"dressing up" a contemporary kilt

[Alan H]

I'm curious how y'all do it. Since my one and only non-tartan kilt, now, is camouflage, "dress-up" kind of of makes no sense. I have worn my USA Kilts casual "dressed up", but that was more "fake trad" than anything different. However, I'll probably knock out one more solid color contempo kilt, and I'm curious.

For example, my friend SMayniac came to our Nor Cal Rabble Burns Night with a nice kilt teamed up with a wool Eisenhower jacket, shirt/tie etc. etc and I thought he looked great. I think that would work equally well with a contemporary design.

Thoughts?

[Bugbear]

There is no formal involved with this, but I think a kakhi colored kilt or something in that color range with a button up shirt would be fine. Throw on a tie and jacket, it gets dressier. I'm thinking about regular hose and nice shoes with this. It could work with black or other solid colors, too.

Here's the kicker, use a patterned shirt. Why not a tartan shirt!. How about a tartan tie instead of the shirt.

I don't know that all of the contemporary style kilts would work that well, but hey, if you wear kakhi pants with a sport jacket and open collar just use a X-kilt in the pants place and a cut down sport jacket.

Might as well throw on a flat cap too, it's an X-kilt!

Why not?

[SteveB]

I have put a shirt and tie, with a suit coat on with one of my Amerikilts and decent kilt hose, flashes and dress shoes. The kit worked well for me on several occasions where business dress was considered proper.
He)), it landed me the job I have now.
Slainte

[Rob Wright]

I have a solid black Pittsburgh Kilt made out of the same material many dress pants are, have a few idea's I want to try with it, I'll get up early before class and give it a try before class tomorrow.

Rob

[Nighthawk]

I wore my black Amerikilt with a white Van Heussen shirt, black bow tie, waist coat, Ghillies, black hose, a white rabbit fur full dress sporran and Loud MacLeod flashes. I personally think it looks fantastic.

[Bugbear]

What you need, Alan, and this looks really cool in my mind, is a contemporary kilt sport suit; all white, or cream, and a tan flat cap with matching tie. It would be exelant for walking along the beach. Don't forget the pearl tietack, either.

* I know! I know! It's too eighties, but still, it looks good in my mind. *

[xena]

Yeah, I think a contemporary kilt can be "dressed up" pretty much the same way a traditional kilt is. Match it up with nice hose, a fancy sporran (if so desired - I know it isn't required on Utilikilts and those types - but IMHO it can work to "dress them up"), and pretty much normal shirt and tie stuff.

I still think it'll look better with a higher waisted jacket like an eton jacket, or an ike if you can get your hands on one, rather than a "normal" suit jacket or blazer. But, since it is a contemporary kilt we're talking about, I think you can pretty much mix and match anything you like. Go ahead and experiment!

[OFCJAX]

I sometimes sport a black dress shirt with French cuffs, tie and such with my all black kilt I made.

Here's me at the St. Baldricks thing today.

(I'm squatting big time as I'm 5'9" and my friends are about 5'1")

and an after shot:


Unseen are the black hose and red flashes with black dress shoes.

[Riverkilt]

Tan Utilikilts Mocker with a preppy look. Flashes are probably overkill.



Same tan UK Mocker with a Pendleton Vest.



Putty AmeriKilt with sweater.



Forest AmeriKilt with Pendleton vest.



Olive Utilikilts Mocker with (GASP!!) a tartan necktie



Same Olive UK Mocker with a sportshirt.

[Alan H]

Ugh, Ted, I absolutely hate those Pinstriped "kilt business suits", like from Geoffrey Tailor. I know, I know, Hamish has one, and I like 90% of what Hamish wears but not that combination. But that's just me.

What I'm trying to do is dress up the contemporary kilt WITHOUT using a whole lot of scottish kit, like a sporran. However, I kind of feel like I'm stuck with over-the-calf sox, with dress shoes as I just can't stomach dress shoes beneath bare legs.

Waistcoat and tie, I'm liking that, Nighthawk.