How formal?

[Benning Boy]

Next month I'll be flying to a distant city to attend a concert by Max Raabe and the Palast Orchester. Max is known for being a classy dresser. Audience members often dress stylishly, if not formally, in keeping with the spirit of the performance. I'm considering attending kilted, if I don't wear my tux.


I have everything I need for formal kilted evening wear but a dressy sporran. I really don't want to buy a ready made one now, as I want one made by Artificer more. However, to go formal I'll need one. Can you suggest an inexpensive sporran that will pass as formal wear that might get me buy for now?

On the other hand, I'd really rather wear my dark charcoal gray Kilt Kut suit coat from Freedom Kilts. It's more my style. I'd probably pair it with a a dove gray waistcoat, and subdued necktie. My preference is for brown leather items worn with it. Could this pass muster?

Ordinarily I'd just do my own thing, and go with what I like. However, when at the concert I'll be, in a way, surrounded by millions of people, not all of them being inside the concert hall, naturally, and odds are there will likely be someone in the vicinity who has opinions on the right way and the wrong way to dress for this occasion. It's not that I don't want to offend the sensibilities of the snobbish, they don't matter. However, neither do I want to come off as a hick from the sticks who's just playing dress-up. I want to appear respectable. What is your advice?

[Liam]

Since it is not truly a formal event, your tweed and brown accessories would be likely be ok. My experience that such events there is such a mixture of clothes, that even blue jeans with a shirt and tie would be seen, and someone in a kilt would always stand as a step above most.

[brewerpaul]

Just my two cents after a weekend dressed up for a Broadway musical. We attended "Book of Mormon" in Kansas City this past Friday and had a great time. I look forward to the few events of this nature to dress up a bit. Jennifer always looks stunning so I have to do what I can to this old mug. I was quite floored at the casual nature our society has adopted. I almost felt like I was at a football or basketball game. Jeans and hoodies with big logos or college names, older men in flannel shirts and torn jeans just like fresh off the farm and maybe one or two stray suits and ties. There were at least 3000 people there and I feel Jennifer and I were about the best dressed, at least in the balcony we were in. Sorry no photo but for my semi-formal dress I wore my German Heritage tank(Bonnie Heather Greene made), grey long sleeve shirt, dark charcoal grey argyle and vest with faux horn buttons, light blue wool tie and garter ties that matched in colour, navy Lewis kilt hose, black wingtip shoes, black kilt belt and black tassled leather sporran with antiqued cantel. This all made for a pretty snazzy outfit that I felt to be "Tip Top" for most occasions of such nature that I might attend. It always helps to have a lovely woman like Jennifer on my arm too. So I think what you have in mind is quite fine unless you think you need full blown tux. I almost dressed down to my tweed jacket and brown leather but I wear my Argyle so rare I wanted to stay spiffed up. I think it is all about what you feel best dressed in and you should dress according to that. I felt great all spiffed up and I always feel well turned out in my tweeds too.

[cck]

I don't see your need for a formal sporran, especially if you are wearing brown leather. What you have sounds great and you will be one of the most nicely dressed there. Go and enjoy and take in the compliments you'll get wearing a kilt.

[Benning Boy]

I always feel great when dressed up, too. I kinda miss the days when I wore a dress uniform, or suit and tie to work. However, nowadays for 99% of the time jeans and a polo shirt are about as dressy as I get when not kilted. There are videos of Max's performances online, and I've noted even in Europe many attendees dress down, although not as slovenly as A-merkins do.(Look that LBJ-ism up in your dictionary )

My seats are just about the best in the house, so we'll be seated where almost everyone in attendance can see us. I just wouldn't feel right wearing a Cabela's logo shirt, worn jeans, and pliers holstered on my hip, although that would be perfectly acceptable evening wear in these parts. Heck, some oldtimers consider a clean set of bib overalls, a white shirt and tie, shined shoes, and a short work jacket to be formal.

[robbiethepiper]

All a matter of personal opinion but...Brown leather accessories say very clearly and loudly 'daytime' and 'country'. For an evening concert I would only wear black leather. Dress sporrans are OTT unless it is a formal black tie event so any black day sporran would be good. Dark grey jacket and a different shade of grey vest sounds excellent

[Mikilt]

I am attending the opera in Chicago this weekend and I am wearing a kilt, black Wallace style jacket and vest, tuxedo shirt and a black bow tie. I am also in the market for a quality evening sporran. I have an inexpensive faux fur sporran that will pass at a distance.

[Liam]

All a matter of personal opinion but...Brown leather accessories say very clearly and loudly 'daytime' and 'country'. For an evening concert I would only wear black leather. Dress sporrans are OTT unless it is a formal black tie event so any black day sporran would be good. Dark grey jacket and a different shade of grey vest sounds excellent

Admitedly, black leather would be more appropriate, if you have them. I assumed from the OP that he did not.

[Tarheel]

Benning my friend, have you checked on a rental shop for a formal or dressier sporran? A few dollars now to rent will let you keep the budget for an Artificer's kit later.

[Pipersson]

Max Raabe wears tails usually...but he is on stage performing.
So you don't have to wear a formal outfit...on the other hand it's a pretty good occasion to do so :-)