Dressing formally kilted, noob

[Tony]

Hi all, long time no post!

I am going to an Opera Ball, dress codes states "Formal Attire", and I have been specifically told by the Chairpersons to come kilted. Most will be in tuxedos, though they said some just show in suits.

I don't think my charcoal tweed Argyle jacket will cut it, so I'm looking at Black Barathea Argyle instead, correct?
I have a black L+M sporran - will this do? I've never liked furry sporrans.
I have black ghillie brogues. I may go with regular oxfords instead.
I probably need a sock upgrade - while I have black, green or navy, they're not what I would call "quality"
I have a Dress Gordon kilt which I think will do nicely. It was good enough to be married in, good enough now.

What else am I missing? or what substitutions would you recommend please?

[Spartan Tartan]

Black Baretha argyle is fine. Wear the best sporran you have. Personally, I would wear normal oxfords rather that gillies. Diced hose might be a nice touch too.

sounds like a fun event. Enjoy!

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Hi all, long time no post!

I am going to an Opera Ball, dress codes states "Formal Attire", and I have been specifically told by the Chairpersons to come kilted. Most will be in tuxedos, though they said some just show in suits.

I don't think my charcoal tweed Argyle jacket will cut it, so I'm looking at Black Barathea Argyle instead, correct?
I have a black L+M sporran - will this do? I've never liked furry sporrans.
I have black ghillie brogues. I may go with regular oxfords instead.
I probably need a sock upgrade - while I have black, green or navy, they're not what I would call "quality"
I have a Dress Gordon kilt which I think will do nicely. It was good enough to be married in, good enough now.

What else am I missing? or what substitutions would you recommend please?

Tony! Good to have you back.. What you have will work just fine. Any gaps that you may want to fill in are easy fixes; here's my list of stuff I wear when going to any sort of black tie function:

BLACK TIE:

White dress shirt* and black bow tie (preferably the kind you tie yourself)
Tartan kilt
Tartan, Argyle, Diced, or sold dark colour hose (socks)
Black, low cut shoes (oxfords or ghillies), polished to a very high shine
Black dress jacket (Argyll, coatee, or doublet) with silver buttons
Black (or coloured) three-button formal waistcoat (vest) OR (if not wearing a waistcoat)
Black dress dirk belt with silver belt plate (buckle) [belt should not be worn with a waistcoat]
Dress sporran (your choice of style; if leather then black)

*Dress shirts can be bought at many JC Penny stores; the kind with a soft, fold over collar, are generally more suited to black tie than the "wing collar" shirts. Another option is a "white on white" shirt of the kind worn with business suits as it can double up for black tie, and still be worn with a suit and tie when required.

Hope that helps!

Scott
MoR

[Tony]

Thanks ST, MoR.

Scott, with saying "what you have will work just fine"....do you mean I could get away with the charcoal tweed Argyll?
As much as I'd like to give Rocky the business I'd prefer to spend several hundred dollars elsewhere (like a custom fit kilt. Hmmmmmm...now there's an idea....)

[Tony]

And drat....

Forgot I'll have to learn how to knot a bow tie. I better get practicing.

[Dale Seago]

I'd think black rather than charcoal for the jacket. You might give some thought to a Spenser jacket, mentioned in this thread:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...l-cheap-77030/

[Tony]

I'd think black rather than charcoal for the jacket. You might give some thought to a Spenser jacket, mentioned in this thread:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...l-cheap-77030/

It's been so long, I completely forgot about that route!
thanks Dale.

[cck]

With the, unfortunately, rather loose interpretations of "formal" these days, you were told that suits would be seen. The kilt, however, does provide some interesting wiggle room. If your Argyle jacket is a dark charcoal and not too tweedy, wear that with a black bow tie and formal shirt. Since my family tartan has a grey background, I wear a dark grey PC. But I would not hesitate to wear my black Argyle to an opera ball if I wanted a different look. The chances are I will be only one there in a smart looking kilt outfit and I certainly won't be criticized for being underdressed.

[Mikilt]

And drat....

Forgot I'll have to learn how to knot a bow tie. I better get practicing.

Good call. Self tied ties look so much better than pre-tied.

There are a number of good tutorials on youtube. Scan a few and see what works for you.

[Tobus]

Good call. Self tied ties look so much better than pre-tied.

There are a number of good tutorials on youtube. Scan a few and see what works for you.

I absolutely agree - a self-tied bow tie not only looks better, it offers much more in the way of personalisation than a pre-tied one. Due to the way a bow tie is tied, it won't always sit exactly straight and level. Having it just ever so slightly askew is a nice personal touch.

I'm not sure why so many people are intimidated by tying a bow tie. It's really not hard at all. Especially with internet sources available to show how it's done. Once you understand the basics of how to tie it, it's pretty easy to do. And the cool thing is that it's a very forgiving knot. Once you have it loosely tied, it's just a matter of snugging it up, adjusting the ends, and repeating that process several times until it's just like you want it. Compare that to a long necktie, where if you don't get the length right on the first go, you have to undo the whole thing and start over. A bow tie is just so much easier to get right, as long as you've got the length adjusted to your neck size.