Prince Charlie

[Pleater]

Modern, looser tailoring doesn't do well recreating older styles.
I had to narrow and tighten the shoulders considerably on the jacket I made to go with kilts to get the right look - then, being female I abandoned it for a bolero to show off my lace.

The classic Prince Charlie should ideally be fitted during its construction, as it has fairly narrow upper sleeve and armhole, and shoulders with epaulettes used to support a fly plaid need to be close fitting so the jacket isn't pulled to one side.
Worn without the plaid, it should stay level - but I have to agree with McMurdo and back up the advice to to to someone who is familiar with this very specific type of tailoring. If there is no one really local you might be better off leaving it as it is for the time being - in these unusual times, and waiting until you can travel to have fittings done as required.

Anne the Pleater

[Pleater]

Oh that is much better.
If there is no local expert then it really is going to be better to leave well enough alone, I think.

Anne the Pleater

[AustinDiver]

Thanks, It is a little loose, Prince Charlies are more British Military sizing traditionally. I compensated a little and should not have.

Even with a close fit, I do not think that the brooch is practical. It was too high up. It is too heavy. It looks cool.
But still, the PC is unbuttoned, a heavy plaid/brooch will pull.


I will have to look to see if there are experienced highland attire tailors around Austin. People do own kilts, but not that many. Prince Charlie jackets are rare. Austin is not really a black tie type of town for the most part.

I could look if there are any piper communities and ask.

The jacket is made with 18oz barathea.

[Navy87Guy]

Thanks, It is a little loose, Prince Charlies are more British Military sizing traditionally. I compensated a little and should not have.

Even with a close fit, I do not think that the brooch is practical. It was too high up. It is too heavy. It looks cool.
But still, the PC is unbuttoned, a heavy plaid/brooch will pull.


I will have to look to see if there are experienced highland attire tailors around Austin. People do own kilts, but not that many. Prince Charlie jackets are rare. Austin is not really a black tie type of town for the most part.

I could look if there are any piper communities and ask.

The jacket is made with 18oz barathea.

I know Texas is a big place, but I can't help but notice "Houston Traditional Kilt Makers" listed at the top of this forum page. Maybe they can help -- and even of you don't want to make a 3-hr drive, maybe they know of someone in the Austin area.

[Tomo]

I know Texas is a big place, but I can't help but notice "Houston Traditional Kilt Makers" listed at the top of this forum page. Maybe they can help -- and even of you don't want to make a 3-hr drive, maybe they know of someone in the Austin area.

Houston Kiltmakers are based in Paisley, Scotland.

[Navy87Guy]

Houston Kiltmakers are based in Paisley, Scotland.

LOL! Well, that would be a long drive from Austin!!

(Although I see they have a nice collection of my Hamilton tartans. Not surprising, given the location!)

[OC Richard]

How long should a Prince Charlie jacket be? I just received one. It appears a little longer than traditional. I probably got the chest a little too large. It is comfortable.

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It looks fine to me.

I think it's better to err on the "comfortable" side.

I will mention that the Prince Charlie Coatee, from its first invention, was usually worn with few accessories: no dirk, no dirk belt, no plaid.

That's because it's a 20th century creation, and began becoming popular in the decade following World War One, at the time when Highland Dress was jettisoning accessories in general.

Wearing Victorian accessories with the Prince Charlie would sort of be like putting wooden waggon wheels on a modern automobile.

That being said, the one accessory one does sometimes see with the PC in the 1920s and 1930s is the belted plaid with brooch. (The belted plaid has always been the standard Evening Dress plaid, an expensive complex garment, not to be confused with the quite recent "fly plaid".) As the name implies the belted plaid has a narrow cloth self-belt which goes around the waist under the waistcoat and supports much of the plaid's weight, thus it hangs better and stays in place better than the modern fly plaid.

For a comparison and timeline of the de-accessorisation of Highland Dress, here are gents in a 1909 catalogue and in a 1930s catalogue. The difference is dramatic as one can see. One wonders to what extent World War One had an impact.