Need an Opinion Burns Dinner Apparel

[beloitpiper]

A bit much for a Burns Supper.

[Rollo]

I agree ! Too much !!!

[McClef]

I have worn a fly plaid when addressing the Haggis as my avatar shows

[Ancienne Alliance]

If you're at a table of, let's say 6 or 8 couples, and you're the only one NOT wearing a fly plaid, that would be odd now would'nt it ?


Best,

Robert

[MacLowlife]

Put down the plaid and back slowly away...

If you really must, TAKE it and leave it in the car. Once you are inside, you can run out and add it if you feel you should. Only the most observant will see the change.

[SFCRick]

If you like the look, wear it.

[denmcdough]

Badabing, badaboom....to heck with the naysayers...it's just their opinions. Who the heck are they, anyway? Go for it! Just because someone says no, I always like to go the opposite direction just to tick them off. I bad; I a rebel! Have fun doing what YOU want to do.

[Chas]

The danger of not wearing a fly plaid, because the occasion is not formal enough, is that the occasion will never be formal enough. And so the fly plaid will never be worn. Ever.

When I was very young and we were living in India, I remember my parents going out for an evenings dancing. My mother always wore a beautiful emerald green silk dress and my father wore white tie and tails. If they went out to dine, my father wore his dinner suit (black tie). They wore this because 1) that's what white people in India did and 2) they were going out dancing or dining, so they wore the right clothing.

Today, white tie is reserved for the uberformal occasions, which are becoming rarer and rarer. If the fly plaid is too formal for a Burns Night, then so to is the Montrose and the Sherrifmuir. Where will it end - the Argyle with silver buttons is too formal? Should everything be dumbed down to boots and scrunched down hose?

I am talking about a time only 50 years ago. Is that long ago enough to be traditional? I do not think it would hurt to re-claim those standards of refinement.

If we wanted to hide in the crowd, we wouldn't wear a kilt. I see nothing wrong in wearing the fly plaid to a Burns Night.

Regards

Chas

[macwilkin]

Badabing, badaboom....to heck with the naysayers...it's just their opinions. Who the heck are they, anyway? Go for it! Just because someone says no, I always like to go the opposite direction just to tick them off. I bad; I a rebel! Have fun doing what YOU want to do.

They're entitled to their opinion, just as much as you are yours.

Here's the bottom line: what does the invitation say? In other words, what dress did the organizers of said Burns Supper set for the evening? If it doesn't specifically say "black tie", then I wouldn't even consider wearing it.




T.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

When I was very young and we were living in India, I remember my parents going out for an evenings dancing. My mother always wore a beautiful emerald green silk dress and my father wore white tie and tails. If they went out to dine, my father wore his dinner suit (black tie). They wore this because 1) that's what white people in India did and 2) they were going out dancing or dining, so they wore the right clothing.

Absolutely. Dinners were black tie events, and dances were white tie events. Burns Suppers rarely, if ever rise to the status of "white tie", and hardly ever are "black tie" events. In keeping with the "spirit" of Burns, ordinary dress is usually called for-- in other words the level of formality is usually "jacket and tie", nothing overly fancy and certainly not formal enough to warrant the wearing of a fly plaid, which to me always looks as if the wearer has a small tartan tablecloth attached to his shoulder.

Since this discussion is taking place in the "Traditional Highland Attire" forum, then it should be understood that traditionally speaking the fly plaid would be more at home at a white tie event, and would never be worn to something as informal-- or casual-- as a Burns Supper.