1st Highland Dress I feel proud of...critique?

[David Thorpe]

Nice kilt, jacket, waistcoat, hose, shoes, shirt and tie.
Since you asked...
Patchwork flat cap... meh. As someone else suggested, a Balmoral or even a (gasp) Glengarry would be more traditional.
Silver-cantled sporrans are normally reserved for evening or formal wear. A nice plain brown or brown and black sporran would do nicely with the day-wear outfit.
Not sure how high your garters are positioned, but with that length of cuff overturn, the flashes should extend maybe 2" downward from the cuff. I personally like tartan flashes, but evidently in terms of current Scottish fashion, they are considered passe and say, "hired outfit".
Kilt pin is fine, but is rather high. Maybe down to the dark blue horizontal stripe? I also like to center mine on a vertical stripe.
Very good first effort.
As always, just MHO and YMMV.

[CMcG]

Silver-cantled sporrans are normally reserved for evening or formal wear. A nice plain brown or brown and black sporran would do nicely with the day-wear outfit.

I agree that a plain brown or black sporran would be more typical, but a silver cantle with leather body isn't beyond the pale. For me, it is the tartan insert that makes the OP's sporran cool, but not traditional. I think a leather bodied sporran with silvery metal cantle could be used for for day or evening wear. A brass cantle, however, might be a more traditional choice for daywear. See the Duke of Rothesay below:

Not sure how high your garters are positioned, but with that length of cuff overturn, the flashes should extend maybe 2" downward from the cuff.

I'd say 2" OR LESS. Don't want them flapping about in the wind, do we? See the pic above.

Kilt pin is fine, but is rather high.

I don't think it is too high, though. That might be more of a "personal flair" issue.

[Jock Scot]

I think we all need to be a bit careful when making our suggestions here, yes there is the more usual and indeed, the more unusual, but not necessarily wrong. Kilt pins were commonly worn at mid thigh height in the not so distant past, certainly in my youth and the same goes for metal topped sporrans worn during the day as standard day attire and yes, the tops were usually of brass, that were a more common sight not so long ago.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

This is the first time I've seen a photo of you in the kilt -- looking good! I like your choice of hose color. Other colors I think would work well are yellow and claret. I'd stay away from a light, lovat blue. There is already a lot of light blue in the kilt and I think hose in that color would just be overkill. But the navy work very well.

I'd also skip the flat cap. I have no objections to wearing them with a kilt, per se. But I think it would look more congruous with the outfit if you were just wearing a polo shirt or something else casual like that. As it is, to my eye it just doesn't seem to go with the rest of the outfit.

But I like the Braemar jacket, the contrasting waistcoat (is that linen?), and I also like the subtle effect of the tartan inlay in the sporran. It's very modern, and a bit different, without spoiling the traditional look of the ensemble or being too much "in your face."

Wear it well!
M

[Tobus]

But I like the Braemar jacket, the contrasting waistcoat (is that linen?)

That was the first thing that jumped out at me in this photo: the jacket/waistcoat colours. I like this combination! There was a discussion a while back (a couple of years ago, as I recall) where we were talking about waistcoats not matching the jacket. And while it seems that it's very rarely ever done in THCD, this would be a great way of doing it. Nicely done!

Oh, and since it's been on my mind lately, I do notice that your jacket has top-stitching on the lapel and edges. I think that's just the kind of very minor detail that people probably don't even notice, but gives the jacket a more traditional effect. The Braemar jacket style sometimes looks a little too "clean" to me, but with the braided epaulets and top-stitching, it has a nice outdoorsy daytime look. Especially with that waistcoat. I like it!

[Dale Seago]

That was the first thing that jumped out at me in this photo: the jacket/waistcoat colours. I like this combination! There was a discussion a while back (a couple of years ago, as I recall) where we were talking about waistcoats not matching the jacket. And while it seems that it's very rarely ever done in THCD, this would be a great way of doing it. Nicely done!

Well, there's traditional -- which this combination is not; and then there's historical -- which it is. Around the time of The Forty-Five, it was the norm for jacket & waistcoat to be of different or contrasting colors rather than "matchy-matchy".

[davidlpope]

What a wonderful kilt! Matt's work is heirloom quality and the tartan is very attractive. I also like your simple blanket-pin kilt pin. Nice and understated.

[Domehead]

Thank you. Based on recommendations from the rabble, I considered a silver Kinloch-Anderson blanket-pin. But, as a former serviceman, I felt hinky wearing something reserved for officers of the Regiments. As for the cap, I am considering an MOD tam. Again, currently I feel a little hinky.

Also, California Highlander, thanks for getting the image up.

[thescot]

Thank you. Based on recommendations from the rabble, I considered a silver Kinloch-Anderson blanket-pin. But, as a former serviceman, I felt hinky wearing something reserved for officers of the Regiments. As for the cap, I am considering an MOD tam. Again, currently I feel a little hinky.

Also, California Highlander, thanks for getting the image up.

BTW, I know this is fairly old, but I just reread the entire thread, and zeroed in on your comment about the MOD tam.

I own several--some for collection only as they have regimental hackles--and I really like to wear one in the fall and winter. Warm, small, easy to keep up, etc. I wear one with a Robertson backer and a "one size fits all" thistle badge, non-clan specific. It really does look good with casual wear, and I even wear mine with jeans and such. I recommend it for casual wear.

Be sure to get a genuine regimental tam. In the US, no one associates it with the regiments, so you won't look like you're wearing military gear out of uniform. And if they do, who cares!

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I love the hose with that kilt! And I always like to see lapels on a waistcoat, as well. I think it adds a lot of depth and character to an outfit. Well done!