How formal is formal?

[Jewddha]

Archangel, I had a similar thoguht about the jacket. And I've spoken with the organiser (the only reason I'm going is that Rotary is sponsoring some high school students to go) and he did say that it's formal wear.

[Archangel]

Archangel, I had a similar thoguht about the jacket. And I've spoken with the organiser (the only reason I'm going is that Rotary is sponsoring some high school students to go) and he did say that it's formal wear.

Maybe talk to the organizer again. Sometimes when people say formal they mean dress up, don't wear jeans and a RATM t-shirt. If it was full formal, the notice would probably state so otherwise there would be a lot of upset at the door. I think Stephen Lewis is pretty close to a saint so go, I'm sure he'd rather talk to you than have you miss it over clothes. And he deserves the respect shown by dressing up.....(and, anyway, he probably owns RATM Battle for Mexico City.)

[Jewddha]

Excatly. I'm sure he won't have any problems as long as one makes an effort. It's the hobnobbers I'm less fond of having to deal with (again, my rant on ageism comes into play).

[sav]

Not to sound ignorant, but are we talking about the Stephen Lewis who is currently serving as United Nations special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa? Just wondering.

[Jewddha]

Sav, yes indeed. (hence my incredible excitement).

[Planopiper]

If it's black-tie formal, then it's pretty clear. You need to respect the efforts made by everyone else to dress appropriately. A brown poly-cotton kilt is about as formal as brown poly-cotton pants. Not very. A Pittsburg kilt, to my eye, looks a lot like a utilikilt, so it’s about as formal as shorts that you’d wear to do yard work. A jacket of some sort is a requirement for any event where you’re not actually working. An Argyll would be good for a black tie event. Do you have a dress or semi-dress sporran? If you can’t pull the parts together to dress appropriately, then you are probably better off skipping the kilt idea and wearing something else. If you wear a kilt, you’re going to be drawing attention to yourself. You don’t want to look totally out of place or like a clown.

[Archangel]

Planopiper: I'm going back to the ad for this event where there is no mention of formal dress. I'm suggesting that somebody is overstating the requirements with loaded words. Otherwise, of course, you are right. (Ad: http://www.rotary5020.org/stephenlewis/)

Suggestion: you've still got a few days. Talk to your contact. Put your outfit together today and post a pic. By now, you know whose opinions you can respect, Hamish, for example. See what they say.

My feeling is that Lewis will be more appreciative of youth in a kilt than the "establishment", but you've still got to get through the door they're guarding. (Hmmn, there's another lesson from my parents.)

[whiteravenJr.]

It is also the attitude and your posture when i was on my cruise i wore my PV 4yard mapleleaf with a tux dress shirt a bow tie white hoes black flashes and black dress shoes. But you must also remeber that it is how you behave and your attitude.8-)