Crail Jacket

[crocker038]

I don't know where the best place is to post this....Where's the best place to get a simple, plain Crail jacket? I live in Canada, if that helps any. I can find some online but I don't want to break the bank and want one of decent quality.

Any referrals?

Thanks and Merry Christmas all!

[The Wizard of BC]

Where in Canada?

PM me if you think I could help.

[RockyR]

Define "break the bank". Are you looking for new or used? Is there a particular color jacket you're looking for? Tweed?

[crocker038]

I guess anywhere from around $250 and lower. I would prefer a black or dark charcoal, but a dark tweed would be alright as well. New or used, I'm easy. Just want a nice, discreet jacket with subdued or no buttons on the sleeves, don't really like the flashy jackets.

[Stan]

I bought my black 100% wool, Crail jacket from an eBay seller. It's great looking, and really nice quality. I think (as I remember) it was a ex-hire jacket, and I paid about $140.00 total. It looked, and looks like new with zero signs of wear. I see that MacGregor and MacDuff is selling some of their ex-hire jackets, and you might check there too.

[The Wizard of BC]

There seems to be quite a bit of confusion about kilt jackets.
The standard kilt jacket we see today is all one jacket with three different cuff arrangements.

All share the same single button front with huge sporran cut-away.
All share the same epaulettes.
All share the same pocket flaps with the scalloped edges and buttons.

Here is an image from the Lochcarron catalog.



The Argyle gets its name from the Argyle gauntlet cuff.
The Braemar is named for the Braemar placket cuff like that found on the Prince Charlie Coatee which used to be called a Singlet because it is a Regulation Doublet with only the single rear tashes.
And finally there is the Crail which has just a single button on a plain cuff without the small flap where the button hole should be.

[OC Richard]

The various cuffs are the modern descendants of 18th century cuff styles, found on both military and civilian jackets then.

One style is usually called, when speaking of uniforms, a 'slash' cuff. It's the sort usually seen on Prince Charlies, but also on the US Marines' Dress Blues jacket, and many other uniforms over the last 300 years or so.

It originated with this type of early/mid 18th century cuff, which was originally functional.



and by the 19th century looked like this



The other style is usually called, when speaking of uniforms, a 'gauntlet' cuff.

It too was originally a functional cuff, and looked like this



but in the 19th century had evolved, with Scottish jackets, to this



Nowadays, with Scottish jackets, the trouble is that various makers use the names "Argyll", "Braemar", and "Crail" indiscriminately, with jackets of all sorts of cuffs.

McCall's uses the term "Argyll" both for jackets with slash cuffs and with gauntlet cuffs. (I just went on their site to see.)

House Of Edgar used to (and perhaps still does) use the term "Braemar" for their jacket with gauntlet cuffs, "Crail" for their jacket with slash cuffs.

[CMcG]

Plain kilt jackets (no fancy cuffs or epaulettes) have been around for ages, but appear to have been gaining favour in contemporary times. As people have already mentioned, such jackets are known by various names. One might search for "Wallace jacket" or even "contemporary/modern kilt jacket."

For less than $250, you're probably looking at used or ex-rental. Another option are some of the slim cut suit jackets and sports coats that have been in style over the last few years. For example, I bought one at Forever 21 that meets the requirements of being a kilt jacket, namely that it is short enough to not cover the pleats of my kilt and has a bit of a cutaway for the sporran. You can read about it (and see pictures) here: http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...ket-pic-84301/

[Benning Boy]

I guess anywhere from around $250 and lower. I would prefer a black or dark charcoal, but a dark tweed would be alright as well. New or used, I'm easy. Just want a nice, discreet jacket with subdued or no buttons on the sleeves, don't really like the flashy jackets.

A dark charcoal gray Wallace jacket such as Steve sells through Freedom Kilts would suit your description. I have one and like it very much. It's essentially a modern suit coat cut kilt length. One thing I like about it is that the plain pocket flaps can be tucked in, giving the jacket the look of flapless pockets. Dressier non-Highland day wear generally doesn't have pocket flaps, the best has jetted pockets, so to me the Wallace can be a pretty dressy jacket. The one thing I don't like about the Wallace jacket is the faux antler buttons, which will be replaced with more honest standard suit coat buttons, giving the jacket an even cleaner and refined look, in my opinion. Steve's prices are reasonable. At least for me, the coat sizes run true.

[Alan H]

I thought this was the contemporary kilt forum. Now it's packed with pictures and information and advice based on photographs and paintings from the 1700's and 1800's.

Whatever.....