Going to a ball don't want to look like a goof

[Patty Logan]

To me, everything you have suggested to wear on top is correct and much more important then what your going to wear below the kilt.

[Patty Logan]

For myself, going to a formal event these are my current options.

On the right is the ordinary Evening Dress which hasn't changed since around 1920: Evening jacket, silver & seal Evening sporran, tartan hose, silver buckles on the shoes.

The outfit on the left has a couple "retro" touches: the Edwardian goathair sporran, and castellated hose.

Richard, where did you get your tartan hose?

[OC Richard]

Richard, where did you get your tartan hose?

The castellated Isle of Skye hose were got used on Ebay. Happily the guy had just as big feet and calves as I do.

The Drummond of Perth (House of Edgar "muted range") hose were made to measure by Kilkeel in Northern Ireland whose main business is full tartan hose for Highland Dancers.

http://www.kilkeeldancinghose.co.uk/

It's strange how the various streams of Highland Dress have diverged over the years, and things which were once universal have been jettisoned by some streams and been retained by others.

In the old days plain hose were only worn in Outdoor Dress with tweed jackets; at all other times everyone wore tartan or diced hose.

Due to the twin impacts of Kilt Hire and modern Pipe Band dress, which around 1970 both switched to plain hose, tartan hose have become much less common today's Highland Dress.

But tartan hose are far from dead! Because there's one stream of Highland Dress in which they remain de rigueur: Highland Dance outfits.

And to supply the thousands of Highland Dancers worldwide there are firms dedicated tartan hose production. Since nowadays Highland Dancers usually choose tartans (designed specifically for Highland Dancing) which have all sorts of bright garish colours, these tartan hose makers maintain a huge range of yarn colours and can match pretty much any tartan.

[TNScotsman]

I'm interested in some details about the issue of Ghillie Brogues. The one time I've been able to wear my Prince Charlie so far it was with Ghillie Brogues because I was the best man in a wedding and that's what we were told to wear, so I wasn't making the decision.

From the discussion here, am I correct in the idea that Ghillie Brogues equate to wingtips with a suit, hence they work with Argyll jacket and/or waistcoat, and Prince Charlie should generally use oxfords that I would wear with a tuxedo? It will be a bit before I have my Prince Charlie on again, but there is a bit of a tradition of it at the evening Christmas Eve service we attend each year so am working to properly refine things and do it correctly. Without a bride dictating things I'll have the freedom to do it right!

[Shinenotburn]

In my humble opinion, Gillies are correct for both daytime and evening wear, with or without option silver buckles.

I use my buckled brogues for high end events.

There seems to be a resistance to Gillies based perhaps on the complexity of putting them on correctly.
Age certainly might have something to do with this as well. (harder to bend over that far, that long, for some anyways)

Evening Gillies are a much lighter, more refined shoe than the parade Gillies we pipers and drummers tramp around in on the field.

[FossilHunter]

The castellated Isle of Skye hose were got used on Ebay. Happily the guy had just as big feet and calves as I do.

The Drummond of Perth (House of Edgar "muted range") hose were made to measure by Kilkeel in Northern Ireland whose main business is full tartan hose for Highland Dancers.

http://www.kilkeeldancinghose.co.uk/

It's strange how the various streams of Highland Dress have diverged over the years, and things which were once universal have been jettisoned by some streams and been retained by others.

In the old days plain hose were only worn in Outdoor Dress with tweed jackets; at all other times everyone wore tartan or diced hose.

Due to the twin impacts of Kilt Hire and modern Pipe Band dress, which around 1970 both switched to plain hose, tartan hose have become much less common today's Highland Dress.

But tartan hose are far from dead! Because there's one stream of Highland Dress in which they remain de rigueur: Highland Dance outfits.

And to supply the thousands of Highland Dancers worldwide there are firms dedicated tartan hose production. Since nowadays Highland Dancers usually choose tartans (designed specifically for Highland Dancing) which have all sorts of bright garish colours, these tartan hose makers maintain a huge range of yarn colours and can match pretty much any tartan.

Did you have your hose made in the 80% wool, 20% nylon blend they mention in your link? If so, how do you find it? Pretty comfortable?

[ASinclair]

Here are some pictures from Black Tie events I have attended.

[ShaunMaxwell]

It has been a while since I’ve had the opportunity to wear black tie, but here’s a shot before leaving home for our last outing. I decided to dispense with the usual PC and go with an Argyll and silver button tartan on bias waistcoat for a change of pace.



Cheers,

SM

[OC Richard]

Did you have your hose made in the 80% wool, 20% nylon blend they mention in your link? If so, how do you find it? Pretty comfortable?

Actually I don't know the specific yarn they used.

Yes they're super comfortable and the fit is perfection.

Highland Dance hose have to stand up to rigorous use, and my Kilkeel hose seem very well-made.

As you see they did a great job at matching the unique House of Edgar "muted" colours, and used clever "splits" in the diamonds to get the right overall proportions of the various colours.

[TNScotsman]

Here are some pictures from Black Tie events I have attended.

Great pics of well dressed gentlemen and it's also very good to see Orders of Chivalry proudly worn. There seems to be a good number of us involved in different Orders on the boards, and while it isn't strictly a kilt topic I think there's a common interest for many of us in kilts, chivalry, and heraldry.