Questions about jackets and vests?

[hannism]

I'm looking to wear my kilt a bit smarter.

I'm thinking to match it with a vest and/or suit jacket.

Can any suit jacket, blazer or vest work?

Or do I need to order a specific suit jacket or vest to go with the kilt?

Dumb question, but than you for your patience.

[Father Bill]

There are NO dumb questions. There are a lot of people however, who are too dumb to ask and end up looking like idiots.

Most vests for Saxon wear also work with a kilt. It depends on your build. I prefer to have my vests squared across the bottom because I have a short rise which means that the points on the pointed style of vest interfere with my sporran.

A kilt jacket is cut entirely differently from a Saxon jacket and wearing it with a kilt makes it obvious that the wearer has no idea what to do. There are a multitude of styles and fabrics for kilt jackets. May I recommend taking a look at this thread: http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...-attire-46888/ Then ponder carefully what style you wish to assume and finally, take it down one notch. Seriously. Most Americans overdress in a kilt by at least one notch, sometimes two or three.

Having said that, "casual" must never be assumed to mean "trashy". A kilt is a conservative and respectable garment and should be treated with that respect. The picture below is one of my interpretations of "casual" No tie, patterned shirt, single-coloured hose, simple sporran, but decent hose, decent shirt, decent shoes, all work traditionally.

Cheers, and congratulations on a good venture!

Bill+

[McMurdo]

A regular suit jacket is simply too long and the problem is that that it interferes with the pleats. To my eye it just looks sloppy. What you want to do is get an Argyll jacket, or have an existing jacket converted for kilt wear. If you have sewing skills there are lots of threads on conversion jackets, if you do not then I would suggest looking at ebay in the UK for vintage argyll jackets some good deals can be had depending on your size. You can also look into local tartan shops, I have a couple jackets that I purchased on consignment from a local tartan shop at great prices.

[Tarheel]

Look at any thread that IsaacW submits. He gets jackets and has them converted. There are many of us in the South that will wear vests without a jacket (unless there is an indoor formal event). Father Bill's photo shows that a kilt without anything more than a shirt is okay.

You'd be surprised how many polo shirts are worn and look okay with kilts. Dressing "smart" is sometimes as easy as a well put together ensemble.

[ASinclair]

Here's a picture of four Xmarkers taken at the Loch Norman Highland Games back in April. This may give you some ideas.

[OC Richard]

First, a nomenclature thing: in Scotland they use the term 'waistcoat'. The word 'vest' there is something entirely different. this is good to know, because a misunderstanding might result.

Wasn't always the way; I have a number of things published in Scotland in the 1920s and 1930s and they use the terms 'vest' in the American sense, using 'vest' and 'waistcoat' interchangeably.

Yes I wear a number of waistcoats intended for ordinary wear (with pants) and they work great with kilts.

Jackets are a different matter. The only sort of jacket that looks "just right" with Highland Dress are the jackets which have been made for that purpose.

Unfortunately jackets/blazers/sport coats made for use with pants are too different. If it was only the length all would be well! But also the pockets are wrongly placed, the top buttonhole is in the wrong place, and there's nearly always an annoying buttonhole right where you need to have the edge of the jacket be. So, these conversions are well and good, but they won't be mistaken for actual Highland jackets by those who are familiar with the latter.

Here's one of several Highland jackets I posted photos of in a thread a while back, which went to show that jackets from four or five different makers had a surprising similarity in cut. This one is by Keith Scott. Note the single buttoned button in front is level with the elbows, more or less.



Here's an exceptionally well-made conversion; nevertheless you can see the much lower placement of the single buttoned button, and the lower and more forward position of the pocket flaps.



Back in the 19th century it was not all that uncommon to see long "Saxon" jackets worn with Highland Dress.

The difference is that jackets then were cut to sweep open, so that the sporran wasn't covered by the bottom of the jacket as it would be with modern suit jackets.

[hannism]

Since the jacket is shorter, do you still use a conventional length tie?

Or do you buy ties made for kilt wear?

[Dileasgubas]

This is a great pic showing four great combinations: jacket and belt, jacket only, waistcoat only, jacket and waistcoat. Also, different options for shirt and tie, sporran and even head covering. Very nicely done.

[The Q]

I'm currently reading a book written in about 1885 by, Ernest Suffling "The land of the Broads" which is a tourists guide to the Norfolk Broads(UK). In it he Refers to the "Natives" wearing "long sleeved Waist Coats". Elsewhere he refers to the proper clothing for a gentleman to wear being a linen Jacket. SO in historical terms we have another variation of terminology but what a long sleeved Waistcoat is and how it is different from a jacket I have no Idea...

[Todd Bradshaw]

I actually saved a photo off of eBay a while back of what would basically appear to be a long-sleeved waistcoat. I stuck it in the "Hmmmmm....this is kind of interesting" file. We have a couple big tubs in one closet full of assorted wool tweeds and sooner or later we're going to try one. I'm not a huge fan of tartan upper garments with kilts, but I could see doing one in a nice Harris, Cairngorm or Cheviot tweed for kilt wear, or maybe even in tartan to wear with jeans.