White Tie

[JSFMACLJR]

Anyone who has attended will tell you that it looks more like a costume ball than a tartan ball! As far as the "instructions for dress" are concerned they are a bit all over the place, and I would not take them as gospel when it comes to being properly dressed.

The correct form is:

White Tie
Orders and Decorations
Highland Attire Preferred

White tie presumes that serving officers may attend in the appropriate uniform. It also assumes that ladies will know how to dress (long gown, but no tiara unless in the presence of Royals); "Orders and Decorations" is self explanatory, and "Highland Attire Preferred" means just that, but with white tie or lace jabot, depending on the style of doublet being worn by the gentleman named on the invitation.

Who said anything about the RCB being a "tartan ball?"

You will find that the dress code is strictly adhered to, and as far as correct current interpretation of "White Tie" for Highland dress goes, pretty damned accurate. The same dress code applies at the balls in Scotland (such as the Oban and Skye Balls)

As far as being "properly dressed" one would have to follow the dress regulations laid down by the Lord Chamberlain in order to be correct:

From the 1937 edition (page 121):

"Dress DOUBLET (not necessarily buttoned) of velvet, cloth (any dark
colour) or tartan.

WAISTCOAT (if Doublet not worn buttoned up) of velvet, cloth (any
colour) or tartan - cut high.

Dress KILT.

Dress HOSE.

PLAID (either "Shoulder" - worn long round body and over left
shoulder, or "Belted" - worn on left shoulder and round waist).

SHOULDER BROOCH for Plaid.

Dress SPORRAN, any pattern, of hair, fur, or skin.

Dress SPORRAN STRAP or CHAIN, any pattern.

Highland basket hilted SWORD, black leather (or metal mounted)
Scabbard.

CROSS BELT of leather (or metal mounted) for carrying the sword worn
over right shoulder.

Dress DIRK.

WAIST BELT of leather (or metal mounted) with buckle, for carrying
Dirk. (This is optional, as Dirk can be carried on belt worn under
Waistcoat or Doublet).

Dess "SKEAN DHU" worn in hose.

PIN for apron of kilt.

JABOT, lace (lace, silk, satin or lawn stock).

CUFFS, lace.

Dress SHOES (with buckle), or brogues, black leather, for evening
wear, buckle optional.

HIGHLAND BONNET - crest or badge worn in it - with Feather or
Feathers for those entitled to them.

Note.-Highland Pistols and Powder Horn may be worn.

Gloves are not worn."

You will note that there is no option for the wearing of a white tie with Highland Dress at Court functions (which included balls of certain types). Of course one finds them being worn these days(even I have done so!) but the look isn't quite "Highland" enough for my taste! Jabots are the preferred neck wear for those from the Western Highlands and Isles.

Tiaras certainly may be worn outside of the presence of Royalty! Anyway, the Royal Caledonian Ball is held under the patronage of Her Majesty The Queen, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, HRH The Princess Royal, and TRH The Duke and Duchess of Kent

Best regards,
Sandford MacLean

[davedove]

To amend Derek's post, a white dinner jacket should really only be worn "East of Suez".

T.

North Carolina is a L-o-o-o-n-g way East of Suez.

Well, when you think of it, EVERYTHING is east of Suez if you go far enough.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

As far as being "properly dressed" one would have to follow the dress regulations laid down by the Lord Chamberlain in order to be correct:

From the 1937 edition (page 121):

"Dress DOUBLET (not necessarily buttoned) of velvet, cloth (any dark
colour) or tartan.

WAISTCOAT (if Doublet not worn buttoned up) of velvet, cloth (any
colour) or tartan - cut high.

Dress KILT.

Dress HOSE.

PLAID (either "Shoulder" - worn long round body and over left
shoulder, or "Belted" - worn on left shoulder and round waist).

SHOULDER BROOCH for Plaid.

Dress SPORRAN, any pattern, of hair, fur, or skin.

Dress SPORRAN STRAP or CHAIN, any pattern.

Highland basket hilted SWORD, black leather (or metal mounted)
Scabbard.

CROSS BELT of leather (or metal mounted) for carrying the sword worn
over right shoulder.

Dress DIRK.

WAIST BELT of leather (or metal mounted) with buckle, for carrying
Dirk. (This is optional, as Dirk can be carried on belt worn under
Waistcoat or Doublet).

Dess "SKEAN DHU" worn in hose.

PIN for apron of kilt.

JABOT, lace (lace, silk, satin or lawn stock).

CUFFS, lace.

Dress SHOES (with buckle), or brogues, black leather, for evening
wear, buckle optional.

HIGHLAND BONNET - crest or badge worn in it - with Feather or
Feathers for those entitled to them.

Note.-Highland Pistols and Powder Horn may be worn.

Gloves are not worn."

These regulations apply only to levee dress. I believe that the last formal levee was held in 1947, although I may be mistaken as to the year. As a matter of interest, levees were held in the morning, not a night, and the manner of dress has nothing to do with civilian evening wear. If you are unsure of this, go back to Dress Worn At Court and look at what is to worn by Gentlemen not entitled to wear a uniform.

You will note that there is no option for the wearing of a white tie with Highland Dress at Court functions (which included balls of certain types).

Just not so, at least not during the present reign. Again, the quoted source only refers to the regulations applying to levee dress in 1937, and does not cover any other specific dress regulations.

Of course one finds them being worn these days(even I have done so!) but the look isn't quite "Highland" enough for my taste!

As a matter of fact, Perthshire Lairds tend to only wear white tie. Last I looked, Perthshire was still considered the highlands. But, suit yourself in neck wear.

Jabots are the preferred neck wear for those from the Western Highlands and Isles.

Only among those who prefer them. I never saw my Mother's uncle, who spent the whole of his non-military career living just outside Oban, ever wear anything other than white or black tie to formal kilted affairs.

People are free to wear whatever they want, regardless of tradition. And, if you know the rules, then you are certainly able to break them if the need arises-- it's those who don't know the rules, and break them, and then try to justify their actions (usually on the feeble grounds of "personal expression") that tend to drag down the whole tone. (Not that I am suggesting for even one minute that you are one of "them".)

Tiaras certainly may be worn outside of the presence of Royalty!

Since neither one of us wears a tiara, I asked my wife (who does) what the protocol is. Her take is this:

White tie with Royals, required. White tie w/o Royals, optional, but not advisable. Black tie -- same as grouse shooting-- never.

I asked her why she wouldn't wear her "glass hat" without royals present and she said that aside from looking "jumped up" it wouldn't be fair to those ladies present who didn't have a tiara.

Seems reasonable to me.

[Bugbear]

I read a novel a day or so ago with a white tie ball or event of some sort in it taking place in modern Scotland. I will have to go look that up and see if there were any interesting descriptions of the clothing.

The white tie is probably above anything I will ever attend, but you never know. I'll have to figure out which book that was in now...

[JSFMACLJR]

These regulations apply only to levee dress. I believe that the last formal levee was held in 1947, although I may be mistaken as to the year. As a matter of interest, levees were held in the morning, not a night, and the manner of dress has nothing to do with civilian evening wear. If you are unsure of this, go back to Dress Worn At Court and look at what is to worn by Gentlemen not entitled to wear a uniform.

Just not so, at least not during the present reign. Again, the quoted source only refers to the regulations applying to levee dress in 1937, and does not cover any other specific dress regulations. As a matter of fact, Perthshire Lairds tend to only wear white tie. Last I looked, Perthshire was still considered the highlands. But, suit yourself in neck wear. Only among those who prefer them. I never saw my Mother's uncle, who spent the whole of his non-military career living just outside Oban, ever wear anything other than white or black tie to formal kilted affairs.

People are free to wear whatever they want, regardless of tradition. And, if you know the rules, then you are certainly able to break them if the need arises-- it's those who don't know the rules, and break them, and then try to justify their actions (usually on the feeble grounds of "personal expression") that tend to drag down the whole tone. (Not that I am suggesting for even one minute that you are one of "them".)

Since neither one of us wears a tiara, I asked my wife (who does) what the protocol is. Her take is this:

White tie with Royals, required. White tie w/o Royals, optional, but not advisable. Black tie -- same as grouse shooting-- never.

I asked her why she wouldn't wear her "glass hat" without royals present and she said that aside from looking "jumped up" it wouldn't be fair to those ladies present who didn't have a tiara.

Seems reasonable to me.

I feel no need to argue with you here. You say one thing; I say another. BUT, I will add that the Lord Chamberlain's regs applied to dress worn to evening events as well. Of course levees were held in the daytime. But State Dinners, Balls, and such were evening affairs.

The history books will let you know that the jabot is certainly the preferred choice. Those Perthshire gentlemen aren't Argyllshire gentlemen. And while civilian dress for gentlemen not wearing uniforms spelled out in the Lord Chamberlain's regulations says white ties are worn, it DOES NOT say so for Highland Dress.

Kind regards,
Sandford MacLean

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Agreed-- no need to become disputatious over dress regulations that were published three quarters of a century ago.
Regards and all that...
Scott

[Bugbear]

All right, I didn't have to go find the description of the Scottish white tie event in those other novels because one popped up in the one I'm reading right now. While it's fresh in memory:
The character wor a doublet, white waistcoat, wing collar shirt (white bowtie, though implied),
Silver watch chain, silver mounted sgian dubh (in left hose top), silver shoe buckles, antique silver buttons on the doublet,
The hose were the same tartan as the kilt.

I didn't see a description of the sporran or the flashes. I also saw no mention of dirks, swords, pistols or sterling silver mourning stars, battle axes, nor battering rams being worn.
Another character wor a blue velvet doublet, but was not described in detail.

The ladies were not described as wearing tiaras.

[Highland Logan]

Silver watch chain

That's interesting Ted. That should get a good spirited debate going.. as it's been said that a gentleman sould not wear a time piece to a formal evening event, because time is not considered importaint.

Frank

[Bugbear]

That's interesting Ted. That should get a good spirited debate going.. as it's been said that a gentleman sould not wear a time piece to a formal evening event, because time is not considered importaint.

Frank

I went back and looked at the description just to make sure, and there was a watch chain across the front of the white waistcoat.

A few other paraphrased details are that the doublet was regulation and made of "silk barathea." That's as far as I'll go without citing the book.

[Highlander31]

Mark, I would go with the black hose. Have a good time at the dinner.