Argyle/Argyll tweed Jacket and Waistcoat Advice

[TheBlueRaja]

Hi Everyone,
I found this forum whilst looking for a new Jacket and Waistcoat to replace my current PC Jacket and Waistcoat that's seen better days and was hoping you could steer me in the right direction.

I think i've settled on an Argyll Jacket and Waistcoat but had a couple of questions regarding exactly what to go for.

This will mostly be used for Weddings, probably my own too, and evening events etc, so I really want to get this right.

Firstly, I like the look of the tweet Jackets / Waistcoats supplied by Scotweb and the like but I wondered also, if being tweed, they might be quite hot to wear.

I've been to many events where i've been roasting in my PC which is only an ex rental, standard wool one and wondered if tweed would be hotter than my PC or say an Argyll wool one that isn't tweed.

Secondly, I'm finding it difficult to work out which ones are good quality and which ones are of lower quality other than blindly thinking price is king and the oz of the jacket.

Generally the price seems to be around the 200 - 300 mark for a Jacket and Waistcoat combined (tweed, charcoal ARR001, 46 Regular).

However depending on where you look, I'm seeing 15oz tweed from here for £180 (light charcoal only).

17 oz Arrochar fabric Tweed in a more preferred colour (ARR001) for £195 here.

Or the most expensive option, the Tweed Argyll Jacket (no waistcoat +£75) on Scotweb here which is only 13oz but costs £250 and only for the jacket.

So there's my problem, I don't know what the indicator of quality here is and the Scotweb one seems expensive by comparison for reasons I'm unsure off.

Looking at the above, I'm edging towards the heritageofscotland jacket, but, am i making a mistake or do you have any other advice?

And by the way, is there a reason why some are called Argyle and not Argyll? Surely its just Argyll?

Thanks

[LitTrog]

Firstly this will mostly be used for Weddings, probably my own too, and evening events etc, so i really want to get this right.

Can you give us an idea of your priorities? Are you just after quality and custom fit regardless of price, are you looking to balance the two, or do you just want something that will fit but be as inexpensive as possible?

Your answer might help guide the members who know something about jackets, material, and pricing. I'm not one of them.

Welcome to XMarks, too! Hope you stick around even after you get your answer. And, yes. I'm pretty sure it's just Argyll.

BTW, there are a host of great tweeds out there rather than the basic Lovats and Charcoals. The USAKilts website has a good sampling of them--I would recommend you check it out.

[Chukta]

Heritage of Scotland does a nice jacket & waistcoat, and has a good slection of tweeds. The price is also VERY nice! Be advised however, they're part of the Gold Brothers chain, and other members can verify that you take a chance with them. The quality is good and the fit also, and doesn't seem to heavy for hot weather. Also be advised that if you're not sure aboiut the color from the sample page, purchase a swatch of the color you have in mind to be sure. I recently bought a jacket & vest from them that I thought was grey and it turned out to be lovat blue. HOS claimed it was my fault for not purchasing a swatch first, so they refused to take it back. I had to sell it here on the forum.
That being said, HOS's tweed color choice is quite good, the quality is acceptable, and the price can't be beat. Also, remember you'll have to pay duty, because they ship FedEx, and it cost me $76!

[TheBlueRaja]

Hi and thanks for the welcome, I love my kilt so no doubt I'll be around now I know about the site, although to be fair I'll probably be asking more questions than answering, i've got loads i've always wanted to ask but never knew anyone 'qualified'

Price is a tough one, ideally, I'd like to get some new hose and tie (for which I'd love to know your opinions on colours with a Lamont tartan but that's probably another thread) and a new shirt.

However, in order to get the right jacket / waistcoat I'd be willing to hold off for a while on those purchases.

I would be prepared to go up-to around £300, maybe more, for right jacket and waistcoat, but would rather be a bit lower than that if possible for the reasons stated above.

Like i said, i don't know in reference to quality what a realistic price is for something that's going to look good and last, it could be I'm way off but having a look around i don't think I'm far away.

Any and all advice is appreciated though.

[TheBlueRaja]

Heritage of Scotland does a nice jacket & waistcoat, and has a good slection of tweeds. The price is also VERY nice! Be advised however, they're part of the Gold Brothers chain, and other members can verify that you take a chance with them. The quality is good and the fit also, and doesn't seem to heavy for hot weather. Also be advised that if you're not sure aboiut the color from the sample page, purchase a swatch of the color you have in mind to be sure. I recently bought a jacket & vest from them that I thought was grey and it turned out to be lovat blue. HOS claimed it was my fault for not purchasing a swatch first, so they refused to take it back. I had to sell it here on the forum.
That being said, HOS's tweed color choice is quite good, the quality is acceptable, and the price can't be beat. Also, remember you'll have to pay duty, because they ship FedEx, and it cost me $76!

Thanks for the tip, the link i posted in my first post was to the Heritage of Scotland tweed you mention, but i must admit, I was not aware the Gold Brothers chain or its customer service so i'll have a wee look around for info.

As for duty, I live in Scotland mate, the big man over there will be getting none o my cash.

[cessna152towser]

Also be advised that if you're not sure aboiut the color from the sample page, purchase a swatch of the color you have in mind to be sure.

As you live in Falkirk it should be relatively easy for you to visit one of the Heritage of Scotland / Gold Brothers shops in Edinburgh where you should be able to assess the colour and quality for yourself.
I have bought a few items from their Edinburgh outlets and found their staff very helpful and their stuff is generally fair value for money.
Be aware of course that you get what you pay for, often the cheaper items can be of inferior quality.



Why not post some more information to introduce yourself in our newbie section.

[David Thorpe]

Before you settle on a tweed jacket and waistcoat, it would be good to note that according to the late Scotty Thompson, who wrote the "bible" on Highland wear (So You're Going to Wear the Kilt), tweed jackets are traditionally best suited for informal day wear. They correspond to a sport coat level of formality. Your PC on the other hand, is black-tie evening wear. For a daytime wedding, the most appropriate choice would be a black Argyll (or Argyle - same thing) with silver buttons. That same jacket will do for most evening events as well, up to the point where, as Thompson wrote, "the Saxons are in white tie and tails".

Of course whatever you choose to wear, it is highly unlikely that you will be arrested by the fashion police. It depends on how important keeping with tradition is to you.

On tweeds, weight and warmth: the jacket in my avatar pic I converted from an old favorite sport coat. It looks heavy and hot, but it is one of the most comfortable year-round jackets I have ever worn. The tweed is about medium thickness, but loosely woven and very light.
I would suggest that you get your hands on some swatches before ordering your jacket, since these factors appear to be important to you.

Whatever you decide to buy and wear, do it in good health and happiness.

[rsvpiper]

PM sent

[TheBlueRaja]

Before you settle on a tweed jacket and waistcoat, it would be good to note that according to the late Scotty Thompson, who wrote the "bible" on Highland wear (So You're Going to Wear the Kilt), tweed jackets are traditionally best suited for informal day wear. They correspond to a sport coat level of formality. Your PC on the other hand, is black-tie evening wear. For a daytime wedding, the most appropriate choice would be a black Argyll (or Argyle - same thing) with silver buttons. That same jacket will do for most evening events as well, up to the point where, as Thompson wrote, "the Saxons are in white tie and tails".

Of course whatever you choose to wear, it is highly unlikely that you will be arrested by the fashion police. It depends on how important keeping with tradition is to you.

On tweeds, weight and warmth: the jacket in my avatar pic I converted from an old favorite sport coat. It looks heavy and hot, but it is one of the most comfortable year-round jackets I have ever worn. The tweed is about medium thickness, but loosely woven and very light.
I would suggest that you get your hands on some swatches before ordering your jacket, since these factors appear to be important to you.

Whatever you decide to buy and wear, do it in good health and happiness.

Hmm, that's got me thinking, maybe i should look at a black Argyll with silver buttons.

Regarding the tweed, I know the colour i wanted, it was the darker charcoal one, almost black, the ARR001 on the Heritage of Scotland website.



I'm not too bothered about the fashion police, everyone has their own way of doing things and most folk don't know what's right or wrong anyway so as long as i feel great wearing it, that's good enough for me.

Most folk I know have the non tweed Argyll, i was looking for something a little bit different but liked the Argyll, hence the tweed catching my eye.

But your are correct in saying the non tweed with silver buttons is perhaps slightly better suited to weddings etc.

What to do...

[Chukta]

Blue Raj,
When I gave you advice about Heritage of Scotland, I failed to look close enough to see that you are already in Scotland. In that case, duty would not apply to your purchase, of cocurse, and as another member said, you can always visit HOS shop in Edinburgh and get a look at their tweeeds and possibly even a sample of the jackets.
There's quite a range of Highland outfitters who can make you a first class tweed jacket without breaking the bank - espoecially since the color you want, Charcoal is a standard color for many dealers. One way to shop is to Google "tweed kilt jacket & waistcoat" and you'll have a lot to choose from. Good luck.