Quote Originally Posted by Jock Scot View Post
Ok from the other side of the pond, but over here the event and style of your attire would not warrant a dirk, you are in civilian attire after all, my advice is to leave it at home and would solve the belt problem too.
Maybe I'm reading more into it than you meant, but are you saying that a dirk is never warranted for civilian attire? Or just for this event where he will be in civilian attire amongst military uniforms?

Given that this is a military ball and he will be in civilian attire, I would tend to agree that a dirk might be a tad out of place, or look affected. Were it a different (i.e. specific to Highland attire) event, like a Burns supper perhaps, the dirk would be more appropriate.

In any case, I wouldn't think that wearing a waistcoat, with a dirk belt over it and a dirk hanging from it, under an Argyll jacket, would be ideal. It's certainly been done before, but seems like a less-than-ideal way to wear a dirk. It may end up being partially covered by the jacket. A dirk belt over a doublet seems like the best option, although it doesn't sound like an option in this case.