Dress Code and Themes

[Giles2000]

To all cruisers

It is so exciting to see all the interest in the gala nights.  I love to dress up.  It could be formal every night for me.  Even my sophisticated casual on the other nights will be fancier.    (I am a Chixx girl!)  However, on our test cruise to Alaska last spring I was so very disappointed in the lack of interest on the cruise on QE.  I only saw about maybe 3 couples, maybe 1 tux trying to mimic the gala theme for the evening.  For sure we will be wearing fancy attire beyond the basic theme.  Since we are on the QV sailing from SF to Southampton, we have 16 formal nights.  I plan to interpret the themes and un-themed gala nights (9 +7=16 nights respectively) by packing some leftover accessories from carryover gala nights sailings with Cunard. I love to sew so many of the accessories are interpreted by me.

 

I envy beautiful designers.  However, I stretch my attire budget by sewing, remodeling cheap Halloween costumes, visiting the internet and charity sites etc.  The SF de Young Museum exhibit in SF right now is so stunning, a decade of gala gowns over more than 100 years by the most famed designers. if you are a creative sewer do not miss this exhibit.  I am making the point on this cruise, a celebration of our 50th university to recycle, to wear once more, my collection of 1950-1970 clothes, jewelry, etc.

 

Vernzina

 

PS  IF YOU ARE A CALIFONRIA RESIDENT, A REGISTRARED VOTER, BOARDING IN SF PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU VOTE IN THE PRIMARY ELECTION BY VISITING YOUR LOCAL REGISTRAR OF VOTERS OFFICE ON OR AFTER FEBRUARY 5TH TO VOTE BEFORE DEPARTURE!  OUR VOTING LOCATION HAPPENS TO BE IN THE CITY OF MARTINEZ.   

 

 

 

 

[Victoria2]

 

Giles2000, do you mean 'chic'?

 

There is sophisticated, and then there is eccentric.

 

Having experienced many weeks of QV world cruises, eccentric can have a field day on some  evenings and are positively encouraged on some occasions, but I would hate  Cunard newbies to think eccentricity is what Gala and other evenings on board are all about.

[windsurferfirst]

I am disappointed. We have Black & White and Masquerade. I wanted Red & Gold and roaring twenties.😞

[exlondoner]

22 minutes ago, windsurferfirst said:

I am disappointed. We have Black & White and Masquerade. I wanted Red & Gold and roaring twenties.😞

Why it should matter I can’t imagine, but why not wear what you would have anyway?

[Victoria2]

54 minutes ago, windsurferfirst said:

I am disappointed. We have Black & White and Masquerade. I wanted Red & Gold and roaring twenties.😞

Wearing a flapper dress might be a stand out one off but I have a beautiful red and gold jacket I often wear on Gala occasions, whatever the supposed 'theme'.

Wear what Gala outfit you want and not what's necessarily 'advised' theme wise.

[D&N]

3 hours ago, windsurferfirst said:

I am disappointed. We have Black & White and Masquerade. I wanted Red & Gold and roaring twenties.😞

We had Black & White, Red & Gold and two Roaring Twenties in 14 nights. We made the first of the Roaring Twenties a Masquerade (that's the profile picture, sans masks).

As has already been suggested make the theme whatever you want. Better still choose two other nights to be your Red and Gold and Roaring Twenties and have Black and White and Masquerade as scheduled.

The important thing is to dress for a Gala Night.

[e&mcruise]

11 hours ago, windsurferfirst said:

I am disappointed. We have Black & White and Masquerade. I wanted Red & Gold and roaring twenties.😞

We aren't even getting a theme on our 5 day cruise. Just "Gala" which we too find disappointing based on our pre booking research that said it would be one of the 4 themes, not none of them. 😞

[Victoria2]

3 hours ago, e&mcruise said:

We aren't even getting a theme on our 5 day cruise. Just "Gala" which we too find disappointing based on our pre booking research that said it would be one of the 4 themes, not none of them. 😞

Golly, I'd be delighted! 🥴

[e&mcruise]

8 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Golly, I'd be delighted! 🥴

Not if it was your first ever Cunard cruise....... 😞 

[Victoria2]

8 minutes ago, e&mcruise said:

Not if it was your first ever Cunard cruise....... 😞 

Yes, first, middle or last, delighted.

[Pushpit]

I think for Gala nights there is, in my view, a minimum standard, but not a maximum. So it really is up to you where you want to take it. If you're going off dancing and fancy a bit of red and gold then hit the floor accordingly. But even on a "plain" Gala night you will see some amazing dress arrangements by both men and women, and you will appreciate the effort that everyone has made to make it a special night. The gap between Gala and Red and Gold is actually fairly small in comparison.

 

So I wouldn't be at all disappointed if it's just a Gala night - in a way it gives you more scope to do what you want to do.

[NE John]

5 hours ago, e&mcruise said:

Not if it was your first ever Cunard cruise....... 😞 

You’ll have to book a transatlantic on QM2 then…

[D&N]

My wife dresses to theme and I may wear a suitably coloured tie and possibly a mask.

However we would support the removal of themes. Some folk just don't understand them and take the opportunity to lower the tone.

 

There is an "act" posted on YouTube recently with hat and braces worn on a crossing last summer. Even wearing the hat during dinner in the MDR. I don't think I've seen anyone that reminds me more of Onslow. Personally I dislike having any facial hair other than eyebrows. There are many men who do like beards and moustaches, but this character just looks as if he hasn't shaved in a long time, there doesn't appear to be any attempt to keep it tidy. The same folk were claiming on a previous trip that a not very smart polo was a collared shirt.

 

Without themes Nora's two shorter flapper style dresses would be worn on our unofficial gala nights and the gown length one on a gala.

 

 

[mahasamatman]

We have two each of Red and Gold, Black and White, Roaring Twenties, and Masquerade on our upcoming 28-day sojourn. Most of them are easy for me, but I still have to figure out what to wear for Red and Gold. I have a red shirt that might go with my white tails and a red bowtie, but no gold at all. I do wish it was easier to transport a hat - I took one of my tophats on a QE Transpacific, but it was not easy.

[exlondoner]

15 minutes ago, mahasamatman said:

We have two each of Red and Gold, Black and White, Roaring Twenties, and Masquerade on our upcoming 28-day sojourn. Most of them are easy for me, but I still have to figure out what to wear for Red and Gold. I have a red shirt that might go with my white tails and a red bowtie, but no gold at all. I do wish it was easier to transport a hat - I took one of my tophats on a QE Transpacific, but it was not easy.

Just wear your DJ etc, unadorned. 

[3rdGenCunarder]

5 hours ago, mahasamatman said:

We have two each of Red and Gold, Black and White, Roaring Twenties, and Masquerade on our upcoming 28-day sojourn. Most of them are easy for me, but I still have to figure out what to wear for Red and Gold. I have a red shirt that might go with my white tails and a red bowtie, but no gold at all. I do wish it was easier to transport a hat - I took one of my tophats on a QE Transpacific, but it was not easy.

 

I thought top hats collapsed for easy packing. 

 

You could have bought a top hat on QV last fall. On the day of Roaring 20's gala, they were selling all manner of costume items, not necessarily 20s. There were sequined top hats, some black, some gold. if there had been 10 of the gold ones, I'd have bought them for all of my dinner companions. We would have had a lot of fun with that. 

Edited February 24 by 3rdGenCunarder

[mahasamatman]

On 2/24/2024 at 1:38 PM, 3rdGenCunarder said:

I thought top hats collapsed for easy packing.

 

Unless you purchase one at a magic shop or are in a movie, very few tophats are collapsible.