My outfit

[kunie]

Maybe some of you already read it in the newbie topic. I'm going to a Diner/Ball in a kilt. I have never worn a real kilt before so I was wondering if You could give me some advise.
This is the outfit I am going to wear. With a better fitting shirt I lost 3 sizes in the last year.

But maybe I will add a white vest and white tie because it is supposed to be a white tie Ball. Or would a black vest be better?
Should I than lose the belt? I learned you should not wear a belt with a vest. But I found lots of pictures of man wearing full Prince charlie outfits with belt. Also the webshop I bought my kilt had all the pictures with PC-jackets and belts.
This is the jacket the Tailor made for me out of a tailcoat

[HeathBar]

If it is white tie then a white vest is worn with a white silk tie. Your sporran is really a day wear sporran not meant for formal functions. But I'll assume its the only sporran you have so it will have to do.
The whole belt issue is confusing to new wearers. Highland wear outfitters are in the business to sell. And that includes belts. But its kind of hard to sell belts if none of the models are wearing them. A fitted kilt should be able to stay on without a belt. So that make the belt a bit of decoration. A vest/waistcoat would cover the part of the kilt that the belt is worn. So then it would not be seen, other than an unsightly bulge.

I am seeing a bit of shirt sticking out between the jacket and kilt. This usually means that the kilt is worn too low or the jacket is too short. Is there any way you can pull your kilt up a couple of inches? It looks like you hem is hitting mid knee. Its an odd camera angle, so I can't tell. Kilts are worn higher than normal trousers. An inch or two above the navel is about right. Some could be worn higher. Your vest will cover the top, so no one will see how high it is worn.

Not bad for a first try. There is always room for improvement and that's what this forum is for. I would say that most of us did not get it all right the first time we tried it on our own. And you are not in an area know for its kilt wearing so I doubt you've had any instruction other than the interweb.

Best of luck. And we do want to see pictures from the ball.

[ForresterModern]

I am only going to address one issue that jumps right out at me. I think your jacket is too short all around, both the body and sleeves. Not only is there shirt showing above your kilt, but far too much sleeve showing as well. Others can get a bit more detail oriented with other issues.

[SteveB]

I believe that a properly fitted shirt, and raising the kilt up about two inches will straighten out most of the issues. Ideally for white/black tie events the cuff of the shirt should protrude just far enough for the cuff link to be visible. BTW, congratulations on losing three sizes. The kilt hem should rest at the top of the knee and the kilt hose should just make the top of the calf. A white tie and vest without the belt fills out the kit. A well shined pair of brogues is ideal. The day sporran can do for the occasion if there are not a lot of kilt educated people there.

That said, I have attended a few white tie functions where the students showed up with the best kit they could get their hands on, and as most of us had been there, we congratulated them on doing well with the "tools" at hand.

For some pics on kilted style see the "one kilt, ten looks" thread where Panache and McMurdo demonstrate all the possibilities when wearing the kilt.

Be kilted, be proud.

Steve

[Bigkahuna]

I think for a first try you are doing great. The jacket does appear a bit short, but I think you are doing very well with what you have. If you go with a vest then don't wear the belt.

[wildrover]

A very good start. I think you'll be good to walk out the door, if you simply pull the kilt up (hem a hair's width above your kneecap, and let the top fall where it will--should be at your natural waist, not p@nts waist) and the cuffs down (what SteveB said). The rest is details you may sort out later at your wallet's leisure.

The only other thing I might suggest is swapping the belt for a kilted style that does not require a belt...the style of the big square buckle and wide belt don't quite match, to my eye, with the rest of the outfit.

-Sean

[kunie]

I could pull up the Kilt a little bit, it was now halfway on the kneecap. I read somewhere it was supposed to be at that point. Top of the Knee will be good. Then the Too short jacket problem would be over as well. (It is too short) But the white in the picture is because of to big shirt which wasn't tucked in properly. The belt and buckle came with the kilt. But with a vest I will not wear them. If I can find my vest. I spend half the sunday searching for it. Maybe it didn't survive moving twice in a year.
I decided on the day sporran because of my budget and because I could wear it more often. Don't think it would look good competing in the student Highland games with a full dress sporran. I also like the simple design.

[BEEDEE]

I could pull up the Kilt a little bit, it was now halfway on the kneecap. I read somewhere it was supposed to be at that point. Top of the Knee will be good. Then the Too short jacket problem would be over as well.

Top of the knee is perfectly acceptable for a kilt length.

Brian

[dfmacliam]

It's good you are attending a white tie affair, and with the above advice, there is little I can add.. I tend to prefer a longer cut sleeve myself, but my formal wear history comes from my military days and I prefer that sleeve legnth (cuff to just past the wrist).

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

As far as I'm concerned you look fine, although I'd suggest you ask your tailor to lengthen the sleeves by extending the cuff using either the excess material from the tails or by adding a velvet band at the bottom of the sleeve. Either will work well and either option is "proper". I also think the plain sporran works well; discrete and understated. Since it's white tie I'd go with a white waistcoat, the same as you would wear with ordinary tails.

Despite what others may say (and they are entitled to their opinions, misguided though they may be) avoid wearing white hose. Tartan, red and white diced, or a sold dark colour hose are traditionally worn with formal Highland attire.

Enjoy the ball!