White Tie

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

That's interesting Ted. That should get a good spirited debate going.. as it's been said that a gentleman sould not wear a time piece to a formal evening event, because time is not considered importaint.

Frank, I always follow the "no timepiece" convention when attending a formal (white tie) event in public. If the event is black tie, or if I am a guest in someone's home, it is a different matter and I do tend wear a watch. With highland dress I wear a silver watch and chain, with ordinary black tie I wear a gold watch and chain.

Oh, by the way, I think it was the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) who popularized the not wearing of a timepiece with the waistcoat when in white tie. He considered a gold chain "vulgar" and simply dispensed with it. Regarded as the best dressed man in the world, others quickly followed his fashion.

[Bugbear]

Something is a little off here. The novel first anounced that the upcoming event was black tie, I made note of that, but The character was clearly dressed in white tie, and at the event, a dance, the gentalmen's white ties were mention... Nothing about black tie came up. I don't think this dance was exactly a public event either.

I started reading these novels partly because I hoped to get descriptions (no pictures) of the attire. These take place in modern Scotland for the most part.

[JSFMACLJR]

I went back and looked at the description just to make sure, ... That's as far as I'll go without citing the book.

Do let us know what the book is!

Best regards,

Sandford MacLean

[Bugbear]

Do let us know what the book is!

Best regards,

Sandford MacLean

All right, this will not be up to MLA standards, but...
Death of an Adept by Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris: 1996, from the Ace mass-market edition / November 1997: page 237.
That is the event I am talking about.

The other novels I read were:
The Adept,
Lodge of the Lynx,
The Templar Treasure,
Dagger Magic,
Same authors.

[JSFMACLJR]

Thanks, Ted!

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Mystery solved! A few pages further along Ximena (one of the characters) says, "You Perthshire men always manage to cut such a dash, in your white waistcoats and white ties! What a splendid affectation!"

So, no contradiction here. It may be a black tie ball, but in true Perthshire fashion Adam Sinclair (hero of the novel) shows up in white tie.

[Bugbear]

Ah! I understand now. Thank you, MacMillan of Rathdown.

And I didn't realize you may attend black tie events in white tie attire. That's good to know.

* Your point about Perth-shire and white tie is now fully understood. Thank you. *
* Also,I went over that part of the book again, and another character was described as wearing a bottle green doublet with a kilt. So, it is clear that Adam Sinclair is the only character definatly described as wearing white tie attire. *

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

In Perth-shire gentlemen only wear white tie, or at least that's what they'd have us all believe! Being a Perthie by way of Ayr-shire, who now lives in the USA after several decades sojourn in Ireland, I tend to fall into lock-step with the wishes of my host. If it says "Black Tie" on the invitation, then that's what I wear (unless the party is in Perth-shire, in which case the host should know better!).

[David Dalglish]

White waistcoat with white tie & I would wear the Cream socks.

[English Bloke]

Post some pictures when you get home if you're not too intimidated. I bet you wish you'd never asked... I'd like to see how you got along. Have a great night!