Questions on attire

[rmckay]

@Riverkilt the kilt I will be wearing is a hand sewn Ancient MacKay.

Thank you all for the responses.

@ Jock I've never owned the type of shirt you are talking about, a tattersall, I looked them up online. I am going to go on the assumption that it should be a mainly white with the other colors at least going with the tartan colors or does that really matter? The tweed jacket and waistcoat, should they both be tweed or can the waistcoat be a different material. The shoes I may have to deal with those dreadful ghillie things, lol, I got a pair of them a while back on clearance and may not be able to afford anything else. I hope you wont look down on me to much for that.

Sorry for all the questions, I'll probably have a hundred more between now and then, but I have a very limited budget to accomplish this and I want to do it as right as I can.

[davidlpope]

I wouldn't go so far as to say that shoes should be black. Shoes with highland dress tend to be black, but that's certainly not the rule.

Of course- there are no rules!



That being said, I've never seen a photo of a Highlander in Scotland wearing other than black shoes with the kilt. You may have some examples that I've missed, though. Lord Polwarth wears oxblood brogues, but I suspect that he's trying to offer some contrast to the black and white shepherd's check kilt that he wears....

[Jack Daw]

I have to wear a conservative suit for work 4 days out of 5, and sometimes for after-work cocktail parties. I think anything mentioned by Jock and Zardoz is good, and you have Zardoz as a good model, too. As you say, a solid white shirt (but, no button-down collar for this event if you can avoid it) and well-polished shoes. Also, any long tie appropriate for business would do (IOW, avoid a Mickey Mouse tie), and don't let the tie go beyond the top of the kilt. Some say a tie in another tartan of the same clan as the kilt is okay, but I personally don't like to wear tartan ties with the kilt. A tweed jacket is fine, but a black, barathea kilt-cut jacket is an option, too. You can probably get one off-the-rack and sized pretty quick. Like Jock Scot says, go with solid hose and avoid the white, if you can. Compared to all the dark suit trousers, white hose will comparitively appear to glow in the dark.

[Jock Scot]

Yes indeed, I should have mentioned that, tattersall shirts come in all shades and you are right, I think a not too loud one with a white base will do nicely and as someone has mentioned avoid button down collars. Another option to consider would be Gingham checks---- white base with small checks.It matters not if the colours match with anything.

Ok you have ghillies then wear them. I think black shoes would be best for this occasion and whilst a brown sporran etc is fine, I prefer black and is probably,in the long run, a more versatile colour.

Personally I prefer the tweed of the jacket to match(!) the waistcoat, but others do wear waistcoats that don't, to advantage.

Any soldier will tell you that sometimes you have to fight with what you have and that may not be what you ought to have! So of course you have a budget, just do the best you can and don't apologise for it to any one..

[Jock Scot]

Prehaps, we need an "Ask Jock" thread sticky posted for a while.

Thank you Jock for your sage advice. May I throw another question your way (and to the rest of the rabble as well)? I will be attending a friend's wedding in June, and she has asked me to wear my kilt. My only sporran is a dark brown leather, day type. Considering the MacQueen tartan, would that sporran work with black brogues, or should I go with my medium brown ones? Or should I purchase a black, day sporran since I still have a couple of months before the date of the wedding.

Black brogues and brown sporran will be fine. To my mind, if the budget can stretch a bit then a black sporran would be even better. I have said it before, if your budget is tight and can only afford one sporran then in my opinion the black sporran is the most versatile.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I agree with Jock's advice, only I'd amend it to suggest that a black Argyle jacket may also be appropriate.

Here in the states, it's not uncommon to see men wearing a black Argyle jacket to church services on Sunday morning (Kirkin' of the Tartans), to parades, and even to Highland Games. So it certainly wouldn't be out of place worn to an evening dinner where at least some of the guests may be dressed formally.

I would wear it with a neck tie, though, rather than a bow tie or anything more formal, unless you knew that the majority of other guests would be in black tie.

I'm not disagreeing with Jock that a tweed daywear jacket would be appropriate. Just suggesting another alternative which I think would work well.

[rmckay]

Thank you all again for the responses, I think I have a good idea now of what I need. A good thing for me is that I have plenty of time to gather the things I need. I wont be spending a lot to purchase the things I don't have, but I have plans to accomplish getting them. The hose I already have ordered and on the way. Jacket I think I am going to have to find one to be altered. Waistcoat i'm not sure yet.

Thanks again and will let everyone know how things progress.