How long for the tie?

[Drac]

Hello all,

Going through my Gentleman books when I came across the reference that a tie should touch the top of the trousers.

Never thought about it with a kilt since so far when wearing a tie it has been a bow tie. I will be wearing a neck tie at some up coming events and was curious if the standard was the same? If so makes it a bit more difficult as the length is pretty long for that and the width ends up being fairly wide at the top since the know is so much father down.

Thanks,
Jim

[Father Bill]

Long enough to be hidden by your vest?

[Jordan]

And if your not wearing a vest then long enough so that its almost touching the top of your kilt/ belt buckle.

[Downunder Kilt]

And if your not wearing a vest then long enough so that its almost touching the top of your kilt/ belt buckle.

This is what I go for also. I have my old school ties and work associated ties that are ideal for kilt wear. ie they are not the wide flared type. I often wear the ABF tie and have never received comments that it looks too wide. I always use the schoolboy knot in preference to other types

[McMurdo]

I try to ensure my tie is touching the top of the kilt, more or less. Something like these examples

[Tobus]

I agree, even with a kilt, the tie (if not hidden by a waistcoat) should end at the top of the kilt. This makes it much shorter than when worn with trousers, and will indeed make the knot thicker since the wider part of the tie is used in the knot. But that's the way it seems to be done in THCD.

I always try to get it there, even with super-fat ties like this one. And to be honest, I actually think a nice fat tie (with a fat knot) works pretty well with Highland dress.

[JSFMACLJR]

I agree, even with a kilt, the tie (if not hidden by a waistcoat) should end at the top of the kilt. This makes it much shorter than when worn with trousers, and will indeed make the knot thicker since the wider part of the tie is used in the knot. But that's the way it seems to be done in THCD.

Well, who says "that's the way it seems to be done in THCD"? Blanket statements seldom hold water in discussions such as these. I consider myself to be more of a "traditionalist" when it comes to wearing the kilt. I wear they same ties, use the same knots, wear the same shirts with the kilt as I do a suit on jacket/blazer etc. There are "tricks" one learns to tie your tie shorter and not have a huge knot. The tie I am wearing in the photo below is one I frequently wear with a suit. I never have a problem getting the knot or length right.

[biblemonkey]

Yep, the fellows have it right. And if you are uncomfortable with having your tie that short you can wear a waistcoat and hide all but the knot and upper part of the tie. That's what I tend to do.

[Guinness>water]

Yeah, I boogered that one up when I first tryed it. Now that I have if figured out, the tip or widest part touches the top of the kilt.

Tobus, your outfit looks GREAT! Is that a homemade Argyll jacket?

[Tobus]

Well, who says "that's the way it seems to be done in THCD"? Blanket statements seldom hold water in discussions such as these.

It wasn't a "blanket statement" of fact - just the way I observe that it seems to be done amongst traditionalists.

I have indeed seen some native Scots wearing their ties with the end below their belt buckle (or 3" to 4" below the top of the kilt), though, so it's obviously not a rule that's set in stone. But it's my opinion that the Scots who seem to pay a little more attention to detail in their manner of dress tend to keep the tie right around the top of the kilt. Again, just my observation and my opinion.

Tobus, your outfit looks GREAT! Is that a homemade Argyll jacket?

Thanks! No, that's a traditional (vintage) tweed Argyll jacket, made in Scotland by Hugh MacPherson, Edinburgh. I got it a few months ago on eBay, and posted about it here.