A gent's highland wedding outfit

[Jock Scot]

OC Richard.

I don't know whether to laugh,or cry!!!!!!!

[Brian K]

OC Richard.

I don't know whether to laugh,or cry!!!!!!!

Laugh - it feels better and it's a lot more fun, and if what Richard has described isn't laughable nothing is!

[MacRobert's Reply]

Thanks cousin Jim, fluter and Jock. Well spotted MacBean! That was so funny OC Richard that I really did laugh till I cried.

[slohairt]

That is funny! (The Beast 'officiating' made me spit out my coffee!) It's also a bit sad and disturbing! I've been to a couple of weddings over the years that were very extravagant and had obviously cost far too much money. I always think it is such a vain waste of resources that could have been put to a better use, such as down-payment on a first home for the couple, or a new car, or something like that. Even a nice trip would be good rather than a bunch of overpriced settings, a wedding gown which will be worn only once and then possibly 'trashed' (a strange new custom indeed )

[Jack Daw]

For those clucking at the lavishishness of an American wedding; in defense, I'd like to say that such affairs are reserved primarily for the bride's first wedding. By the third or fourth nuptial, saner minds take over.

[Brian K]

For those clucking at the lavishishness of an American wedding; in defense, I'd like to say that such affairs are reserved primarily for the bride's first wedding. By the third or fourth nuptial, saner minds take over.

It would seem to me that if she gets to Nos. 3 or 4 then there was never an issue of sanity to begin with

[Good Egg]

A very good original post. Like many others the only point I'd disagree on is the matching bit and the silver tie. I'm not a big fan of ties, unfortunately convention says that one must wear one so when you have to the tie should say something about you. School, club, regiment, clan or an expression of your style and taste. A silver tie would say to me that either the wearer is deadly dull or lacks the confidence to express himself in anyway.

The other bit of advice I would offer to anyone getting married is avoid uniformity. Nothing looks worse than all the men dressed exactly the same, unless they are actually in uniform (and even then they are likely to have different badges and medals).

And lastly on the invitations please tell your guests what you expect them to wear - ie at what level of formality you expect them to dress. The most difficult functions to dress correctly for are the ones where the host says 'wear what you like'.

[Jock Scot]

A very good original post. Like many others the only point I'd disagree on is the matching bit and the silver tie. I'm not a big fan of ties, unfortunately convention says that one must wear one so when you have to the tie should say something about you. School, club, regiment, clan or an expression of your style and taste. A silver tie would say to me that either the wearer is deadly dull or lacks the confidence to express himself in anyway.

The other bit of advice I would offer to anyone getting married is avoid uniformity. Nothing looks worse than all the men dressed exactly the same, unless they are actually in uniform (and even then they are likely to have different badges and medals).

And lastly on the invitations please tell your guests what you expect them to wear - ie at what level of formality you expect them to dress. The most difficult functions to dress correctly for are the ones where the host says 'wear what you like'.

Sage advice there.

[OC Richard]

It's interesting to read an article on this topic (a Gent's Highland wedding outfit) in an old catalogue I just got:

The Scottish National Dress

Wm Anderson & Sons Ltd
Edinburgh & Glasgow

The date of publication can be inferred by:

By Appointment To His Late Majesty King George V.

(He died in 1936.)

On page 21 is the following:

"Highland Dress For Weddings and Courts

There is frequently some doubt as to what constitutes correct Highland Dress for use at Weddings and other Full Dress functions, and the following notes may be of assistance.

The bridgegroom should be in full dress, consisting of a buttoned up coat, kilt, sporran, hose, buckled brogues, belted or short plaid, dirk belt and dirk. A typical outfit of this kind is illustrated. (The illustration shows a man wearing buckled ghillies, castellated tartan hose, kilt, sealskin modern Evening Dress sporran, Kenmore doublet, lace jabot, belted plaid with brooch, and Balmoral.) It should be used by the bridegroom and the best man whenever the bride is in full bridal array. Incidentally, it is readily adaptable for evening wear afterwards.

An alternative is permissible, especially when the wedding is in the country, is that a jacket of the ordinary day shape should be worn, but that this be made of dark grey or black material. This latter dress is also the correct one for a guest at a wedding. Except when the bride is in ordinary dress and the male guests in lounge suits, a tweed jacket is not strictly correct, though sometimes worn."

[JSFMACLJR]

a tweed jacket is not strictly correct, though sometimes worn."

Amazing what the passage of some 70 years will do!