Short or Long

[divergirl63]

How do you go? Short or long on formal night, I should said knee length cocktail dress?

[Kinkacruiser]

I take long dresses but cocktail length is popular. (Wearing long saves me wearing pantyhose.)

[suezyq50]

I usually wear long on the first formal night and short on the second.

[cb at sea]

I've done both... (no pantyhose needed with either..get a tan or use self-tanner!!!)...whatever your man is wearing, try to be as formal as he. Generally, if hubby's wearing a tux, I'll wear a gown. If he's doing a suit, I'll go cocktail dress.

[Beyondthe7Seas]

I like to wear knee-length. :)

[simplelife]

The degree of elegance of the dress depends more on style and fabric than length. The recent trend of casual maxidresses is an example of very casual long dresses.

That said, I have done short and long dresses, a long skirt and even pants with a sparkly top on various sailings. Whatever I wear, I wear sparkly jewelry. on some occasions. I have worn the same dress for both nights ans simply changed the jewelry and wrap. I have fun dressign up.

[Chloe1500]

Maybe it depends on the cruise line, but I just returned from a Med cruise on Princess with two formal nights. It looked to me like there were many more women wearing cocktail dresses and pants outfits, than long, formal gowns. On the first night, I wore a black knee-length cocktail dress (and no panty hose:), and the second, silk pants and silk tunic. I did not feel out of place either time. Most of the men wore dark suits, and only a few wore tuxes.

[CELTICGIRLCRUISER]

I am old fashioned and have been brought up around "'posh" events so for me, official formal wear should be floor length and Cocktail knee length. I pack both.

[Happy ks]

I feel like I look better in a short dress, so short it is!

 

Sometimes I wear pantyhose, sometimes not, it depends on the dress and shoes. I don't consider cruise ship formal nights to be very formal any longer, not like they used to be. My cocktail dresses are true cocktail dresses, nothing you could dress down for a more casual event.

 

I love to dress up a bit and wouldn't mind if every night was semi-formal, which is what cruise ship formal is now.

 

I also find shorter dresses to be a bit easier to pack. The last time I packed a long dress I swear it took up half the suitcase!

[Liv4cruzin]

Most of the time floor length on the first formal night; & either short cocktail dress or silk slacks & sequin tunic top on the last formal night.

[STARFISH*4]

long...i pretty much wear a long dress every nite of the cruise...just more comfortable in a long dress or maxi.

[Sthomp]

I usually wear a long gown on the first formal night and a cocktail dress on the second. This cruise, I think I might just do two cocktail dresses. :confused:

[Nebr.cruiser]

The last couple of years I've mostly been wearing cocktail dresses. If I can find a long dress I like and that looks good and packs easily I'd be happy.

 

I have several long dresses but they are more ball gown types or out of date--currently the grand daughters are using them (except for one I really like but don't currently fit into) for dress-up.

[arhillbilly]

I love to wear the long dressier evening dresses.....never get a chance any other time (except NYE) however, the next cruise I have found sooo many beautiful dresses, both long and cocktail that I am having a hard time deciding, so I may just "dress" every night :)

[BoardwalkBabe]

I have a mix of dresses with varying lengths. For my upcoming trip, I have one knee length and one that hits around my ankles. Wear what makes you happy!

[JBM]

Cruise ship formal most cetainly is not what it used to be. A plus for packing! I live in south Florida and casual dress is a way of life for me. So on cruises I will 'dress' every night. Not formal wear, by any means, but long and ankle length dresses and skirts. I bring costume jewelry and 2 pair of low heeled black strappy sandals--every outfit goes with black shoes. Also shawls, some sparkly and some not. To me it doesn't matter if hubby is in dockers and a golf shirt or a sports jacket. I dress to feel pretty! ;)

[Esjohnso]

I always do long. I think they are more elegant. I usually bring a fairly dressy knee-length cocktail dress to wear the night we eat at one of the special for-fee restaurants (which we usually do for our anniversary.) If I ever had a "disaster" (like not being able to fit into one of the long dresses, a stain, a tear, etc.) I have the cocktail dress as a backup.

[Boo2]

I always wear an evening gown on the formal nights; when else do you have a chance to wear one? :)

 

I love to dress up so I will wear a cocktail dress or a skirt to dinner on all the other evenings as well.

[sail7seas]

For all our cruising years, back to about 1991), I always wore long dresses on formal night. The last two or so years, I have swtiched to knee length cocktail dresses and cocktail skirts/pants with dressy tops. I like to be 'middle of the road' rather than the extreme of dressed the most formally or the most casual.

 

DH almost always wears a tuxedo or dinner jacket.