too rustic?

[FossilHunter]

I've been trying to make the gingham shirt work for me but I'm still not sure about it. There seems to be something decidedly rustic about it that seems more appropriate for the field than the city.

What do you all think?

[Karl R]

In my opinion, the shirt seems to be at the same level as the jacket.

[FossilHunter]

In my opinion, the shirt seems to be at the same level as the jacket.

Is that good or bad?

[Hirsty]

Your outfit is certainly more country and wouldn't be unusual at the shows. But is that a bad thing?

[FossilHunter]

Your outfit is certainly more country and wouldn't be unusual at the shows. But is that a bad thing?

I suppose not. It's good to be aware of it though. Thank you for the feedback.

[tripleblessed]

Ya look good. In this country, that outfit works for most levels of formality, we being less formal. On the
other side of the pond, whole different kettle of fish. Jock has posted posted pics of him fishing and hunting
in outfits more formal than anything I own.

[Karl R]

The initial question has been bothering me since I first saw it last evening ... because I wouldn't describe the outfit, or particularly the jacket, as being rustic at all. If I went out to the rural areas of East Texas, West Texas, Louisiana, up to Oklahoma or Kansas, up into the Midwest, or all the way out to New Mexico, I wouldn't expect to find anyone wearing that jacket. I expect the same would be true in southern California.

It took me until this morning to come up with the correct adjective. The jacket seems retro, not rustic. I can't exactly peg down which decade, since it's before I started paying attention to fashion, but I think it might be a 1970's style pattern.

As for my initial answer to the question, I looked at how casual vs. dressy the shirt and jacket are. They seem about equal in that regard.

Is that good or bad?

Being at the same level of casual/dressy is a good thing.

Being retro ... well ... you're wearing a traditional kilt. A certain amount of retro is expected. The particular era of retro is a matter of personal taste. I'd certainly consider wearing a gingham shirt with a kilt and tweed jacket. I'm not sure that the necktie is working, though. My gut feeling is that the tie is competing with the rest of the outfit.

[FossilHunter]

Being retro ... well ... you're wearing a traditional kilt. A certain amount of retro is expected. The particular era of retro is a matter of personal taste. I'd certainly consider wearing a gingham shirt with a kilt and tweed jacket. I'm not sure that the necktie is working, though. My gut feeling is that the tie is competing with the rest of the outfit.

I think you may be right. It was a new tie (to me) and I was excited to try it out but I may try to pair it with a plain shirt if I wear it again.

[Blaidd]

For me, the overall colour of the jacket would not go amiss with the cilt, but the size of the check is too similar to that of the tartan and therefore, detracts from the latter. If the jacket were a plain colour, the shirt would be acceptable, but as you have already identified I believe, probably needs to a plain/solid colour to complement the cilt.

As for the 'business/city' angle, I tend to refer back to my grand father's old adage, that brown should never be seen in the city! I have stuck by that ever since, but I am of course' aware of new fashions bringing brown in ('Peaky Blinders' style... )

Again, no criticism levelled, just observations (the jacket would also probably pair well with a pair of plain casual trousers/jeans).

[gsmacleod]

I often wear gingham with jeans/dress pants and a sport coat but I don't wear gingham with any of my more patterned jackets (houndstooth, plaid, etc) and tend to wear them with ones that are more textured. Similarly, with my more patterned jackets, I tend to wear solid colour or more subtle shirts as opposed to anything with more pattern.

I would tend to apply the same rules when I wear a kilt and so I'd be tempted to pair a gingham shirt with one of my tweeds (none of them are checked). Alternatively, I'd pair that jacket with a less patterned shirt.

Shane