Fly Plaid Question!!!????

[Phil]

Well white tie and tails events are pretty few and far between these days and it's a style that peaked before World War II and has been in serious decline ever since. At University balls in St Andrews I only recall one student attending in such gear and he was an American!

I don't think that many today would interpret a "formal dress" invite to mean a doublet rather than a PC or believe that only a lacy jabot can sanctify the presence of a fly plaid. I simply cannot agree that a plaid looks "out of place" on a PC which is, after all, a formal garment, and makes it look, if anything, even more formal.

And I didn't state that a PC was designed for a plaid - I simply observed that "the epaulette on the shoulder certainly allows for the positioning of a fly plaid." Yes epaulettes are a feature of many kilt jackets - you might want to use one on a day jacket for holding your Balmoral etc for example.

But they give you an option which you take advantage of or do not. Just as you decide which formal jacket is your preference. The idea that one type of formal jacket is more formal than another one is totally a new one to me and based pray on what authority?

You are still expected to wear "white tie" for graduation at St. Andrews. I don't know where all these degrees of formality comes from. The dress or regulation doublet is THE white tie formal jacket and as McClef says there are very few events like that nowadays. The PC is very much an evening jacket, however, whereas the doublets such as Montrose, Sheriffmuir & Kenmore may be worn to the more formal day events also, such as weddings. I tend to wear a bow tie if I feel the event is a little less formal and save the jabot for the gala events. I can't imagine anyone coming in for criticism for wearing a plaidie although it is a bit OTT like Simon Cowell's pastiche in "Four weddings and a funeral" but it would not be appropriate at, say, a wedding if it was outshining the groom and best man.

[McClef]

Yes I remember having to wear a white bow tie for my graduation with a winged collar shirt from St Andrews Phil but the rest of my gear was a suit not tails.

And I think you mean Simon Callow - though no doubt many would have liked Simon Cowell to be the "funeral."