Kilts and Ties

**adempsey10** · 5th February 14, 04:55 PM

For those that rock a tie when wearing a kilt, I'm curious to know what your philosophy when it comes to matching.

My wife, and myself to some degree, do not think that a patterned tie goes well with plaid. To solve this I try to find solid coloured ties that match the general colour pattern of the tartan. What are your thoughts on this? Do you care about matching/contrasting or do you have a standard format?

Lately I've been going with the bow-tie (and not just while kilted) and enjoy that, but would like to pull off a tie as well.

**Mikilt** · 5th February 14, 05:03 PM

Striped ties such as school or regimental ties tend to work well. Though for the most part both my neckties and bow ties are solid color when it comes to kilts. Sometimes I choose a dominant color, sometimes a minor color.

**Father Bill** · 5th February 14, 05:04 PM

My clerical collar seems to go with everything.

**TheOfficialBren** · 5th February 14, 06:45 PM

Drop any and all preconceptions that you may have. Don't allow contemporary American fashion to dictate what will and will not go with Highland wear.

With that said, forget any pattern in your kilt. Ignore it. Seriously. Ignore it. NOW pick out your outfit. Put it all on WITHOUT your kilt. Do you like your choices? If not, adjust.

Like it now? Good.

NOW put on your kilt.

See the difference?

I consider myself to be a traditionalist. Relaxed, for sure, but very much in the Traditional Highland Civilian Dress category. Please consider that my opinion above is from that perspective.

Wear it proud. Wear it with confidence. Stand tall. Carry on.

YMMV.

**ratspike** · 5th February 14, 07:08 PM

I don't like being overly matchy, and don't have a problem wearing a patterned tie with tartan, as long as colors look nice together. Occasionally I really blow it and end up matching my shirt and hose to the kilt really well, and it makes me feel twitchy.

Picking your shirt/tie/vest/whatever first and then adding the kilt is good advice. Don't be afraid to try stripes or paisley or something funky with your tie. I think you might be pleasantly surprised.

**Mael Coluim** · 5th February 14, 08:08 PM

I’m a bow man myself and prefer a stripe/regimental/school tie. This is my University bow.

Occasionally, I wear a neck tie and would wear the same stripe/regimental/school tie. Sometimes I wear a woven tie for a more casual look.

**ThistleDown** · 5th February 14, 08:09 PM

The matchy-matchy school is not generally followed in THCD. Here are Sir William Macpherson of Cluny and The Very Rev. Alan Maclean of Dochgarroch. There are not many more Highland than these two. And in the rear is Glen Clark of Kingerley, an American who understands and has adopted the culture.

**Downunder Kilt** · 5th February 14, 10:39 PM

A very popular tie, introduced by Jock Scot to this forum, is the Army Benevolent Fund(ABF) tie. A number of members here have obtained one and it is my go to tie. I have not yet found any of my kilting attire I would not wear it with. Plus with any purchase, you are assisting a great organisation.
Here is one supplier that does the silk version http://www.smartturnout.com/military...lent-fund.html
And here is a thread about the tie (they are also available in polyester) http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...ire-5-a-61485/

**Jock Scot** · 6th February 14, 02:50 AM

Matching anything with Highland attire -----apart from the obvious, hose, shoes and perhaps a waistcoat---------is not something that many of us consider too seriously when we don the kilt. If it does match, then it will be more by accident rather than design. We need to remember----- and since being on this website I have come to understand how difficult this may be for many----- that the kilt and particularly the tartan kilt developed from a completely different set of circumstances to Saxon attire and in consequence the idea of matching kilt attire, to any degree, to anything is not a significant issue to the overall look. In fact it is quite often the matching of colours, to traditional kilted eyes, that causes the heart to miss a beat.

Let me explain the tie aspect. In the UK we are quite used to ties in many and various colour combinations (have a look at the smart turnout website tie section), they can and often do tell others at a glance a lot about its owner, school, university, club, Unit, Regiment, Charity one supports(ABF for example) and so on, so all in all matching one's tie to one's attire is just not an issue.

**CMcG** · 7th February 14, 05:45 AM

Originally Posted by Jock Scot

...

Let me explain the tie aspect. In the UK we are quite used to ties in many and various colour combinations (have a look at the smart turnout website tie section), they can and often do tell others at a glance a lot about its owner, school, university, club, Unit, Regiment, Charity one supports(ABF for example) and so on, so all in all matching one's tie to one's attire is just not an issue.

I quite enjoy this symbolic aspect of ties and it is a shame that it seems to be more rare in Canada than it is in the UK. Ironically, I had to go on exchange to Hong Kong to get a school tie, but luckily the university I attended had several. I made up for lost time by getting one in the university repp colours and two colour variants of the crest tie for the college-subdivision I was in

Unfortunately, when I got back from Hong Kong a box of my accessories mysteriously disappeared from storage... amongst other pieces of Highland kit, I lost my beloved ABF tie (sent to me by Jock Scot)