Matching everything?

[OC Richard]

My short answer would be:

Matching tartan vest/waistcoat: fine.

Matching tartan bonnet: too touristy.

My long answer would be:

There's a modern attitude I've often encountered, told me by an older Scot 45 years ago as

"no tartan above the waist".

Of course this is simplistic. It's intended, I think, to refer to tartan hats, neckies, shirts, waistcoats, and jackets.

The obvious exceptions would be plaids, civilian day plaids and civilian evening plaids and the plaids pipers wear with "No1 Dress".

However taking the longer view, tartan jackets and waistcoats have always been worn, from some of our earliest images of men in Highland Dress to today.

They were very popular in the 18th century and early 19th century but their popularity began declining around c1840. They never totally went out of fashion, though it's true that tartan waistcoats have been seen more often than entire tartan suits with matching kilts, jackets, and waistcoats.

What was very popular in Victorian times, and having something of a resurgence today, were tweed suits with matching kilts, jackets, and waistcoats.

Bonnets didn't ever seem to participate in the matching thing.

In any case I wouldn't hesitate to wear the matching kilt and waistcoat with any sort of kilt jacket, be it tweed or black.

1860s: matching tartan waistcoat, kilt, and plaid, brown tweed jacket, contrasting tartan hose.



The Duke of Rothesay in matching tartan waistcoat and kilt, with charcoal tweed jacket.