Prince Charlie Coatee

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

The Prince Charlie is certainly a more modern look than say the regimental doublet or montrose doublet. It is sleeker and simpler than all the other styles of formal jacket / doublet.

Couldn't agree less, Jamie. The PC is a cut down tail coat which owes it post-war popularity to its cheaper price due to its lower cost to manufacture. Instead of "simpler" I'd say it was "skimpier", and that skimpiness shows. It especially shows with regard to the fit of the waistcoat, something you have commented on quite recently.

To me it is a bridge between the traditional highland formal look and a standard dinner jacket / tuxedo.

That's a bridge too far to cross. That accolade belongs to the Argyll jacket, which used to be called the Dress Kilt Jacket. MacKinnon of Dunakin (as quoted initially by Sandy) has this to say on the subject:

"The Dress Kilt Jacket corresponds to a Lowlander's dinner jacket. It can be worn with bow tie or jabot, and is sometimes worn without cuffs, pocket flaps, and epaulettes."

Try removing those bits from a coatee and you end up with what it really is-- a tail coat with the tails whacked off.

I will in the fairly near future need to replace my Prince Charlie style coatee and have been considering a navy blue one as an option (which I think would look superb with the XMTS tartan).

My only fear is that this would somehow be considered less formal than a black one.

As far as Highland attire is concerned, the Prince Charlie coatee is the red-haired stepchild of formal dress. Even if it is Navy Blue.

Jamie, whilst I think doublets can, and sometimes do, look good in colours other than black, I'm afraid we part company when it comes to the Prince Charlie coatee.

Adding colour to a coatee always reminds me of that line from Gilbert & Sullivan-- "mutton dressed as lamb", and all that it implies about "taste".

Chin-chin, off for a G&IT!
Scott