Stylin'

[GMan]

Graham you stylin' dude you, well done

[Hamish]

Hamish,

The Scottish National tartan is based on the Black Watch, with white and red lines added. My very first kilt was in this tartan, as a matter of fact (it's one of the ones I am selling currently)
http://kilts.albanach.org/kilt_sctshnatl.jpg

Thank you for that, Matt. It is a fine tartan - and that's from one who does not care for Black Watch! It is strange that I could find no reference to it through the STA website, in the Scottish Tartans World Register, or in any of my reference books! Admittedly, I have not looked to see what you are selling privately since I know full-well that I would not be able to get into any of them. I've not been your 'shape' since I was in my 20s!!!

I wore a lot of kakhi and oatmeal colored shirts with it, either with matching color hose, or sometimes a bottle green. Red flashes on the green hose, or green flashes on the kakhi hose.

Yes, I can imagine those all looking good - all in perfectly 'good taste'!

You mentioned staying with solid color shirts. I will only add that you don't have to be afraid of patterns, as long as it is the right pattern. I have a shirt that has a very tight check of kakhi and blue that just looks fabulous with this kilt. The pattern is small enough that it doesn't look like "plaid" -- so it is rather like a solid in effect. And it combines two colors that both look equally well with the tartan.

Oh, I agree! If the pattern is fine enough, and discrete enough, it can work and work well, but keeping matters to the basics when giving advice I believe it's best to stick to the solids. What some people might consider a small pattern shirt, could be a Hawaiian shirt to others!

Once guys, who previously had no conception of colour co-ordination, have learned the art, then they can experiment with variations and judge for themselves where to draw the line. For some, having an eye for colour, tone and texture, is a gift or a talent - others have to learn about these things, and that takes time.

I also wore blue shirts with this, though not as dark a blue as you see in the tartan. One I was a faded blue denim. Another was a darker color blue, but still much lighter than the navy blue in the tartan.

They were far enough removed from the blue in the tartan that it didn't look like I was trying to "match" it, but they were still complimentary shades. Often, though, with the mid-color blue shirt, I would wear a brown pull-over sweater vest to break up the color a bit, and found that very effective.

Aye,
Matt

You see, Matt. You have that gift or talent and instinctively know how far to go. I believe we both have that in common, and I am grateful to you for your post.

[Rubber Soul]

That's great to hear! I'm also curious of the way that Hamish suggested to roll down the socks, any pictures?

[Casey]

I think that it is very improtant that one appears to have put some thought into how they are dressed. One must ask the question: "What image do I want to present?"

Women especially like a man that is "put together". Quite often, when we are going out, my wife will change how she is dressed because she feels that I am "dressed up" as I am wearing a kilt.