Trying something (a bit) more traditional

[Sir Didymous]

As anyone who has seen pictures of me on here can attest, I don't try too hard to achieve a common or traditional look. However there was a wedding a while back that I was planning to attend and (thanks to the advice of the rabble) thought that something a bit more toned down would be better. Thanks be to God, I found a deal like no other. For two dollars at a second hand store I ran across a grey tweed sport coat that was a simple conversion to my needs. Just this last weekend my wife and I attended a local arts festival and I thought I try it out as part of a more traditional look. It seemed to go together alright, and I kept getting asked if I was part of a pipe band; so I assumed it had a traditional feel. Any thoughts?

[rtown]

You did the jacket conversion yourself? Looks nice, Thanks for sharing.

[Tarheel]

Great conversion on the coat. One question though. How is it that your cap badge is over your right eye? Photo invert maybe? Curious without insinuation toward correctness or preference.

[CMcG]

I think this does indeed look a bit more traditional than some of the other photos you've posted. That's a nice jacket, although I wonder if perhaps it might be cropped a bit short? There is room for personal preference there, but the bottom edge really only needs to be clear of your pleats in the back.

The perceived shortness might just be the old illusion of the pockets being too low after conversion, which some folks have mitigated by moving the flaps up so that their bottom edge just barely covers the pocket opening.

In typically traditional attire, tweed kilt jackets are usually left un-buttoned and the cap badge goes over the left eye, so you might give that a try.

[Sir Didymous]

Thanks for the complements. My cockade (black and thus nearly invisible in the image) are over the right eye as a mistake. But since the badge holds my cockade in place, I have already moved it. I'm still trying to decide on whether or not to move the pocket flaps. I don't want to mess things up as this tweed wasn't very forgiving in terms of seam removal.

[Jock Scot]

Well, blow me down SD! A conservative look and it looks good!

Apart from the first rate observations that the others have made, you could add some colour to the outfit without heading off into your more usual theatrical mode.

You could add claret hose, plus blue flashes perhaps. You could add a tattersall shirt. You could add a regimental style tie to the outfit. You could add all four of those suggestions in one go and still look very much the part without heading off towards your usual style! A useful exercise there, well done.

[Just Hugh]

This is a good example of what a traditional cut jacket will look like when tailored to be worn with a kilt. I will keep it in mind.

The pockets are indeed the challenge of making it look correct.

I'm also curious about the fly plaid not matching the kilt tartan. I'd imagine there are opinions about that.

[Sir Didymous]

Thanks Hugh. The plaid in the picture is termed a shepherd's/laird's/day plaid and is carried not just for looks, but also for utilitarian purposes. It's more or less a picnic blanket/wrap for ill weather and such. If you enter the above terms in the search on here, you will find quite a few threads that discuss them. One of the things you will find is that they aren't required to match the kilt, or even be tartan. I have a white an grey plaid that I use more frequently that isn't a true tartan. Given my preference in attire being more theatrical, my day plaids are one of the few things I use that fit within the traditional guidelines.

[Just Hugh]

That's interesting. I'm actually willing to mix tartans, although I've never really had an occasion to do it. It's a bit like mixing patterns - tattersall, tweed, corduroy - not for the faint of heart sartorially - but extra natty when done well.

However, I think it can be done well with tartans. I have a large set red shirt that I wear to ski with khaki (the British green, not the American tan) wool pants and I think a blue and green tartan scarf would be striking with it. Ah, maybe I have done that now that I think about it.

I think the shepards/laird/day plaid looks good because the tartan isn't trying to match. I just thought it might be considered gauche by the purists.

You look good, my friend.

[MacLowlife]

This is a good example of what a traditional cut jacket will look like when tailored to be worn with a kilt. I will keep it in mind.

The pockets are indeed the challenge of making it look correct.

I'm also curious about the fly plaid not matching the kilt tartan. I'd imagine there are opinions about that.

Actually, JHugh, you are right about the pockets, but not all converted jackets look like this. Take a look at my Jacket Conversion Thread here: http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...n-thread-85733