Evening attire question

[Chas]

The PC is black tie equivalent. If there are going to be lots of PCs at the event then there should be lots of black bow ties.

If it were me, I would wear the winged collar shirt and a hand tied black bow tie. I would be willing to bet that most of the PCs will be wearing pre-tied, elasticated bow ties. If you don't know how you have nine months to learn how to tie a bow tie. At the event, your hand tied will always trump a pre-tied.

Regards

Chas

[Chas]

I have just re-read some of the posts and noticed that cravats and stocks are mentioned.

In the UK, today, both are seen as a daytime and/or outdoor dress.

The stock is for daywear, out and about in the country - hunting (with horses), shooting or fishing. Active pursuits. A degree of sweatiness might be involved.

The cravat is again daywear for games - tennis, crochet, cricket. And again sweatiness is involved.

Both give a certain amount of freedom round the neck, while maintaining a smartness.

Come the evening a man would wash, put on a fresh shirt and a tie, because the only activity he would be involved in is dancing effortlessly round the room with a beautiful woman in his arms.

Regards

Chas

[David Thorpe]

Just add "build a 3-button, bias-cut tartan vest" to your list.

Not to my taste, at all.

And braid that ponytail.

That, I can do. Well, my bride does a fine job of it.

[David Thorpe]

If it were me, I would wear the winged collar shirt and a hand tied black bow tie. I would be willing to bet that most of the PCs will be wearing pre-tied, elasticated bow ties. If you don't know how you have nine months to learn how to tie a bow tie. At the event, your hand tied will always trump a pre-tied.

Yes, I can tie a bow tie and, like you, much prefer tied versus prefab. I can even go one better in this case. There is enough donor trouser material from the conversion project to sew one matching the jacket and vest.

[MacRobert's Reply]

It would be helpful to know what the dress code actually is for the Burns Supper DrummerBoy. If it is a black tie do, then I would start with a black bow tie. Since you have a black Argyll with silver buttons, this is perfectly acceptable. As others have suggested, a three-button waistcoat would make it more appropriate for evening wear and I'm with Artificer on the shirt since a wing collar is, IMHO, rather more formal that your Argyll jacket warrants.

[creagdhubh]

My suggestion is this:

Wear the black Argyll jacket with a matching black three-button waistcoat, spread collar formal shirt and black bow-tie.

I would forgo the PC if you do not already have one, and consider aquiring a regulation/sherrifmuir/montrose doublet if you will be attending many evening events where Highland attire is worn.

At Burns Supper in the US you'll see a dog's breaskfast of different attire- everything from doublets to poofy Pirate/Jacobite shirts... I don't think you can go wrong witht he black Argyll.

I agree with David.

Cheers!

[Fedgunner]

And braid that ponytail.

If your hair is long enough to braid, you might like the look of "clubbing" it.

Simply braid it in the fashion you like, double it back underneath, use a black hair tie to secure it. To finish it off for the evening, use black ribbon where the braid starts, another an inch or two from the end, and should it need it, a third ribbon bow in the middle.

Before my most recent hair cut, this was my preferred style for anything above casual. I used it for SAMS and any time I wore my argyle.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Thanks for the link and pics. Matt, what's the tie in pics 3-5? A cravat? That's more what I had in mind when I wrote "four-in-hand". I should have said "Victorian four-in-hand".

It's a black silk cravat, from here:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Gentlemansjabot

[creagdhubh]

Matt,

You're spot on with your recommendations as well!

Cheers,

[David Thorpe]

It's a black silk cravat, from here:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Gentlemansjabot

Thank you, sir!