Have YOU been accosted by the fashion police? We were

[fann1sh]

Cow Princess, I'm sorry you had this happen to you.

 

Posters here tend to call people "fashion police" if they observe the dress code. All my "fashion police" encounters are with the militant anti-formal. Lovely to have someone accost my 85 year old mom and tell her she looked like a Christmas tree....dressed in a plain solid colour floor length long sleeved dress with a string of pearls. Yeah, she would have looked *much* better in shorts....

 

Unfortunately, HAL isn't immune to ignorant, stupid, rude or passive aggressive.

[RevNeal]

Posters here tend to call people "fashion police" if they observe the dress code. All my "fashion police" encounters are with the militant anti-formal. Lovely to have someone accost my 85 year old mom and tell her she looked like a Christmas tree....dressed in a plain solid colour floor length long sleeved dress with a string of pearls. Yeah, she would have looked *much* better in shorts....

 

Aren't Christmas Trees green with little lights and ornaments hanging from them?

[vab1224]

Kind of off topic, but on my most recent cruise a male passenger wearing shorts (and a shirt) did try to be seated at dinner. The maitre d' turned him away, with an apology. I did think everyone knew that shorts are not acceptable in the dining room at dinner time.

[SwissMyst]

In Alaska, the difference between casual and formal dress is whether you wear your sheepskin vest inside or out.

[ANSalberg]

IMHO that's another iteration of the fashion police, yes. So I'd say it counts.

 

 

 

:D I avoided the shoulder pads, big hair and leg warmers in the '80s -- so I guess I was under the radar for at least a decade :)

 

 

 

We were on the Promenade Deck .... I think. Getting change from the Front Office, IIRC, then heading back to the cabin to get ready. She was wearing a skirt and glittery top. So she was dressed for dinner. Perhaps it didn't occur to her that not everyone was in Anytime dining? I dunno.

 

 

It also COULD have been that it was simply conversational and no malice intended.

When I THINK of the term "Fashion police" I think of the Maitre De at the door of the dining room and I HAVE seen people stopped at the door -but it was done quietly -and the suggestion was "you are not properly dressed for HERE; possibly you'd be 'happer' on the Lido deck"

The time I WISH there had been 'FP" was on a different line when two tables of middle-aged people dressed in "Pull-My-Finger" Tshirts on a Formal occasion engaged in a food-fight between tables!!!!!!!!!! THROWING food that escalated into COMPLETELY unacceptable ANY time!

I always think that any of this is a matter of degrees -the extreme is not 'right' ; It is NOT a passenger's business -or their problem -so comments come across as simply rude/nasty. But it also isn't terrific to be TOTALLY dressed down to filthy clothing/inappropriate printing on Tshirts etc -on FORMAL night [ It's LIKE giving someone "the" finger!] I also think it depends on the day -if its a port-intensive/exhausting day is one thing and a casually comfortable day "At sea" where dressing up should be a treat!

There are always a million variations but I think it honestly comes down to respect for the Line, respect for your fellow passengers and maybe a degree of propriety -no matter what your age is; it is , in my book, SELDOM "right" to be mean so someone; just on general principles......I am anything BUT "perfect" [ just ask my DH] but I TRY to be nice!

Anne

[ANSalberg]

IMHO that's another iteration of the fashion police, yes. So I'd say it counts.

 

 

 

:D I avoided the shoulder pads, big hair and leg warmers in the '80s -- so I guess I was under the radar for at least a decade :)

 

 

 

We were on the Promenade Deck .... I think. Getting change from the Front Office, IIRC, then heading back to the cabin to get ready. She was wearing a skirt and glittery top. So she was dressed for dinner. Perhaps it didn't occur to her that not everyone was in Anytime dining? I dunno.

 

 

It also COULD have been that it was simply conversational and no malice intended.

When I THINK of the term "Fashion police" I think of the Maitre De at the door of the dining room and I HAVE seen people stopped at the door -but it was done quietly -and the suggestion was "you are not properly dressed for HERE; possibly you'd be 'happer' on the Lido deck"

The time I WISH there had been 'FP" was on a different line when two tables of middle-aged people dressed in "Pull-My-Finger" Tshirts on a Formal occasion engaged in a food-fight between tables!!!!!!!!!! THROWING food that escalated into COMPLETELY unacceptable ANY time!

I always think that any of this is a matter of degrees -the extreme is not 'right' ; It is NOT a passenger's business -or their problem -so comments come across as simply rude/nasty. But it also isn't terrific to be TOTALLY dressed down to filthy clothing/inappropriate printing on Tshirts etc -on FORMAL night [ It's LIKE giving someone "the" finger!] I also think it depends on the day -if its a port-intensive/exhausting day is one thing and a casually comfortable day "At sea" where dressing up should be a treat!

There are always a million variations but I think it honestly comes down to respect for the Line, respect for your fellow passengers and maybe a degree of propriety -no matter what your age is; it is , in my book, SELDOM "right" to be mean to someone; just on general principles......I am anything BUT "perfect" [ just ask my DH] but I TRY to be nice!

Anne

[fann1sh]

Aren't Christmas Trees green with little lights and ornaments hanging from them?

 

Yes, well...if she'd been wearing green, it might have been intended as a compliment...but the dress was pink. Not neon, not fuchsia, just pink. Maybe being over 80 she was supposed to wear black?

[BaltiGator]

On our last cruise, heading back to our cabin at about 6:15 pm, to shower and change for formal evening. We were in shorts, sandals, t-shirts. A woman came up and said "well I guess YOU won't be going to the dining room tonight". For the first time in my life, I was actually able to respond both quickly and appropriately with "oh yes we will" and added an evil grin.

 

I wouldn't have given the tiniest little flip what she thought, so I probably wouldn't have bothered responding. A polite smile, maybe, but no more.

[RevNeal]

Yes, well...if she'd been wearing green, it might have been intended as a compliment...but the dress was pink. Not neon, not fuchsia, just pink. Maybe being over 80 she was supposed to wear black?

 

Sounds like she was lovely.

My point is that "Christmas Tree" remarks truly are off target in every respect.

[Gotta Go Cruisin]

There are always a million variations but I think it honestly comes down to respect for the Line, respect for your fellow passengers and maybe a degree of propriety -no matter what your age is; it is , in my book, SELDOM "right" to be mean so someone; just on general principles......I am anything BUT "perfect" [ just ask my DH] but I TRY to be nice!

Anne

I think I would agree with you, except that there seems to be the "Attitude" that goes along with the "dress like I do" crowd or you're a _________. There are too many Simon Cowell's in this world and on these ships to relate it back to just respect. :)

[sparky-elpaso]

Unless it's a compliment any comment about how someone else is dressed is out of line.

 

On our recent cruise on the Westerdam we were waiting for the elevator - not formal night so DH was wearing a red polo shirt and I happened to be wearing a top that had some red in it. A couple walked up and the guy made a comment about "not knowing it was Valentine's Day". I just gave him the "I can't believe you said that" look and he looked away first. I hope I embarrassed him a little.

[PennyAgain]

I had a run in with a member of the Fashion Police when I was staying in a 4 star hotel for a long series of meetings. I was waiting at an elevator to go upstairs to change for dinner when a woman told me I was not wearing the dress code for the evening's event.

 

She was wearing a full length white gown and looked like an over age bride on the way to her wedding.

 

She didn't realize that she was speaking to the person who worded the dress code for the evening and she was badly over dressed.

 

She looked like a fool and was the talk of the whole night.

[HeatherInFlorida]

IMHO, dress codes are an expression of civility. I don't think they are intended to apply to walking from point A to point B. To me criticising another passenger for doing so is as much a violation of the civility principles behind the dress code as is walking into the MDR on formal night in shorts and flip flops.

 

Anybody else remember the days when everyone was to be in the appropriate evening attire after 6:00 PM, wherever they were on the ship?? Also, collared shirts were the expected dress in the MDR at lunch.........Oh my, how things have changed!!!

 

...................

 

Technically speaking I believe HAL still requests that after 6:00 on formal nights passengers dress appropriately "in the public areas". This would suggest that if you plan to get from point A to point B in casual wear you should at least try to not go through the public areas.

 

As we continue to dress down in our society more and more people simply ignore this request as they so often do both on the sea and on the shore.

 

But when another passenger takes the time to point it out when you are simply walking past them (and they have no idea where you're going), I think that says a heck of a lot more about them than it does about you.

[Adri204]

In Alaska, the difference between casual and formal dress is whether you wear your sheepskin vest inside or out.

 

 

LOL thier is a lot of truth to this.

 

Also in Alaska the difference between Casual and formal dress is how many strips of duck tape are on the sheepskin vest lol.

 

Ok thats alaskan humour here. All Kidding aside Alaskans can dress up and dress down depending on the occasion.

 

However in the winter and ive done this. Ive been all dressed up in a formal type gown going somewhere, lacy shawl, makeup, nylons etc and yet on my feet are big thick boots and my heals are in a little bag. I change in to my heals once I get inside. This is very common and practical :).

 

Adri :)

[karenj4546]

My family went on a 4 day Ensenada cruise from LA. Well, Carnival "misplaced" our luggage, so night 1 we were in our "airplane clothes"...blue jeans, t-shirts, sneakers. One woman in an obviously old bridesmaid dress (ladies, you KNOW the dress) looked at us and said, "well, I guess they'll let ANYONE eat in here". We were stunned. I wish I'd had the fast thinking to reply, "quite". However, we were escorted to the dining room with no issues.

[Cruising-along]

......

 

Best response would have been to tell her how lovely she looked and hoped she had a very nice time. And how much her glitter top matched her sharp pointy fangs and the glint in her eyes. :p

 

Oh, I just love this! Unfortunately I'm not so quick on my feet, but probably would have managed saying "not that it's any of your business, but we have later seating and are on our way to change now". And then I would have stared her down, waiting to see if she showed any reaction or not.

 

But I much prefer your suggested retort. :D:D

[callmedeb]

I was in a full elevator one formal night, everyone was dressed up. We stopped on the Lido Deck and the doors opened to reveil two fellow cruisers, in flip-flops, bathing suits and Hal Bathrobes.

 

Dead Silence.

 

Until the bathrobe attired gentleman playfully smacked his wife's arm and said.. "See! I told you it wasn't bathrobe night!"

 

The doors closed with both sides laughing.

 

=)

 

Cheers,

 

Deb

[zookiebird]

I'm a little confused as to what is considered acceptable attire for the formal dinner nights. Our experience has been on NCL where casual dress is the norm. We're taking our first HAL cruise to Bermuda on the Veendam in Sept. and would certainly appreciate some real life guidelines.

[serendipity1499]

We had a similar experience as Rev. Neal's last year..On our last long cruise, a small group obviously still enjoying Happy Hour, got on the elevator with us..One Man looked at DH, in his TUX & then glanced over & saw me in my long formal chiffon skirt & sparkle chiffon top in amazement.. He looked back at DH & sneeringly asked: "Well now, Are you a Politician or something like that?"

We just laughed it off, as didn't have a good comback..

However, it has me thinking...We'll still take our Formal clothes (his Tux & my chiffon's with Sparkle tops) on our longer cruises...But wonder if just a dark jacket w/white shirt & tie for DH & a plain, long black skirt with semi- formal dressy tops for me, on our seven day Bermuda cruise in Aug. would be more appropriate..My plain straight black, long black skirt & tops look just like those which HAL rents on board..I wore them on the nights when HAL had three dress codes & once called the third one Semi-Formal... I'm trying to pack only one 26 in. suitcase with two carry=on's for the entire trip & we don't wish to stand out...Thoughts anyone?

Cheers.....:)Betty

[midgecruiser]

I was cruising on a B2B in Alaska a couple of years ago and was sitting in the Ocean Bar having a glass of Champagne. This was embarkation day for most but not for me so I was "dressed" for the evening. Nothing formal just a dress with heels. I was sitting alone so I think that made it easier for the two gals to talk to me...anyway, they had on jeans. Nice jeans with pretty tops and they looked nicely dressed but still in jeans. They where all....oh my goodness, you are all dressed up. I thought this cruise would be more casual because it's Alaska and it's the first night. Are we dressed OK or should we go back to the room and change? I laughed. Explained that this was not my first night and that I enjoy dressing for the evening and that they looked very nice. Which they did. I'm with Rev on this one. I prefer to dress for the evening. I usually dine late if possible so have been "caught" in my more casual clothes during the earlier dinner hour. I try not to linger in the lounges when the dining hours start and have found myself scooting out when I start noticing those who are dressed for the evening coming in for cocktails. I just feel uncomfortable sitting there in my day clothes. That just me and how I feel. I rarely notice what others are wearing unless it's really crazy and out of place and I would never say anything.

 

Wendy

[fann1sh]

Betty, it's a shame that person has made you second guess yourself.

 

Either option is "appropriate".

 

If you want to wear/pack tux and gown, do it.

 

If you want wear/pack suit and semi formal, do it.

 

Perhaps those who vociferously scorn dress codes to the point of rudeness should be dubbed "slob snobs"?

 

There are those who love the dress code, and those who hate the dress code, but thankfully the vast majority of each camp doesn't descend to accosting people on their clothing choices!

 

 

But wonder if just a dark jacket w/white shirt & tie for DH & a plain, long black skirt with semi- formal dressy tops for me, on our seven day Bermuda cruise in Aug. would be more appropriate.

[TracieABD]

In the South we would say one of two things:

To ourselves, "they just were'nt raised right".

To them: "Well, bless your heart!" in a syrupy sweet voice!

 

:cool:

[happyglobetrotter]

DH & I were not spoken to......but it looks could speak..WOW! It was formal night, but we did not go to the dining room for dinner..We were walking to the theater for the evening show, I wearing my skorts and flipflops (and yes a top) and DH in his finest T-shirt & shorts. All the glitter gowns and tuxs' were on parade and then we came along...It almost looked like Moses was parting the Red Sea once again, you'd have thought we were carries of the noro virus:eek: We had a good chuckle on that one.

 

 

How sad !

[cruisecrasy]

On Formal Nights, when I have Main seating (8pm) I usually try to be back in my cabin by about 4:30 or 5 pm. I take a nap then get up and shower and great dressed and head out for cocktails prior to dinner. I have, on occasion, been caught underdressed in the lounges after 5 pm, and have felt VERY conspicuous. When I'm traversing a lounge and others are all dressed up I KNOW I'm being looked at and I try, very quickly, to make my way through and out of the public space where I know I don't belong under-dressed.

 

This happened to me on my most recent cruise. I had been chatting with one of the ship's officers in the crows nest over drinks and the hour pressed late. He and I both needed to go get dressed for dinner, so I made my way down. I should have ridden the elevator all the way down to Main deck and gone straight to my cabin, but my mother had asked me to pick her up some coffee in the Explorations Cafe, so I did. I noticed I was being eyed, and I felt VERY out of place. Later that evening (after dinner), while walking with my mother on my arm through the Explorer's Lounge I overheard woman say to her husband "there's that young man who was in shorts earlier." The man said "He cleaned up well." I turned, smiled, and nodded to them. She turned red and I leaned over and said "thank you for calling me a young man."

 

Exterior areas, accommodation deck corridors, and elevators are different. Those spaces are not included in "Dining Rooms" or "lounges" in the Dress Code, and so I have never considered them "open" for dress code violation.

 

Ahhh but u probably looked as young as u felt..right?? :D

 

Doesn't the theatre where the evening entertainment is held qualify as a 'dress code' area? I presume yes but am not sure now..

 

'Salt Air Hair' seems to believe it doesn't since they wore anything but formal attire there..guess they enjoy 'in your face' stuff...:)

 

Thanks, Rev Neal..:)

[cruisecrasy]

IMHO, dress codes are an expression of civility. I don't think they are intended to apply to walking from point A to point B. To me criticising another passenger for doing so is as much a violation of the civility principles behind the dress code as is walking into the MDR on formal night in shorts and flip flops.

 

 

Most articulate..enjoyed reading your post! May I also add...walking not only into the MDR but any lounge or theatre not properly attired..!

 

Unfortunately too many folks enjoy being 'noticed & different'!! :)