Jock,

I didn't read where he was suggesting the groom wear a different tartan, but that he should take a bit of extra care on such a special occasion to match his hose, flashes, etc., with the colors of his tartan.

You've advised often in the forum that people generally spend too much time worrying about "matching" and that the kilt-wearing Highland Scot does not concern himself with making sure everything coordinates. I completely understand this.

However, I've also noticed something in my years advising people on how to wear the kilt, and observing kilt wearers on both sides of the pond. Scots (in general) seem to have a better "eye" for mixing colors and patterns, perhaps without even giving it concious thought. For Americans (again, speaking generally) it doesn't seem to come as easy.

I've frequently given the same advice as you about not worrying if everything "matches" only to see the person I was advising turn up looking like a complete mess! I end up shaking my head, thinking to myself that my words were not meant as an excuse to throw on just anything, willy-nilly.

In many ways it is "safer" to advise someone to tone their hose and flases (for example) to the colors in their kilt. I generally suggest that if they wear hose and flashes in colors selected from their tartan, just about any combination will work. Then I suggest they not be afraid to branch out to other colors, and to think about what colors might compliment the tones of the tartan.

I also find myself frequently advising people that the color of hose, jacket, etc., does not have to exactly match a color in the kilt, but rather should just tone well with the tartan, and often a non-matching color does that best.

I find that a lot of native Scots who grew up wearing the kilt seem to have developed a natural eye for this, to where they don't even have to think about it. We in the diaspora, I am afraid, have to put forth a bit more effort to achieve the same style -- but over time it will hopefully become just as natural. :-)