Advice on semi formal wear shirt

[EagleJCS]

Hello from a fellow Scott!

Good on you for taking some dancing lessons.

I wouldn't worry about getting ghillie brogues. Totally unnecessary. Your dress shoes should work fine.

As kilted2000 said, the kilt can be considered a substitute for trousers (or vice versa), so in addition to the kilt and dress shoes, wear kilt hose, flashes (may or may not be needed if your hose stay up OK even with active dancing), and sporran with sporran strap (probably turned to one hip or the other while dancing).

Your day sporran should work out fine, but you may want to consider getting an evening sporran. A full mask sporran could be worn all day. (Some may debate that, but that's what I was told by a Scotsman with some experience.)

[YOJiMBO20]

I second the kilt being a replacement for trousers.

If you don’t like the look of the white shirt alone with the kilt, maybe try a coloured shirt? You could either pick a colour in the kilt and find a shirt in that colour, or forego the American need for matchy-matchy and get a colour that’s not in the kilt at all, but goes well with it.

[Father Bill]

Be very careful of terms like ‘semi formal’. Few people know what they mean. To those of us from the old school that means black tie and dinner jacket as opposed to white tie and tails which is formal. What you are describing to me is just nice casual wear.

[Steve Ashton]

It may be helpful to query the host of the event and ask what their definition of "Semi-Formal" is.

If they say jacket and tie, then wear a jacket and tie.



You could, if you wish to dress it up just a bit by adding a waistcoat.



If the host says that you wear jacket but no tie, leave your shirt collar open.

[MrScott]

Thank you all for your advice! I think the colored shirt as YOJiMBO20 mentioned is the ideal option right now. I can see a charcoal with an open collar as in Steve's picture working well. I think that with my claret hose. It seems like I was overthinking it! And I'll stick with the dress shoes and day sporran for now. Last Christmas a coworker wore his kilt and jacket to the formal Christmas party. Everything he had was on point, except as I noticed and he pointed out to me, he had a day sporran on well after 6pm. We just laughed because he and I were the only ones who were gonna know!

Edit, meant to say: Be careful with that pipe in your mouth, Steve, the universe might just freeze solid from your coolness!

[kilted2000]

he had a day sporran on well after 6pm. We just laughed because he and I were the only ones who were gonna know!

Edit, meant to say: Be careful with that pipe in your mouth, Steve, the universe might just freeze solid from your coolness!

Day sporran doesn't mean only worn in the day. It's just less formal than black tie or a sharp suit.