tie with a prince charlie?

[Tim P]

Normally when going for a prince Charlie look I would go for classic white dress shirt and bow tie.
For a mates 50th this weekend however I want to go for something quite contemporary. Formal smart but not black tie is the spec.
so, brogues black hose and tabs, slate and black kilt, black prince Charlie and waistcoat with a dark grey shirt and tie is what I have in mind as I don't have an Argyll and don't plan to spring for one.

add to that a black hair and chrome sporran and a chrome rampnat lion kilt pin.
Now this is very monochrome I know but that is what I am after.
Question one... is a tie with a prince Charlie ok?
Question two.. too much black and dark grey?

I am prepared for a rethink as I have other options.

Let me know what you reckon...
Tim.

[Tobus]

Question one... is a tie with a prince Charlie ok?

Depends. Are you asking in context of traditional Highland dress? Or simply from a visual perspective? There is technically no rule against it, and it should only matter if you are trying to stay within tradition.

It would be nice to see a picture of you wearing this. It's worth a thousand words, I hear!

I took a photo a while back of me wearing a black necktie with a black mess jacket on (not a PC, but sort of close), and I didn't think it looked half bad. I was told in no uncertain terms that a bowtie is the 'correct' item to wear with it according to tradition, but it's always within your power to bend the rules to suit your situation. If you think it looks good and there are no kilt cops there to contend with, go for it.

[Jordan]

I on one occasion wore a regular tie with a PC jacket and I really disliked the look when i saw photos afterwards. It just doesnt look right visualy the waistcoat is too low cut and with the jacket it looks like your seeing way too much tie.

I think I have a photo somwhere I'll try to get it up for you.

[Jay]

What do you think of a tuxedo with a suit tie?

[KenB]

A grey(silver) bow tie can work very well, IMHO.

[Peter Crowe]

Personally speaking, I don't think a long tie with a Prince Charlie coatee and vest is a good look. I would also add that I really dislike what one sees all too often these days, the PC with the 'ruche' tie.

I like the monochrome look and sometimes go with it when wearing a gray tweed sports jacket and black trousers with black/gray shirt or turtleneck sweater. However, when it comes to the kilt I am too traditional to go for the look you suggest. It just seems a wee bit too contrived for my taste.

Ultimately it is your choice, and I wouldn't think less of anyone who wears what you propose, but I wouldn't feel comfortable doing so if it were me.

[McMurdo]

I'm not sure I get the designation of Formal Smart but not Black Tie. Either it's Black Tie or it's not. The way it's described it is neither fish nor foul. For me anyway it's bad form to mix levels of formality. For example a PC with a 4 in hand tie simply does not look right. On the other hand it also does not look right for a person dressed in a t-shirt with a kilt and dress sporran it simply does not work. However people do it all the time.

Here I am with a Ruche Tie, I've not worn the PC this way since, I was just trying it out for the photo. I'll simply say I did not like the look.




To compare here I am in my PC with a self tie bow tie


Personally I like this much better, it is of course your outfit, however to my eye a 4 in hand tie with a 3 button waistcoat looks sloppy as there seems to be too much real estate to cover with the tie.

Now as to question 2 monochrome can work, for me the outfit you describe may be too much of the same. One thing I've come to learn regarding Highland wear is that it is OK to be colourful if you want.

[Jordan]

Here we go(I cant find my own pic), My tie wasnt a Ruche but the look is the same. I think it just looks like theres too much tie.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I really dislike the look of the Prince Charlie jacket with a neck tie (Sir Sean Connery's preference notwithstanding). The style and cut of the jacket demand a bow tie.

If you don't want to wear a black bow tie, maybe get another color? Grey or silver, perhaps? Bow ties don't have to be "formal" you know.

If you absolutely have to wear a neck tie, then I would say go for the rouche tie option, as shown above. I say that as someone who dislikes the rouche tie in general, but be that as it may it has become a somewhat common look with the Prince Charlie jacket and so it probably wouldn't raise too many eyebrows.

[davidg]

I'm 100% with both McMurdo and Matt on this one. I simply dislike the look

If you have to do it then ruche tie is the better option and perhaps black ruche tie with black shirt is the most common way