Quote Originally Posted by Peel View Post
I'm wondering if anyone has or has seen a modern replacement for the Prince Charlie? I am looking for a formal jacket to wear with my traditional kilt to a black tie event, but the Prince Charlie look with all of it's silver buttons isn't necessarily what I'm after. Looking at the history of the jacket it doesn't seem that it's changed much since it's introduction in the Victorian era. Meanwhile the dinner jacket and tail coat have continued to evolve over time.
The Prince Charlie is a fairly modern development (when I say modern I mean the last 50 years or so). Before that formal dress was one of the various doublets, the Montrose being the most usual and the Regulation as the most formal. The tradition of silver buttons worn by Scots goes back into the mists of time and derived from those who fought far from home, gallowglasses in Ireland and mercenaries in continental Europe. Having silver buttons was intended to pay for a decent burial if unfortunate enough to be killed or die far from home.