Just HOW many ways can an Argyll be 'Dressed Up'?

[MacLowlife]

This is as good a thread as any to derail with talk about waistcoats. The depth of the "V" (sometimes called the gorge) goes up and down according to fashion. Here at X Marks, we talk mostly in terms of the 3 button and the 5 button, with an assumption or shared prejudice, that 3 is more formal and 5 is less so. In MOST cases, 3 also implies lapels, while 5 usually doesn't. However, you don't have to look any further than John Steed's formal wear in The Avengers ( the original TV series, not the movie ) to see that the high gorge vest has been worn as formal wear before, just as it seems to be done now in the rental/hire formalwear business. SO, while many of us think of an inverse relationship between the height of formality and the height of the gorge, there are others who calculate differently, depending on what was in style when they came of age or formed their prejudices.

Similarly, I expect somebody might say the same for button material (bone, plastic, metal, fabric covered) or jacket fabric. Somewhere there are people who find velvet to be less dressy than barathea and they argue over drinks with their cousins who feel the opposite to be true. Somewhere there are people whose tartan doublets are made of silk Dupioni and they quietly tut over the sad irony of the people who make do with wool.

But I have derailed my derailing.

For most of us, the low waistcoat does elevate the Argyll to almost-tuxedo status. I think, since the low waistcoat serves as a substitute for the cummerbund or sash, presumably the cummerbund or sash could serve as a substitute for the low waistcoat, even with a kilt. I think the high waistcoat can do the same thing ( go with a black bow tie) if you like the look. We see high waistcoats shown and rented with PC jackets all of the time. If your waistcoat has black plastic or bone buttons, it is going to look too informal for a black tie function, but if the buttons match your Argyll or they are fabric covered, you will probably look fine.

Isn't it Cluny MacPherson ( do we call him THE Cluny?) who looks so good in his jacket with only a shiny waistplate to stop his kilt from climbing to his neck? He dresses up the rest of his rig so that the lack of a vest or cummerbund seems unimportant. If he were hanging around in a brown sporran and tan suede shoes, it would probably not work so well with a black tie.

Down here on the wrong side of the tracks, many of us like to wear needlepoint cummerbunds with our Saxon formal wear. I do not think I have ever seen one with a kilt, but the right one might look OK. If you showed up at my house in a tartan patterned needlepoint anything- slippers, cummerbund, vest, eyeglass case- you'd better hope it was not in my size, because I might knock you over the head for it.

[BobsYourUncle]

Isn't it Cluny MacPherson ( do we call him THE Cluny?) who looks so good in his jacket with only a shiny waistplate to stop his kilt from climbing to his neck? [/QUOTE]

He is called simply "Cluny", as an abbreviation for Cluny-MacPherson, and his companion is to be addressed as Lady Cluny. See So You're Going to Wear the Kilt, Thompson, page 51.

I have enjoyed your derailment, and your derailment of your derailment as well. You have it down to a fine art...

[ThistleDown]

He is called simply "Cluny", as an abbreviation for Cluny-MacPherson, and his companion is to be addressed as Lady Cluny. See So You're Going to Wear the Kilt, Thompson, page 51.

I have enjoyed your derailment, and your derailment of your derailment as well. You have it down to a fine art...

An even further derailment. The present Macpherson chief is Sir William Macpherson of Cluny and Blairgowrie. His patronymic is Cluny. He is a widower; his late wife was Lady Macpherson in recognition of his knighthood, not his chiefship.