Morning Dress Equivalent II

[smacw]

Sorry to dredge up this old (closed) one, but I feel I have some value to add.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...ivalent-60022/

I feel you can wear a kilt when the invite specifies morning dress.

Of course another option is trews with a morning coat thus: http://www.people.com/people/package...903437,00.html

But if going with the kilt, stay away from all forms of modified evening dress, and stick closer to J. "Scotty" Thompson than the MacKinnon book offered in the old thread. Honestly, tartan hose,dirks and silver buttons everywhere and throw in a sliver FIH, borders on, if not crosses in to, parody.


I look to the master: For my own wedding I had my tailor copy this jacket/vest combo: http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...-photos-49608/
in a similar oxford gray worsted. My Scottish born friend advised against a leather days sporran, and suggested white fur and (off) white hose to maintain the formality, though my groomsmen wore their own grey lounge suits. It was a rather small wedding. Were I to do it again I might not do the white hose, but who knows. I know the stigma they have acquired being associated with hire Prince Charlies (I wear full tartan hose with evening dress) but I don't think it was the worst advise under the circumstances, as they do have a place somewhere for sure.
Were I invited today as a guest to a wedding asking for morning attire and I wanted to wear a kilt, I might substitute a dove gray or beige linen morning vest and my favorite salmon colored hose.
I think a black argyle or dark gray solid tweed in day pattern are fine, but a dove gray vest might just be the thing.
Stay away from most other tweeds: lovats, estate, hunting, Harris, etc. Just not formal enough.
Tie: have a ball, the silver wedding tie is dead among people with any taste or imagination.
Cheers,

[davidlpope]

I respectfully have to disagree. I think if the invitation says morning dress, then morning dress it is.

My understanding is tweed jackets of whatever pattern are worn at Highland weddings. While your comments re: gray worsted jackets and doeskin waistcoats are thoughtful, I think you're attempting to create an amalgam of THCD and morning dress. If you decide to wear highland attire for such an event, better to follow Highland conventions, I think.

Cordially,

David

[caig]

There is no direct, official, alternative to morning dress. However, most formal occasions in the UK that require morning dress also have an alternative as lounge suit or national dress. This is what HM The Queen specifies in her invitations to Trooping the Colour and garden parties. I am attending Trooping the Colour on 11th June and I did check with the Household Division that a kilt with dark jacket and tie is an acceptable alternative.

There are very few events when morning dress with no alternative is specified and for those, one should wear morning dress.

[Bugbear]

I decided to look through that old thread to see if I posted, and if so, how big of an idiot I made of myself... again.

Here is what I wrote:

I have read here on the forum, in fact been told over and over, that the silver button, black fine wool, Argyle jacket and five button waistcoat, along with the four-in-hand tie, is the equivalent of the Morning suit.

It is singed into my soul at this point, and I will break out in a nervous rash if I do not post this.

Guess I didn't do too bad in that one.

[Jock Scot]

10 out of 10 Ted! Well done. I note that you are working on the British understatement style too.

[davidlpope]

From the Clan Campbell website, showing what Argyll wore to his wedding:



And from the Clan Livingston website, what Bachuil wore to his:

[smacw]

I respectfully have to disagree. I think if the invitation says morning dress, then morning dress it is.

My understanding is tweed jackets of whatever pattern are worn at Highland weddings. While your comments re: gray worsted jackets and doeskin waistcoats are thoughtful, I think you're attempting to create an amalgam of THCD and morning dress. If you decide to wear highland attire for such an event, better to follow Highland conventions, I think.

Cordially,

David

I believe I was offering highland (and one lowland) conventions not some ersatz amalgam. Seems the Duke of Argyll (above) and I are on the same page.
No where do I advocate doeskin vests as they are for of similar formality to tweed jackets.

<<My understanding is tweed jackets of whatever pattern are worn at Highland weddings.>> I'm sure they are, along with prince charlies in midday if those are what the local hire shop has available.

Cheers,

[smacw]

From the Clan Campbell website, showing what Argyll wore to his wedding:



And from the Clan Livingston website, what Bachuil wore to his:

The Livingston wedding probably wasn't morning suit, but rather lounge suit level of formality. The fellow on the right was probably an army officer judging by his tie.
Aren't they lowlanders anyway?;-)

In the Argyll shot, a guest in the background is clearly wearing a morning coat, therefore his day jacket and waistcoat in dark blue worsted suiting (like my gray borrowed form the POW) with formal sporran would seem to be the highland convention for that level of formality. I don't have "So you're Going to Wear the Kilt" handy, but I believe Thompson details much the same for daytime formal and /or adapting the black argyle jacket w/o silver buttons, hitting much the same note.

[JSFMACLJR]

The Livingston wedding probably wasn't morning suit, but rather lounge suit level of formality. The fellow on the right was probably an army officer judging by his tie.
Aren't they lowlanders anyway?;-)

In the Argyll shot, a guest in the background is clearly wearing a morning coat, therefore his day jacket and waistcoat in dark blue worsted suiting (like my gray borrowed form the POW) with formal sporran would seem to be the highland convention for that level of formality. I don't have "So you're Going to Wear the Kilt" handy, but I believe Thompson details much the same for daytime formal and /or adapting the black argyle jacket w/o silver buttons, hitting much the same note.

They most certainly are NOT Lowlanders!

And no, Sandy Livingstone is not an army officer. Furthermore, gentlemen not in the kilt wore morning coats. Don't be so presumptuous, sir.

[davidlpope]

I don't have "So you're Going to Wear the Kilt" handy, but I believe Thompson details much the same for daytime formal and /or adapting the black argyle jacket w/o silver buttons, hitting much the same note.

If you are relying on the Thompson book as your "how-to guide" then you're likely to be mislead. There are some wonderful threads here on this site that address all the issues you've raised, I'd encourage you to use the search feature and research them prior to forming such strongly held opinions.

Cordially,

David