Dual-purpose waistcoat

[IrishSean]

I was reading an older thread on tartan waistcoats and saw someone describe a waistcoat they had that worked with both a kilt and "Saxon" pants. Can anyone tell me more about that?

I was under the impression that jackets and waistcoats for kilts are too short to wear with trousers. If I could get one to cover both situations that would be great!

[English Bloke]

Send an email to Janet Steward. She's based in Norfolk England but I'm sure she'd be able to make whatever you wish. For her website address click here

[TheOfficialBren]

I have a waistcoat that works well for both. It may be a fluke or my body proportions might just be freakish.

Either way, I've worn it successfully as part of my three piece Saxon suit (most recently on a cruise a couple months back) and have experimented with it in the mirror whilst kilted. I like both.

Not all waistcoats can do this. Mine just happens to be able to work fine. YMMV.

[Nathan]

One factor may be how high the rise on your trousers are. I have some waistcoats that work for either because they are at just that sweet spot of length, Some are to long for the kilt and some are too short for most of my trousers. I have one pair of high waisted trousers that can accommodate my kilt friendly waistcoats.

[BCAC]

Send an email to Janet Steward. She's based in Norfolk England but I'm sure she'd be able to make whatever you wish. For her website address click here

John, unfortunately Janet says (and it's marked on her website) "Sorry, but I can't accept orders for the USA or Canada". Also, to be able to order from Janet you have to have "online banking services" (which I believe is a sort of money transfer scheme) or an English based checking account. All this is not very practical for us who don't live in Englandshire.

[IrishSean]

I suppose you are right, Nathan. The longer the trouser rise, the better the waistcoat works. I guess I wanted to know the ideal length for such a dual purpose waistcoat.

I have some nice material left over from a project and was thinking that I could have a bias waistcoat made that would work with a kilt and my tuxedo. Any suggestions for length?

[Nathan]

I suppose you are right, Nathan. The longer the trouser rise, the better the waistcoat works. I guess I wanted to know the ideal length for such a dual purpose waistcoat.

I have some nice material left over from a project and was thinking that I could have a bias waistcoat made that would work with a kilt and my tuxedo. Any suggestions for length?

Oh! When you talk about wearing it with a tuxedo It's not really apples to apples. What kind of kilt jacket do you have? How many buttons were you thinking? Did you want it to work for formal kilt wear? This may be a lot more challenging than it would be for smart day wear.

In any case, the general rule of thumb is low enough to cover your shirt in trousers and with your kilt but high enough not to interfere with your sporran. The actual length would of course depend on your own stature, torso etc...

[OC Richard]

I wear ordinary vests with my kilts oftentimes, like this tweed one by an ordinary American brand got inexpensively, used, on Ebay



Now about wearing the same vest with a Saxon tuxedo, or a Prince Charlie (for example), I don't know. I suppose you to go to a tux shop and examine some vests, or even try some on, to see what length(s) they are, and see how they compare to the vests sold with Prince Charlies.

[IrishSean]

Thanks to both Nathan and Richard. Its off to the shops I go.....