Formalwear...

[jj244]

I'll be cruising with HAL for the first time early this fall and have been wondering, The only Tuxedo i currently own has a jacket with a notch lapel. Will this be noticeably inappropriate?

[POA1]

I'll be cruising with HAL for the first time early this fall and have been wondering, The only Tuxedo i currently own has a jacket with a notch lapel. Will this be noticeably inappropriate?

Yes. Without peaks or a shawl collar, the cool kids will beat you up and steal your lunch money. ;)

[mudscraper]

Ixnay on the ruffled shirt while your at it !! :):)

[mudscraper]

Your jacket will be fine. Us tux wearers are a dying breed, unfortunately.

[chefestelle]

Your jacket will be fine. Us tux wearers are a dying breed, unfortunately.

 

 

Maybe, but elegance never gets old! My fourteen year old daughter is looking forward to wearing gowns and sparkly cocktail dresses. She will be gorgeous and I won't rain on her parade by cautioning her that some people will be dressed down.

[Carnevale]

We were at the tux shop on the weekend for DH and they had several with notch collars. I hope you wear it - there are few nicer things than a gentleman in a tux!

[RuthC]

Yes. Without peaks or a shawl collar, the cool kids will beat you up and steal your lunch money. ;)

You DO realize that some posters have no sense of humor, and won't notice the winky face, don't you?

[chefestelle]

You DO realize that some posters have no sense of humor, and won't notice the winky face, don't you?

 

 

I think everyone will be alright. Jj244 was being amusing so I'm thinking everyone reading the joke posts after will know that's what they are... Right?

[POA1]

You DO realize that some posters have no sense of humor, and won't notice the winky face, don't you?

Yes, I know. I've tried to move past it though.

I think everyone will be alright. Jj244 was being amusing so I'm thinking everyone reading the joke posts after will know that's what they are... Right?

No, it's exactly like the prologue to West Side Story. (You have to pretend that the Jets are dressed better though.) The tuxedoed guys walk through the halls, snapping their fingers... menacingly.

 

 

Smiley Face :D

Edited July 6, 2015 by POA1

[jaspersmycat]

Yes, I know. I've tried to move past it though.

 

No, it's exactly like the prologue to West Side Story. (You have to pretend that the Jets are dressed better though.) The tuxedoed guys walk through the halls, snapping their fingers... menacingly.

 

 

Smiley Face :D

 

Great visual. I hope to see this on a future cruise.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Your tuxedo will be fine.

Although not many men wear them anymore, you will see different varieties of them including jackets with the long tails. And some men still wear white dinner jackets.

[bonvoyagebites]

I vote for powder blue with a ruffled shirt. One of these days I need to get one myself.

[jj244]

Yes. Without peaks or a shawl collar, the cool kids will beat you up and steal your lunch money. ;)

 

This is what I was afraid of... I think I may pick up a white dinner jacket.:D

 

I'm going to assume that I'll be okay with balmorals as opposed to pumps...

Edited July 6, 2015 by jj244

[Blue Mudshark]

Your tuxedo will be fine.

Although not many men wear them anymore, you will see different varieties of them including jackets with the long tails. And some men still wear white dinner jackets.

 

The jacket with the long tails is not a Tuxedo at all; it's considered more formal than a Tuxedo. White (or off-white) Tuxedos are a standard variation, especially in warmer climates.

[POA1]

This is what I was afraid of... I think I may pick up a white dinner jacket.:D

 

I'm going to assume that I'll be okay with balmorals as opposed to pumps...

As long as they're patent leather, you'll be fine. Oxfords not Brogues. ;)

[take us away]

I vote for powder blue with a ruffled shirt. One of these days I need to get one myself.

 

make sure it is noticeably polyester

[take us away]

This is what I was afraid of... I think I may pick up a white dinner jacket.:D

 

I'm going to assume that I'll be okay with balmorals as opposed to pumps...

 

Love white or off white dinner jackets (go for the black tux shirt so I can drool) and you can wear your tennis shoes if you want!

[Jameseric]

Still not not sure I'd do a tux, being uncomfortable walking the line between elegance and foppishness. But if they had a West Side Story night, insisting on Jets apparel (and behavior to a limited extent) to get into the main dining room... now THAT would be something else again. Have to practice snapping fingers just in case.

[kelleherdl]

As long as they're patent leather, you'll be fine. Oxfords not Brogues. ;)

 

I scored a pair of true Italian-made patent leather slip-on at the Johnston and Murphy outlet.. They look better than my tux. The shop manager said I really scored since they are only available by special order evenin the retail stores.:D

[colbe]

Maybe, but elegance never gets old! My fourteen year old daughter is looking forward to wearing gowns and sparkly cocktail dresses. She will be gorgeous and I won't rain on her parade by cautioning her that some people will be dressed down.

 

Your daughter will look wonderful. remember to take lots of photos for her.

I found a beautiful 1920's tux in the local charity shop. It is made of fine wool trimmed with satin silk cuffs and shawl collar. Made in Italy. My sons love it and have worn it to school and university balls. Beautifully styled clothing never goes out of fashion.

[zerbot]

Still not not sure I'd do a tux, being uncomfortable walking the line between elegance and foppishness. But if they had a West Side Story night, insisting on Jets apparel (and behavior to a limited extent) to get into the main dining room... now THAT would be something else again. Have to practice snapping fingers just in case.

 

I recall someone telling the story of a diner (on Cunard I think it was) who came to the dining room not only in formal attire, but with a top hat and opera cape, doffing them with a flourish and holding them out to the maitre d', who took them without missing a beat.

 

Then there was the guy at my prom who came in a tux and Converse. Now that's stylin'.

[CaveDiving]

I'll be cruising with HAL for the first time early this fall and have been wondering, The only Tuxedo i currently own has a jacket with a notch lapel. Will this be noticeably inappropriate?

 

I would say that with your old tux, you will definitely stand out from the crowd. Not because of the notches in your lapels, but because you are wearing a tux in the first place.

 

Unfortunately as the dress code has slackened over the years, HAL no longer has formal dress evenings. The code word is now “Gala dress evenings.” A translation here is for men a suit or sport jacket, even worn without a tie. And women with formal gowns are virtually nonexistent.

 

For the past ten years I have always cruised on HAL ships with several tux jackets, three formal shirts and a half dozen cummerbunds. But after my experiences this past winter, I’m afraid this is over.

 

We sailed on eight B2B cruises on the Prinsendam, including two grand cruses. Tuxes were almost never seen. In particular on the Grand Med cruise, (which is supposed to be one of the more formal of the HAL cruises,) on one formal evening I counted a total of two other tuxes in the entire main dining room and on another formal evening I saw only one other tux. It was so bad that I really felt way over dressed and was embarrassed about wearing a tux.

 

I feel this is unfortunate as dressing up for dinner, with Karen wearing some nice jewelry, has always been one of the experiences to which we looked forward. But it seems this has gone the way of the dodo bird.

 

So to answer your question, it doesn’t seem necessary for you to worry about wearing your old tux. From what I have experienced, true formal evenings really no longer exist on HAL ships so IMO it is probably not worth your bringing the tux at all.

 

Scott & Karen

[chefestelle]

I know you meant your post as a joke jj244 but please wear your tux! Maybe I'm too old fashioned but it is so splendid to see men in tuxes and women in gowns. Even if you are the lone man out, you will be much admired!

[Khaos WolfKat]

including jackets with the long tails. And some men still wear white dinner jackets.

 

.::swooooon::.

[Khaos WolfKat]

I recall someone telling the story of a diner (on Cunard I think it was) who came to the dining room not only in formal attire, but with a top hat and opera cape, doffing them with a flourish and holding them out to the maitre d', who took them without missing a beat.

 

Cue more swooning from me!

 

Most of the places I go for fun and vacation, things like top hats, opera capes, coats with tails, ruffled cuffs and collars on gents, and extravagant gowns with corsets, hoop skirts, crinolines, and the like are rather commonplace.

It seems so strange to me that the "weird" people like me, who go to Sci-fi/Fantasy conventions, Highland Games, Faires, kink events and other such unconventional places are MORE likely to be the ones in extremely formal, and often very old(e) school attire when dressing up fancily these days.

I'm still holding out hope for seeing lots of dapper fellows in their tuxes, tails, dinner jackets, and maybe even top hats, along with beautiful ladies in fabulous gowns on my upcoming (first!) cruise!