Dirk?

[ANP3]

Okay, so as I'm getting more and more in to the kilt, and my Scottish ancestry, I'm slowly building what could be a nice semi-formal kilt outfit. I have my eyes on a new sporran, sgain, argyle jacet and all. But, I have a question. The dirk, I mean it looks cool, but I want to look traditional yet still individual, if that even makes any sense. So, I would like to add a dirk for its sleek and sexy looks, but if it dosen't fit the look I want then I can deal with out it.

For reference this is about what I'm going for, but in black. Dressy, but still versitile in use.


Thanks,
Nick.

[Pleater]

I think a link is missing to show what you are after.

Won't you need to be careful where you wear such a thing?

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[CMcG]

I don't know that I've seen anyone wear a dirk with semi-formal attire... after the recent thread about the difficulties with interpreting dress codes, what do you mean by semi-formal?

A dress dirk can look good with a formal outfit, though it is still relatively uncommon. By formal, I mean white tie or very spiffed up black tie.

Very occasionally (twice), I've seen someone wearing a more rustic dirk with smart daywear. The problem with casual situations and dirks is that it is more difficult to justify a large blade to the police than it would be at a special, formal event. Check your local laws there...

[creagdhubh]

Semi-formal? I am unsure what that is in regards to Highland dress. I sometimes (when the mood strikes me) wear a dirk with Highland evening (formal occassions) attire - complete with the obvious dirk belt. I like seeing the dirk worn with close-fitting doublets or the regulation doublet. And the dirk belt may be worn over the waistcoat.

Cheers,

[ANP3]

Thanks guys! The advice was great I figured it wouldn't "go," with the look
well here is, hopefully, is the link of what I hope to build as an outfit.
http://osc.thescotlandkiltcompany.co...llscottish.jpg

[Jock Scot]

Thanks guys! The advice was great I figured it wouldn't "go," with the look
well here is, hopefully, is the link of what I hope to build as an outfit.
http://osc.thescotlandkiltcompany.co...llscottish.jpg

We all accept, I think, that what you wear and how you wear it, is down to the individual. However your picture example raises the eyebrows already for many, by wearing a belt with a waistcoat and wearing a tartan tie and adding a dirk to that particular look will just cause the eyebrows to go into orbit!

[ANP3]

We all accept, I think, that what you wear and how you wear it, is down to the individual. However your picture example raises the eyebrows already for many, by wearing a belt with a waistcoat and wearing a tartan tie and adding a dirk to that particular look will just cause the eyebrows to go into orbit!

Interesting. I thought that was a rather good example of a kilted equivelent of a nice suit. I didn't like the tie all that much but, other than that I thought this was a sterling example of highland dress. Thank you for that, I don't want to look like I don't know what I'm doing when I'm wearing a kilt, my heratige is far to important to me to not do it properly. Once again thanks!

Nick.

[Jock Scot]

Interesting. I thought that was a rather good example of a kilted equivelent of a nice suit. I didn't like the tie all that much but, other than that I thought this was a sterling example of highland dress. Thank you for that, I don't want to look like I don't know what I'm doing when I'm wearing a kilt, my heratige is far to important to me to not do it properly. Once again thanks!

Nick.

Well you have come to the right place for helpful advice, but there are various opinions that do not necessarily coincide! So it must take a wee bit of sorting out for a chap just starting with the kilt. As a guide, a tweed kilt jacket is a "suit equivalent" and your picture example ----without the tartan tie, same basic style though and not a bow tie, is "morning suit"(formal day wear) equivalent.

[Ryan Ross]

We all accept, I think, that what you wear and how you wear it, is down to the individual. However your picture example raises the eyebrows already for many, by wearing a belt with a waistcoat and wearing a tartan tie and adding a dirk to that particular look will just cause the eyebrows to go into orbit!

Agreed.

With so many of the public at large already (wrongly) seeing highland dress as a costume, I personally like to avoid anything that could contribute to that conception. A modern dirk, if you've never worn one, can actually be quite a pain to have attached to you; correctly produced period correct dirks are usually MUCH lighter than modern ones, unless they have brass handles.

So my own view is to leave my dirk at home unless I A. Might have a use for it (a bit scary to think about), or B. Am in historical costume.

When I see someone wearing a dirk outside of those contexts, unless it's a spectacular piece of craftsmanship (which commercially mass produced dirks are not), my first thought tends to be "Compensation".

[spglenn]

So my own view is to leave my dirk at home unless I A. Might have a use for it (a bit scary to think about), or B. Am in historical costume.

As far as A above goes the two occasions I can think of having a use for the dirk are:

1) At a Burns Supper and you are giving the address to the Haggis
2) At the wedding for the cutting of the cake.

I'm not sure which you find the more scary