Okay, I will jump into the fray a moment to post a picture of myself (on the left) in an Argyll with 5 button waistcoat and fly plaid and black ruche tie and (gasp) white bobble top piper's hose, standing next to a friend in his PC with 3 button waistcoat and black bow tie, from a pretty formal dinner event in Edinburgh more than two years ago:



I personally do not think there is anything wrong with the ruche tie if worn with the 5 button vest and in a decent color for the overall outfit. And I think the bobble top white piper's hose look fine with the overall outfit (you cannot see it but my friend was also wearing white pipers hose from his pipe band outfit).

Now, this picture was taken two years ago, only 6 months after I started wearing the kilt. Were I to do the event again, with the knowledge I have gleaned from this forum, I would wear the same out fit, minus the fly plaid (probably not formal enough and not likely as appropriate with the Argyll), and with a more colorful ruche tie and either matching color hose or fancy top hose or my recently acquired tartan Argyll hose. But then again, I might wear the white sometime, too.


jeff