And what fun to get an envelope with "In Her Majesty's Service" printed across the top.
I sent off for these in Feb. The Review is at the end of May, the first of two dress rehearsals for Trooping of Colours. There is no charge for this one, and we sit in stands in Horse Parade, behind 10 Downing St. Garden, to watch marching, horses, and red coated pageantry perfecting.

Was also delighted to read that there is a dress code, increasing in formality, for these. Ours is merely Smart Casual. By the time the Queen shows up, Morning Dress can be worn. That's cutaways and striped trousers, I believe, if male.

I'll wear my big hat and remove it before the festivities.

Congratulations, you are indeed fortunate. When I get an OHMS envelope it's usually a tax demand. You now understand where Ian Fleming got the title On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Perhaps that was lost on non-British readers.

Morning dress is very formal, usually reserved for weddings and royal events. The best bit is wearing a topper.

Did it really say "Morning Dress <b>can</b> be worn"?

There was a time whoever wrote something so illiterate (or meaningless, depending what he thought he was trying to say) would have had his suit buttons cut off in the middle of Horse Guards Parade.

hi Stoke,

morning dress, eh? there's posh. my DH has never worn it in his life, not even for our wedding.

how are you getting that hat here without crushing it?? and can we have a description?

regards, ann

Oh, dear flanner. Here am I creeping meekly along, trying to communicate adequately and offend as few people as possible, and you tell me I have failed even in these modest goals. Of course the hollow square should be formed and the scissors (surely they use knives?) sharpened for me. Her Majesty's people are blameless.

From the back of the ticket:
For the Queen's Birthday Parade. Morning Dress, Lounge Suit, or Jacket and Trousers (no denim). (note that denim is so lowly it is not capitalized.)

Hi, Ann, I won't be in town for the Morning Dress one, just the Smart Casual. Bob wore black tie for our evening wedding but never since, despite my girlish prenuptial hopes.

stfc, my chances of ever being escorted by a man in a topper are just about nil.

Here's my packable hat http://tinyurl.com/dgaban
I'll add a ribbon and some flowers for dress code type occasions.

very smart, stoke - I hope it doesn't rain.

at the risk of being flamed by flanner, black tie is not the same as morning dress - which is white tie. as in the song....

putting on my top hat, WHITE tie, and tails! black tie [aka DJ] definitely NOT de rigeur. not for weddings here either, which adhere to the same dress code as the Queen's birthday parade.

regards, ann

I love Fred and Ginger

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fILV...eature=related

We know that flanner flames because he cares.

This one's cute, too. Harry Potter and co. Not Morning Dress, of course, but it does figure in the lyrics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buQQf...eature=related

hi stoke - exactly.

fred = white tie, hp = black.

regards, ann

I can't resist one more of Fred in Morning Dress. When he's sitting on the floor you can see the stripes in his trousers. He must have set his topper down when he entered the dance studio.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDXZkBIxso4

My ticket didn't mention Spats.

when I first started working in london, some of m'learned friends of the male persuasion still wore trousers like those, along with black jackets and starched collars. [see old episodes of Rumpole].

i don't remember seeing any spats, but there were bowler hats.

regards, ann

If you wear white tie while the sun is up you deserve to be horsewhipped on the steps of your club.

If you wear black tie before sundown you are probably a waiter.

Them's the rules people. Them's the rules.

morning dress is often worn with a grey cravat-type affair.
think My Fair lady.

though the word "often" is somewhat misleading, come to think of it.

CW - why aren't you watching the match? [oops, I'll answer my own Q - they havn't kicked off yet!]

regards, ann

I'm glad someone in the world still has some standards.

do you mean him, stoke, or me?

All of y'all, of course. You Britons.

And yet, when was the last time anyone was horsewhipped on the steps of his club? Probably scads of people deserve it right this minute.

I forgot to mention that military personnel may wear their Dress uniforms to the June 13 ceremony, and try to look as snazzy as Hermione's date above.