Review my attire 2.

[Jock Scot]

Alright Tiny was brave enough to put a picture of himself and his kilt attire up for helpful comment and very useful, I think, that thread has been to many of you. So in the same spirit of education and perhaps a chance to have a "shot" at Jock too, then here is a picture of me and my wife where only the tartans, shoes, hose and flashes er, well, um, dare I really say the word-------- match!

[Jordan]

I never expected to see a review my attire thread by you Jock, that looks like a well put together outfit and a lovely photo of you and your wife.
I recognise your tie but I cant quite place the regiment off the top of my head, which one is it?
Jordan

[macshorty]

It's perfect, but you look a little cold.

[ThistleDown]

You both look very fine to me, Jock. When was it taken?

Rex

[M. A. C. Newsome]

The things I really like about your outfit, Jock, that in my opinion go a long way towards making any kilted gentleman look more dignified in their daywear ensemble, are:

1) tweed jacket & waistcoat
2) tattersal shirt
3) watch chain
4) regimental tie*
5) hose color other than white/ecru

If I had to make a critical remark, I'd say a slightly larger sporran wouldn't hurt. Not that there is a thing wrong with your sporran, but at least in this photo it looks a bit small on you. One just a bit larger might look more proportional. I do, however, like the fact that you are wearing a plain leather belt instead of a chain strap.

*Regarding regimental ties, I realize not everyone served in a regiment or other military unit that has it's own tie, or graduated from a school or belongs to a club that would entitle them to a school or club tie; however, generic neck ties in this type of motif are readily available and simply look classic with a kilt.

[xman]

I'll look at this as an opportunity to educate myself by displaying my ignorance and hope for some correction.

I would probably have gone with hose which blend better with the rest of that attire. Hose are the piece of an outfit which I think best suit being matched to the kilt so I might have gone that way, but not necessarily so. All the other colours are soft and the hose, such a prominent garment in the kilt's case, are so rich and dark that it seems a little unbalanced to my eye. Remember though, I'm the guy who doesn't even like to mix red and orange together.

I nit pick. I rate you a 9.5 out of 10 in this shot. Largely an example to emulate.

[MacBean]

This is definitely backwards (me saying anything at all), but I'll try to pick out why this works so well for me:
- blue kilt echoes the river and sky, and is repeated in the tattersal shirt, scarf, and also the saltire!
- red hose is picked up again in the tie and faces but also in the reddish browns of dormant winter vegetation.
- greenish tweed with buttons that combine with wife's coat
- general tattersal and plaid pattern echoes across the whole

So the general schema fits the landscape very nicely and seems to be a practical adaptation to it. In a different setting, the attire might still bring memories of such a landscape, which is part of the charm of Highland wear, isn't it?

Lovely picture! Don't change a thing!

[davidlpope]

Jock,

[Thanks for being such a good sport and letting us have a go at you.]

I think Matt hit the nail on the head with his "highland gentleman" list. A waistcoat, patterned shirt, and crested or repp tie really add much to the kilt.

I think the only change I would make to your outfit is to swap your sporran out for one that is brown. I like the way that brown sporrans, because of their lighter hue, develop a "patina" over time from use and show some wear and tear. I know that your sporran has been in use for some time, but it still looks brand new. That will never do, old boy! Plus, your current sporran matches your shoes. Tsk, tsk...

David

[Cygnus]

Jock,

Thank you for doing this! It is really great to see how it is "really" done and have the opportunity to see the way colours can work together without being excessively matchy.

Since I'm still getting used to seeing a mix of patterns and colours (especially with the tartan of the kilt added to the mix), I had to take things in a little at a time to really see how everything fit together. The first thing I did was hold up two fingers and covered your kilt in the picture - I really think that helps to show how very well the various accessories work together (and was an experiment on my theory that the kilt is "neutral" or, as The Wizard of BC put it, "can stand on its own").
Once I moved my fingers, I was able to see how the hose also brought out the red line in the tartan of the kilt.
I still think first looking at an outfit without thinking too much about the kilt is really a great way for us who are trying to develop a "Highland eye for the foreign guy".

Thanks again, Jock, you're looking great as always!

[Nighthawk]

Oh wow! What am ugly tartan! Couldn't you have picked less of an eyesore?

Just kidding- my formal kilt is the same tartan. I love that whole look. I like to pair red hose with it, as well. Only little tweek I would make is, echoing Matt, a larger sporran. It actually looks to my eye like a kids size sporran. Otherwise you look fantastic!

And a note on matching- I know matching colors isn't exactly something to concern yourself with, but... I find that a well matched pair of hose will really set off the tartan. Red in this instance brings out the MacLeod really well. I like to wear forest green with my Colorado State tartan kilt because the green really compliments the tartan well. So although matching colors isn't something to be particularly concerned about, it can be a benefit.