referal for tartan vest tailor

**davidlpope** · 5th February 11, 08:00 PM

Originally Posted by Dall_Piobaire

The clan association isn't really an issue as the Boyds were very closely related and involved with the Stewart clan, as well as the Hay clan. The Boyd tartan was supposed to have been a spin off from one of the Stewart tartans. There is so much red and green in the tartan, that trying to find something to work well with it probably will be a huge issue.

I still think there's an issue, FWIW, despite the historic ties between the families you mention. Something to consider- Merlin Hay and Peregrine Moncrieffe are brothers and clan chiefs through their mother and father, respectively. Yet, I've never seen an instance where either wears the other's clan tartan.

In fact, the only instance I can recall where I've seen someone wearing two tartans, not from the same clan, is a a Murray kilt worn with a Jacobite tartan waistcoat. Given that the individual was a bit of a romantic and the Murrays were ardent Jacobites, though, it seemed to make sense...

Did you see this recent post by Matt concerning tartan waistcoats? I had an opportunity to see two of his this past weekend and was much impressed.
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...stcoats-64108/

David

**Dall_Piobaire** · 5th February 11, 10:22 PM

Well, thanks David, maybe I will just get up with Matt and see if he has any good suggestions. Guess I could go with an old district tartan if I can find one that works

**davidlpope** · 5th February 11, 10:29 PM

Originally Posted by Dall_Piobaire

Guess I could go with an old district tartan if I can find one that works

Why not get a waistcoat in the same tartan as your kilt? I guess if you really didn't want the two tartans to match exactly you could do the waistcoat in the ancient color scheme or get tartan from a different mill (Lochcarron v. House of Edgar v. Strathmore). Just not sure why you'd choose to do that...

David

**M. A. C. Newsome** · 6th February 11, 06:04 AM

Just waving my hand and saying yup, I'm still here! :-) I'm not typically at the museum in Fridays, but you can leave me a message, or just send me an email.

Custom waistcoats are one of those areas where it's best to talk with me about it first so I can give you a price quote. The final cost is based, of course, on just what you want.

Bias cut tartan waistcoats are more expensive than straight cut because it actually requires our tailors to use about twice as much tartan cloth (to be able to match up the tartan pattern on the bias). But the end result is really well worth it!

For a bias cut tartan waistcoat, Rathdown's estimate of $200 is pretty accurate, assuming everything else about the waistcoat is standard.

**Riverkilt** · 6th February 11, 08:59 AM

Probably a poor comparison but my cost to sew up the X Marks vest, which is NOT cut on the bias and for which I supplied the material, was $45 back in 2005. I also ordered it up at the same time as the X Marks kilt which no doubt cut the cost a bit too.

**Dall_Piobaire** · 6th February 11, 09:22 AM

A lot to think about, wasn't sure about the cost, but not surprised either, guess it's time for more peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

I know the whole tartan association dealy is more a present day, so to speak, creation of smart marketing by Wilson, still it has become something of a tradition. It seems as though I have seen poortraits, with well to dos wearing every tartan made at the time, or at least it seemed so, like bekilted peacocks.

Don't much care for the ancient and weathered versions of the Boyd, and was looking for a counterpoint to the kilt that could be worn on it's own, or work quite well dressed up with black jacket. Strongly blue, with smaller amounts of green, with gold and or white stipe.

The modern Boyd, is so in your face red, I just can't see myself carrying that off up top. JMHO

**MacMillan of Rathdown** · 6th February 11, 11:23 AM

Originally Posted by Dall_Piobaire

Thanks MacMillan, I tried to get him up at the museum friday, but he is probably taking a much deserved day off, than again, with his schedule probably not.

On a side not, You wouldn't happen to know Sir Robert Bell would you...

Aye, I know him. He's a fine piper, a good man, and until quite recently President of the Appalachian Branch of the Clan MacMillan Society.

**Dall_Piobaire** · 6th February 11, 11:34 AM

Aye, he is a good friend, as well as my instructor. A good man. He is getting back into the insurance biz. We have been working on a tune that Seargeant specifically wrote for him, very pleased with it.

**ForresterModern** · 8th February 11, 08:26 AM

One consideration to remember is that a waistcoat cut for wear with a kilt will be a bit shorter than one cut for wear with a standard dress jacket or sport coat, as the waist of the kilt rides higher than the waist of your trousers, and needs to leave room to not interfere with the hang of your sporran. It also needs to be short enough to not extend below your kilt jacket inordinately, when worn with a matching or contrasting jacket.