what formal events do you attend, and...

[auld argonian]

Two of the notable events that I've gone to Black Tie and Kilted:

The Richard Driehaus Architecture Award Dinner. That was fun...one other fella showed up kilted, a student from Notre Dame as Mr. Driehaus is a big supporter of the architecture program at ND. I ended up getting pulled over for speeding on the way home and was really hoping that the copper wasn't going to say, "All right, step out of the car.", cause I really didn't want to have to explain the whole regalia to a cop in the middle of the night on Ashland Avenue.

The dinner for the opening of the new wing of the Chicago Art Institute. I walked in and was immediately surrounded by the press. It took several minutes to assure them that I was, indeed, nobody of any great importance and make the point that if no one else had shown up in a kilt, it wasn't my fault. Had a few of the smarmy art crowd make snide comments but the people that I like that were there seemed to appreciate my having taken all the trouble to make it a special occasion.

My observations on wearing a kilt to a special event are these:

You will invariably have a certain percentage of people who will assume that you did it to draw attention to yourself. This reflects more on their insecurities and need for attention than anything else. Sorry to "upstage" you, my dears, but this is what I wear...deal with it.

The other is that you will always get one guy who will come up and say, "Oh yeah...y'know, I've got a kilt too." At which point I try to get a very honest and innocent look on my face and ask, "Then why aren't you wearing it?" This is where the fella usually changes the subject.

Best

AA

[Panache]

Alan,

Even if you only wear your formal rig once a year, isn't it still wonderful to look so dapper for that one night?

You may never need of it to attend any other formal events but isn't it a nice thing to have the option?

When you are invited to attend a premier at the the SF Opera in a box seat you will smile to yourself and know that in your closet you are prepared to escort the Luminous Joan in style.

Cheers

Jamie

[JSFMACLJR]

I think it was Cajunscot who said he dislikes this sort of thread because of the "I hate this" or "I hate that" overtones. I agree, but what I dislike even more is the "us versus them" attitudes. "Hell no, I won't wear a monkey suit! Only the spoilt, arrogant, elites dress up to look silly. I like to be comfortable! Nobody can tell me how to dress!"

Well, assume all you want to.

I wear a dinner jacket maybe 8 or 10 times a year. We are invited to a number of black tie events here in Kentucky. Some are charity events; some are just plain old dinners or parties at friends' houses. When I was younger and used to attend all sorts of debutante events, it would not have been inconcievable to wear black tie to 20 or 30 events in a year, and white tie to six or more! Ah, youth.

We are invited to a number of white tie events each year, as well--mostly hunt balls and that sort of thing. It is sad, though, to see that even at these white tie events, a great number of men dress in dinner jackets.

I wear the kilt to formal white/black tie events maybe four times a year. My family, though, dresses for dinner quite often, and usually on these occasions-- and also whenever Sara and I have a black tie dinner party at our house (maybe once a year)-- I wear the kilt.

I am perfectly comfortable wearing a dinner jacket, white tie, the kilt, and even breeches (which I have worn with my green beagling tailcoat to hunt balls). I have only owned (or inherited ) my own clothes, and would feel quite ackward wearing rented things. But that's me...don't worry about it!

[davedove]

I always wonder about some of the folks who say they avoid going to these events because they are formal. Is it because you just dislike the idea of formal events or that you don't have the attire and don't want to put it together?

If you just dislike the idea of formal, that's your business, but I think you're missing a fun time.

Now, if you just don't have the attire, you will find that once you have the attire and are prepared, they are not near the same hassle as before. You don't have to worry about putting together the outfit and with that bit of worry behind you, you can enjoy things a lot more.

[irishrob]

I usually attend a couple of charity galas a year as well a Christmas or winter ball or two....as my wife says I am always the best dressed whether wearing a PC and vest or for less formal, Argyle.

So being ruggedly handsome and the best dressed is the curse of being formall kilted.

Rob