Finally...a more formal outfit with tweed.

**scotswelshrunner** · 21st April 13, 05:33 AM

I've been trying to strike a happy medium with my kilts and be comfortable as well as somewhat casual as formal wear is more expensive. Finally I put together an assortment of tweed and such to wear a more formal yet also day wear outfit. The jacket and shirt are from Goodwill,waistcoat from Macy's,the kilt from UT kilts,an 8 yd Black Watch and the shoes my favourite brand...Allen Edmonds. The sporran is a Stillwater and the hose from Sock Dreams in Portland. The kilt is worn a little lower in this photo but usually I'm at knee level.

Now THIS is how I like to dress during the fall through early spring days. I adore tweed and especially brown tones.

tweed formal kilt small.jpg IMG_2982.jpg

Other than the kilt length,I think I'm FINALLY getting the hang of wearing a kilt. It has taken a few months but it is coming along. And as I'm a cheapskate and poor at the same time,I try to find the best deals I can for used or new clothing.

Thoughts?

**Jock Scot** · 21st April 13, 05:38 AM

Thoughts. TOP of the knee level would show both you and the kilt off to far better advantage.

**scotswelshrunner** · 21st April 13, 05:42 AM

Agreed. Need to do that and wear it higher. The other option is having both BW kilts altered but it is expensive so I will just wear the kilt higher on the upper body.

**CMcG** · 21st April 13, 05:50 AM

I'm more concerned about the length of the jacket than the hem of the kilt. We can see some knee. You're good.

That looks like a regular sportcoat: no sporran cutaway, body longer than the arms, etc. You should look into converting it yourself or find someone to help you. There are many threads about jacket conversion on the forum.

**unixken** · 21st April 13, 05:59 AM

Originally Posted by CMcG

I'm more concerned about the length of the jacket than the hem of the kilt. We can see some knee. You're good.

That looks like a regular sportcoat: no sporran cutaway, body longer than the arms, etc. You should look into converting it yourself or find someone to help you. There are many threads about jacket conversion on the forum.

My thoughts, too. Modify the jacket, and you'll have nailed a great ensemble!

**scotswelshrunner** · 21st April 13, 06:52 AM

Originally Posted by CMcG

I'm more concerned about the length of the jacket than the hem of the kilt. We can see some knee. You're good.

That looks like a regular sportcoat: no sporran cutaway, body longer than the arms, etc. You should look into converting it yourself or find someone to help you. There are many threads about jacket conversion on the forum.

You are right in that it is indeed a regular tweed sport coat. This was a spur of the moment addition but is not tailored for a sporran. I'm certainly no good with needle and thread so doing it myself is out of the question. As for having it done,yes my local seamstress said she could tailor it better but as mentioned in another post,it would be $40 and up. That makes the cost of the jacket considerable and way out of my price range. I don't mind being poor except in the clothes dept! :-)

But, who knows. To be honest, I like this look and the way the outfit works. It is not up to certain Highland dress standards though and so I shall tweak where I can w/o spending too many dollars. I'll look into a different jacket as well since Goodwill and Value Village seem to have occasional deals. This jacket set me back a whole $8.

**Spartan Tartan** · 21st April 13, 07:34 AM

I agree that a shorter jacket would be nicer, but given what you have available I think you look great. I especially like the brown leather accessories. Well done.

**CMcG** · 21st April 13, 07:44 AM

Originally Posted by scotswelshrunner

... I'm certainly no good with needle and thread so doing it myself is out of the question. As for having it done,yes my local seamstress said she could tailor it better but as mentioned in another post,it would be $40 and up. That makes the cost of the jacket considerable and way out of my price range. I don't mind being poor except in the clothes dept! :-)

...

When one is short on funds, DIY (do-it-yourself) is still an option. Several people have posted threads about never having sewn anything in their lives and yet, by hook or by crook, finding a way to convert a jacket. I seem to recall someone even did part of it with fabric tape or glue!

**MacMillans son** · 21st April 13, 05:58 AM

A great start SWR.

At your earliest convenience (financial or otherwise) I would have the jacket shortened to as close to the middle of your buttocks as possible (typically where the stitching stops on the pleats). There are a number of threads on here about jacket conversions that you may find useful. I found that it costs about $40 US to get it done here in California. It requires playing around a bit with the radius cut in the front so as not to have the pockets appear too close to the hem of the jacket, but a good compromise within an inch or so of the bottom of the fell, can yield a quite serviceable jacket.

Best of luck!

Apparently I need to speed up my typing!

**Jock Scot** · 21st April 13, 05:49 AM

You've got it! The problem is usually easily solved once the mindset of the wearer is right. We are only talking of a couple of inches at most and with luck the kilt will absorb the adjustment easily. I suspect that your kilt may have been designed to be worn higher anyway.