How to Get Creative with Cruise Dinner Outfits
Cruise dinner outfits can vary from very casual to very dressed up. I’m sure my grandmother would be rolling over in her grave if she saw how some people were dressed on our cruise. That being said, we still like dressing up, so we would usually change clothes for our evening dinner time. In fact, I’m including some of Rob’s outfits as part of this post.
Quote of the day: “Don’t you ever let a soul in the world tell you that you can’t be exactly who you are.” Lady Gaga
This is such a powerful quote. How can we NOT be influenced by everyone around us to a degree? And most of life’s activities now are super casual. But I’m standing my ground and still dressing up for dinner. Maybe because I have so many clothes that I want to wear them? LOL. Then again, I feel better about myself when I look nice.
FYI, I am not including our New Years Eve outfits in this post. Those wonderful, shiny looks get their own day of glory in the future.
Just as I showcased in the post showcasing our excursion outfits, I’ll focus on what I consider to be essentials. It’s all about getting creative with your travel wardrobe and finding interesting combinations.
Related posts: Stylish cruise dinner outfits
Cruise excursion outfits
Is Footwear Important for Dinner?
Of course you know I’m going to say yes to this question. You are SO limited on how many pairs of shoes you can fit into your suitcase, that I think you should have pairs that work for casual and dressy.
Like I talked about in our excursion outfits post, I only took Walking Cradles shoes with me. You can see the Lydia, red sandal, along with the Avery, ivory sandal and the Lyon, camel sandal in these photos.
My mom brought a pair of orange flats and her gold, Leandra Walking Cradles shoes that she wore basically only for dinners. Nancy had a pair of black sandals for dinner, and then her grey pair that she also wore for excursions.
Insider tip: I think it’s good to have comfortable shoes for evening too. We did a bit of walking even in the evenings to get to dinner (across the ship) and then to go to the shows or other activities. It’s no fun if your shoes are killing you.
Do I Need Layers?
Let me be a boy scout and say that you are better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it. That being said, it will depend how high the air conditioning is blasting on your ship. And how your internal temperature runs.
What we experienced was the dining room tended to be colder than the buffet area. And since we liked to be served in the dining room. you’ll see all three of us with some kind of topper or scarf.
In fact, another cardigan is the one item that Nancy wished she had packed for our trip.
Insider tip: Purchase a bunch of these Pashminas from Amazon in different colors and throw them in your suitcase. Make sure you get colors that look good with your complexion.
Layering for Other Reasons
If you are like many women, you may be concerned about covering up not for warmth, but because our bodies have changed. Ideally I hope one of these days we can embrace those changes (I’m talking crepey skin and wrinkles), but until then, let’s talk materials and details.
What works for this? Sheer items are perfect covering yet not adding too much heaviness. Or having sleeves that aren’t as tight like my mom’s teal top above with the ruffle sleeves. Of course, silk material clothing is very lightweight, and would be perfect for this concept.
Should I take a Different Purse?
Even if you’re someone who doesn’t change purses often, this is the time to take a clutch or smaller purse on a trip.
When you are on board the ship, you only need your cruise card (it’s the size of a credit card) and your phone. Maybe you need lipstick if you’re not taking my advice and buying one of the all days lipsticks that I’ve researched. So it’s nice not to lug around a big purse for the evening activities.
In fact, I brought two extra purses. One was my belt bag that I can’t live without for touring days, and then the furry, white purse you see in most of these photos. I also purchased a small backpack that is pictured in the second photo at the beginning of this post..
Insider tip: When you pack your extra purse/s in your suitcase, fill them with your extra Pashminas or at least other items. Don’t have them be dead space.
Don’t Forget
I will say it again and again. Don’t forget the accessories. If you struggle with which ones will go with all of your outfits, I would say take them all. Ha ha. Seriously, they don’t take up a ton of room.
Yet, I hear the argument that they can be heavy, so in that case, you can always limit it to your gold and silver accessories.
Heck, even Rob wears a necklace (he calls it stud apparel so it doesn’t seem as girly).
Insider tip: Your accessories don’t have to match to work with the outfit. Remember when we showcased how contrasting colors with a necklace made it stand out better?
Insider tip 2: If you just can’t even imagine packing so many accessories, then wear more print tops so the top is the star of the show. I did this in the photo below and even my mom (the queen of accessories) showcased this idea with her floral, silk dress.
Rob and Men’s Fashion
Rob has come a long way in the fashion department. When I first met him he only had khaki pants and ugly plaid shirts in his closet. No joke. Yet he realizes how good it feels to be complimented on his style and looking good makes him feel good.
On a summer vacation, his white linen pants are a go to. And these yellow shoes. Trust me, he will tell you he never thought he would wear yellow shoes. Yet because they are SO comfortable, and they make a great statement, he wears them. And if a guy can wear yellow shoes, then you can too, right??
Rob has been my model many times on the blog. You can find his outfit in the Categories tab on my site, under Men’s Fashion.
Insider tip: One of Rob’s favorite ways to rewear a nice shirt is to wear a colored t-shirt under it. Then only the t-shirt needs to be washed every time but the outer shirt can go for 2-3 looks.
Facts
This is not a sponsored post, but I like to be up front about anything I was gifted or receive commission from.
For Walking Cradles shoe company, I am an ambassador. Therefore, they gift me some shoes and sponsor some of my blog posts. This post was NOT sponsored. Yet, if you do order through my link, I get a commission. In fact, one advantage of being a reader of Jodie’s Touch of Style, is that your first full price purchase of Walking Cradles can be discounted with the code JODIE15. While I don’t get commissions on sale shoes, it’s still helpful to go through my link so the company knows where their customers are coming from.
The Fashom box I talked about for this cruise was requested only because I wanted it. I purchased the pieces with my hard earned money. Yet because I have been SO impressed with my stylist and pieces I wanted to mention the service. I do get a $20 credit if you sign up and you get $20 to spend too (until Feb. 20, 2020 and then it is $10). Therefore, it’s a win/win. My Fashom items in this post were the blue velvet dress, the white, embroidered dress, and the tan kimono that I’m holding in my hand as a topper.
Even my mom is wearing one of the pieces from her Fashom box. It’s the teal top with the ruffle sleeves.
My blue dress is a Peach clothing item that I received as part of their ambassador program. It was from last summer yet still available on sale. Their clothing is all about for the gym, work and play. As part of their program, I am given a couple of pieces and expected to showcase them on my channels which I did for this dress last summer. If you purchase anything through my link, I do get a commission.
Photo credit: Rob Filogomo
Thank you
I say thank you all the time, but I really mean it. I appreciate all of your wonderful support and help, so thank you. If you have ever wondered what more you can do besides reading the blog, here are some ideas.
Please share, share and share wherever you can!! You can do this by saving an image to your Pinterest board or sharing this post on Facebook. Or send this post to your friend, and make sure they sign up for the emails.
Following me on other social sites to gives you totally different outfits and perspectives about life (and it makes my day when you comment). It’s not all the same posts that you see here on the blog. You can find me on these platforms: Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and You-Tube.
Disclosure: Some of these links are affiliate links. Meaning, if you click a link and make a purchase, Jodie’s Touch of Style gets a small commission at no extra cost to you. I do appreciate you supporting the brands that make this blog possible! I am also a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
As my goal to show my appreciation for your support, I have started a FUN 411 feature to add some value to your day in most emails. Sometimes it’s a funny piece, sometimes is a great sale or trick! On top of that, there is a monthly giveaway for email subscribers only. Many times I also include some sneak peeks about what’s going on in our personal lives that I don’t share here on the blog. Just add your email address to the box that says email below.
