Making a Tartan PC vest, cut on the Bias. Satin lapels or Tartan lapels?

[Stan]

I'm going to be making a tartan 3 button vest to go with my PC soon, and I'm going to make the tartan "on the bias". I'm wondering if I should make the lapels satin, or continue with the tartan?

In a photo from a vintage catalog that was posted by OC Richard, it shows an example of a PC with a tartan vest. On that vest the lapels are taran. On some websites it shows (tartan) PC vest, with satin lapels.....

So, I'm kind of up in the air about this "satin or tartan" deal, and I'm looking for your opinions.

PS.
I've just finished making two bias cut tartan 5 button vest. It was a pretty strait forward project. I used simplicity pattern 1506, and as a new sewer ( but can follow instructions) the first one was about a 6 hour project. Matching the tartan was pretty easy, making (and learning to make) the pockets was the time taker. NOT hard, just a lot of steps to learn.

Thanks!!

[Father Bill]

Mine has tartan lapels. Do as you see best!

[RichardtheLarge]

If this is intended to be a vest for formalwear, I would vote for satin lapels (or, perhaps, no lapels). Tartan lapels would be better for an item that is doing double duty as dressy daywear and eveningwear.

[Dr Bee]

I'm going to be making a tartan 3 button vest to go with my PC soon, and I'm going to make the tartan "on the bias". I'm wondering if I should make the lapels satin, or continue with the tartan

Take a look a the evening kilt waistcoats on Kinloch Anderson's website - shows 2 tartan weskits with tartan on the bias and little shawl collars in tartan. Although I certainly do not regard Kinloch Anderson as an ultimate reliable arbiter of what's what in highland wear, I have to admit that these biased tartan weskits are made in exactly the style I would wear if I was going to have one.

[Stan]

Gents, I really appreciate your opinions, and photo. All good things to consider. I guess one answer is to simply make more than one. My initial thoughts were to make it for simply formal occasions, and hadn't considered wearing a 3 button vest with anything but a PC.


Again, thank you for your input, and always interested in more opinions for those who care to share.

[davidlpope]

The key to tartan waistcoat formality is not the lapels, but the height of the gorge. Lower-gorge “3 button” waistcoats are formal, higher gorge “5 button” waistcoats are for day wear.