Cheap Formal Suit and Tie

[campbell]

I always laugh at threads with Aryll jackets and the like, because I am one of the few people who cannot spend $200-$500 on a kilt jacket. This is the outfit I wear to formal events.

1. I wear a SWK, www.stillwaterkilts.com in blackwatch tartan.

2. A black, 3-tassel sporran on a silver chain. (from stillwater)

3. A black, kilt belt with silver buckle. (from stillwater or www.kiltmart.com)

4. A white, long sleeve shirt from wal-mart.

5. A solid green tie from www.solidcolorneckties.com.

6. Off-white hose with green flashes. (from stillwater or kiltmart)

7. A black, one-button Eton jacket from http://www.uniformalwearhouse.com/ap...ojackets4.html

When I attend a funeral, I change the color of the tie and flashes to solid black. Leave the jacket unbuttoned. Slainte'.

[Casey_in_Carolina]

That's interesting. Did you trim the bottom of the jacket up to be more on par with a kilt jacket? If not, how much does it overlap?

Casey
(dirt poor and not ashamed to make do with what I can)

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Bragging? Complaining? A little of both? It sounds perfectly fine to me, although I'd suggest a black bow tie for those "formal" occasions when others might be in a tux. Other than that your Eaton jacket is doing everything an Argyll would do. Which is why an Argyll (or an Eaton, for that matter) is the best all-round jacket for someone starting out-- especially if budget is a concern. You might want to consider adding a PC waistcoat and a six-button waistcoat to round out your wardrobe as finances permit.

[Bugbear]

Bragging? Complaining? A little of both? It sounds perfectly fine to me, although I'd suggest a black bow tie for those "formal" occasions when others might be in a tux. Other than that your Eaton jacket is doing everything an Argyll would do. Which is why an Argyll (or an Eaton, for that matter) is the best all-round jacket for someone starting out-- especially if budget is a concern. You might want to consider adding a PC waistcoat and a six-button waistcoat to round out your wardrobe as finances permit.

See, this is the beauty of this thread. I love MacMillan of Rathdown's advice to have both the three button and the six button waistcoats.

For a lot of us, this is opening up some options that were well out of our budget range. It's not perfect, but it's acceptable.

[Nick the DSM]

Thanks for the info, Campbell! It will be useful for the future!

[Bugbear]

Thanks for the info, Campbell! It will be useful for the future!

DSM, I suggest you keep that link to Uniformalwearhouse.com handy. You might want to look at all the items they offer, not just the Eton.

Sometimes you need a suit and so on, and it just isn't practical to get an expencive one. It's allways better than nothing. They've even got a section on interview clothing. You know, use what you can get to get what what you want.

[Nick the DSM]

DSM, I suggest you keep that link to Uniformalwearhouse.com handy. You might want to look at all the items they offer, not just the Eton.

Sometimes you need a suit and so on, and it just isn't practical to get an expencive one. It's allways better than nothing. They've even got a section on interview clothing. You know, use what you can get to get what what you want.

Yeah, man. Thanks, I'll do that.

[PiobBear]

You're not one of the few, or if you are, I'm one of the few, too. I've considerably more formal wear than that, but most of it is second-hand, some of it is EBay, and it's slowly accumulated over a period of years.

I re-rigged one of their Eton jackets with 5/8" gilt "Erin Go Bragh" harp buttons and a chain, similar to a mess jacket.

[Bugbear]

Well, guess that seddles it then.

I would like to know if any other modifications need to be made to the jacket, and exactly what they are if any. BTW, Chef has also sighned off on this jacket to some degree, but says it needs a little work.

If you can't tell, I'm smiling.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Well, guess that seddles it then.

I would like to know if any other modifications need to be made to the jacket, and exactly what they are if any. BTW, Chef has also signed off on this jacket to some degree, but says it needs a little work.

If you can't tell, I'm smiling.

I wear an Eaton with trews-- what I've found is that you have to buy a very traditional Eaton-- one that looks exactly like a tails coat without the tails, otherwise the body will be a tad too long, and it will look a bit boxy when worn with either trews or a kilt.

There is another uniform company I can recommend: www.customuniformcompany.com who seem to offer an excellent selection of goods, including proper overcoats/great coats for kilt wear.