"Balmoral" Doublet Help?

[CMcG]

CMcG, I must congratulate you on your find. I was the other bidder on that jacket and sadly, with a 38" chest it seemed like a perfect fit for me.

I think it would look perfect worn buttoned with a belt; or unbuttoned over a low-cut waistcoat, mess dress style. A belt could be worn over the waistcoat with the latter option too. Either way, I think a jabot would look as smashing as a bow tie.

You might be able to get away with wearing a four-in-hand tie and higher-cut waistcoat with this doublet. It would probably place it in between an argyll/braemar etc and black-tie in terms of formality. The Kinloch Anderson website has photos of Sherriffmuirs being worn that way.

You got this doublet for a real steal at £14.49!! I probably wouldn't have paid more than £20 for it though, given my paltry student budget. I'd be happy to grab it off you too if it doesn't work out. Though I'd personally prefer a Balmoral made in a rich green velvet.

Sorry, JWLC! If you keep looking, I'm sure something else will turn up for you. I'm also on a student budget and eBay is the source of quite a bit of my Highland attire.

Notwithstanding Highland Clans' suggestion that this doublet could be worn less formally by opening the front, I'm still having a hard time picturing it as anything less than black tie. I think you're right that a long tie would be the way to go for a less formal look, but it might not work. I'll give it a try eventually and put the theory to the test

That doublet will look fine open or closed. You can wear a waistcoat if you like, or not...it will still look fine. Black tie, jabot, or stock would all work, and if you were from Perthshire you could even wear a white bow tie!.

Nice to know that I have some options. I'm not from Perhshire, but I do have a white bow tie...

If you want to wear it traditionally, wear it as Charlie is wearing it, buttoned up with a belt. We are discussing a garment here often associated with very high level functions, such as RSVP evening balls. It's not really designed to be worn with a waistcoat/vest. But, you have paid for it, it's up to you what you want to do with it.
There have been a couple of this kind of doublet on Ebay UK recently, they get very few bids and often go for low prices. I suspect that if you were actually Scottish and living here, if you bought one, there'd be really not many occasions where you could wear it, hence the low prices.

I see many doublets like this worn by friends and aquaintances at balls in Scotland and at the Royal Caledonian Ball in London. You could wear this doublet whenever you wear Highland evening dress.

Yes, that's the kind of RSVP ball I was referring to. I have attended the Royal Caledonian Ball in London, but only as a piper. Other balls where I would expect to see this kind of doublet would be where society, (for want of a better phrase), was the main invitees. For the vast majority of us, my original thought remains, if you bought one, there'd be really not many occasions where you could wear it.

Yes, I really can't go wrong wearing it the way Prince Charles does, eh?

The last few years running, I've had at least one, if not several formal evening events to go to each year (Burn's nights, black tie wedding receptions, etc). It seems as the years go by and my Highland wardrobe increases, that MacLowlife is proven correct and I have more occasions to get dressed up. Are you suggesting, MacSpadger, that this style of doublet would not be suitable (worn as Rothesday wears his) for such events and should be reserved for "society" balls?

My understanding of when to wear this doublet is closer to JSFMACLJR's.