Cruise wear

[freep]

I'm thinking of taking a cruise next fall.

I don't have a recurring use for a full on formal outfit in either Highland wear or modern wear for that matter. My daughter being as hard-headed as her mother won't let me wear a kilt to her wedding so I'm going to get a nice blue blazer and some grey slacks, fyi, a high degree of formality for me, generally. I'm a t-shirt/hoody, jeans/shorts, hiking boots kinda guy.

So, to the question, are roving bands of Scots crewmembers going to chuck me overboard for wearing a blue blazer over a dress shirt, inappropriate tie (all my ties are inappropriate) and a Gunn Modern kilt? To go with most likely kilt hose and wingtip shoes. Got some of those last with comfy foam soles.

[Jack Daw]

Are the hose white? (You might get a yes - )

[McClef]

What you wear during the day time wouldn't be the issue, for formal occasions you would need to check on the guidelines lay down by the cruise line.

[freep]

Are the hose white? (You might get a yes - )

Kinda funny you ask. Back when I was in jr. high (not middle school) my mom was a big fan of black socks. No one, and I mean NO ONE wore black socks then. Not even the girls. Hadda be white socks and either Chuck Taylors or Jack Purcells. So, after a fight or two at school, I convinced my mom to get me white socks.

Fast forward.

These days I have three types of socks:
REI merino wool Light Hikers. Used everyday for everything.
REI merino wool Expedition. Used when it's below 30* for the high.
Cabela's knee to toe wader socks. When I'm wearing a kilt most times.
All of the above are grey. This because grey is the new white. For me. Yes.

I'm going to a gathering in March in Phoenix. They call it the Valley of the Sun, but I actually think it might be one of the upper levels of hell. So, I've ordered a couple pairs of dedicated kilt socks, a pair from USA kilts in charcoal and a pair of Cheviot Harris in medium grey. Hope they're substantially lighter than the wader socks.

Should I go on the cruise, barring an Alaskan cruise, likely be one of the latter two. Or both.

[freep]

What you wear during the day time wouldn't be the issue, for formal occasions you would need to check on the guidelines lay down by the cruise line.

I travel on Royal Caribbean and they specify "suits and ties" but I've worn blazers and slacks with no problem. I also packed my middle boy's blazer by accident one time--he's 5'8", I'm 6'1"--and went to both formal nights in a shirt and tie with no comments. I'm guessing they'll not get too excited by the kilt.

I'm mostly wondering what you lot think of the combo, blue blazer, dress shirt, tie and Gunn modern kilt.

[AFS1970]

As far as cruise lines go Carnival is one of the more relaxed. I have been on Carnival and Royal Caribbean, and enjoyed formal night on both. However on both I was definitely in the minority for being formally dressed. On my Carnival cruise I was part of a group and we wore Class A uniforms to formal night. On my RCI cruise, I wore my kilt and PC. There were not that many tuxedos on either cruise. RCI has changed formal night to elegant night and now has a suggested dress of a dark suit (blue or black) as opposed to a dress code. I saw people on formal night in basketball jerseys, jeans, and all manor of informal or casual dress and they were seated and served. So I don't think you will have any trouble from the cruise line in a blazer and kilt.

[Benning Boy]

I wouldn't wear an ordinary blazer with a kilt, unless I were going where no one else understood proper dressing when kilted. There are many threads on converting regular dressy mens' jackets to kilt length ones, and it can almost always be done at a fairly reasonable cost.

Exhire jackets from a tux rental place can be converted to very formal kilt jackets.

Not so long ago Alan H started a thread in which he described, and we discussed, dressing formally using inexpensive jackets and such made for wait staff in restaurants. I thought I bookmarked it, but can't find it now. PM him, and inquire about it.

(ETA: Found it. http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...l-cheap-77030/ )

Instead of buying a blazer and gray trousers, consider buying a dark blue three piece suit and a second pair of gray trousers, preferably with a pattern, and even an additional vest if you can. You can mix and match for a variety of looks. They needn't be from an expensive store. You might be able to find what you need at a thrift store.

I once lived in Midland, TX, a town full of very rich people, which through work I regularly associated with, although money-wise I wasn't in their league. I found in a thrift store near downtown a blazer that would probably have then, early '80s, cost two to three hundred dollars, maybe even more. It was a perfect fit; not a store bought fit, but a tailored fit. The lining was worn. My then wife, an excellent seamstress, fixed that for me. It could have been worn with the distressed lining anywhere it needn't be removed and no one would have noticed anything but that I was wearing a very high quality designer blazer. At work I got many compliments on it. Total cost, maybe $30.

P.S

If you go the way Alan H described, I think it best to buy a vest that matches your hose.

[Couper]

My latest cruise (January, 10 nights out of Baltimore) was on Royal Caribbean. The only long pants I had were the jeans I wore onto and off of the ship in the nasty wintry weather. For the formal nights I wore one of two kilts, with a black leather vest, a gray herringbone sport coat, white dress shirt and tie (bow tie one night). Even though I was not dressed "properly" at dinner I must have been "OK" because I received many compliments on those "formal" nights. On the casual evenings I was kilted casually - and also compliments.

[Tomak]

On a Princess cruise last year, a friend of mine wore his kilt with a waistcoat and tie and nobody deemed it inappropriate for formal night. I've been on a dozen cruises (mostly Princess) and you see a wide variety of dress. I would agree with others though, don't wear a Saxon blazer with the kilt.

[GrainReaper]

For non kilted attire, I picked up two Joseph A. Banks tuxedos on E bay for under $30 each shipped... Great deals for sure, I might convert one for kilt wear