Cheap formal wear?

**Mark Keeney** · 30th November 07, 10:59 AM

OK, I might have not been clear. I would never presume to judge anyone else on what they are wearing and their motivation for doing so. I don't have enough energy and stamina for that any more. I was talking about what I need to be really part of whatever event I am attending.

I wouldn't feel right wearing a Halloween store kilt costume to a highland games or any other kilted event. If I couldn't afford a PC I would rent untill I could save up for one of my own. The same would go for a Tuxedo. I wouldn't glue a satin ribbon to a pair of black Dockers and call it tuxedo pants.

I am looking deeper than surface. I could get away with wearing something imitating a PC but would I really feel like I fit in, or would I just feel like a poser?

**Mark Keeney** · 30th November 07, 11:01 AM

Originally Posted by pipesndrumsnun

Dude,
Vow of poverty = cash flow problem!!

The be clean and neat and just wear your best. I don't judge others.

**fluter** · 30th November 07, 01:26 PM

Mark, apologies for projecting on your point of view; I think that I read too much into the whole thread.

Originally Posted by Chef

Fluter, actually I do dislike it when someone shows up in a suit when he should be wearing a tux.

In my hypothetical case---what you have is a respectable dark suit---that is the "proper" thing to do; that's why it's a "trick question." Don't take my word for it: ask Judith Martin (Miss Manners) who I'm sure you will agree is the antithesis of whatever-you-like.

But being well dressed and thrifty is always a good thing. As a working musician, the tux I wore for about 30 years was acquired for less than the pleated shirt I wore with it.

Theres a nice sale on tux separates at Jos. A. Bank.

I'm a bit old-fashioned, too; but recently I had to remind myself that my "old" fashion has a context. My perceptions were formed 40 years ago, and 40 years before that the norms were different. Some of the "new fashions" I don't follow can be traced to my great-grandfather's generation. Ain't life grand?!

**Ozman1944** · 30th November 07, 01:33 PM

Also Vow of Poverty, This is as formal (Kilted) as I get .

**Alan H** · 30th November 07, 01:58 PM

Because I'm a cheap son of a gun, and it's not worth it to me to spend volumes on money on clothes.

If you want to go spend $400 on a barathea PC and waistcoat to wear once a year, go ahead. If you dump coffee on it, like I did on my eton jacket at the Symphony this season, well...too bad. I'll buy a $49 jacket and won't cry nearly as hard.

**Alan H** · 30th November 07, 02:07 PM

Originally Posted by fluter

As a working musician, the tux I wore for about 30 years was acquired for less than the pleated shirt I wore with it.

Theres a nice sale on tux separates at Jos. A. Bank.

I'm a bit old-fashioned, too; but recently I had to remind myself that my "old" fashion has a context. My perceptions were formed 40 years ago, and 40 years before that the norms were different. Some of the "new fashions" I don't follow can be traced to my great-grandfather's generation. Ain't life grand?!

As another formerly working musician, I also used an ex-rental tuxedo for more gigs than I can remember in both symphony, wedding and Big Band work. I had two ex-hire tuxedos. there's nothing like wearing black to a summer afternoon wedding, and sweating like a pig, to then go home for an hour to re-hydrate and then climb into the same jacket for the dance band gig at the Hilton that night.

In all the years I did that...about fifteen... I never once had anyone complain about my cheap looking tuxedos.

One band I played with for a number of years prided itself on being "period" as in East Coast Society Orchestra, circa 1925-1930.....think Bix Beiderbecke and the Wolverines. We wore spats, though not with a tuxedo. Some of the other things we wore for that bands gigs are not currently "formal wear". So does that mean that "formal wear" now is "wrong"?

After all, what was formal wear in 1925 was different from what constituted "formal wear" in 1860. So were the people in 1925, "wrong"?

**DTrain** · 30th November 07, 02:58 PM

I read this thread and left and came back to it since it stuck in my head.

I recently converted a formal , all-wool black tailscoat to a PC by following the path noted by others on XMarks. Is it a "real" Prince Charlie? Technically, I guess not. But I had a blast finding the right jacket, creating a pattern for the patches, finding the pewter buttons, weaving the epaulettes, etc. You see, it was something I CREATED (thanks to those here who blazed the trail before me). I had more fun doing that than I have had in a long time. Some people can go to a store and plop down $300-400 for a "real" Prince Charlie and be done. Mine was a labor of love. The total investment was probably $200 for the parts and some tailoring help, and countless hours of time spent in the effort. BUT I MADE IT. It's my favorite item in my closet because I invested my effort into creating it. Is it perfect? No. But I made it and it means something to me much more so than just buying one off the rack. I think that artists who paint, poets/authors who write, chefs who cook, songwriters who write songs, programmers who write code, designers--all who create can appreciate the fruits of their own labor can understand how much fun it is to actually make something.

This discussion has motivated me to make some pics of my PC conversion and post them soon. If making an X-Kilt is as much fun as that was, I plan to start soon.

**McMurdo** · 30th November 07, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by Mark Keeney

I am looking deeper than surface. I could get away with wearing something imitating a PC but would I really feel like I fit in, or would I just feel like a poser?

I think the question would I feel like a poser has to be answered by you and you alone, some people will be happy going formal in a waiters jacket with silver buttons sewn on it, and a USA Kilt, and some will not. Personally I could not sew to save my life, I chose a while ago to get the best I could afford when I could afford it, I now have a proper formal kilt outfit, it has taken a little while, I've ended up with 3 dress sporrans, the first was an economy dress sporran from the Celtic Croft, the second a bovine model from ebay, and finally a sealskin sporran from Hector Russell. I love my USAK Semi-Trad, but I don't think I could bring myself to wearing it with my P.C. that is what my hand sewn 16 oz 8 yard kilts are for. So let me ask you would you feel like a poser or not only you can know how you would feel about it.

**Alan H** · 30th November 07, 03:54 PM

Originally Posted by DTrain

I read this thread and left and came back to it since it stuck in my head.

I recently converted a formal , all-wool black tailscoat to a PC by following the path noted by others on XMarks. Is it a "real" Prince Charlie? Technically, I guess not. But I had a blast finding the right jacket, creating a pattern for the patches, finding the pewter buttons, weaving the epaulettes, etc. You see, it was something I CREATED (thanks to those here who blazed the trail before me). I had more fun doing that than I have had in a long time. Some people can go to a store and plop down $300-400 for a "real" Prince Charlie and be done. Mine was a labor of love. The total investment was probably $200 for the parts and some tailoring help, and countless hours of time spent in the effort. BUT I MADE IT. It's my favorite item in my closet because I invested my effort into creating it. Is it perfect? No. But I made it and it means something to me much more so than just buying one off the rack. I think that artists who paint, poets/authors who write, chefs who cook, songwriters who write songs, programmers who write code, designers--all who create can appreciate the fruits of their own labor can understand how much fun it is to actually make something.

This discussion has motivated me to make some pics of my PC conversion and post them soon. If making an X-Kilt is as much fun as that was, I plan to start soon.

GREAT freakin' post. Couldn't have said it any better.

**cavscout** · 30th November 07, 04:03 PM

Ya know, after chewing on this a bit longer,

I run into posers all the time at Highland games wearing top of the line kit. Many of them also carry badges that say "kilt police"

My point being, the guy that took the time to "build" his wardrobe, may be the one who has some very good knowledge about the topic we are all striving to emulate. The one who ran out a "bought" his kit may not be what he portrays. "such cheaply bought nobility?