The Real Scoop on Dressing Down

[NE John]

4 minutes ago, D&N said:

Many of the Med ferries operating to Corsica and Sardinia originated from Silja and Viking in the Baltic. I'm sometimes tempted to take a trip to Corsica just to travel on some of them. However I fear we'd be disappointed as I don't think Corsica Ferries and Moby Lines have the standards of the Baltic operators.

We were satisfied but that’s about it. Actually, mostly forgettable…

[david,Mississauga]

22 hours ago, exlondoner said:

I can’t think of a ship that had more beautiful lines than Windsor Castle.

 

It is great to read some others remember the Union-Castle Line. My wife and I were on the very last voyage of RMS Windsor Castle from Port Elizabeth to Southampton in September 1977.  There was no dressing down, at least in First Class. It was formal every night except the first, last, an evening in port, and Sundays. As much as I love the Cunard ships, my two voyages on the Windsor Castle remain my favourite of all.

[Lakesregion]

On 5/16/2023 at 3:24 AM, Pushpit said:

Indeed it's Gala Night where you may have an issue, see your Cunard login to see how many you have on your trip, but I suspect it's just one or two nights. On those nights your food options are the Lido (buffet) and room service. The Lido has a large range of food options and a pizza making section, which overlaps the Britannia menu to some degree plus has many other hot dishes, so plenty of food, plenty of choice, you won't starve. On QV consider going on the starboard side for a table, it's often a lot less busy.

 

On Gala nights you can visit these venues: Lido, Casino, Winter Gardens,  Golden Lion (no evening food, and many people there will be dressed up, ditto Winter Gardens), Yacht Club (not much happens there until past 10 pm).  There will be entertainment options in these places.

 

Most nights won't be Gala: The photos in this thread give a clue as to what's ok on non Gala nights and as @esrs says, chinos, shirt and a leisure jacket will work well for most nights. Post 31.

 

I find it odd that (us) men struggle to embrace this - all we have to do is put on a standard suit, takes 30 seconds, no imagination needed, and so long as the suit isn't too shabby, we start to look a bit more impressive. As craggyness and beer guts loom, it's the easy option.

You can take the man out of the cave but evidently you can not take the cave out of the man. Men with the exception of about 200 years ending in the 1960's have always distained from looking good for their significant others.

[Lakesregion]

On 5/18/2023 at 4:53 AM, Victoria2 said:

A gentleman will emerge from the Dark Side? Is this comment for real or did you forget a smilie or something?

 

If it's pukka and not tongue in cheek [hope it is 🙂], we obviously don't have the same mindset as to what constitutes a gentleman.

 

A propr gentlemanwill always consider his significant othe when attending to events outside his own study. Too many men reduce their significant others to stand alone exhibits asthe men stagger about in their unkept appearance. They are NOT gentlemen.

[Lakesregion]

I constantly read about "smart" jeans etc. Could someone please define the difference between "Smart" and "Dumb" attire.

[Victoria2]

6 hours ago, Lakesregion said:

You can take the man out of the cave but evidently you can not take the cave out of the man. Men with the exception of about 200 years ending in the 1960's have always distained from looking good for their significant others.

Our caves are quite plush and I have no idea what kind of social sphere you move in but in mine, the chaps scrub up very nicely when required to do so. They’re also well versed in looking good out and about when dressed casually. Maybe that means they're gentlemen cave dwellers as well as chaps? 🙂

 

[exlondoner]

6 hours ago, Lakesregion said:

You can take the man out of the cave but evidently you can not take the cave out of the man. Men with the exception of about 200 years ending in the 1960's have always distained from looking good for their significant others.

How could you possibly know the motivation of a Roman wearing his smartest toga? But it’s an interesting subject for a D.Phil.

[Victoria2]

6 hours ago, Lakesregion said:

A propr gentlemanwill always consider his significant othe when attending to events outside his own study. Too many men reduce their significant others to stand alone exhibits asthe men stagger about in their unkept appearance. They are NOT gentlemen.

If you’re going to quote and answer a post, try  and read the post in context before jumping in to comment.

The 'current' [emboldened for some reason] husband referred to in the post I replied to had already, seemingly, acquiesced to his game being upped. Goodness knows why 'Dark Side' was mentioned unless it was said in jest but if a genuine comment,  my comment on not having the same thoughts on what constitutes a gentleman, stands. There was no reply so I don’t know if it was a jest or a pukka remark. I still  live in hope it was a jest.

 

To answer your comment, , 'asthe men stagger about in their un kept appearance'  [unkempt and staggering about? on Cunard?] you have no idea if any chaps are part of a couple in their comfort zone. Not everyone wants to be dressed to your rather exacting levels so please, if you want to make a general statement on the way of the world re general attire, don’t involve my post. If it’s a genuine Cunard comment in answer to mine, read the comments before mine, first.

[Victoria2]

6 hours ago, Lakesregion said:

I constantly read about "smart" jeans etc. Could someone please define the difference between "Smart" and "Dumb" attire.

Smart jeans have the facility for knife sharp creases to be ironed into the fabric. Smart wearers of said smart jeans know that’s not generally considered a smart necessity.

 

Many dumb jeans, often strangely thought of as 'fashionable' by some, have so many holes and tears in them, they might fall apart if ironed. Even not so dumb, dumb jeans look in need of the bin at times. Smart wearers of dumb jeans know it’s not smart to wear dumb jeans on Cunard after six and indeed, not terribly smart to wear such garments at all on Cunard if over a young age.

 

Then there’s the inbetweener jeans. Neither dumb nor smart. My day wear are of that category and luckily, I’m smart enough to know when to wear them and when it’s a dumb idea to do so.

 

Answered tongue in cheek but with a teeny bit of reality thrown in for good measure. 😄

[exlondoner]

1 minute ago, Victoria2 said:

Smart jeans have the facility for knife sharp creases to be ironed into the fabric. Smart wearers of said smart jeans know that’s not generally considered a smart necessity.

 

Many dumb jeans, often strangely thought of as 'fashionable' by some, have so many holes and tears in them, they might fall apart if ironed. Even not so dumb, dumb jeans look in need of the bin at times. Smart wearers of dumb jeans know it’s not smart to wear dumb jeans on Cunard after six and indeed, not terribly smart to wear such garments at all on Cunard if over a young age.

 

Then there’s the inbetweener jeans. Neither dumb nor smart. My day wear are of that category and luckily, I’m smart enough to know when to wear them and when it’s a dumb idea to do so.

 

Answered tongue in cheek but with a teeny bit of reality thrown in for good measure. 😄

And I don’t think dumb is the correct antonym for smart in this context. Surely it should be scruffy or perhaps worn?

[Victoria2]

2 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

And I don’t think dumb is the correct antonym for smart in this context. Surely it should be scruffy or perhaps worn?

Not if answering a question re dumb and smart although I agree the really dumb jeans should be in the bin never mind actually worn by some who think they look great.

[exlondoner]

6 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Not if answering a question re dumb and smart although I agree the really dumb jeans should be in the bin never mind actually worn by some who think they look great.

Youth is an excuse for many things. 🙂

[steve4031]

15 hours ago, Lakesregion said:

I constantly read about "smart" jeans etc. Could someone please define the difference between "Smart" and "Dumb" attire.

Administer an IQ test . . 

[ballroom-cruisers]

Perhaps we should all have to sign an agreement before boarding, which contractually obliges us to confirm that we have fully read and understood the official dress code! (OK I'll remove tongue from cheek now!)

[Windsurfboy]

Speaking for men only.

 

Smart jeans , not for the over 25s. Look at who wears them, Jeremy Clarkson,  Tony Blair .

[Victoria2]

3 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

Speaking for men only.

 

Smart jeans , not for the over 25s. Look at who wears them, Jeremy Clarkson,  Tony Blair .

Jeremy Clarkson, smart jeans? I don't think the two should be spoken of in the same breath! Pretty much the same for Mr Blair.

 

Now an Armani look alike in wonderful jeans, that's smart for you. I remember a couple of chaps who turned up in jeans to dinner when we arrived early in Muscat and jeans  were allowed in the restaurant [I have photo  evidence of the dress code notification].

Oh boy, GQ and Esquire eat your heart out! They both looked SMART!  👍

[Windsurfboy]

14 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Jeremy Clarkson, smart jeans? I don't think the two should be spoken of in the same breath! Pretty much the same for Mr Blair.

 

Now an Armani look alike in wonderful jeans, that's smart for you. I remember a couple of chaps who turned up in jeans to dinner when we arrived early in Muscat and jeans  were allowed in the restaurant [I have photo  evidence of the dress code notification].

Oh boy, GQ and Esquire eat your heart out! They both looked SMART!  👍

 

The only  men who look smart in jeans are 6ft  , with a 32 inch waist, men who would look smart in anything

[Victoria2]

13 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

The only  men who look smart in jeans are 6ft  , with a 32 inch waist, men who would look smart in anything

Didn't presume to ask waist measurements  or clock their heights as I was too busy thinking how wonderful the chaps looked.

 

One had a Gucci belt if that helps! 😁

 

They definitely made an impression and by the way, they both wore jackets with their jeans.

 

Wonderful.

[D&N]

1 hour ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

The only  men who look smart in jeans are 6ft  , with a 32 inch waist, men who would look smart in anything

I just looked at the waist. Maybe I need to stretch a few inches. But maybe not, extending all those trouser legs could be a problem.

[Windsurfboy]

1 hour ago, Victoria2 said:

Didn't presume to ask waist measurements  or clock their heights as I was too busy thinking how wonderful the chaps looked.

 

One had a Gucci belt if that helps! 😁

 

They definitely made an impression and by the way, they both wore jackets with their jeans.

 

Wonderful.

 

Perhaps that is another approach to dress code, wear what you like as long as it's Armani, Gucci ...

 

But seriously if you put those jeans even with the Gucci belt on Jeremy Clarkson it would still look like a sack of spuds. 

 

Given that young Jeremy is more representative of the average Cunard male passenger I  can see why jeans are not considered smart attire.🙁

[TouchstoneFeste]

2 hours ago, ballroom-cruisers said:

Perhaps we should all have to sign an agreement before boarding, which contractually obliges us to confirm that we have fully read and understood the official dress code! (OK I'll remove tongue from cheek now!)

Would there be an option for "fully read, didn't understand"?

[ballroom-cruisers]

7 minutes ago, TouchstoneFeste said:

Would there be an option for "fully read, didn't understand"?

 

Possibly but then only needs a thumbprint but no signature!

[Victoria2]

31 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

Perhaps that is another approach to dress code, wear what you like as long as it's Armani, Gucci ...

 

But seriously if you put those jeans even with the Gucci belt on Jeremy Clarkson it would still look like a sack of spuds. 

 

Given that young Jeremy is more representative of the average Cunard male passenger I  can see why jeans are not considered smart attire.🙁

Or perhaps an approach to a casually smart dress code is to know one's limitations. You don't need labels to look good, You do however have to possess an ounce of commonsense to know when you look like a sack of potatoes as opposed to  well dressed casual.

 

I have yet to see a photo of Mr Clarkson in anything that resembles a  pair jeans which don't smack of a day on the farm. Work jeans yes. Well cut smart ones? No.

[Lakesregion]

5 hours ago, ballroom-cruisers said:

Perhaps we should all have to sign an agreement before boarding, which contractually obliges us to confirm that we have fully read and understood the official dress code! (OK I'll remove tongue from cheek now!)

Why not, you have to read and agree to about 10 pages of covid protocoll to sail to Austrlia.

[Windsurfboy]

1 hour ago, Victoria2 said:

Or perhaps an approach to a casually smart dress code is to know one's limitations. You don't need labels to look good, You do however have to possess an ounce of commonsense to know when you look like a sack of potatoes as opposed to  well dressed casual.

 

I have yet to see a photo of Mr Clarkson in anything that resembles a  pair jeans which don't smack of a day on the farm. Work jeans yes. Well cut smart ones? No.

 

I'm sure with what Jeremy Clarkson earned in Top gear he didnt get his jeans at primark or Matalan . 

 

I agree if people knew there limitations and understood what casually smart means Cunard wouldn't need a dress code. However given the number of men who dress like students from 60s or 70s, I'm not sure this approach would work.