Should the shirt color match the socks? (off white)
The standard off-white hose you see everywhere will match a white dress shirt fine. I have some people try and insist on pure white hose for formal events to match their shirt, but really then you just wind up looking like you walked out of a pipe band.

Trust me, the colors are close enough - off white hose and a white shirt go fine together.


Would it have been formal enough to have worn a matching black vest with the Argyll as father of the bride?
I got married in a black Argyll and all my groomsmen wore the same. Granted, it was an afternoon wedding, but I would have worn the same in the evening. I just like them better than the PCs. Keep in mind that since you are going to be the only one in the kilt, you will automatically look snazzier than everyone else (save the blushing bride, of course), so I wouldn't worry about it. Either one is fine, but if you want to save yourself the rental fee, your Argyll should be fine.

As for wearing a matching vest -- if you wear the PC a vest really should be worn, and should come with yoru rental, anyway. If you wear the Argyll, vest or no vest is ok. I personally really like the look of a 5-button vest with an Argyll, either in a color to match the jacket, or in the same tartan as the kilt (particularly if the tartan is on the bias). But if you don't have one, no sweat.


Should I button the vest and leave the jacket unbuttoned?
If you wear the PC you have to wear it this way. They don't button. The Argyll jacket will button, so you can wear it either way, but I prefer the unbottoned look, particularly if you are wearing a vest.

BTW, I just noticed in The House of Edgar's new 2005 catalog they are offering 5-button Argyll vests now at a very reasonable price.

Done properly, a belt should not be worn with a P.C. and vest - true statement?
Correct, though I see people breaking this rule all the time, I still say if you are wearing a vest, leave yoru belt at home. The bottom of the vest will cover the top half of the belt and look unsightly.

When we rent formal kilt outfits from our gift shop, we do not include a belt in the package for just this reason.

Should I leave the sgian dubh home that day?
Why? Feel free to wear it. And if you have a fancy one, now's the time to break it out.

All this reminds me of a story. I had a gentlemen come in the shop one Saturday afternoon to be measured for a kilt. He wanted the most formal outfit that we had available, PC jacket, ghillie brouges, silver cantle sporran, the works. And he wanted more accessories on top of it -- fly plaid, jeweled plaid brooch, etc. He wound up putting together a really top notch outfit and spent easily $1400, if I remember.

He told me he had a deadline for recieving all this, and I asked what the occasion was. "My daughter's wedding" he replied.

"Oh," I said, "Is she having a Scottish wedding?"

"No, not really," he said.

"Oh, so just you and the groom will be in kilts, then? That's nice."

"No," he told me, "It's just going to be me in a kilt. I've always wanted one, and this is the perfect excuse to wear one."

"You better watch out!" I said, "You are going to out-dress the groom."

He just winked at me and said, "Are you kidding? I'm going to out-dress the bride!"

Aye,
Matt