White tux or blacK?

[Highly Sociable]

We are on the Eastbound TA on 24th October. We have been told that there are two formal nights - Black and White gala and Ascot Ball. My husband has both a black tux and a white one, which he mainly uses in summer in the UK. As it's a black & white gala, he thought the white jacket with a black shirt would look smart. Would he be out of place? and would it look out of place at the Ascot Ball? Don't really want to pack two jackets..... as that wouldn't leave enough room for my dresses!! :)

 

Any guidance would be appreciated.

[carlmm]

If your husbands wants to take just one jacket he should take the black one as it is definitely formal. If and when a white jacket is acceptable has been discussed controversally on this board. Many people would delegate a white jacket to hot summer day as you husbands seems to do normally. A black shirt would even be a step back in terms of formality.

Thus the black jacket is on the safe side. BTW: You might have three formal nights.

[pnhmrk]

A black shirt would even be a step back in terms of formality.

 

Would that matter as the QM2 seems to be a lot less formal than the QE2?

[nuekruizer]

Just left the QM2 September to Nova Scotia. There were both black and white tuxes, but most of the gentlemen wore black. That's safe. If fact, they sell black tux on board.

[flag fan]

Were the white tuxedos full white tuxedos--jacket and pants--or just white dinner jackets with black pants? I was thinking of a white dinner jacket for a summer cruise and/or Caribbean or Hawaiian cruise and had assumed a full white tuxedo was not an option. Is it?

[captain_rad]

I took My white tux coat with black pants and two black tux coats, one single breasted and one double. This gave me great flexibility mixing the shirts around. To my surprize there were quite a few white and cream colored tux coats on formal night. So wear what you like and look good in what you wear.:)

[pnhmrk]

Were the white tuxedos full white tuxedos--jacket and pants?

 

All white?:eek: White trousers and jacket?:eek:

[stephen@stoneyard.co.uk]

North of Suez black, South of Suez white. In reality nobody probably minds which. QM2 is reasonably relaxed. If I could only take one, it would be black. It just seems more formal. I would feel more comfortable in black.

 

Best wishes, Stephen.

 

PS. Just going to starch my collar. Not really.

[TJL]

All white?:eek: White trousers and jacket?:eek:

 

Hmmmm I dunno, I might wear something along those lines next cruise.

Then I could pretend I was on The Love Boat circa 1977ish.

After all, it was set on a Princess ship which is rather apt given Cunards current owners!

Wonder if they'd agree to install a huge glitterball in the Yacht Club?:rolleyes:

[vtbobby]

Were the white tuxedos full white tuxedos--jacket and pants--or just white dinner jackets with black pants? I was thinking of a white dinner jacket for a summer cruise and/or Caribbean or Hawaiian cruise and had assumed a full white tuxedo was not an option. Is it?

 

Only for the Leader of the brass marching band. :rolleyes:

[KenC]

All white?:eek: White trousers and jacket?:eek:

 

Yeah, but I bet they were de rigeur on QE2 in the 1970's!!!! I mean man all that crushed velvet and the beatle jackets - and that was just the staff!!

 

Ken

[bobby1119]

I have hardly ever seen white or ivory dinner jackets let alone a full white tux on either QE2 or Queen Mary 2 crossings/cruises. Go with the black which is more appropriate on a transatlantic that time of year. The black & white Ascot Ball is hokey anyway. I expect to wear an ivory dinner jacket occasionally on the QE2 world cruise, probably not until after sailing from Maui and through French Polynesia.

 

Happy Sailing!

[Guest juliae]

Take the black tux jacket and maybe get a white rose for your lapel on the ship. What about a black and white pocket square for the Black and White Night? Frankly, I am not inclined to agree with the fashion stylists that white should be worn before Memorial Day or after Labor Day, unless you are in a tropical climate. When in doubt, err on the side of the traditional, especially with Cunard and other places were tradition is held in such high regard.

 

Best Regards,

Julia

[captain_rad]

Well Bobby

 

You will have no trouble spotting me on the QE2 :) in my White tux jacket with black trim. On our cruise last year I was amazed at how many Ivory or Cream colored jackets the well dressed men were wearing to dinner. My wife liked them so much that she wants me to get an Ivory colored one. I like the variety.

[TOMANDUNA]

Black Or White Tux?

 

Can I Wear My Tartan(plaid) Tux On Qm2 Formal Nights

 

To:)

[Coolgran]

On our recent cruise on QE2 there was at least one White 'Formal' suit, several natty waistcoats and even a very 'Shiny material' suit. Not the usual QE2 Formal wear, but I have to say the gentleman looked very well groomed and it is preferable to 'going casual' don't you think??? Have to say my own husband sticks to the black suit, if he wore white he would only get it 'mucked up' as we say in the North of England.

[rjms74]

Hi,

 

On my recent 20 nights Autumn Colours QE2 cruise most gentleman alternated on formal nights from a white tux to a black tux as I did myself. With 9 formal nights from memory (5 of which were part of the crossing to New York) it was almost de rigueur and everyone looked very smart esp.the ladies in all their finery! I did not meet anyone from all restaurants (I was in the Queens Grill) who did not appear to follow the dress code which was great. Saying this on QM2 the dress code doesnot appear to be so strictly adhered to.

 

Kind Regards,

 

RJMS74

[pnhmrk]

It is preferable to 'going casual' don't you think?

 

Dressing for dinner is always preferable to not dressing (or even going casual:p )I feel that black is preferable to white when outside the tropics and if you can only have black or white then go for black. Tartan is really restricted to fancy dress parties and children's entertainers, but it is better than jeans (at dinner).

[catandave]

We are going on back to back cruises on the 28th and 30th of October. We will be having 20 dinners, 8 of which will be formal. I decided to get an ivory dinner jacket to alternate with my black Tux. I will save it for the formal nights around the eastern Mediterranean. I have read the debates about black-vs-white on these boards for a couple of years now and one thing that helped me decide was watching the cruise video we purchased when we were on QE2. It shows an evening of dancing in the Queen's Room, the Gentlemen hosts are all wearing Ivory dinner jackets. So I thought if they look so smart and formal why not me? and who knows? it may even improve my dancing!!!

[TOMANDUNA]

Malcolm,

I Am Somewhat Bemused By Your Uninformed Comments About Tartan.

A Black Watch Dinner Jacket Was Considered Appropriate Attire When I Was Presented To Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 2nd At A Gala Ball At Culzean Castle In The Not To Disrant Past.

I Therefore Assumed It Would Be Suitable To Dress In On A Ship Named After Her, But Perhaps, In Your Infinate Wisdom, You Know Better.

 

Tom

[R'man]

Obviously the choice is yours...but white dinner coats, like your lady's (or your) white shoes, are generally closeted between September and May in the Northern Hemisphere, even in the tropics. There is no such thing as a white or ivory tuxedo, IMHO. And, please. no white ties, either, unless in full formal dress at a state dinner.

[captain_rad]

I have read the debates about black-vs-white on these boards for a couple of years now and one thing that helped me decide was watching the cruise video we purchased when we were on QE2. It shows an evening of dancing in the Queen's Room, the Gentlemen hosts are all wearing Ivory dinner jackets. So I thought if they look so smart and formal why not me? and who knows? it may even improve my dancing!!!

 

I have a white tux, 3 black tuxes, and I am having an ivory dinner jacket made for this years cruise. Last year, in the queens grill I saw several gentleman wearing a white or ivory jacket every night. I am from California and never heard of most of these rules.

[cusyl]

Tomanduna, I have see full Scottish dress kilts on a lot of formal nights and it should be acceptable.

On our back to back crossings next July we will have 6 formal nights, so my husband will be taking both his black tux and his white dinner jacket.

[travel-to-go]

Tom, Wear what you wish. If you look smart enough and the ladies ooh and ahh,. then who will be the fool then!

I saw a gent in the grocery tonight wearing a black leather kilt.

Nice Legs! (Not sure what he was wearing under, though!)

I'd love to see that fashion catch on. They have them in all sorts, As Wendell has shown.

 

I cannot believe all of this snobbery about "proper dress".

I just chcukle. It is so very gauche to judge others' attire. Now that is what *I* find declasse (sorry, no accents in my fonts)

 

Tom, you will look a most spectacular gentleman, I am quite certain.

 

Karie,

who wishes she could be there to see it.

 

 

P.S. Sure beats wearing your birthday suit..or not! <G>:eek: :rolleyes: :D

[pnhmrk]

I am somewhat bemused by your uninformed comments about tartan.

 

I am neither a Highland Scot, nor am I from one of those parts of Ireland where a form of tartan is also worn, so that might explain why I am rather "uninformed" as to the validity of your chosen outfit.

 

I must admit that I had put you down as an uninformed American who thought that a Royal Stuart DJ was just the thing:) and was simply saying that, from my understanding, the correct attire on a formal night is a white DJ when between the tropics and black otherwise. It is not a code I have always followed, I've worn white of the Coast of Norway in summer, but I believe it works as a general rule of thumb.

 

Your original question was black or white "Tux" - I simply gave my opinion. You then asked about tartan and I gave an opinion there as well. I am a very conservative dresser and would not wear tartan - I have only a very tenuous link to a Scottish highland clan and wouldn't like to have to explain it - Yes, you can wear tartan, but unless you know exactly what tartan you are wearing (and remember there can be several variations of the same tartan) my personal advice would be not to wear it.