Black Tie with Kilt Etiquette - Ladies edition

[Jock Scot]

I would ask the people who are sponsoring/hosting the dinner what women would wear for "black tie". It may not include any tartan at all.

I don't want to dampen your enthusiasm, but it might be worth you bearing in mind the words in the post above. Although I don't venture out to many black tie functions these days, other than small dinner parties(8/10 people) where tartan is almost never worn by the ladies. I am also told by the younger generation who do venture out to larger formal events in Scotland that a lady wearing any tartan at all is a very rare sight and its been that way for many a year in my experience................and before some wag makes a witty observation,........... yes the ladies were definitely wearing something!

Often, photographs are not encouraged and are sometimes, actively discouraged if a V.I.P. is present.

What you choose to wear is up to you, but if it were my wife, she would be in touch with the hosts for their advice.

Good luck.

[Allan Thomson]

I would say wear what ladies normally wear to black tie with an addition of a tartan sash. That is what most ladies would wear to a burns or st Andrew's.

Tartan skirts are more informal unless you're wearing a tartan wedding dress.

[Steve Ashton]

I guess I have never understood the thinking of Tartan everywhere. I have a kilt so I don't feel I need more.

And I guess I was raised at a time when gentlemen never dressed in way that they outshine their lady.

To this day I still, unconsciously, dress with the "less is more" and the "simple is always classic and elegant" thinking.

A lady in a formal gown will outshine a guy in a kilt anyway so - she may wear some Tartan, or an accent of Tartan if she wishes, of course. But does not require Tartan to accomplish that.

In fact, any lady, entering any room, in ball gown and I can guarantee no one is looking at Tartan.

[Katia]

But sometimes women *want* to be able to wear tartan. Perhaps we like it, perhaps we want to represent family, perhaps we don't want to show up to a Scottish-themed event with nary a Scottish representation in our attire.

There is a difference between "you don't have to" do something, and "you should not/may not" do something. Often the two are conflated.

[Steve Ashton]

You are absolutely correct Katia. My point was, that just because someone attends a Scottish Themed event does not mean that they MUST wear Tartan.

It is sort of like the old adage - "Its not what you wear, but how you wear it".
Which sort of goes along with another that says - "The first 10 seconds after a lady enters a room are the most important. The 1st second is all about her fashion sense -The following 9 seconds tell you about her character."

[McMurdo]

I think some really wonderful advise has been given, baring St. Andrews Day Balls and Robert Burns suppers there are few times in the calendar when one is asked to wear black tie highland wear these days. One such occasion was a few years ago when Nathan invited a few of us to his home for an intimate evening in black tie. Here is one photo showing the company including ladies present that night, none of them wore tartan at all, each of them could have if the had chose to. The sunlight was flooding the room as it was setting.



This is a shot of the men that night