Evening dress question.

**Downunder Kilt** · 19th October 13, 01:44 PM

They Sydney Opera House does not have a fixed dress code for events
http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/visi...dingevent.aspx
For musicals, such as the one you are attending, you will find a fair variance of male attire being worn. If you are a person who likes to dress up for a night out, as I am, I would wear the black argyll and also use the same jacket for the ship dinners, as per other posters suggestions.

**Jamie McP** · 19th October 13, 06:02 PM

I just received an email from the Sydney Opera House, "For most events there is no formal dress code although for safety reasons we do ask that patrons wear shoes at all times." Assuming I wear shoes with my argyle jacket, I think I will be ok.

To be fair, the email further stated that most patrons dress in "smart casual wear" and that any special events may have information about dress code provided with the tickets or confirmation. I believe that I will proceed with the argyle jacket.

**Jamie McP** · 19th October 13, 06:05 PM

Thank you to Downunder Kilt. I just saw your post after my last post. I look forward to my next visit down under. My wife and I love the country.

**Jamie McP** · 19th October 13, 06:10 PM

By the way, is it "argyll" or "argyle"? I am seeing both spellings.

**Downunder Kilt** · 19th October 13, 06:37 PM

Take your pick on Argyll or Argyle.

**Sir William** · 19th October 13, 08:14 PM

Originally Posted by Jamie McP

Again, thank you for the suggestions. I do have a black Argyle with silver buttons, so this sounds like the most versatile way to go. I suppose I can dress it up or down if I do or do not wear the waistcoat. I can also change out the ties. I will also try to get in touch with the opera house. I am glad I found this site. You all are a big help.

On a recent cruise, I took my black Argyll with waistcoat. For the "formal" evening, I wore black bow tie with the vest. For the "semi-formal", I replaced the waistcoat with a black belt and silver buckle, and replaced a bow tie for the long tie. I wore my dress sporran both nights.

**Jamie McP** · 20th October 13, 01:39 AM

This sounds like a good plan.

**AFS1970** · 20th October 13, 06:26 AM

If you think we discuss and debate formal wear here, you should see the heated arguments over on a certain cruise forum I am on. In general most cruise lines have either abandoned formal for something called elegant or they have turned dress codes into dress suggestions. They have even changed black tie to dark suit. That being said on my last cruise, I wore my PC and black tie at both formal nights. I told my wife (who thought I was over dressing) that I was not raised by wolves and would dress like the gentleman I should be. The first one I wore my XMTS kilt which is really less formal and the second I wore my Baird tank with a fly plaid. I ordered a sgian brew just for the cruise because they seem to think knives are bad.

As to how formal the formal nights were, well I counted maybe a half doze of us in formal wear (out of about 3,00 people at my sitting) and the few tuxes I saw had a variety of tie colors. There were allot of black or dark blue suits, most without ties. There were even some who felt the jacket was too much, and then there were the few that thought formal night meant a new ball cap and their best jersey, but then again they were probably raised by the aforementioned wolves.

**MacLowlife** · 20th October 13, 07:03 AM

AFS, Thanks for your report. I think there are a million approaches to "dressing up" but I notice these two often:
1- This is a dressy occasion. I will take advantage of it to wear my dressy clothes, which I do not get to wear often.
2- So, this is a dressy occasion? I don't like to dress up. I paid money to go to this party ( or spent some other form of currency) and I will not pay for the privilege of being told what to do. I pay for the privilege of doing as I please.

What is most confusing/amusing to me is when people in group 1 keep company with people in group 2. You get those "What is she doing with him?" moments where one partner is wearing three months worth of salary and the other one looks to have been washing the dog or maybe catching up on some nap time.

**Father Bill** · 20th October 13, 07:14 AM

The "I'll do whatever I want" school of thought is to me, essentially selfish. The pronoun "I" appears there twice. The "What is the dress code?" school of thought is essentially more generous. It asks what would be appropriate in a context that belongs to someone else and to which others are also invited.