Need help coordinating shirt/hose/tie/flashes

[Shaun S.]

You can't go wrong with a white shirt, no matter what tartan your kilt may be. As for a tie-- allow me to suggest a green and gold striped tie (google "striped neckties", you'll find a ton of suppliers). I'd go with Lovat green hose for day wear, and dark green or burgundy hose for evening wear.

Your Captain's Dinner will probably be a black tie affair-- stick with the white shirt (you can buy a tux shirt from Penny's) and a black bow tie (avoid the wing collar shirts unless you can tie your own bow tie).

Well polished black shoes are the other requirement, and you might want to re-think the white/cream/ecru hose as these tend to have a "rented for the event" look.

Above all, enjoy the cruise!

I'm not sure what went wrong with this post, so I'll try again. Maybe I deleted it, or maybe its waiting on moderator approval. Anyway...

Would the converted jacket go with black tie? I though you needed a PC for black tie. I was going for dressy, but short of black tie; this is an option for the captain's dinner (balck tie encouraged but not required) accourding to the website.

Edit: I think I must not have properly submitted the post. Upon writing this reply I got a message that it was held awaiting moderator approval.

[piperdbh]

Here's my take.

Wear the kilt Rocky's making for you. Since you have a soon-to-be-converted jacket, wear it. When/if the heat ever breaks in Florida, wear the vest, if you want to. Or, wear the vest and leave the jacket in the closet. Or, leave them both in the closet and wear a shirt and tie. Hunting Stewart has black, green, blue, red and yellow stripes, so if your tie could be one of those colors (or a combination of them), that would look good. If it were me, I'd wear a pure white shirt, and not an off-white/ecru one. Shirts in those colors tend to look dingy to me. Since you have ecru hose, wear them. If/when you decide to get a second pair of hose, I'd encourage you to get red ones. Red hose always look good. As for flashes, it's a neat effect to pick out a minor color from the tartan ( in this case red or yellow) and wear flashes in that color.
Depending on your degree of color-blindness, it's probably a good idea to have your Mrs. (or somebody else) help coordinate your colors, which she probably already does.

When Jock Scot reads this, he's probably going to tell you to not worry about being "matchy-matchy" and wear what you already have, which will be sound advice. In other words, we can tell you to wear this or that, or advise certain color combinations, but really it's all your choice, and whatever you come up with will probably look really good. Just remember to post pictures!

[creagdhubh]

More great info from everyone, thanks.



Funny thing, hours of searching and browsing created more questions. Make one post and get more direct answers while you're off to the grocery store. But I will continue to search before posting questions. Other than my introductory thread, this is my first. Using the search function (and browsing), I have found information on converting jackets, making flashes and garter ties, vests, and of course enough information to generate more questions than answers.

Wonderful!

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Would a converted jacket fit with black bow tie? Seems a bit more formal than the jacket. I thought I should have a PC if I was going with a black bow tie.

Probably the least useful jacket you can buy is a PC. The most versatile jacket you can own is a black Argyll. The Argyll will work in any black tie situation, and can also be worn as a dressier "day wear" jacket, or a "going out to dinner in a nice restaurant" jacket with the appropriate tie.

Now I'm not sure what kind/colour of jacket you've converted, but unless it is a "formal" looking jacket, then you'd be better off with a crisp white shirt and a four-in-hand tie, the same as you'd wear to dinner at an up-scale eatery.

[AKScott]

For daywear with Hunting Stewart in modern green my absolute favorite color is lovat green.

I can make bottle green hose work with a sage green shirt and not look like a leprechaun.

Light blue also works well during daylight hours and I have a pair of dark red for evenings.

The dark red hose my wife doesn't care for unless I am in black tie up top...

[Grizzly]

the only hose that I would not wear unless being part of a pipe band would be white. White is the colour of pipe bands and rental outfits definitely not for those in the know. Cream hose or ecru imho is perfectly acceptable. However I defer to more learned friends on here who would tell you otherwise.
the most important thing is that you feel comfortable wearing the kilt. If you feel comfortable then you will portray the image of having worn it since the cradle.
I agree that perhaps the most useful Jacket you can own would be the Argyll it works with formal and informal occasions.
Dont get too hung up on what goes with what, everyones eyes will be on the kilt anyway. Only other learned kilties will know the difference.
regards

[Lime]

avoid the wing collar shirts unless you can tie your own bow tie

If you don't know how to tie your own bow tie you really should: it's as easy as tying your shoe laces and looks so much better.

[Lyle1]

Probably the least useful jacket you can buy is a PC. The most versatile jacket you can own is a black Argyll. The Argyll will work in any black tie situation, and can also be worn as a dressier "day wear" jacket, or a "going out to dinner in a nice restaurant" jacket with the appropriate tie.

Now I'm not sure what kind/colour of jacket you've converted, but unless it is a "formal" looking jacket, then you'd be better off with a crisp white shirt and a four-in-hand tie, the same as you'd wear to dinner at an up-scale eatery.

I totally agree about the PC, but people do wear bow ties with suits! If you like the look of a bow tie, wear one, but a four in had tie will look good too.

Wear the cream hose, and add color as you buy more pairs. The important thing to remember is that it is not so much about people being in the know as it is that some people have certain opinions, and some people don't. You can't please everybody, and if you don't please yourself, you might not please anybody.

[KWD]

The important thing to remember is that it is not so much about people being in the know as it is that some people have certain opinions, and some people don't. You can't please everybody, and if you don't please yourself, you might not please anybody.

Well said...

[Shaun S.]

Blue in the tartan? Asked the wife and she said "yes, poor guy."

The jacket I'm going to convert looks similar to an Argyll minus the cuffs and epilettes (which I don't want to try to copy becuase I want a more modern look - pics will follow after the kilt arrives). I never wanted a PC, don't see a need for one. Also, I just emailed Rocky to send some Navy Blue and Charcoal hose when he finishes the kilt. I may still occasionally wear the cream hose, but dislike having to try to keep them clean.

The wife has been indespensible when coordination is needed. She is thrilled with the additional leway for picking out my tie and her dress. That makes for a happier Shaun too. Might ask her about a bow tie, and learn how to tie one.

I am fairly comfortable in a kilt, and wearing the UtiliKilt and X-kilt have helped that along a bit. Knowing that rules for matching are more relaxed for a kilt than suits helps even more. It's just that one loud friend that insists on calling it a skirt. Oh well, at least he admits that he doesn't have the guts to wear a kilt. He's just going to make a big deal about me wearing the "skirt."