HERE'S a TREAT

[MNlad]

Does that kit include a clown car?

[creagdhubh]

I, personally, like to see a contrast in size of pattern. So for a kilt with an average-to-large sett size, a jacket with a nice, tight checked pattern would look splendid. But in the above photo posted by OCR, the kilt is in a very small sett tartan, and so the lager pattern on the jacket setts it off quite nicely.

I think Jock is correct, mixing patterns can be overdone. However, in my experience most Americans suffer from the opposite malady and are hesitant to mix any patterns at all. It has been an uphill battle for me to convince many of my co-patriots that it is ok to wear a tattersal shirt with their tartan kilt, or that the windowpane tweed might add a bit more character to their daywear ensemble than the plain colored tweed jacket they were contemplating. I'm happy to risk "overdoing it" a bit if it means getting people to branch out and experiment with more patterns in their Highland attire. Sure there will be a few missteps along the way, but that always happens when one is learning to walk! :-)

Well stated, Matt!

[OC Richard]

Using as much of my British skill at under-statement as I can muster, the outfit is pretty grim.

It's simply the strangest photo I've ever seen of Highland Dress, made the stranger because everything is "real" Made In Scotland quality stuff, but wowza! And Edinburgh Castle in the background! And that hair!

I just now noticed something I hadn't: he's wearing an Isle of Skye fly plaid, as if there weren't enough clashing things already.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

How about this??



There's a nice contrast between the pattern of the jacket and the plain kilt... but let's face it, it's hideous.

I think that outfit actually comes from Kinloch Anderson! At least the doublet does. I saw that same doublet on display at the Tartan Day event at Ellis Island in 2011. It's a silk Montrose doublet in the Ramsay tartan.

The Celebration of Tartan exhibit was hosted by the Clan Currie Society and this particular outfit I am fairly certain was put on loan to them by Kinloch Anderson. However, the outfit on display was with a black kilt, not a putple one, and did not include hose or fly plaid.

But I feel certain this must be the same doublet. Unless there are two silk Ramsay tartan Montrose doublets floating about out there...

[creagdhubh]

Here's another treat from Bookster! A much smarter looking (check) tweed to my eye than the first one. Pity it's way too small for me.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/EXCEPTIONAL-...-/321086368813

[MNlad]

That one caught my eye as well. Alas, I too would find it a tight fit—a very, very tight fit. Damn!

[OC Richard]

Odd that they have a poster from a Highlander movie, showing a ridiculous costume, as part of an Ellis Island exhibit. The whole thing is a bit strange, seeming to suggest that an immigrant would step off the boat at Ellis Island dressed in barbarian furs, or wearing a silk tartan Montrose jacket and lace jabot.

I do like that 19th century-looking tartan dress, which looks like something an immigrant might actually have worn.

[creagdhubh]

Odd that they have a poster from a Highlander movie, showing a ridiculous costume, as part of an Ellis Island exhibit. The whole thing is a bit strange, seeming to suggest that an immigrant would step off the boat at Ellis Island dressed in barbarian furs, or wearing a silk tartan Montrose jacket and lace jabot.

I do like that 19th century-looking tartan dress, which looks like something an immigrant might actually have worn.

***

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Odd that they have a poster from a Highlander movie, showing a ridiculous costume, as part of an Ellis Island exhibit. The whole thing is a bit strange, seeming to suggest that an immigrant would step off the boat at Ellis Island dressed in barbarian furs, or wearing a silk tartan Montrose jacket and lace jabot.

I do like that 19th century-looking tartan dress, which looks like something an immigrant might actually have worn.

The exhibit was not about immigration to Ellis Island. The exhibit was called "A Celebration of Tartan" and it happened to be on Ellis Island as part of the Tartan Day events there. There were examples of tartan both historic and modern on hand. The educational part of the exhibit featured a number of tall free standing display boards giving the story of tartan, and on the back of each of these boards was a photograph of some famous celebrity in tartan; either in a film, or otherwise. So the Highlander scene there was in this context. There were also photos of Sean Connery, Mel Gibson from Braveheart, various Royalty, and so forth. There were also some larger than life renderings of the MacLeay figures. Quite a nice exhibit all in all.

[MacLowlife]

I wonder, Matt, whether the pictures of celebrities were on the backs or all of that dull writing...Sorry, my opinion of the average exhibit viewer is a little jaundiced.

I also wonder, just what K-A had in mind when they made that doublet. I am guessing they made it up for someone who changed his mind- or the fit was off, in which case there may be two of them. OR, they made it up simply to promote a slightly different look. But what I wonder about is what the old guys in the back at K-A, the ones who have seen everything and probably have some very decided ideas- what THEY would recommend it be worn with.

Not being a Ramsay or having a Ramsay kilt, I don't think that it is for me. But for a very special occasion ( the wearer's wedding, or maybe his daughter's) do we think it might be worn with a Ramsay kilt?

One thing I do know- a Dupioni Montrose is probably a lot cooler to wear than either a wool or velvet one. K-A may have had in mind to promote the use of silk tartan fabric in general for above-the-waist formal wear. To borrow a phrase from a friend of mine, it has a definite "fuzzy dice" appeal.