I'm starting to put together something to wear for solo piping competition (vest & shirt, not the jacket), "casual" (ie jeans & sportcoat equivalent) daywear, and something I could get away with for less-formal eveningwear.

Dredging up a bunch of photos from the forum (and elsewhere)...I like the style of HRH's jacket and vest. Hell, I like the whole outfit.


The guys in civilian attire, I think that's a good look.


In color...


More color...


I'm pretty certain the style I like is an "Argyle". (for that matter, is it Argyle or Argyll? I'm not talking about a jacket with a checker pattern.) Also, I think the cuff style is "Crail"...as in, "regular cuff like you'd find on a sport coat or suit jacket". Simply put, I'd like a jacket as much like the sport coat I wear now, but cut for a kilt. No bling, no fancy Celtic-inspired massive silver buttons, no epaulettes, no huge cuffs, conservative notched lapel (with a buttonhole on the left, please!), single breasted, two buttons on the front, flap pockets, and tailored to fit!

I looked over the Scottish Tartans Museum...something like this could work. Is that one or two buttons on the front? I can't tell. Also, I don't suppose someone has a picture with the jacket buttoned as opposed to open? Matt, if you're reading this, has that jacket been tailored, or is it straight off the rack?


I also really like Kinloch-Anderson's "Day Jacket". This is about exactly what I had in mind...looks very much like the sport coat I have now, but cut for a kilt. I like the shorter lapel, I think, more than the longer one of the STM jacket...but maybe I could use some education here as to the importance of lapel length beyond visual impression (the shorter version looks more physically balanced, to my eye). Kyle, if you're reading this, you have (at least) one of these jackets, correct?


Got some questions, now. Does one button these jackets like any other two-button jacket, with only the top button? Is it pictured open for the sake of showing the vest & sporran, or is there some "kilt jacket" convention of leaving it unbuttoned all the time? In the pictures I posted above, only one guy appears to have his jacket buttoned, and there's another guy with a chain or something, but that's it.

The really rough question...my kilt is MacLaren Modern...a fairly dark tartan in blue and green, with a couple stripes of red and a black-bordered yellow stripe. The kilt is pleated to the yellow stripe.

I have no idea what colors would look good with this kilt. Charcoal would probably work just fine...and I'd prefer not black...but what do you guys think of these, with that tartan?





(I like this one, personally...but not sure how it'd look w/the kilt!)




Thoughts, anyone? I'd link some photos from the "Piper's Corner" album, but I'm outta image links for this post.

TIA,
Sean