I picked up a second-hand P.C. What else do I need to buy to make the outfit work?

[McMurdo]

I'm curious what diced hose one would wear with a "reproduction" or "weathered" tartan. All of the diced hose I've seen are in colors that work well with Ancient or Modern tartans.

Any suggestions ...?

Have them made for you in the colours you'd like. Years ago I had a pair made in black and red as the House of Cheviot pair I had seemed too orange.

[Tomo]

Have them made for you in the colours you'd like. Years ago I had a pair made in black and red as the House of Cheviot pair I had seemed too orange.

Kenneth - a couple of options you could try for custom hose are:

https://bonnietartan.com/tartan-hose/ - they do full tartan and just the cuff (they can probably do diced if you ask) and at £145 for full tartan they are comparable to the ready-made HoC diced hose but will match your tartan - and £65 for the tartan cuff hose looks like a steal.

https://tartansocks.simdif.com/ - different options on diced/argyle/tartan hose from £120 so also in the same ballpark as the ready-made HoC diced hose - but made to fit in your choice of colours.

They also have some offers on ebay at the moment for £90 https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/padraig12...p2047675.l2562

[Casaluz]

Thank you all, I feel a lot better after reading your responses. Frankly I was worrying that I had asked a stupid question.

I've come to feel pretty comfortable with kilting but this formal stuff is still out of my comfort zone. In addition to the oxfords, I think I'll start looking for a black bow tie, an appropriate shirt + cuff links, and either a hunting sporran with a metal cantle or a horsehair sporran. If I come across some black brogued oxfords that work for me all the better.

I am glad you asked the question as you are not the only one with similar fears

[Casaluz]

To me, the key items you will need with the Prince Charlie are:
1. formal shirt. Wing or turn-down collar are equally acceptable. Mine is from Jos. A. Bank. Uniform shops, which sell stuff for people who wear work uniforms, are a good affordable source of tux shirts and studs in very standard designs, although you may find something more stylish if you search your local vintage and thrift shops.
2. Black bow tie. The kind you tie yourself. These are easy to find anywhere that formal wear is sold. Tying a bow tie is simple--it is actually just like tying your shoes, except you do it around your neck. A few minute's practice and you will have the skill for life. I agree that you should avoid straight ties and especially abhor the "rouche" tie.
3. Nice black dress shoes. Your cap-toes should be fine. I have a pair of patent leather oxfords I inherited from my father's tuxedo outfit which work fine. Someday I will find buckle shoes, but I haven't yet.
4. Evening sporran. Mine is bunny fur in white, from Stillwater kilts. It was a bargain and has served me well. Someday I would like to get a quality horsehair sporran, but have not gotten around to it yet. Evening sporrans seem to be readily available on eBay. Some will suggest you should use a chain for evening wear, but I think a sporran strap is fine.
5. Some nice kilt hose. I prefer argyle or diced socks for formal wear, but most observers will be fine with solid colors. Please avoid white, as it looks like a rental.

Please avoid wearing a belt (especially one with a giant buckle) under your vest, as it will definitely hang below and mess up your look.

If you have one, a pocket watch looks really great with in your vest.

All that said, you will look so much smarter than all the men in tuxedos at most black tie events, that no one will notice if you do make a "mistake" in any detail of your outfit. At a Burns Supper, or other Highland event, your companions will notice, but will hopefully be polite about any lapses.

Wear it with pride and enjoy.

Andrew

I see discussion here and there about sporran chain vs sporran strap. Any comments why would you choose one vs the other?

[Tomo]

I see discussion here and there about sporran chain vs sporran strap. Any comments why would you choose one vs the other?

For me it's down to personal choice and the level of dress/event I am attending.

Typically for daywear it would be a leather sporran and strap, for evening wear fur and chains.

However, I don't see these as hard and fast rules - either for myself or anyone else. I have been know to mix and match, although each of my sporrans has it's own strap so it's more about the choice of sporran than anything else - and the only one I tend to swap is my black day sporran which I sometimes wear with a strap and sometimes a chain.

Some argue that chains, damage, abrade or pluck their kilts. In over 20 years of wearing kilts (and for a long time I only had one sporran and a chain) I have never had a problem with this and it simply isn't a consider for me - although I ditched the "dog-leash" straps a few years ago in favour of handmade chainmail (purely for aesthetic reasons).

[Jock Scot]

I don't think that there are any hard a fast rules on the sporran belt/chain issue. I think most regular kilt wearers in this part of the world choose a leather sporran belt for general kilt attire and save their chain sporran belt for events of importance, day or evening.

[Father Bill]

I don't think that there are any hard a fast rules on the sporran belt/chain issue. I think most regular kilt wearers in this part of the world choose a leather sporran belt for general kilt attire and save their chain sporran belt for events of importance, day or evening.

That's my pattern. The strap also makes it easier if you want to slide it to the side. If you get a chain, get a nice one.

[Touchstone]

Richard, would you mind indulging me a bit here?

You mentioned the evening sporran a bit in your first response here, and I wonder if I can pick you brain a bit. Is there anything you'd consider an evening sporran which doesn't necessarily contain fur, or a pelt of some kind? I know there are faux-fur options out there, but personally I'd prefer to stay away from even those. If the answer is no, that's ok, and I'm ready to accept that I may just not blend with THCD in this case.

Specifically, I've been looking at a leather dress sporran such as this or that form USA Kilts, and I'm currently bidding on a vintage version of this sporran which I'm hoping might do ok as a dress sporran, and offer a bit of a victorian aesthetic, similar to one Glen posted earlier in the thread (although a bit louder I think).

[I've tried to do my due diligence on the question I'm asking, done a fair amount of searching; but the amount of material on this site is bewildering! Hoping that I've not re-asked a question for the millionth time ...]

What's the definition of a true formal sporran? The consensus seems to be, at a minimum: there should be a cantle of a silver-colored metal; and visible leather should be black. Is there more?

Like the original poster, KennethSime, I'm hoping for a sporran that's suitable for evening formal wear, but doesn't have fur. The horsehair and similar ones are a little showy for me at this stage in my kilt development. The first two above seem fine to me - they're all leather, silver-cantled, and both have tassels. Is there agreement that these are full-up, real, formal sporrans? Is the tassel a requirement? I ask because I have ...

HSTB dress sporran 440x533.jpg

I've seen this style described as semi-formal (e.g., on J. Higgins site); fully formal (Kinloch Anderson's, where they say "This is the perfect sporran ... for a Formal Black Tie Event.". Hard to argue with KA, but ...); or some variation on the term "pipe-band" (which I suppose means you can wear it any time, as long as you're willing to carry a set of pipes).

Also like the original poster, I'm willing to flout convention slightly if I must, but I really would like to have one full-up THCD formal kit available.

[Steve Ashton]

The "hunter" style sporran is my "go-to" preference for formal events. (tuxedo equivalent) I have nothing against fur, it's just not me.

[Touchstone]

I have nothing against fur, it's just not me.

Me too, maybe for a different reason: I just get these visions of mopping red paint off my kilt while explaining that "bovine isn't really functionally different from leather".