Graham,

You asked for comments - so here are mine.......

The Prince Charlie really is only an alternative to the Black Tie/Dinner Jacket ensemble (and really only looks at its best as "after dark" wear). That leaves you with two: the Crail/Argyll jacket which, in black barathea looks really smart at any time of day, needs no waistcoat and can be worn with a bow or regular tie. The wide range of Lowlander/Jacobite/Potaine -style jackets/vests now available is both exciting and practical. The sleeveless models do look so much better over a full-sleeved jacobite shirt however.

I love the latter styles but one needs to take care not to appear like something out of an historical film - unless that's how you WANT to appear! Bear in mind that, if you are dancing, the open neck of a jacobite shirt is so cool (in every sense of the word!).