Seeking more opinions about White Tie and a velvet Sheriffmuir

[MacRobert's Reply]

I was wondering if you had the white one because you felt it was necessary for white tie or if you just like having a variety of options.

I just like the cream silk. Really any colour would do and a matching waistcoat is fine.

I guess the last question then is how many buttons to have on the vest. I am assuming at least 5, but Kinloch Anderson seems to advocate for a 7 button vest, and I have seen your 6 button white vest look good as well.

The cream silk and tartan silk waistcoats both have six buttons. The matching black velvet one only five. To look right with a jabot or cravat, the waistcoat needs to be cut with a high neckline, so six or seven buttons will do the job. I am only 5'7" tall so six are sufficient for me. I use the five button matching waistcoat to dress down and wear the doublet with a black bow tie but a higher cut matching waistcoat would be equally appropriate for white tie.

How much play is there with this in regards to the Sheriffmuir? Maybe I am just overthinking it but with the Jabot or a cravat it would seem that perhaps higher is better for a cleaner look and not much (if any) shirt showing other than the collar and a small framing around the necktie... although with either a jabot or a regency cravat the presentation of the neckwear is large enough that I can't imagine much shirt being visible either way.

I think you have the thinking right on this. Little shirt should show at the neck, and no shirt should show at the front with a jabot or cravat. The waistcoat needs to be high enough so that, together, the waistcoat and the jabot or cravat if worn outside the waistcoat cover the shirt front completely - no gap between bottom of jabot or cravat and waistcoat. However, if the cravat is worn inside the waistcoat the neckline of the waistcoat needs to be cut to expose the amount of cravat you want to show - a matter of personal taste.