The 'is this formal or smart casual?' thread

[Happy ks]

I forgot to write that I like the white dress. I like both of your choices :)

[vladdyfan]

I love reading about all the glam outfits we're wearing on upcoming cruises, but like a lot of people, when it comes to my OWN clothes I can get mixed up about smart casual and formal, especially with dresses. I have no idea if a thread like this exists or not (if it does, I'm hoping you lovely posters will accept my apologies for reposting) but I thought I'd start a thread where we could post pictures of items we own or are thinking of buying, with that burning question in mind - formal or smart casual?!

 

So, here's my first entry - a dress from Coast (UK store) which was reduced from £135 ($203) to £37 (sorry, couldn't resist crowing about my bargain!).

 

 

 

Bottom image is the back. What do you think - could I get away with this as a formal dress?

Ya..I totally think so. IDK if as many people are doing the more formal long dresses/ball gown type things anymore although you can certainly do that too. I think people are leaning toward more shorter length "cocktail" type dresses for formal nights.I think it's very pretty and totally suitable for formal night esp witha nice pair of dress heels and some sparkly jewelry..you'll be a rock star! So i can't tell..is it red or like a watermelon/coral color. With red I think black dress heels but if a watermelon/coral shade mb a metallic dress heel..like a bronze or something? What do you guys think? Congrats on getting a bargain! i LOVE getting bargains..I think it makes it more fun to wear! Have fun!

[hi2you]

"Formal" today isn't the same as days gone by. Your red dress will fit in. I would say it would fit even more than the 60% mentioned by a previous poster. I once read somewhere, for the 'formal' evenings, to wear what you would wear to a wedding.

[hi2you]

My rule of thumb is kind of "If I'd wear it to church, it's smart casual. If it's too much for church, it's formal or semi-formal. If it's not enough for church, it's casual."

 

ETA a picture of typical churchwear for me:

 

I like your 'rule of thumb'.

[royalcruz]

Love the white dress. It would be really sooooooooo perfect for a vow renewal ceremony.

[Jane110]

It's a combo of the style, the fabric, and how those relate to the length. You'll never have a short ballgown, but as you stated -you can have full length casual dresses. I wouldn't go to a black tie event in a short dress but I would certainly wear a cocktail dress on a cruise "formal" night.

 

Agree!

 

Formal is a combination of the style, fabric, length, even fit and how it all works together.

[Whygee]

Can I have some help too please? I will be a first time cruiser in June when we are doing the Transatlantic on the Queen Mary 2. I don't want to stick out like a sore thumb but I really don't want to wear a long dress on the formal nights. Are long dresses the 'done thing' or can I get away with wearing very dressy cocktail dresses, as in floaty, chiffony, beaded, sparkly, etc. etc. They come below my knee and if I do say so myself, look absolutely gorgeous. I can buy a long dress or two but I don't like waste and as I probably wouldn't wear them again....

[Happy ks]

QM2 can be a whole different story than other cruise lines. To date they have been the dressiest cruise line we have been on. Many of the people we saw onboard were the type who are attracted to Cunard because of the formal, traditional style of cruising.

 

I suggest you go to the Cunard board here on CC, lurk around, there is bound to be a discussion on the subject.

 

 

Talking about "church clothes", around here you see people in any old thing to go to church. Some of it I wouldn't do yard work in. So my take is if it is too dressy for church, it's casual, if you're going to a wedding, casual - semi casual (at the same wedding) if you're in the wedding, formal, but I'd not wear a bridesmaids dress other than when in a wedding. MOB or MOG dresses work for those of us who are old enough.