So, I'm a "cheap suit" kinda guy

[steveyjc81]

Here's a question - so you have to wear a jacket TO Remy. Can you take it off once seated? I often get uncomfortable dining with a jacket on.

 

[hubbard53]

I had to google it! Never heard it before either! Denim with more denim basically

https://www.google.com/search?q=can...cB4WmyQGi04HYCw&ved=0CC0QsAQ&biw=1024&bih=672

oh my. can't believe I missed that term...

Anyway, I think I wore more of a sports jacket with slacks rather than a 'suit'.

to be honest, if i WERE to lose focus on my date and food and did notice the couture of fellow diners, I would be more apt to stare the silly Tux and Gowns.

This is a cruise chip after all and disney to boot.

I dont even care about other diners in the MDRs... heck, I think I wore shorts and polo shirt to a couple dinner services. guess I was the schlub of the dinning room

 

[sweetpee_1993]

The best thing I can do is tell you to be yourself, be comfortable in your skin and try (because I know it's hard) to not worry about whoever is looking at you and what they're thinking. I really only have one set of dress clothes, it's not expensive and it probably doesn't fit right but my priorities aren't throwing money at expensive clothes so much as having a good time.

Amen!

To the OP, my husband wore his average-Joe khaki pants, blue shirt, and sports coat ($100-ish) to Remy and was fine. Wear what you have. Don't worry about the rest. It's all good.

I'd like to share a bit of my Remy dinner experience with you because I think it lends some perspective to the uncomfortable factor in the whole Remy dining thing. I'm not a very fancy girl. I wear dresses when I'm on cruises but otherwise that's not the norm. I'm a cutoffs and flip flops girl thru & thru. When we sat down at our table in Remy I was instantly feeling out of my league. There was a nice upholstered stool to put my bag on! Wow! There were silverware pieces I'd never even seen. It was weird! So, here I am in my total un-sophistication-ified self and then we got the menus. Uh, yikes?! What was that stuff?! My husband instantly caught onto how I was feeling which was mildly amusing to him. He's been to Europe and really upscale places with his family in his younger years...places he had to have etiquette classes before he could go...you get the drift. So he knew what we were signed up for before I did. I managed to order my food with some help from the ever so nice waiter. I tried really hard not to make it obvious that I was totally clueless. Not sure how successful I was. Again, all of this was mildly amusing to my husband. So we're sitting there and I'm taking everything in. We inadvertently were listening in on the conversation of the couple at the table behind us. I swear to you it was like this couple was trying to out-do each other on the sophistication level. The lady talked about being in some fine restaurant in Europe somewhere....then the man started yapping about how he's had the opportunity to use 3 of the 5 languages he knows while on the ship....blah blah blah. I leaned over to my husband and said, "I think we made a mistake coming here. I'm miserable. I don't belong here." He chuckled and reassured me. He said I was the prettiest gal in the room and not to listen to the people behind us. He then started whispering little jokes to get me to laugh. I've got me a great fella. Still, I felt like a square peg in a big way and was anxious for the whole thing to be over with.

Then the waiter came and reset our table, removing everything whether used or not, and placing new flatware down. One piece was the weirdest looking thing to me. That's when I couldn't stand it any longer. I leaned towards the young man and said, "You're going to think I'm the most awful person ever because I'm truly a simple girl but I can't stand trying to pretend I'm something I'm not. What is THIS?!" And I held up the mystery piece of flatware. He smiled and told me what it was. I asked what it was for. He explained it with a smile. Very polite but I could tell he was also amused. He ended the explanation with, "Don't worry. Most of the pieces nobody ever uses anyway. They're just part of the service." That's when I had truly let my hair down and got back into my own skin. I had to ask, "So for every course are you going to pick everything up & put down all new stuff whether we've used it or not?" Yep. I smiled and said, "Wow, y'all must really like doing dishes!" The young man laughed a little and replied, "Well, polishing the silverware does give us something to do each day." And we became friends.

From there on out I was relaxed. We laughed. If I had a question, no matter how uncouth, I asked. I really think our waiter became more relaxed and enjoyed us as much as we enjoyed him. I was able to enjoy my meal. Heck, after I finally let down the act it seemed like the people behind us with their sophisitacation contest got more laid-back and relaxed as well. It was all good. We were the last couple in the main Remy dining room. The chef came out and several other wait staff came to chit-chat with us. We spent a solid half hour or so with Chef Patrick talking about Southern & Cajun foods, things we know about and enjoy. It was fun!

The point is, no matter now unformal you are, don't allow yourself to be affected by the environment. You can still go and have a fabulous time even if you're an extremely laid-back soul. It was a grand experience, one I'm glad I did. The key is to not try to be what you aren't. Be yourself. You never know, others may appreciate the honesty and genuine-ness just as much as you do.

Go and enjoy. Don't worry about everyone else!

 

[cobright]

Here's a question - so you have to wear a jacket TO Remy. Can you take it off once seated? I often get uncomfortable dining with a jacket on.

It should be left on but should be unbuttoned. If the host is visible, follow his or her lead.

 

[hubbard53]

AI swear to you it was like this couple was trying to out-do each other on the sophistication level.

We've found that those who are OVERTLY classy or sophisticated are anything but and going through the motions they've learned form watching movies and TV.

 

[SeattleSuz]

Hubby doesn't wear suits or ties anymore and doesn't own khakis. What else would be acceptable attire??

 

[mordecai]

Hubby doesn't wear suits or ties anymore and doesn't own khakis. What else would be acceptable attire??

Not much
From DIS site:
Men: A jacket (such as a sports, suit or tuxedo jacket) is required, with dress pants/slacks and shoes. Ties are optional. Please no jeans, shorts, sandals, flip-flops or tennis shoes.

 

[hubbard53]

Not much
From DIS site:
Men: A jacket (such as a sports, suit or tuxedo jacket) is required, with dress pants/slacks and shoes. Ties are optional. Please no jeans, shorts, sandals, flip-flops or tennis shoes.

yeah, just go buy a pair of Dockers and some loafers for about $50

 

[SeattleSuz]

yeah, just go buy a pair of Dockers and some loafers for about $50

Riiiiiight...
Guess we'll be skipping this aspect of the cruise.

 

[4HppyCamprs]

As a rich person, I take offense that you assume I care about other people while I'm at dinner.

To answer your questions, you should be fine with what you plan on wearing. No one will care; particulary us rich. Also, we don't have Sears in the US anymore; however, they seem to be big in Canada. The Sears in downtown Toronto is very nice. Almost nice enough for rich people to shop at.

Enjoy your cruise!

Mike

Yes there is a Sears at the mall.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[cobright]

Hubby doesn't wear suits or ties anymore and doesn't own khakis. What else would be acceptable attire??

Some form of regional dress. Like a kimono or a sarong if he's Japanese or Indian (respectively).

Not a practical approach generally.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Some form of regional dress. Like a kimono or a sarong if he's Japanese or Indian (respectively).

Not a practical approach generally.

I've seen kilts, also. Or military dress uniforms.

DH usually wears a suit (jacket, dress shirt & tie) for formal nights, and dress shirt and tie (or jacket) for semi-formal. Same with both sons. And their suits were bought at JC Penney.

And we still have a Sears store in our mall.

 

[wdwwishes]

Do the best with what you've got. Clean it up, press it up, go and enjoy. This is a special night for you and your gal. Or buy yourself a new jacket and you'll be set for future cruising.

 

[cris0809]

Riiiiiight...
Guess we'll be skipping this aspect of the cruise.

If he won't wear khakis OR dress pants OR a suit OR a tie what is left for a nice dinner, ever? Genuine question.

 

[jahber]

Riiiiiight...
Guess we'll be skipping this aspect of the cruise.

Or go to Goodwill? There's no shame in that and it will save you tons of money. I bought my kids' "winter" wardrobe (fleeces, rain jackets, long-sleeved shirts, etc) for a trip to Alaska for $32. We may never use some of it at home in Fl, but I can't let that stop me from enjoying our cruise to Alaska. On the other hand, if the idea of springing for a nice pair of shoes and pants is that ridiculous to you, then maybe you're right to skip the "fancy" dinner. You know your preferences best. You'll still have a great cruise without Palo.

 

[cobright]

If he won't wear khakis OR dress pants OR a suit OR a tie what is left for a nice dinner, ever? Genuine question.

This is my angle. I'm not rich. I don't play one like I see them on tv.

I do enjoy occasional fine dining. When I don't wish to put on a dinner jacket and tie I dont go to a restaurant with a dress code. It is why most people where their best clothes to church instead of shopping around for a congregation that's cool with shorts and flip-flops.

Your attire is not to show tha value of your bank account but to demonstrate the value of respect for your fellow diners.

 

[cris0809]

Your attire is not to show the value of your bank account but to demonstrate the value of respect for your fellow diners.

It shows that the experience is special and of value. That you respect the time and effort that have gone into the preparation of the meal and the presentation. It's also nice to just... feel nice... every once and a while.

The original poster and the following comments in this thread did a fine job of making the point that if you make a little effort no one cares if your suit is a $5 thrifted suit or a $50 department store sale suit or a $500 name brand suit or a $5000 custom tailored suit.

 

[the_bUg]

Amen!

To the OP, my husband wore his average-Joe khaki pants, blue shirt, and sports coat ($100-ish) to Remy and was fine. Wear what you have. Don't worry about the rest. It's all good.

I'd like to share a bit of my Remy dinner experience with you because I think it lends some perspective to the uncomfortable factor in the whole Remy dining thing. I'm not a very fancy girl. I wear dresses when I'm on cruises but otherwise that's not the norm. I'm a cutoffs and flip flops girl thru & thru. When we sat down at our table in Remy I was instantly feeling out of my league. There was a nice upholstered stool to put my bag on! Wow! There were silverware pieces I'd never even seen. It was weird! So, here I am in my total un-sophistication-ified self and then we got the menus. Uh, yikes?! What was that stuff?! My husband instantly caught onto how I was feeling which was mildly amusing to him. He's been to Europe and really upscale places with his family in his younger years...places he had to have etiquette classes before he could go...you get the drift. So he knew what we were signed up for before I did. I managed to order my food with some help from the ever so nice waiter. I tried really hard not to make it obvious that I was totally clueless. Not sure how successful I was. Again, all of this was mildly amusing to my husband. So we're sitting there and I'm taking everything in. We inadvertently were listening in on the conversation of the couple at the table behind us. I swear to you it was like this couple was trying to out-do each other on the sophistication level. The lady talked about being in some fine restaurant in Europe somewhere....then the man started yapping about how he's had the opportunity to use 3 of the 5 languages he knows while on the ship....blah blah blah. I leaned over to my husband and said, "I think we made a mistake coming here. I'm miserable. I don't belong here." He chuckled and reassured me. He said I was the prettiest gal in the room and not to listen to the people behind us. He then started whispering little jokes to get me to laugh. I've got me a great fella. Still, I felt like a square peg in a big way and was anxious for the whole thing to be over with.

Then the waiter came and reset our table, removing everything whether used or not, and placing new flatware down. One piece was the weirdest looking thing to me. That's when I couldn't stand it any longer. I leaned towards the young man and said, "You're going to think I'm the most awful person ever because I'm truly a simple girl but I can't stand trying to pretend I'm something I'm not. What is THIS?!" And I held up the mystery piece of flatware. He smiled and told me what it was. I asked what it was for. He explained it with a smile. Very polite but I could tell he was also amused. He ended the explanation with, "Don't worry. Most of the pieces nobody ever uses anyway. They're just part of the service." That's when I had truly let my hair down and got back into my own skin. I had to ask, "So for every course are you going to pick everything up & put down all new stuff whether we've used it or not?" Yep. I smiled and said, "Wow, y'all must really like doing dishes!" The young man laughed a little and replied, "Well, polishing the silverware does give us something to do each day." And we became friends.

From there on out I was relaxed. We laughed. If I had a question, no matter how uncouth, I asked. I really think our waiter became more relaxed and enjoyed us as much as we enjoyed him. I was able to enjoy my meal. Heck, after I finally let down the act it seemed like the people behind us with their sophisitacation contest got more laid-back and relaxed as well. It was all good. We were the last couple in the main Remy dining room. The chef came out and several other wait staff came to chit-chat with us. We spent a solid half hour or so with Chef Patrick talking about Southern & Cajun foods, things we know about and enjoy. It was fun!

The point is, no matter now unformal you are, don't allow yourself to be affected by the environment. You can still go and have a fabulous time even if you're an extremely laid-back soul. It was a grand experience, one I'm glad I did. The key is to not try to be what you aren't. Be yourself. You never know, others may appreciate the honesty and genuine-ness just as much as you do.

Go and enjoy. Don't worry about everyone else!

Thank you for this voluminous post. It's about what I needed to hear.

 

[cobright]

Amen!

My husband instantly caught onto how I was feeling which was mildly amusing to him. He's been to Europe and really upscale places with his family in his younger years...places he had to have etiquette classes before he could go...you get the drift. So he knew what we were signed up for before I did. [...] I tried really hard not to make it obvious that I was totally clueless. [...] Again, all of this was mildly amusing to my husband. So we're sitting there and I'm taking everything in. [...]I've got me a great fella. Still, I felt like a square peg in a big way and was anxious for the whole thing to be over with.

[...]

The point is, no matter now unformal you are, don't allow yourself to be affected by the environment.

I would take from this experience the complete opposite lesson.

First of all, your husband KNEW what a formal dinner service was like and did nothing to prepare you, and then sat entertained throughout the service while you struggled.

The ritual and ceremony is the whole purpose of a formal dinner. If you want a laid back dining experience go to a casual restaurant; it's rare that the food is that much better at a formal venue, sometimes quite a bit worse.

Think about it like a wedding. There are people who just want a laid back easy going wedding. They even have them at the beech sometimes or while bungee jumping. But they don't have them in a Cathedral. When a wedding is held in a cathedral you know there will be a formal mass, alter boys singing the litany, a smokey ball swung around, whatever. And people will be dressed up for the occasion.

If you have a part to play in a formal catholic wedding, you learn it. Before the wedding.

Back to formal dinners... This is the best description of a formal dinner service I have seen: http://www.bizforum.org/etiquette123.htm

 

[TheLanes]

I agree with above. I love putting the suit on and getting the full dinner service. I never do that back home, so it is fun. I could care less what others think, and neither should anyone else.

But please, try your hardest to dress up a bit to get the whole experience. And by not caring what others think, I don't mean that gives you license to be an ***, loud, or obnoxious, it means have fun without caring what the table behind you thinks. Have fun, laugh, chat with the staff...