Amerikilt... Business Casual??

[SaxMcD]

This is an outfit I'm thinking of wearing to my best friends rehearsal dinner for his wedding. What do you think?

[Riverkilt]

Hey McD,

Not sure where in the Midwest you are, but guessing its too hot for a sportjacket. Sportjackets and suit jackets are too long for wear with kilts...you lose a lot.

I like sweaters or vests when its cool enough, just shirts otherwise.



Here's a pic of my forest green AmeriKilt with a Pendleton vest.

There are more ideas in my imff gallery on page 2 in the AmeriKilt album if it helps any.

Ron

[Blu (Ontario)]

This is just my personal opinion...

If it was me, I'd leave the jacket at home unless I would be wearing a dress shirt and tie. (The jacket strikes me as quite a bit too long to be worn with kilt anyway.) If it is not a formal dinner, I'd be inclined to wear a solid color dress or golf shirt, socks in a color that matches or compliments, and black belt & shoes - or - brown belt & shoes (or boots).

Some things I am picky about...

-match the belt and footwear color
-make sure the footwear is clean and polished
-make sure the tops of your socks are at the same level !
-I have never and would never consider wearing athletic shoes (tennis shoes) to a dinner... period.

IMHO

[David Dalglish]

Iam With Blu--Leave the jacket at home-Better just with shirt only.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

The jacket needs to be tailored... or get a new jacket. People have commented already that it is too long to be worn with the kilt. You can have someone at an alteration shop take it up for you. But the sleeves also look far too long on you.

Have a tailor take that jacket up to about the level where the second button is now, and have the sleeves taken in a few inches, and it will look fine.

Also, I would not wear those socks. A simple pair of inexpensive cream colored kilt hose would really add a polish to the whole outfit and bring it together.

[SaxMcD]

thanks for all of the advise guys...
I know the sleeves on the jacket are too long. Unfortunately, I'm 5'4" and they just don't make jackets in my size. I am however going to get the sleeves shortened. As for shortening the jacket, I'm afraid I can't do it. Due to my job and where I am in my career (at the ripe old age of 28) I'm relegated to part time Kilting, I use my suit jackets everyday in my job with regular suits and pants. Since money and I hardly ever see eye to eye. (I want to hold on to it, it always wants to go away) I can't afford to either get kilt jackets or cut up my sport coats. That's why I've steered my kilting toward AK's and philabegs that ride lower on the hips. Trust me, I'd never wear a jacket like that with my J.Higgins tank. I agree the socks either need to be pushed down or replaced with oatmeal hose. It was close to 100 degrees outside and I just couldn't bring myself to put on wool socks. I'm going to shorten the sleeves and change the socks and I should be good to go. As soon as my blackwatch USAK shows up I'll show everyone what I'm wearing to the wedding as best man.

[Canuck]

Take a quick trip to the Salvation army or Goodwill you might just find an excellent jacket for $5 that can be altered. You'ld be surprised what you can find.

[O'Neille]

You don't have to tailor one of your jackets. I can't say enough for Salvation Army and various charity shops. I picked up a Harris tweed that is easily a $200+ jacket for fifty cents last Saturday. Many of the older fine jackets are much shorter than modern versions and can be had for less than a buck. Even so, at that price you could give it emergency surgery without much investment if the patient dies.

[Southern Breeze]

Alan H has a site with everything you need to know about modifying a jacket into a kiltjacket.
/www.geocities.com/alanhsails/kiltjacket/kilt_jacket.html

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

...It was close to 100 degrees outside and I just couldn't bring myself to put on wool socks...

A hint, those wol hose will keep you cooler than any other sock you can imagine! The wool wicks the moisture away from the foot and keeps it cool and dry. I would never have believed it when I started wearing kilts late year, but I wear my thickest hose right now and am cooler (and my feet stink less) than when I wore pants and standard thin dress socks!