How about this ensemble?

[mookien]

As handsome as you look and as elegantly dressed, she may think you are going to propose. My advice is to have a ring, or a good excuse, ready.

Your hose are very nice. They appear to be black with red tops and garters. What kind are they? Also, your hose, kilt, tie, and balmoral are nicely integrated with your coat, vest, and tie. Well done.

[Nathan]

Your hose are very nice. They appear to be black with red tops and garters. What kind are they?

The hose are navy blue and the red are hand knit cuffs. I don't remember the name brand of the hose, I've had them for years.

[mookien]

[QUOTE=Nathan;1154336]

... The hose are navy blue and the red are hand knit cuffs. I don't remember the name brand of the hose, I've had them for years.

Thanks. I have not seen a pair quite like them, but they look very nice, especially with your kilt. If you ever see me wearing a similar pair, you'll know where I got the idea.

Personally, I like your "semi-formal" sporran, because it achieves its raison d'etre by dressing your outfit up a bit. Enjoy the concert.

[Tobus]

I think it looks great. We can nit-pick the finer details (hey, it's what makes these conversations interesting), but have no doubt that you will be representing the kilt very well.

The only nit-picking I can really do is to agree that the top-of-the-knee height would be better for the kilt, and the bonnet (worn only out-of-doors, of course) would look better worn with the crown over to the right instead of centered like a flat-cap. Oh, and a nice pocket square might be a nice touch too!

[Nathan]

I think it looks great. We can nit-pick the finer details (hey, it's what makes these conversations interesting), but have no doubt that you will be representing the kilt very well.

The only nit-picking I can really do is to agree that the top-of-the-knee height would be better for the kilt, and the bonnet (worn only out-of-doors, of course) would look better worn with the crown over to the right instead of centered like a flat-cap. Oh, and a nice pocket square might be a nice touch too!

Thanks so much. A pocket square is a nice idea.

Regarding the Tam O Shanter bonnet, this is the way we were instructed to form them when I was in the Nova Scotia Highlanders. It contrasted significantly with our beret wearing counterparts. Interestingly, we were also told to kneel down and let our kilts just brush the floor giving it an upper middle of the knee cap hang. Old military habits die hard I suppose. I'll try to remember to hike it up a little more...

Everyone's feedback and advice is welcome and appreciated! Please don't take my counter point as a rejection of advice... I asked for it and am grateful for it...

A thought regarding sporrans...Regarding the semi dress sporran thing, after posting a thread about it here and doing some outside research, I think it parallels regular dress as follows:

Tweed sport coat and contrasting trousers = day dress tweed jacket and simple leather sporran.
Business suit = smarter dress and semi dress sporran.
Tuxedo = Prince Charlie with full dress fur and metal cantle sporran.

I could be way off, but this is how I understand it.

As was pointed out in another thread, these things have been on offer in sporran catalogues since at least the 1930s so they aren't that "recent" compared to other beloved items of highland kit although, I think Matt Newsome is correct that it would compliment a black barrathea argyll more than this jacket and, now that I'm looking at it again, it is perhaps a little overly blingy with the lovat green crail jacket but I just thought the black leather was so boring.

"Maybe a nice brown leather hunting sporran..." thought the kiltoholic...

[Jock Scot]

With the greatest of respect Nathan a tweed kilt jacket is suit equivalent, there is really no sports jacket equivalent with kilt attire. If you can go to my(jock Scot) old threads and find the thread "tweed Argyll" you will find some very illuminating discussions within. Particularly fairly near the end where the "penny drops" with one of the members here who realises that he has been using the wrong criteria with his kilt attire thinking.

[Nathan]

Regarding kilt length, I found the following quote in an online guide to kilt wearing which corresponds to what our regimental rules were. Has fashion evolved?

"The lower edge of the kilt should break somewhere between the middle and top of the kneecap. Above the knee, and it's not a kilt, but a Catholic school-girl skirt. Below the knee, and it becomes a tea-length dress." http://www.en8848.com.cn/e/DoPrint/?...d=254&id=19520

Also, Jock: I find that point you make most interesting as a tweed jacket looks a lot like a tweed jacket to me regardless of it's length. Can you recommend a good book that would be the go to guide for these things in Scotland? When young people are learning the dos and don'ts do they consult some guide or is it all an oral tradition? I can see that people on this forum disagree with my Highland Regiment's regulations regarding:

Kilt length, bonnet formation, underwear and I'm sure I'll find more...

[TheOfficialBren]

***
If you are more comfortable with the standards set by your regiment then go for it. Who am I to argue with that?

As far as "activists" go...if you mean the PETA nutters who throw paint on people, I say that those people are best avoided entirely. They inflict their opinions on others without regard for anyone else's beliefs.

[Nathan]

***
As far as "activists" go...if you mean the PETA nutters who throw paint on people, I say that those people are best avoided entirely. They inflict their opinions on others without regard for anyone else's beliefs.

I don't mean folks that are that extreme, just people who accost you at parties for wearing fur. Interestingly, they rarely have as much difficulty with leather as it is usually a byproduct of the meat industry and the animals aren't slaughtered specifically for fashion. I think goat might be a wonderful idea as they don't even have to kill the goat to use it's hair...

For the record, I obviously have no huge issues with fur as evidenced by my white seal skin sporran in the photos above...

Tobus: I don't wear a belt when I wear a waistcoat, but I think the look is somewhat incomplete when worn with just a shirt. Your brown belt and buckle have a nice look to them as does the ferguson britt sporran....