Waistcoats and weights of cloth

[Jacobite Laddie]

I intend to get an evening waistcoat made up in a tartan cloth; and I wonder if anyone might help me as I have been offered a variety of weights – I know enough about kilt weights, but what sort of thing do you want in a waistcoat? It’s easy enough if you’re being offered different tweeds, but this is four or five bolts of identical cloth of differing weights – it’s from Kinloch Anderson, so anything from ten and a half ounces to sixteen!

[Tobus]

I'd go with the heaviest cloth available.

[Glen]

I'd go with the heaviest cloth available.

I always thought one would want a lighter weight, especially where the climate is warmer. I am getting one made, and the lighter weight was not available thus getting 16 oz, but it is cooler up here in Edmonton, Canada!

[Father Bill]

If you plan to wear it with your kilt, I would think that having it made from the same bolt of cloth would be the thing to do, regardless of weight. If you get it in a lighter weight, the size of the sett will inevitably be different, and if you get it from any other bolt, the colours won't likely match very well.

[unixken]

It's been indicated in another thread (Matt even posted some pics), that as long as the difference in sett size is small enough, it is quite doable to have a different weight fabric in the vest, as in the kilt. If the heavy weight kilt has an 8 inch sett, and the medium weight vest has a 7 inch sett, few will likely notice, particularly if the vest is cut on the bias.

But what is more important to consider, in my opnion, is that the dies used between each fabric match. For example, I see that the yellow particularly, differs a bit between the Locharron heavy weight Strome fabric of my kilt, and the Lochcarron medium weight Riever fabric of my tam-o-shanter and waistcoat, all in the Buchanan Modern tartan. In the lighter weight fabric, the yellow has more of a gold tone. If I wore the vest with a suit but no kilt, or the kilt without the vest, no one would notice. But worn together in sunlight or in a well lit room, it's likely noticeable if you look closely.

So I would say to get best possible match of the colors, get both the kilt and the waistcoat made at the same time, from the same bolt of fabric.

[Tobus]

I always thought one would want a lighter weight, especially where the climate is warmer. I am getting one made, and the lighter weight was not available thus getting 16 oz, but it is cooler up here in Edmonton, Canada!

IMHO, people make way too much out of the concept of heavier cloth being warmer than lighter cloth. Especially when used like this, as a single layer in a waistcoat (not a pleated kilt where numerous layers of cloth are overlapping). I really don't think there will be any noticeable difference in heat retention from 11 oz to 16 oz in a waistcoat.

The reason I'd go with a heavier weave is for a better feel and lay of the cloth. Heavier cloth won't wrinkle as easily and will just look better in my opinion. I've noticed over time that when it comes to waistcoats and jackets, the ones I love wearing the most are the heavier/thicker ones. They just wear better than thin ones, for reasons I can't really describe.

[creagdhubh]

My tartan waistcoats that I wear with Highland evening attire are all made of heavyweight tartan and they are all from Kinloch Anderson. All of my kilts are also made of heavyweight tartan, so I keep my tartan waistcoats consistent in that regard.

Cheers,