over doing the bling?

[JSFMACLJR]

Time to add my thoughts on this very interesting topic! Thanks for starting it, Jock.

I usually get invited to quite a few black tie events every year, as well as a handful of balls that are white tie. For quite a few of the black tie suppers, and parties and whatnot, I usually wear a dinner jacket and waistcoat. If my trews fit, I would wear them to some of these gatherings.

To some of the black tie events I will wear the kilt. I almost always wear buckled shoes. I have two pairs; the well-known "Mary Jane" style, and a court shoe with a single buckle. I prefer the latter. I believe there is a "proper" shoe for all events. With a dinner jacket I usually wear evening pumps withbows; sometimes a very highly polished oxford; sometimes a Gucci loafer; sometimes a black suede Belgian shoe. The buckled shoes to me are the perfect shoe to wear with the kilt, I guess because I have always seen them worn and have been around men wearing them all my life, They just seem to "work." Are they a bit of bling? Well, depends who's defining bling! I just see buckled shoes with the kilt in the evening as being the "standard."

Here is what I wear with the kilt to black tie functions:
1. navy blue velvet doublet with scarlet facings. Silver crested buttons. Tartan waistcoat--or no waistcoat even. Diced, or tartan hose or solid colour hose. Either an otter mask sporran or goat hair sporran.

For more "informal" black tie kilted functions I will wear solid coloured hose. I like red in a number of shades. If the event is a little more elegant, I wear diced. Or not. It just depends on my mood. Same with the sporran. Now, there is no denying the fact that my goat hair sporran is a bit of "bling"! Nonetheless, it is "traditional" and I love it. It means a great deal to me. I don't always wear it, but I find I do most of the time now.

To some eyes, when I am dressed like this I certainly stand apart from the crowd, there is no getting around that. This is the way several generations of my family have dressed when wearing the kilt in the evening. I'm comfortable in it, and it looks good. I don't wear a dirk, belt, or plaid. My sgian dubh is subdued. I might wear a pocket watch.

2. For some family events, and some Scottish society functions here in the US, I oftentimes wear a tartan doublet. Same sporran choices, Same hose (although I tend to prefer solid). Bling? Well, it ain't black! Wrong? Absolutely not. Eccentric? Certainly! Traditional? Very much so. Appropriate for all black tie events? NO!!!

Now white tie. Pretty much the same. I might wear a jabot ( pretty standard fare for those from the Western Isles ). I might wear a winged collar (detachable, of course ). My hose will be diced. I have a number of waistcoat options. I wear the goat hair sporran. What differentiates my white tie from black tie rig is that the former will always have a waistcoat, always have diced hose, and my shirt will be different.

All of this is pretty flashy, and one would not readily use the adjective "subdued" to describe it. It might not be your cup of tea ( not even yours, Jock!!! ) but that's what I do. I have been to a number of balls in Scotland. I've never appeared overdressed. To my knowledge I've never had anyone think I was over-the-top. I have been dressed like most of the other gentlemen in my circle of friends. I could choose to wear a dirk, but don't. For me it is a bit much. I never wear a plaid, nor do any of my Scottish friends ( let me rephrase that: none of my Scottish friends wear plaids to any of the "nice" balls, which I would consider to be the Oban, Skye, Perth, Lochaber, Northern Meeting, Royal Caledonian and a few others ). That would be bling!

So Jock, we differ slightly here, my friend, but the bottom line is we wear what we want and what we are comfortable wearing.

[longhuntr74]

Here is what I wear with the kilt to black tie functions:
1. navy blue velvet doublet with scarlet facings. Silver crested buttons. Tartan waistcoat--or no waistcoat even. Diced, or tartan hose or solid colour hose. Either an otter mask sporran or goat hair sporran.

To some eyes, when I am dressed like this I certainly stand apart from the crowd, there is no getting around that.

Sandy,
That jacket you mention is definitely one that makes you stand out! One of a kind and absolutely exquisite in my opinion! I know you've sent me a picture of it on a hanger? Do you happen to have a picture to share with the masses of you wearing this fine outfit? Is there any significance to your scarlet facings?