Lets talk tartan waistcoats

[Nathan]

In your view, must a tartan waistcoat always be cut on the bias? Must it always be from the same cloth as the kilt? Should it be worn with day wear or simply to add flourish to an evening wear ensemble.

I ask because I have a five button waistcoat that is very old and while it's in the same tartan as my kilt, the colours are faded, the white is yellowed and the set is smaller. Also, it is not cut on the bias.

Would wearing this with a newer kilt of a larger set be considered bizarre in the Highlands or given it's heirloom quality, is it a look that would seem fairly normal or within the bounds of traditional if not typical for day wear.

I'd love your input on these questions.

[Carlo]

I think that a picture would help.
We have seen a nice waistcoat not cut on the bias in your kilt evolution thread, so that is not an instant no no.

[Nathan]

Colin's is cut from the same cloth though and the set lines up nicely. My dad's (which I'm contemplating) is 40 years older and a smaller set of the same tartan. Depending on the responses here, I may or may not take a photo with it.

[usonian]

The fabrics were both purchased from Marton Mills so the colors match quite well, but I made a waistcoat from polyviscose tartan to go with a 16 oz wool kilt and I doubt anyone has ever noticed the difference in sett size:



As for mismatching colors, I think it's probably another thing nobody would notice unless the difference was pretty extreme... especially if you were wearing a jacket over the waistcoat.

[Guinness>water]

I think it would be fine. I've heard that the traditional way to wear a plaid(shepard or day) is to have it in a differant color scheme, different sett size or maybe even differant tartan(same clan).

[artificer]

Bias Cut- No it's not REQUIRED, but I do think a bias cut waistcoat is generally much better looking as a garment, and more flattering when worn. The bias cut breaks up the visual monotony of the tartan, and the diagonal helps hide any 'tummy' issues rather than emphasizing them with the horizontal pattern.

No, it doesn't need to be the exact same as the kilt cloth. Variation in the sett size can be nice.

I'd probably not wear a tartan waistcoat during the day, unless it was for a particularly fancy event.

ith:

[M. A. C. Newsome]

When it comes to tartan waistcoats there is a lot of room for personal style and taste. I happen to think they look great on the bias, but I am not opposed to the tartan being straight, either. In fact, my preference for bias cut only extends to waistcoats worn with the kilt. I think straight looks better otherwise. And while it certainly looks nice to have the waistcoat made from the same material as the kilt, it is by no means a requirement.

As to daywear or eveningwear, either is appropriate, assuming the cut of the waistcoat is appropriate. For example, a formal three-button waistcoat would look out of place for daywear, but just dandy for eveningwear.

Here are some examples from my closet. This one is bias cut and made from the same cloth as the kilt.


Another bias cut. Same tartan as the kilt, but the cloth was woven at a different time. Minor difference in color so slight as to not really be noticeable.


On this one the tartan is the same as the kilt, but a different run of cloth woven with a smaller sett size. I think the different sett sizes complement each other rather well. Notice the lapels on this one.


Given the option to have a waistcoat made from the same tartan as the kilt, I'd go for it. But it's not essential, as you can see in the two examples above where a different run of the cloth was used. Here are some photos of tartan waistcoats I've had made for kilt clients of mine, out of the same cloth as their kilts.

[Wil]

I love the look of a matching waistcoat. It is very smart looking.

[creagdhubh]

Bias Cut- No it's not REQUIRED, but I do think a bias cut waistcoat is generally much better looking as a garment, and more flattering when worn. The bias cut breaks up the visual monotony of the tartan, and the diagonal helps hide any 'tummy' issues rather than emphasizing them with the horizontal pattern.

No, it doesn't need to be the exact same as the kilt cloth. Variation in the sett size can be nice.

I'd probably not wear a tartan waistcoat during the day, unless it was for a particularly fancy event.

ith:

I agree 100%. I have one tartan waistcoat that is not cut on the bias and I really don't care for it, which is the reason why it is currently up for sale on eBay. All of my other tartan waistcoats are cut on the bias and match each tartan kilt I own; however, I have paired my waistcoat in the Macpherson red 'ancient' tartan with my kilt in the Macpherson red 'modern' tartan and I quite like the effect. They are both the same sett and the same overall sett size, so they look aesthetically pleasing. I wouldn't mix tartans though; i.e. -I would never wear my Macpherson hunting 'modern' tartan waistcoat with my Macpherson red 'ancient' kilt and so on - they are both two completely different setts. I prefer to restrict the wearing of my tartan waistcoats (3-4 button) for black tie events where Highland evening attire is worn.

Macpherson red 'modern' tartan waistcoat.




Cheers,

[AJBryant]

If you don't mind a slight diversion of topic...

There are, I notice, several different types (and possibly levels of formality?) waistcoats here. I generally think of tartan waistcoats as alternative wear with Argyll (and related) jackets, where in my mind it has a higher collar and four or five buttons; then there's the more formal version with low (shawl) collar and only three buttons, as worn with a Prince Charlie.

So my question is this: what does the tartan waistcoat with a PC do to level of formality (vs. black or white waistcoats)? And ditto the tartan waistcoat with an Argyll? (And how about a non-black, like grey or Lovat Green, Argyll, which has horn buttons rather than silver?)

I'm thinking about a higher, shawl-collar (bias-cut) waistcoat to wear with the Argyll, but I had an idea for TWO sets of button holes (one in the top, one in the bottom) which would allow me to switch out buttons -- à la cufflinks -- in silver and in horn, to allow me to wear it with a black Argyll or a tweed one. Does that sound insane?

This, from an earlier thread, is the design I'm thinking of (linkie here!), generally, although with the more conventional pointed bottom panels instead of a straight hem.