Wow... this was my first ball and I did see cocktail dresses, but not pant suites. Anyway, I spent quite a bit more on my ball gown than you did, and now I wish I hadn't. My husband's ball was over so quick I didn't even know what had happened by the time it was over. I wore my gown for maybe two hours. The food was great and we got to sit at a table with our friends, but nothing really fun happened until after the ball when we all went out afterwards. I gues that it's not a big deal anymore to some people. Sometimes, it costs so much money for the dress, accessories, updating and refitting the uniform, buying new badges, that some people are just so over it by the time it actually comes around. It is an awesome eperience, but it's just not that big of a deal to some people.

Because balls are lame.

While sometimes balls can be boring, I appreciate the tradition and would not miss going to them with my husband. I think it's disrespectful to show up in a pantsuit. Wheres the tradition in that?

Pantsuits really? Thats horrible. Short cocktail dresses are just coming back into fashion my sisters bith wore short dresses to prom doesn't make it any less fun or special. It also reflects the economy I can't afford to spend even 100 dollars on a ball gown while I would love to I just can't. I also think the balls have become so boring is because they are made mandatory so half the people don't really want to be there. This is a hard economic year for everyone and to make it mandatory plus expect us to pay for it makes no sense alot of people can't afford going plus fixing the uniform buying a dress getting hair and makeup done. My husband and I are expecting a child in april just got married so still have those expenses and moved twice in the last year so we just can't affor it. I would love to go this year and get all dolled up but its just too expensive.

Our ball is awesome! We all get dressed up in ball gowns and get our hair done up too. It's a huge night for all of us. We are usually there from about 6 to 1am. They have a free cocktail hour and then dinner and cake and then the drinking and dancing starts. We all party all night. Most of us get hotel rooms too. I would be astonished if I saw a woman in a pantsuit! I would be too embarrassed to wear a cocktail dress too. Maybe some companies are more traditional than others. My husbands higher ups take the ball pretty seriously. I look forward to it all year.

Because they are painfully boring and I have WAY better things to do with my time and my money. I've been to 2 balls and that was it, he goes by himself now.

I'm not sure why people aren't dressing up. I went to my husband's ball 2 years ago in a ball gown and had a blast. We can't go this year because the tickets are $100.00 and it is right before Christmas.

Where the heck are you that people are dressing up for the ball? I would never dream of going to a ball in less than a BALL GOWN

I wish I was going to the ball this year... the hubby is deployed so no ball for me. You dress up and have fun for you and your hubby. It doesn't matter that the other wives are being so lame.

Me too OP! Our balls are usually fun. Depends on which one we go too. If we go to the Navy Ball, they are usually boring. If we go to the Seabee Ball, now thats just downright party til you drop fun. We get hotel rooms as well and go out aftewards, depending on where we are. We get all dressed up and have a night out on the town. I love out of state Balls the best. And to be honest when you go to balls, you never know what your going to get. LOL Ive seen some pretty wierd get-ups when it comes to ladies and thier dressing abilities.

OP here...I TOTALY understand the economy thing, I only got a good dress, and hair and makeup because my mom and sisters all sent me money for it as a birthday gift...and if you have a valid reason (like MONEY) than no disrespect to you, It is more the lack of respect for what the ball means and stands for...it is an important part of who we are...isn't the Marine Corps something to be proud of...shouldn't we as wives,husbands,boyfriends and girlfriends be proud of the Marine we love and the amazing job they do everyday..this is our chance to show it...As for short dresses..again this is a BALL a traditon, i have nothing against them in an appropriate setting (like the aformentioned prom) but we are grown women going to a ball, dress up and yeah it may sound old fashioned but you are representing your self and your service member infront of the people they work with, cover yourself up! a little skin done tastefully is a beautiful thing, but its nice to not give away the whole show,ya know? This isn't a prom, we are not teenagers.it is a celebration of the Marine Corp, which on the whole is a dignified oldfashioned kind of establishment...and as for it being Boring, that was the point in the post why does no one care to show up or make it fun, because command does not make it a big deal, why does command not make it a big deal, because no one is going to show up and have fun...i say BRING BACK THE BIRTHDAY BALL, the glamour the glitz, the dancing, EVERYTHING,And as for it being Mando, that is NO excuse if you have to celebrate why not do it in style and if we, that go to the ball, start taking it seriously maybe command will to...ROCK THE BALL LADIES!!

I've only been to two so far but I've had a great time at both.