Dressing for Dinner

[livingdeb]

Today we went to the library, Half Price Books, and Barnes and Noble and got some books about the Caribbean and Mexico, plus some other books.

I've kind of been making fun of Robin because the poor thing is going to have to wear long pants for dinners on the cruise, not to mention a suit on the formal nights. Then I read this in a review of the same ship we will be on:

"There were quite a few men onboard with tuxes. By no means 50%, but many more than some people would want you to believe. I only saw shorts in the dining room once. Everyone seemed to dress appropriately, and 75% or more of the women wore cocktail dresses most nights."

And finally it hit me that I also am going to have to change out of my shorts for dinner. I don't mind having to wear uncomfortable shoes two of the nights, but sneakers are not exactly going to be an option the other nights either. I get spoiled in Austin which is extremely fabulously casual. D told me that this is where we pretend we are the types to dress for dinner.

Meanwhile, as I type this I am the most dressed up I've been all week: I've got a short-sleeved white knit shirt, a whooshy navy skirt with white polka-dots, black tights, and black keds. Also, a short necklace of small pearls and tiny garnet and onyx beads with garnet earrings, and my hair in a ponytail with a half-gauzy, half shiny navy scrunchy. No make-up. And a shiny navy jacket for when I get chilled. Is that going to be good enough?

Comments

[sallini.livejournal.com]

Which cruise line as you taking? The standards for dinner dress vary quite a bit by ship, I understand.

At least this is one immediate opportunity to pull out the $2 little black dress you purchased. I'm sure Robin would enjoy helping you purchase more dresses.

Yeah, I'm not sure about how appropriate it is to wear keds in a context where other people are wearing tuxes. Maybe you will just need to position yourself next to a batty old woman in an outrageous kaftan and nobody will notice what you are wearing.

[livingdeb.livejournal.com]

Actually, I was talking about the less dressy days. There will be two formal dinners where the guys will be wearing mostly dark suits and tuxes and I will be wearing the little black dress or another dress I used to wear at little-black-dress occasions and high heeled shoes.

The other nights are more of a casual business dress kind of thing, although not as casual as in Austin. Men are supposed to wear slacks or khakis and a button-up shirt. No jeans, no t-shirts, no shorts. Ties and jackets would also be appropriate, but not required. So women are supposed to wear dresses or pants suits. But I suspect most of my dresses I wear to dress up for Sunday brunch around here are a bit too casual. Especially if 75% of women are wearing cocktail dresses most nights.

[indigo-rose99.livejournal.com]

I think your outfit would do on a casual night if you upgraded the shoes to something a lot less comfortable. *grin* Flats would work fine, since I think you view heels like I do.