Tie or no tie?

[HarborSpringsPiper]

Here is an old pic of the late Lord Lovat, sans necktie. I'd hate to be the one to call him out on it!

And why would you? Just as there are times it works while wearing pants, with the right jacket in the right setting it obviously works with the kilt too. The above picture looks pretty spiffy IMHO. Would I wear that to a funeral? Of course not. To a snappy casual affair? You bet!

On a recent "Kilts in the Media" thread there was a PC/waistcoat sans tie. That just looks silly or like the end of a night of drinking and dancing . An Argyll with metal buttons? Probably not. While we all have a different eye and appeal for these things, I would say the picture above of Lord Lovat show it works with a tweed jacket without ornamentation, a Crail style.

[Asser 1]

That is a great pic of Lord Lovat. I love that older than dirt patina that nothing but age and wear can create. That patina cannot be bought and the pattern mixing is very British country.

As to the initial post. If I am going sans tie I normally wear a jumper but I think sans tie with a day jacket looks as good as with a regular tweedy jacket(don't forget a silk in the breast pocket, they are the new necktie). Another option which will make some of you cringe and today(unfortunatly) is a bit of a cliche is a nice patterned ascot. It fits the bill nicely for that country casual look.

Finally, a less over-the-top option that is in between the full turtleneck and ascot would be a partial turtleneck peeking out the top of a button up shirt. If you are prone to overheating like me then buy an inexpensive cotton turtleneck and cut most of it away leaving just the neck part and enough fabric to cover the chest area. It fills the openness of a tieless collar, puts in a casual flair and is more discreet than a silk ascot.

[Highlander31]

...If you are prone to overheating like me then buy an inexpensive cotton turtleneck and cut most of it away leaving just the neck part and enough fabric to cover the chest area. It fills the openness of a tieless collar, puts in a casual flair and is more discreet than a silk ascot.

There used to be a product on the market, called a "Dickie" that consisted of the turtleneck with two small bibs attached. One simply put the Dickie on with the bibs hanging down the back and chest, and the shirt was then buttoned up over the bib.

[NewGuise]

Cutting to the chase: Can this be done and look decent?

In a word, yes.

[lasrl]

Dear friends and gentle kilties: I have a "Crail" jacket (cloth epalets barrel sleeves) in medium dark grey with brown buttons. I would like to wear this as one would wear a sport coat with jeans/casual trousers without a tie. it's probably been dealt with elsewhere but since I'm having one of my dense days I can't seem to run it down. Cutting to the chase: Can this be done and look decent? Thanks Bill

If you don't want to wear a tie, may I suggest that you wear a silk day cravat or silk scarf tied as a cravat instead. You would wear such an item inside your dress shirt (rather than wear the cravat around your collar, as would be done with a morning suit, for example). Although a cravat is less formal than a tie (when worn inside a shirt in this manner), a cravat inside of a collared shirt will look very sharp and casual at the same time. If you don't have a cravat, then the same effect can be emulated with a silk scarf just as well (actually a silk scarf may even work better). Regardless, the silk cravat or silk scarf will feel much more comfortable than a tie anyway. A little hint, from personal experience if you use a silk scarf: Make overlapping folds/pleats by hand, behind your neck before you tie this scarf. You will find that doing this will make the scarf feel more comfortable around your neck (and it will look better too). Here is how you tie it informally. Do not yet put your dress shirt on. After pleating, put the scarf around your neck, with the left side leaving no more than six to eight inches in the front. Your right side should have the rest of the length. Fold the right side across the front, then bring it up and under the initial cross (of the left and right side of the scarf). Let the part you brought up through the middle dangle in the front (over top of the initial cross of left and right sides). adjust things so that it looks congruent in the front. Put on your dress shirt over top, and leave the top three buttons undone so that the silk scarf can show. You're done, and you'll probably find this very comfortable. Let me know how it goes.

Ciad Mile Failte