that was the way I was brought up.

 

A gentleman does have colour choice when choosing a dinner suit; black, black or black ;) .

Edited by pepperrn
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Those who recall the Union-Castle Line (UK - South Africa liners) will recall that there was not a published dress code. The traditions of the sea were adhered to. But a subtle hint would appear in the daily programme, such as: "The captain and his officers will be wearing navy mess dress tonight" or "white mess dress" or "navy" or "white uniforms." While ivory dinner jackets were worn by many gents on those "white mess dress" nights, black DJs were more common and, as others have said, black can be worn any time. The tradition on those long voyages was that passengers in first class dressed formally every night except the first, last, a night in port and Sundays. Male passengers of both first and tourist wore jackets and ties on all nights. No-one said they must; it was just done.

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Your OH has a white dinner jacket? Most are ivory/off white or cream. So well done if he was able to find a white one, they are rare (be careful he is not mistaken for a steward).

 

There is only one "colour" that is suitable for dinner suits in non-tropical waters; black...

 

If the English Lady's husband wants to wear a white dinner jacket on some formal nights then good luck to him. And if the original poster asks if he can wear a white dinner jacket on 'Black & White Night' then why not? They should not be swayed by this patronising piffle about 'non tropical waters'.

On our recent lengthy Cunard cruise white dinner jackets were often in evidence (especially on Black & White Night) - and very smart they looked too!

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Those who recall the Union-Castle Line (UK - South Africa liners) will recall that there was not a published dress code. The traditions of the sea were adhered to. But a subtle hint would appear in the daily programme, such as: "The captain and his officers will be wearing navy mess dress tonight" or "white mess dress" or "navy" or "white uniforms." While ivory dinner jackets were worn by many gents on those "white mess dress" nights, black DJs were more common and, as others have said, black can be worn any time. The tradition on those long voyages was that passengers in first class dressed formally every night except the first, last, a night in port and Sundays. Male passengers of both first and tourist wore jackets and ties on all nights. No-one said they must; it was just done.
Thanks for sharing your recollection of the way it was, and, I'm sure we both agree, the way it ought still to be. All we can do is to dress formally on formal nights, wear ties the other nights, and hope for the best.
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Those who recall the Union-Castle Line (UK - South Africa liners) will recall that there was not a published dress code. The traditions of the sea were adhered to. But a subtle hint would appear in the daily programme, such as: "The captain and his officers will be wearing navy mess dress tonight" or "white mess dress" or "navy" or "white uniforms." While ivory dinner jackets were worn by many gents on those "white mess dress" nights, black DJs were more common and, as others have said, black can be worn any time. The tradition on those long voyages was that passengers in first class dressed formally every night except the first, last, a night in port and Sundays. Male passengers of both first and tourist wore jackets and ties on all nights. No-one said they must; it was just done.

 

Yes indeed. I made my first sea trip in l954, 21 days/nights and it was normal to dress for dinner every night except for first and last, but even those nights passengers wore the type of garment that today would most likely be classed at semi formal. Boarding , gentlemen would be in suits, and the ladies in coats with HATS and GLOVES.

 

No one wrote reminders re the dress for the evening it was assumed that passengers would automatically dress in the correct manner. In those days dining at the captains table was 3 meals a day for the duration of the trip, Captain attended for lunch and dinner.

 

I am still old fashioned and I follow the dress code of the "old days" but alas can no longer find evening long gloves, so always carry a stole. Yes I do still dress up for travelling and boarding, but have dispensed with hats and gloves, too difficult at the security lines.

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Thanks slow foxtrot for your post, it's made me feel better about my first cruise after a few replies I did wonder what I had gotten into and was concerned about having the correct dress for each evening. I agree that the white/off white/cream (however an individual wants to describe them) look really smart and why should all the men have to stick to boring black especially at a themed ball.

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I am still old fashioned and I follow the dress code of the "old days" but alas can no longer find evening long gloves, so always carry a stole. Yes I do still dress up for travelling and boarding, but have dispensed with hats and gloves, too difficult at the security lines.

 

Have you or any younger people you know have access to Ebay. There are lots of long gloves on there.

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I was educated to believe it was ignorant to wear a white/cream dinner jacket in the northern hemisphere in the winter and similarly in the southern hemisphere's winter. Don't the fashion police know this or are standards slipping?

 

 

There is no such "law" in the Southern Hemisphere. I think it exists only in the USA. ;)

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I was educated to believe it was ignorant to wear a white/cream dinner jacket in the northern hemisphere in the winter and similarly in the southern hemisphere's winter. Don't the fashion police know this or are standards slipping?

 

Years ago, where I live, it was considered a fashion faux pas for women to wear white in the winter. Now "winter white" is all the rage.

 

As far as men wearing a winter white dinner jacket, I feel the choice is theirs. As the old saying goes - don't judge a man by the color of his jacket, but rather by the cut of his jib (ok, I just made that saying up, so it's only minutes old). :D

 

Cheers,

Salacia in a very Winter white New York.

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Ah that's very wise. So where does the white dinner jacket law actually exist then?

 

In some peoples minds!!!!!

As I have said OH will be in his cream/white/ivory tux when we are on Cunard.

I was under the impression we were in the 21st century....Maybe some of the people onboard are stuck in a 50's timewarp!!

We are not on about wearing jeans in the mdr, we are on about the colour of a jacket.

Should some poor soul confuse OH with a waiter, I think that will say so much more about them.

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According to GQ, the new slowly evolved rule is no white jackets in the evenings and not in the winter.

And you think I read some obscure mag to find out how I and OH should dress.

We dress what we are comfortable in. We are smart.

Should be interesting when we board ..I will wait to be amazed by the sartorial elegance of everyone on board.

Unless horrors of horrors, we are just on a rather nice cruise ship and the other cruisers are normal and wear smart clothes , and don't read GQ (probably not even heard of it ) to know what colour jacket they should or should not wear.

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