I have always admired well-made clothes. I have had the good fortune of having several bespoke suits made (and inherited others) and can say that there really is nothing better!

Highland evening wear is a world that allows all sorts of creativity. I have seen many evening doublets that are stunning, made up in a unique style. I have posted a number of these in the past in various Forum discussions. Unlike non-Scottish evening dress, which does not allow for a whole lot of creativity in the cut and style of jackets, one has almost an empty canvass when one has an evening doublet made.

A few years back, on the advice of a good friend of mine from Appin, I met with his London tailor to be measured for a new doublet. The firm, Meyer & Mortimer, specialise in bespoke Highland dress. My friend, my tailor, and I discussed what I wanted and all sorts of options. I knew I wanted a jacket made of velvet. I wanted the facings (lapels, cuffs) to be of a different colour. I wanted flaps. We pondered all this, and I decided I wanted a jacket similar in style to the "regulation" style evening jacket, but not quite. I wanted five buttons on the front. We decided on that number because "it looked good." The higher front also allowed for a more attractive arrangement when wearing a jabot. I chose facings out of a ribbed silk, in scarlet. I chose this colour because: a. it was "traditional"; b. it complimented Maclean tartans; c. it alluded to the connections some of my family had with the Royal Horse Artillery. We chose a beautiful shade of navy blue silk velvet for the jacket. Absolutely stunning fabric! We discussed how many pockets (inside two, and four under various "tashes"). Pretty much every detail that affected how the jacket would look and fit was gone over. I had several fittings, and the end result you have seen in numerous pics I have posted.

The options we discussed, but turned down, were also quite interesting. The one I seriously considered was going with a green velvet jacket that buttoned up, with white silk lapels, stand-up collar, and no flaps. It would be a fine jacket with a MacLean hunting tartan kilt, but I do not often wear that in the evening, and it was also brought to my attention that white silk lapels get dirty very easily!

I am very happy with my doublet. Nobody else has one quite like it, as far as my tailor and I know! I feel it was well worth the expense, as was my tartan jacket, which I love equally as much. It is a very traditional jacket, cut on the bias. Many of the rabble here have expressed the view that that is too much tartan. Well, tell that to the number of Highland gentlemen who wear tartan jackets in the evening!

One of the odd interests of mine is the amateur study of different styles of Highland evening dress. I have looked at a great number of interesting and unique doublets over the years. From this study, I have come to the conclusion that there really is no set style for evening dress jackets...one wears what one wants! I like this freedom, and while so many Americans think the point of evening dress is so that everyone looks the same and is uniformly attired, this just isn't so with regard to Highland evening dress!