Shirts & Argyll Jackets

[Bob C]

That's my thinking of it as well

Agreed. Here's a pic of me and some friends in our Argyll jackets at a kilt night last year.

[James MacMillan]

Can some one tell me how to do those wretched quote things please?

Galician,that looks pretty neat to me.Is that a white collared shirt that I see?It is!Then you cannot go wrong!

Colin,you can wear no other sort of tie, other than a straight one, with a charcoal tweed jacket,in my humble opinon.

Hey jock - If you will look in the bottom right corner, of this post you should see a "quote" box.......click it.

[Jock Scot]

Hey jock - If you will look in the bottom right corner, of this post you should see a "quote" box.......click it.

Thanks James,I will try that.Here goes!

[Jock Scot]

I think that there is a wee bit of confusion whith he term Argyll jacket.The BLACK barathea type of Argyll,with the silver buttons,is the most formal DAYWEAR jacket there is and as such should be worn with a white collared shirt and tie.I know that it is worn with a bow tie for evening wear,and it works well,in my view.If we are going to "adjust the rules"(hate that word)then we ought to at least know the "rules" we are breaking!Dressing "up "a black Argyll does work,dressing "down" a black Argyll does not.With the exception of changing the silver buttons to black.

When it comes to the TWEED Argyll/Balmoral/Crail jacket and waistcoat, there is huge scope to dress "up" or "down "with almost any combination of shirt you could think of,drawing a line somewhere well before those Hawaiian shirts though.I personally think that a tweed waistcoat with an open neck shirt looks just the ticket, in the casual stakes.

[cacunn]

What is the groups opinion of a BLACK barathea type of Argyll without the silver buttons. I was thinking of converting a black wool jacket I have and making the button replaceable. Black buttons, probably covered in the same material as the jacket. these would be replaced by silver buttons for a more formal look.

[Jock Scot]

What is the groups opinion of a BLACK barathea type of Argyll without the silver buttons. I was thinking of converting a black wool jacket I have and making the button replaceable. Black buttons, probably covered in the same material as the jacket.

I think you will find a jacket ,such as discribe, one of the most useful in your wardrobe.Worn with white shirt and straight tie it is wonderful for weddings,where you dont want to outshine the bride,no need for those awful semi-dress sporrans either.For funerals they are sombre yet super smart and for any other occasion where you are not quite sure what the dress code is.

They are not seen around much these days,but they were made,as mine is, with inter-changeable silver or black buttons,in other words,the same jacket different buttons.I would not be without mine.Oh, and why cover black buttons with cloth?

[cacunn]

Oh, and why cover black buttons with cloth?

The style of button that came to mind was a cloth covered button. the button would blend with the material more. When I do the conversion I would look at the basic black buttons available. Easier to use basic black button then use the buttons designed to be covered in cloth.

I like multi-tasking. I used to travel a lot and having to carry a "formal" jacket, a work jacket and a casual jacket can be over kill. If one jacket and multiple button can cover most of it that what I want. Its like Turpin's sporrans with the replaceable flaps. A basic sporran and two flaps, one very fancy and one plain and twice the show half the weight.

[McMurdo]

Well normally I would have to say with an argyle jacket, wear a white dress shirt with a collar, and a tie. there are times though that you really do not want a tie I find that on those days when I am not wearing a tie with an argyle I can match my shirt to the rest of my outfit, or wear a white dress shirt, to illustrate I have gone through my pictures, here are some examples:

[wscottmac]

JockScot - yer spot-on.
Black jacket (of any sort) = white collared shirt w/ tie. Period. My preference is a long tie for daywear, and a Churchill dot bowtie for evening. You shouldn't "dress down" a black jacket.
The tweed argyll (of many names, apparently) is a great choice. Dress it "up" with a white spread collar dress shirt, grey long tie. A nice choice I don't think anyone has mentioned is a tailored, muted tattersall dress shirt w/ a muted wool tie (you don't want a garish/bright/loud tattersall, as it would clash with the tartan of your kilt - look for one w/ a small sett). This is usu. how you'd see Prince Charles out in public, kilted.
Down a step from there, I'd stick w/ the muted tattersall with a crewneck wool, solid coloured sweater(brown/grey/green or tan). If it's warmer, lose the sweater. Keep the tie.
For St. Patty's day at the pub or a rugby match, a rugby shirt, or old Irish pub tee shirt if it's just too hot for anything else.
This is sorta what I consider "proper" kilted attire. I know these days, one can wear anything one wants, whether it looks good or not. Likesay, JockScot - at least know the rules yer breakin'!

[Streetcar]

I'm going to respectfully disagree with wscottmac and Jock Scot. If you were to take the kilt out of the equation and think in terms of a black suit, or a black sport coat, then the "white shirt only" law is far from universal.

I submit that "fashion laws" are regional. (Sadly, I have not yet had the opportunity to travel to Europe, and acknowlege that my sartorial sense may mark me as an outsider there.)

I do agree with Jock Scott when he says "Know the rules you are breaking." But consider that when you intentionally "break" a rule, it makes a statement.

Yes, a white shirt is always proper with a jacket, but adding the right colored shirt can tone down the formality of the outfit, thus adding versatility to a man's wardrobe.

I also agree that the silver buttons on an Argyll does make it more formal than a sportcoat. But until I can invest in a nice crail jacket, I'm going to have to make do with what I have.

It is a double edged sword, in that the rarity of the kilt here make people more focused on that, than on my shiny buttons.