Teenage dress code

[noseybuddy]

On formal and semi-formal nights for dinner do all teenage boys where suits? Would and nice pair of pants and dress shirt be acceptable?

 

[Michelle]

Yes, that would be perfectly fine for teen boys.

 

[mkauffman]

My 9 and 15 year olds will each be wearing black dress pants, a crisp white dress shirt and a soccer ball tie .

Michelle

 

[SeaSpray]

I started a thread about this same subject a couple of weeks ago and got a lot of responses, here's a link to it: http://disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=419500&highlight=seaspray

 

[ducklite]

You asked, so here is my opinion. FORMAL means FORMAL. Formal does not mean chinos and a collared shirt, dress slacks and a shirt, a collarless shirt and a sport coat, it means FORMAL...dark conservatively cut suit and tie or tux and of course appropriate footwear.

Semi-formal would be a suit and tie.

Disney asks for children over 13 to adhere to the same dress code as adults.

What you are proposing isn't even close for formal night, although with a tie it would be barely acceptable on semi-formal night.

The very least acceptable for a FORMAL night would be dress slacks, shirt and tie, and a sport coat, with appropriate footwear.

If they don't have sportcoats, see if they have friends that you can borrow one from. Or rent tuxes for that night--they will look wonderful, and think of the familoy photo's.

IMHO Disney requests formal and to ignore that request is inappropriate and rude to your fellow cruisers who do take the time to follow their hosts requests.

Anne

 

[Michelle]

Well, many teen boys do not OWN suits, and if they do not then a pair of nice pants and a dress shirt would be fine...add a cute tie like mkauffman mentioned.

If your boys own suits or can borrow some and want to wear them, then by all means do so.

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by WebmasterMichelle
Well, many teen boys do not OWN suits, and if they do not then a pair of nice pants and a dress shirt would be fine...add a cute tie like mkauffman mentioned.

What do you all wear to weddings and funerals? My son always has and always will have a suit hanging in his closet. Even if he only wears it three times, it's there for the times he needs it. To me it's just a part of life, like dying and paying taxes. When he's starting to outgrow it I keep an eye for a new one on the sale racks.

If DCL didn't care how teens dressed, they wouldn't state that teens are expected to dress like the adults are requested to for formal and semi-formal night. And if they didn't want to have people in FORMAL attire, they wouldn't offer a FORMAL night. Not sure why that concept is so difficult to understand.

Anne

 

[Grumbo]

Ducklite, many people that bring a couple of kids, and pay for the joy of a Disney Cruise have to make priorities. Most of us are on restricted budgets and buying a suit, new shoes, etc to some are not a necessity. For 12 - 14 year olds its not money well spent. If they have a shirt and tie and Dockers or the like go for it.
This has been discussed infinitum on here in the past but if they are dressed in freshly laundered, pressed shirt, tie and slacks then get over it. They aren't the one with the problem.
Disney may "ask" but appearances sometimes are just that. If the "formal" attire is THAT important go on Celebrity cruises or the like where everyone dresses up. As much as you would like it that is NOT going to happen on Disney.
As for what do people wear at funerals and weddings? MANY younger teens wear slacks, shirt and tie and are fine. Never heard the dearly departed complain anyway. (I mean the dead person, not the groom )
Cheers,
Grumbo

 

[imgoingtodisney]

Sorry but I wont be buying DS11.5 new shoes just to wear formal & semi-formal nights. He'll be in sneakers (hoping to find black again). Bought him new shoes for his 1st communion yrs ago that got worn only once.
Bought him 4 new dress shirts/button down/collar for last Nov. They have been sitting in his closet waiting to be worn. If they dont fit he'll be attending in a collared polo shirt. Im not worrying about it.
I feel it's more important for us to get on the cruise than to worry about how we dress!

 

[Michelle]

Well, I don't have a teen-age son, just a pre-teen daughter, but I've been to MANY MANY weddings and funerals here and seen teen boys dressed in nice pants and button-down shirts. No one gasped with horror at how they were dressed. In fact, I RARELY see teen boys in suits anywhere here.

I totally agree that as much as possible folks should adhere to DCL's SUGGESTED dress code. However, I don't suggest that parents go out and buy suits for growing teen boys if they will ONLY wear them on the ship and if the boys have other acceptable clothing to wear. I buy dresses for my daughter each year to wear for formal night and she ONLY wears them on the ship, and frankly, it's expensive and a waste. About the only other time she wears a dress is for band concerts. Our church is casual and she wears pants or skorts there.

Would I want to see a teen boy in jeans or shorts on formal night? No. Would I look down my nose at a teen boy dressed in a nice shirt and slacks on formal night? Of course not. It's a choice each family must make for themselves. The OP asked if all teen boys wore suits on formal night, and they definitely do NOT. Her proposed outfit for the boys would not differ from what I've seen many other teen boys wearing on formal night.

 

[ducklite]

You are all missing the point. DCL requests a certain attire, and your fellow guests manage to dress as requested. You know when you book that this attire is requested. If you want all casual, then perhaps freestyle cruising on NCL might be more to your liking.

I cruise DCL because they offer a FORMAL and Semi-FORMAL night. I would expect my fellow passengers to abide by the requested attire, and to make alternate arrangements if they choose not to. I find it highly disrespectful to DCL and other passengers when people decide to make up their own rules because "they are on vacation", especially when they are fully aware of what is expected during the planning stages.

Anne

 

[mkauffman]

Grumbo, I couldn't agree more. We save a very long time to be able to enjoy the magic of a Disney cruise. My family and I always look very nice and presentable at dinner, no matter what night it is. My boys will look very handsome and I'm very proud to be able to give them something that my parents couldn't afford to give to me. It's totally not about the dress code. It's about being a family and making memories that will last a lifetime. If what we all wear to dinner offends anyone, I won't apologize for that. I just wish that everyone were there for the same reasons that I'm there.....to simply enjoy the time that I get to spend with my children before they grow up. If you go on a cruise to criticize the way others dress for dinner, instead of enjoying the time that you have with your own family, that's really a very sad thing. I lost my niece when she was two. I've learned to enjoy all the good things in life and to know the difference between what's important and what isn't.

Hmmmm....and I promised myself that I wasn't going to get in on this debate.

Michelle

 

[TinkerBellPixie4GOAL]

Ducklite -
We go on cruises to enjoy ourselves...we come to the DIS to get advice and talk to fellow cruisers. We do not go on cruises to have rules that do not necessarily NEED to be followed (i.e. FORMAL and SEMIFORMAL wear) and we do not go on these boards to have someone else's opinion pressed on us until we have to agree. You think what you think is right. I'll think what I think is right. Other posters can think what they think is right...this is not debate team! It's a community board!

I, as a teenage girl, DO like to dress up on formal night, but I find nothing wrong with those who choose not to. It's their life! Let them live it the way they want to!

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by Grumbo
If the "formal" attire is THAT important go on Celebrity cruises or the like where everyone dresses up.

DCL has a formal and semi-formal night. I choose to cruise on DCL in order to have a formal and semi-formal evening. It seems that those who do not want to dress accordingly are the ones who should choose another cruise line.

Anne

 

[Grumbo]

I find it highly disrespectful to DCL and other passengers

Ducklite there is NO disrespect intended and if perceived that is your read on the situation.
I look at DCL as a great holiday opportunity and not some icon that I worry about upsetting or "dissing"
These are suggestions. NOT RULES.
You cruise DCL because they have a formal and semi formal night? How does a 12 - 15 year old teenager wearing Dockers and a shirt and tie spoil that?
For gosh sake enjoy yourSELF.
I bring a suit and tie, my daughter and wife wear dresses to formal affairs, BUT if I felt like wearing a shirt, tie and slacks I sure would and would have big concerns about someone that feels that attire is spoiling their time.

It seems that those who do not want to dress accordingly are the ones who should choose another cruise line

hehe why? We're not the ones that getting all bent about what OTHER people are wearing.

Cheers,
Grumbo

 

[grlzmom]

Your boys will be just fine in their dress pants and dress shirts. There were definately plenty of boys NOT wearing suits and/or tuxedos on our last cruise.

When we cruised last time our dds all dressed up for dinners and they enjoyed it. Formal family portraits are very special. But, I dont think I would spend the money to buy a quickly growing boy a suit to wear to two dinners on the cruise based on "suggested adult attire". Unless he really wanted to.

Today I was reading our "passport to the disney magic" booklet that came with our cruise documents. Has it changed recently? I only see statements regarding suggested/recommended dress for men and women in Palo and Lumiere's. I thought that when we cruised last year they were a little more specific. I dont see required or requested in there anywhere.

You will see all kinds of attire in the dining rooms. And, it was disappointing to me to see tank tops, shorts, etc. in the dining rooms at dinner. Those kinds of outfits do tend to stand out But, it never kept me from eating or enjoying the cruise.

Jeanne

 

[WDWLVR]

I've seen many teenage and younger boys in tuxes on Formal night and they look fantastic. I'm sure the family got some great photos as well. I've also seen many teenage and younger boys wearing nice pants and a button down shirt. They too looked great and I'm sure their parents got some great photos.

As long as your boys are well groomed and in neat, clean clothes they will be fine.

I'm all for following rules and suggestions - especially for adults. For a teenage box I think it is great that they still want to cruise with their parents and sit down and have dinner with them.

 

[fireplug]

Could someone please explain how exactly their cruise experience is RUINED if someone across the room is not wearing a TUXEDO only a nice shirt, tie and dress slacks.

There are too many reasons to list here for going on a DCL cruise. EVERY SINGLE person decides what their own personal reasons are for choosing DCL. It is of no concern to me WHY someone else chose it. If someone wants to dress in true formal wear so be it that is why DCL gives the opportunity. By the same token if they wish to wear something that is a little less fromal it will only effect them. I certainly think everyone should at least wear nice clothes to dinner. That doesn't mean it has to be a tux.

I am not an easy person to fit into a tux. So if I do not choose to be miserable on my cruise I should have to avoid dinner in the dining rooms? Is someone elses dinner going to be affected by my shirt and tie? Is their comfort more important then mine?

I just love it when this topic comes up, the Dis fashion police even have the parents of preschoolers worried that their child will be underdressed. Life is WAY TOO SHORT to stess out on the clothes someone else is wearing.

Steve

 

[noseybuddy]

Well, I see after reading all these replies that my son should be find in a pair of dress pants and nice shirt. I always have my kids well groomed and dressed appropriately to fit the occassion. I just can't see spending money on a suit which he would only where on the cruise and most likely grow out of very quickly. He is at that age where he is having a growth spurt. I do agree that people shouldn't come into the dining room for dinner in shorts and tank tops. But that in no way would ruin my dinner or vacation, because frankly I don't really care what the other person is doing. Thanks to everyone for your replies!

 

[disneyholic family]

thank the lord i'll never be on the magic and have to suffer 'formal' night...
and if by chance i do, thank the lord i travel cat 1 and can avoid the whole thing by eating in my stateroom....(they serve meals from the restaurants in concierge rooms).....
all of this fuss and bother over attire...
i never complain about being surrounded by a sea of walmart trash wear.....a rather large stretch of the term 'formal wear'....
well actually i do laugh about it a lot....
but that's what we get for sailing on a ship whose only common denominator is disney......once i sail on my own, without the kids, i'll make sure it's with my 'own kind'.....no need for formal wear....walmart specials or otherwise.....a nice casual suit for me will do (albeit one that costs more than some of the dcl passengers make in a year)....and chinos and polo shirts for the kids...