over doing the bling?

[denmcdough]

Guess what? I've NEVER been to a black tie event!!! My first one is this Saturday evening after the Ligonier Highland Games. I'll be dressed to the "nines," but it will be subdued...no fly plaid, no ghilies, but I will have a PC jacket and those awesome Argyll toped hose from Redshanks. Oh, and how could I forget my tank by Wally Catanach.

As for a white tie event, I'll probably go to one of those when pigs fly!

[Cygnus]

My feeling is that it depends quite a lot on the event and how formal you're going to be "above the waist". If you're wearing an Argyll jacket and bow tie, I feel that diced hose and buckle brogues would probably be a bit too much. If the event is slightly more formal, though, and you can expect most men to wear Prince Charlie Jackets or Doublets, then a PC or Regulation Doublet with diced hose and buckle shoes would be just fine.

Plaids, as others have said, are another story.

Thanks for the point of discussion, Jock, and I'm glad we have you back!

[BLHS209]

Historically speaking...

I think Tobus has hit the nail on the head! Who's and when in history?? And I know it has been mentioned in other threads, "kilting", like all other fashion is constantly changing.

Most of us are not up on the latest trend so we go with what we wore the last time, currently correct or not. But, that is why the "X" is a great place to find the current trends.

Personally, buckle brogues or those "dreadful ghillies" are not for me either. I do have a fly plaid, but, I also know that there is a time and place to wear that, limited as it is.

Chris Shepherd

[artificer]

Yes I hear what you say and of course you like to wear what you have and that is fine and I quite accept that.

So perhaps this is more a "theoretical" question. Should you(we) wear the attire that you do-----many do----for black tie events?

My view is that it is "gilding the lily" a tad.

I'm not one of nature's "lily gilders", I'm the guy with seven black suits (who isn't an undertaker) . Once we start into the slightly archaic world of Highland fashion, I'm well out to sea. Gauntlet cuffs, big silver buttons and buckles, epaulettes... none of these are anywhere else in my wardrobe.

We've already established elsewhere that a black Argyll, three button waistcoat, black bow tie and black Oxfords are all nice, appropriate choices.

I prefer plain fronted tux shirts and turned down collars over pleats and wings.

I have a set of silver knot cuff links and studs that I much prefer to the black onyx run-of-the-mill. Would they work?

What would YOU wear as a choice for hose and other adornments (if any)?

[Jock Scot]

Artificer.

A fair question. Alright, assuming the appropriate kilt, jacket, waistcoat and white shirt (always white) is going to be worn, I prefer a fold down collar with silver collar stiffeners, self tie black bow, what else?

Light in weight black shoes well polished(not in any circumstances those dreadful ghillie things),plain hose(not white or cream), solid coloured flashes(never ever those awful tartan things), dress sgian dubh(actually I wear mine in the day too), I may change my silver kilt pin although I doubt it, silver sporran strap, dress sporran, silver or gold cuff links depending on how I feel and perhaps a gold watch and chain.

For black tie occasions, I would personally not consider a coloured dress(UK definition)shirt, argyll patterned hose, diced hose, jabot and lace cuffs, buckled shoes or a fly plaid. For me, I prefer the "less is more" effect .

[English Bloke]

I wonder who said that?

hehehehehe

[artificer]

Artificer.

A fair question. Alright, assuming the appropriate kilt, jacket, waistcoat and white shirt (always white) is going to be worn, I prefer a fold down collar with silver collar stiffeners, self tie black bow, what else?

Light in weight black shoes well polished(not in any circumstances those dreadful ghillie things),plain hose(not white or cream), solid coloured flashes(never ever those awful tartan things), dress sgian dubh(actually I wear mine in the day too), I may change my silver kilt pin although I doubt it, silver sporran strap, dress sporran, silver or gold cuff links depending on how I feel and perhaps a gold watch and chain.

For black tie occasions, I would personally not consider a coloured dress(UK definition)shirt, argyll patterned hose, diced hose, jabot and lace cuffs, buckled shoes or a fly plaid. For me, I prefer the "less is more" effect .

Many thanks again for your sage advice.

BTW: what colour of hose would you wear? Black, something bold like red, or somewhere in the middle?

BTW: Just WHAT are you giggling at English Bloke? You trouble-maker you!

[English Bloke]

who me?

[Lyle1]

We all have our own views about what is "gilding the lily" and whether or not we like plaids or "dreadful ghillies" (as English Bloke so charmingly puts it ) or not.

But with white tie affairs being as rare as rocking horse do dos for the vast majority of us we make the choices of what we feel good in, not what others think we should feel good in at the more common, though still relatively infrequent, black tie events.

I agree, and I think that much depends on where the black tie event is being held. Local custom varies a great deal, and what would seem askance at one black tie event would be acceptable at another (someone has already mentioned blue jeans with a tux jacket which I do not understand at all, but...). It also depends on the particular item of clothing under discussion; for example, the variety of evening slippers worn by men at formal events ranges from rather plain to very flashy (think red velvet with gold embroidery).

In the end, I worry more about feeling comfortable with what I am wearing than what other people are wearing.

[kiltedwolfman]

I have been to a few black tie events, also to a few white tie ones and what struck me first about everyone there ( but me for reasons I'll explain in a moment) is how seemingly uncomfortable they seemed. I don't mean that their clothes didn't fit or anything of that sort, but that none of them seemed unable to act in a relaxed and natural manner. People were far too worried with either getting their clothes damaged in some fashion, or they were overly concerned with how thier chosen uniform ( if you have everyone at an event wearing tux's and such it might as well be a uniform IMO) was being recieved by the rest of the crowd.

Here is what I wore at the last black tie I attended; from the bottom up.
Black highly polished shoes
Black hose with red flashes
my Lionheart kilt
Dark grey, almost black 3 button waistcoat, it tied in with one of the colours of the kilt
Black Shirt with a black tie with silver accent, to tie in with another colour of the kilt
Black Argyll jacket

My attire certainly broke with traditions, but I'm not one for a lot of traditions especially when it comes to how I dress.

My dress that night allowed for a few things. It allowe me to feel comfortable and relaxed, it opened up a great many conversations which in turn gave the folks I was chatting with the chane to relax aswell, and it also let me show that I am rather individual in my approach to convention. LOL. Not once did anyone tell me that I was improperly dressed, or not dressed to the appropriate level since everyone else was either in a tux or mess dress.

I guess my very long winded point here is that I feel that at one time dressing to that high level was more a way to show your status, and had little to do with relaxing and enjoying the encounter. Today IMO you can dress well, present yourself very well through interpersonal skills, and certainly as a kiltie stand out in any crowd.