Red jackets?

[MacLowlife]

We haven't had much activity here lately, so I thought I'd propose a new topic. Scarlet or red or crimson jackets have a long history in the British military, including Scottish military uniforms. I hope someone can cite a few examples of THCD wear that include red jackets.

Maybe it is the confluence of several influences, but my world includes lots of red jackets. People are tired of seeing my red PC here. I have a decommissioned scarlet Mess jacket that I sometimes wear with my kilt, too. I was recently pleased to score a Saxon blazer made from solid red Harris Tweed. And my favorite quarter-zip fleece jacket is bright red.

Red is, of course, an eye-catching color: the color of stop signs and traffic signals, the color of the dreaded red flag, of blood, of Christmas. We see party clothes in all shades of red, from the sailor's washed out Breton red to deep burgundy velvet smoking jackets

But grown men (in the west) don't wear red as an everyday color for business clothing- unless they are sports commentators or theatre ushers. Is it too sporty, too festive, or just too gaudy?

What say the THCD crowd about a wooly red Argyll jacket for a night at the pubs or a day at the highland games?

Please post your photos of red jackets worn as THCD.

[artificer]

I'd personally feel like a ringmaster if I wore a red jacket, but I respect those with enough panache to pull the look off.

ith:

[Spartan Tartan]

I don't know about a bright red jacket, but I would like a maroon or other deeper red tweed jacket for casual wear. Not necessarily claret to match my hose, but something along those lines... (worn with NON-claret hose to avoid the dreaded matchy-matchy, of course).

As to formal wear, I'm not sure I could pull off a red PC but do like the idea of a variety of colours, not just the standard black.

[creagdhubh]

Personally, I would never wear a scarlet or crimson coloured doublet or jacket. A burgundy or claret colour (like the present Duke of Argyll's doublet), yes, but not a vibrant red. However, I would wear a scarlet waistcoat for black tie affairs. Actually, soon I will be placing an order with Kinloch Anderson for a bespoke Regulation Doublet in black velvet with a waistcoat in scarlet coloured velvet (I'm currently in the process of having the silver buttons made). I think this timeless and rather elegant (without being overly ostentatious) ensemble will go quite nicely with the sett of the Macpherson Dress tartan in Wilson's of Bannockburn colours. Massive "jonesing" is iminent.

My inspiration:

Lachlan Macpherson of Strathmashie


Ewen Henry Davidson Macpherson of Cluny, 22nd Chief of Clan Macpherson


Lachlan Macpherson of Glentruim, Clan Macpherson Chieftain


Macpherson Dress tartan (Wilson's of Bannockburn) from D.C. Dalgliesh

[Dileasgubas]

I just noticed that Orvis is selling a reversible red vest with Royal Stewart tartan on the other side for $US 44.40:
http://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=4981

Might be a quick fix for those wishing to add a splash of colour to their wardrobe...

[Tobus]

But grown men (in the west) don't wear red as an everyday color for business clothing- unless they are sports commentators or theatre ushers. Is it too sporty, too festive, or just too gaudy?

It is all of those. Western men's fashion protocol (at least for well-dressed men) has been, for the last couple of centuries, rather drab. Since the Victorian era (and possibly earlier), big splashes of colour are supposed to be the prerogative of women with their fancy dresses. There is still a very conservative mindset that well-dressed men simply do not go for gaudy colours, lest they be thought of as flamboyant (with unpleasant connotations). So it's still rather "fashion-forward" to go for bright colour jackets. Celebrities may get away with it on occasion, though it still tends to cause waves of comments by fashion pundits. But for the most part, unless it's a uniform, men simply do not wear loud jackets for business or 'society' situations.

Highland style changes the rules, of course, but you seemed to be talking about general themes in the west. Even in Highland tradition, though, red has a very specific connotation that can't really be removed from its origin. A red jacket with a kilt will be very hard to separate from British Army styling, no matter the cut of the jacket.

What say the THCD crowd about a wooly red Argyll jacket for a night at the pubs or a day at the highland games?

I'd say it's just too much.

[Grizzly]

Not red as such but am waiting for a le Villeneuve jacket from lady Chrystel, it is in Cheviot pheasant which is a red/purple shade, it's a gorgeous shade and will make a fantastic evening/formal wear jacket. Here it is in a red shade-

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[IsaacW]

Personally, I am an earth tone type of guy. To me, there is nothing better than a good tweed in browns, greys, and/or greens. I find a red jacket to look sharp and have a cool look on military or in a historic setting, but I would not wear it for any type of normal wear. I recently was oogling over a vintage leisure suit (polyester) in red. I thought it would be quite fun to wear as a joke and for days like Valentines (I actually have an old green leisure suit currently... long story). Anyway... back to highland dress and everyday type wear; I would not wear a red jacket.

IW

[JohntheBiker]

Around here, the military association is so strong that if you see a kilt and a scarlet jacket, you would probably ask what regiment they are with (notable exception, Toronto Scottish).

[Jack Daw]

I have a forest green patrol tunic and argyll jackets in colors other than red. My next purchase that I am eyeballing is a dark blue velvet sherrifmuir. I leave the "red coats" to the Brits.