wanting to do prom, help!

[The Wizard of BC]

There is elegance in simplicity. You already have most of the items that are considered as part of a formal outfit. With the addition of a nice vest and a black sporran you shouldn't need to buy much more.

1) You have a pair of good shoes just make sure they are polished till they glisten.

2) You have a kilt. )I would upgrade to a USA Kilts Semi-Trad if I could. Second best choice would be a Stillwater Standard.) Which ever Kilt you use, spend some time basting and pressing the pleats till they hang perfectly straight. Look in the mirror at your pleats. They should not hang in waves like a stage curtain.

3) The vest will be very hard to buy and get an exact color match so think about a vest in Dove Gray or other color. Wear your outfit to your local Tux rental shop and ask them to help with the vest. You don't wear a belt with a vest so you can scratch that item off your list.

4) While you are at the tux shop look at a shirt that fits in the sleeves. The one in your photo has the sleeves too long. there should be only about 1/2" to 1" of shirt cuff showing. The shirt should also be one that takes studs instead of buttons. The small black or dark pearl studs. It should also have French Cuffs for Cufflinks. Your Shirt Studs, Cuff Links and Kilt Pin don't have to match exactly but I usually lay mine out on a table together and try to choose ones that look like they were bought at the same time as a set.

5) I do the same thing with my flashes as I do with my jewelry. I pick flashes that are the same as the handkerchief in the pocket of my Jacket. Flashes are really easy to make as a DIY project. Barb T. posted a great tutorial on making flashes.

6) Forget the Fly Plaid and the hat. The idea of formal is to look elegant, not costume. And the last thing you want to do is outdress your date. NEVER UPSTAGE YOUR DATE!!!!! Keep everything simple, understated, and elegant. When you see the photos of you and your date you should notice her, not you.

7) Your sporran should be black. That's the only rule. Something simple, black, perhaps with tassels. But remember to polish it with shoe polish and make it glisten like your shoes.

8) The next thing I would do is get a nice haircut. Now before you scream that I'm making you get a short haircut, don't. I don't mean short. I mean neat, clean, and elegant. Heck, a visit to a good hairdresser does wonders for the overall look of an outfit.

That's it really, KISS Keep it Simple Stupid. Everything you wear, should be clean, pressed, polished, and elegant. And along with the pride in your outfit, and the pride of having your date on your arm when you walk in will make you walk with pride. There is nothing better to make people notice how well an outfit looks than your own pride in what you have created.

[BEEDEE]

Get a vest and add buttons from Three Feathers Pewter. If you are wearing a vest you don't need a belt. Spend on an inexpensive semi-formal sporran. Black wing tip shoes would be a suitable substitute for ghillie brogues.

Brian

[JerseyLawyer]

I agree with most of what's already been said. My only concern with getting a vest would be that the buttons on your jacket aren't the standard silver ones, and so you might have trouble finding a match. You would also be perfectly fine wearing an evening belt and sporran without a vest, but with a tuxedo shirt and bow tie.

If you need a belt and sporran, there are plenty of great vendors listed in various places on this site. I might also suggest Penny-Wright (www.pennys.ca), which has sporrans, belts, etc. pretty inexpensively.

Renting is a good option, too, since they you'd have a Prince Charlie jacket to wear, which is the "most correct" option for black tie anyway.

Good luck! Enjoy the prom!

[thescot]

So, I can just get a waist coat wear that along with my argylle?

And appologies for the terrible kilted no-no of color missmatching


but thats the jacket, now, a 5 or 6 button waist coat?

~Casey

The waistcoat is not required if you get a black belt and dressy sporran. And since college looms, go for inexpensive.

If you put a black belt and dressy sporran on that last photo, you'll loof very good. . . . And save a lot of money.

Remember, black tie is very simple and very plain. Other than the shiny buttons, buckle, and sporran, go very plain. And dark hose wouldn't hurt, either.

[billmcc]

another thought, should I get a new kilt pin? all I have is a part os a deer antler with an earth magnet on it, should I get one that is silver? (or silver look-alike)
thanks!
~Casey

Something a bit more elegant than a deer antler kilt pin would be a good idea. Get a kilt pin that reflects who you are. If I remember correctly, you are very involved in church activities. If so, a celtic cross would be a good choice.

[thescot]

The Wiz gave you some very good advice.

I failed to mention the shirt sleeves, and I avoided the hair, but he's spot on.

Good luck, and let us see you and the lady when all is said and done.

[northernsky]

There is elegance in simplicity.

That's it really, KISS Keep it Simple Stupid. Everything you wear, should be clean, pressed, polished, and elegant. And along with the pride in your outfit, and the pride of having your date on your arm when you walk in will make you walk with pride. There is nothing better to make people notice how well an outfit looks than your own pride in what you have created.

Jeez, wish I had had advice like this when I graduated...'course that was before electricty...

[Raphael]

If cost is a concern, I would get a belt and a fur sporran from SWK. It will complete the look that you are looking for

[Coemgen]

I'm definitely the exception rather than the rule. I bought everything because I knew I'd need them down the road (exempli gratia, I need white tie to perform vocal recitals as part of a class I'm taking at university; all I need to get now are a dress sporran and white vest and bow tie), and the prom at my high school is always über formal.

Seeing what you have, and based on your description, it seems that you just need a black sporran (I believe SWK has some), a shirt and cufflinks and studs (I got mine for less than $20 from uniformalwearhouse.com), and either a vest or black belt (it's really up to you which you want).

Should be quite affordable, and will look quite elegant.

[Highland Logan]

7) Your sporran should be black. That's the only rule.

Now that's not really true. For a "tux", black tie or evening dress, one should wear a fur evening dress sporran.

Frank