kilt height+tie length+button height+heaviness

[Sir Didymous]

Sound advice. I too have had around 30 or so pounds find their way onto me. As a result, I have been doing things a bit differently. Which in my case means that I'm leaning more to the conservative side.

I usually don't tuck in my tie, but rather just tie it so that it is a little around an inch above the waistband. I then use a tie clip to keep things in place. But lately the two have been interchangeable.

Recently I have also developed a fondness for sweater vests. By using these, the waist belt has been made obsolete and tie length is of no consequence. That is so long as you don't have it hanging out of the bottom of the vest.

Given the current temperaturestate up this way, the sweater vest also allows me to omit the jacket at my discretion.

The biggest change I've made is occasionally wearing my double breasted shell jacket closed with no waist belt and the top buttoned back to show the tie. This is probably the most slimming outfit I have outside of some of my 13th century long tunics. It should be noted that it is also a very untraditional look more suited to those who kilt in a historically inspired contemporary fashion.

[Thekiltedmohawk]

Agreed with Sir Didymous.

That's why I prefer to wear vests to eliminate the fuss of wearing tie along with the kilt to try to look right in it. I think I look sharp with the vest and tie combo rather than just tie alone.

Probably, that's why I have 5 different kind of vests.

[OC Richard]

Yes indeed traditionally those Argyll jackets were usually worn with vests/waistcoats, which do away with any issues of tie length and kilt height (as long as your kilt is high enough to not create an unsightly gap). Then the jacket can be left unbuttoned in the traditional way and there's no problems.

Thing is, it's often so darn hot here that it's bad enough wearing the jacket. When you're hired for a piping gig it's more or less expected that you wear jacket and tie- the clergy and any menfolk there in official capacities will be wearing coat and tie no matter how hot it is.

But yes I've been wearing a waistcoat more often recently. At our last Highland Games I ponied up the money and got a very nice Scottish-made black Barathea waistcoat to match my black Argyll jacket, and I must say I look much dressier wearing both vest and jacket.

[bicyclebradley]

so run the tie a bit long and then tuck into the top of the kilt. i like this advice, thanks!
wearing a waistcoat with tie this ensures the tie is not peeking out from the waistcoat, which i agree is unsightly.

question: white shirt + black hose = black tie?
I wouldn't wear a tartan tie but i like the idea of a red tie that matches the red in my tartan.
Would this be acceptable?