Cheap Formal Suit and Tie

[Bugbear]

Thank you, MacMillan of Rathdown . That looks like an exelent company.

They do small order, custom work, and that is a second option especially if you are not able to do it yourself. Here's the link again.

Custom Uniform Company

* It's also been suggested to look at tuxedo rental stores for used Eton and mess jackets that are being sold. I guess it's the concept of wearing an Eton jacket with a kilt that seems to be important. You don't have to get the uniformal Eton if you can afford better.

[Panache]

campbell,

If you have one, you should post a picture of your ensemble. I too admit that the cost of a kilt jacket is daunting. If the outfit you assembled looks smart it doesn't matter where the components came from.

That said, I wouldn't knock "real" kilt jackets (by this I only mean jackets made intended to be worn with kilts). They look great with kilts because that is exactly what they are designed to do.

Cheers

Jamie

[Bugbear]

Thank you, MacMillan of Rathdown . That looks like an exelent company.

They do small order, custom work, and that is a second option especially if you are not able to do it yourself. Here's the link again.

Custom Uniform Company

Let's not leave this option out either, meinfs.

The Eton jacket isn't really a PC, it's probably closer to the Brian Boru jacket, or the mess jacket. As I read up on this subject, the advice seems to be to make the Eton into a formal jacket rather than to try to make it into a fake PC.
I've also seen advice from some of the members in this thread to buy a used Eton jacket from a tuxedo rental shop and change the buttons. You have lots of options and can bump it up to what you are able to afford.

[billmcc]

I would like to know if any other modifications need to be made to the jacket, and exactly what they are if any.

No modifications are required, though some people replace the standard buttons with silver-colored ones.

Here is a thread about the Eton jacket as formal wear by Alan H:
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/u...ht=Uber+Formal

[Bugbear]

Thank you for posting the link, billmcc.

[keepoffgrass]

i got a really nice argyll on ebay for a great price a couple years ago, so I have one of those. But I've been thinking about getting on of those Eton jackets to convert to a kilt jacket because it seems they would be quite a bit cooler to wear than the 15 oz wool. Also, I have to have a nice formal kilt jacket for my brother before mid Nov. So that may be the ticket

[Casey_in_Carolina]

I've gotta say, the more I think on this idea, the more I really like it. An inexpensive jacket, with a couple of modifications, and you're ready to go. That way I can redirect more money towards getting a more formal sporran for such occasions as well. I tell ya, I love finding ways to pinch the pennies that still look decent....

Casey

[Bugbear]

Yes. Plenty of good options posted in this thread, and complete with links.

[Alan H]

I wear my Eton with one of the backless, three-button vests from Uniformalwearhouse. It looks great IMHO.

Now, I will say that the backless vest is the one drawback to the outfit. See, I wear a proper formal shirt with french cuffs and studs instead of buttons. Hey, they only cost $11 on Uniformalwearhouse, I have two of them! But a proper formal shirt isn't like your plain old white shirt, it has ribbing down the front and that ribbing stops above the level of where the top of the kilt lies. Thus, you need a cummerbund or a vest to top it off.

The backless three-button does this just fine, but there are times when the backless vest slides around a bit and "pooches" around the lapel of the Eton. It's not the end of the world, but if I ever get around to upgrading this kit, the first thing I will do is get a full-back, three button vest.

The other option is to find a formal shirt with studs but WITHOUT the ribbing, and lose the vest altogether, wearing the whole thing pretty much exactly as you would wear a Mess jacket.

Ebay is a good source for celtic buttons, BTW. Look for "Treasure Cast"

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I might add to the above that inexpensive dress shirts are available at most JC Penny's.