Ties

[MacMillans son]

I've taken to having my ties altered to make them work. I started out just having the offending narrow end cut off, but that ended up with too much of the wide end forced into the knot. I have since had them shortened on both the wide and narrow ends so that the knot remains close to it's proper place in the tie while eliminating the problem of of extra length. If you buy your ties at a good price the extra charge for alteration is not too prohibitive. If you know someone who sews, all the cheaper. I've found good bargains at The Tie Bar here http://www.thetiebar.com/

Best of luck.

[creagdhubh]

Here is a lovely photo of my Chief, Sir William Alan Macpherson of Cluny and Blairgowrie, TD (center). It clearly shows his tie length in relation to the height of his kilt (which I think looks perfect! I don't really care for the short, "stubby" tie look), though the majority of the time, Cluny tends to tuck his tie into his kilt behind his belt buckle (see the second photo). I have always looked to my Chief for inspiration and guidance in regards to wearing Highland attire. And I think for most, this approach can be a fantastic resource and an excellent starting point.




Cheers,

[Zardoz]

I'm a bit 'shortwaisted' to start with, so I've been dealing with the tie issue all my adult life. And the high rise of kilts makes it worse. I also wear a lot of vintage ties, they tend to be shorter. And I have had some ties shortened over the years. I've found a couple local shops for that, but there are online places like Tiecrafters that can do it. I honestly don't really sweat the issue that much with kilts, since I seldom wear a tie without a waistcoat.

[Tobus]

Of course, a waistcoat does wonders, but simply cannot be worn all of the time due to temperature issues, i.e. - if it's too bloody hot out!

I feel your pain, Kyle. A waistcoat really does wonders in many ways. It eliminates the tie length issue altogether and just looks sharp. But yeah, I'd say there are only a couple of weeks of weather cool enough to wear one down here where I live. It's almost worth moving somewhere else, finding a new job, and making a complete life change just so I can wear tweed jackets and waistcoats more often!

I've taken to having my ties altered to make them work. I started out just having the offending narrow end cut off, but that ended up with too much of the wide end forced into the knot. I have since had them shortened on both the wide and narrow ends so that the knot remains close to it's proper place in the tie while eliminating the problem of of extra length. If you buy your ties at a good price the extra charge for alteration is not too prohibitive. If you know someone who sews, all the cheaper.

I'm eventually going to do this! I just have to take the bold step of cutting open a tie and figuring out how to get it done without it coming out looking like a mess. I'm sure it's not difficult, and once I do it on one tie, I'm going to have to do it on all my ties (which is currently somewhere around 3 dozen). I was figuring only on shortening them from the fat end, though.

[tulloch]

Styles come and styles go. Ties hang short or way down low. I don't mind either. I have worn them a little below the top of the kilt, just short of it, and quite short, (as in the days of Oliver Hardy). All different looks, all nice. I also wear a bow tie often. I wear a waistcoat often but do not wear one in the warm summer days. I have never tucked one in my kilt top. That time may come but I just haven't found it necessary yet.

Tobus, you have an enviable collection of jackets. That second one is a stunner. Is it Harris?

[pascs]

I've found good bargains at The Tie Bar here http://www.thetiebar.com/

Thats a really nice site, great that you can select shirt and suit colours to see how the ties will look

I have a local tailor who is very cheap but excellent work, maybe time to buy some ties and have their length altered............I will need some new ties to celebrate my newly made Tewksbury kilt

Tobus, you have an enviable collection of jackets. That second one is a stunner. Is it Harris?

He does pull off the look very well

[Tobus]

Styles come and styles go. Ties hang short or way down low. I don't mind either. I have worn them a little below the top of the kilt, just short of it, and quite short, (as in the days of Oliver Hardy). All different looks, all nice. I also wear a bow tie often. I wear a waistcoat often but do not wear one in the warm summer days. I have never tucked one in my kilt top. That time may come but I just haven't found it necessary yet.

Good point on the bow ties. That eliminates the length problem, eh? I've only cautiously waded into bow tie territory, but will be doing more of it this winter (when I can actually wear a jacket with it).

Tobus, you have an enviable collection of jackets. That second one is a stunner. Is it Harris?

I'd have to look again, but I don't think so. It was made by Hugh MacPherson, Edinburgh, but I don't remember seeing a Harris tweed label inside. At any rate, even if it were, that fabric is no longer available (that I've found, anyway). I agree, though: that jacket is a stunner. It's my favourite one.

[frank_a]

Looking to the clan chief is an idea I had not thought of. The Duke of Argyll maintains quite the enviable collection of kilt accouterments, but often dresses with just a tie and jacket...

[Jock Scot]

I think there is a danger of over-thinking all this. Surely we must have a discretion sense lurking in our brain that knows what looks right even with a minor matter like tie length that theoretically is a tad too long. Now these clan chiefs whose pictures are being used for illustration purposes have been around kilts for more than a wee while and know what works and are quite happy with an extra inch or two of tie length. Guidelines are there to guide and not to be rigidly, even slavishly, adhered to.

Now here we are again with shades of the "too traditional" appearing and well into kilt wearing subtleties that only a lifetime of kilt wearing that allows these adjustments to one's attire and to get away with it! Which must be confusing, very confusing even, to those who are fairly new to all this and are desperately trying to find the formula that works and avoids the rather rigid look of those trying to understand the almost, it seems, impossible.

Solution? A saying that I read somewhere just today:" a mind is like a parachute, it only works when its open". That and lots of experience!

[creagdhubh]

It was made by Hugh MacPherson, Edinburgh, but I don't remember seeing a Harris tweed label inside. At any rate, even if it were, that fabric is no longer available (that I've found, anyway). I agree, though: that jacket is a stunner. It's my favourite one.

Well done! Hugh's grand-daughter now runs the shop in Edinburgh. This is where the famous, "Cluny's tweed" was invented.

Cheers,