I will not directly address the appropriateness of dress for a solo piping competition, other than to say that the suggestion of a nice dress shirt and tie with a subtle colored or black vest would likely work well and look grand for such an event. Dressy but comfortable, respectful of both the event and the judges, and easy on the eye, without coming across as over the top (full pipers dress or a great kilt, for instance.


As far as you question about whether or not to button the jacket in a daywear setting, I think a quick review of the photos of the illustrious gentlement you have already posted gives a lot of information that can probably be followed as appropriate, from native scots who wear the kilt as it historically has been and should be. Reviewing your photos, about half the gentlemen visible have on vests with their jackets and half don't. Of the 20 or so that are readily visible, only two men have their jackets buttoned, and neither of those is wearing a vest. One might surmise from this that standard practice would be, in the daywear setting, to not wear one's jacket buttoned with a vest, and probably not with a jacket without a vest, although the latter is probably a point of more personal taste.

Being rather tall I personally always wear a vest with a daywear jacket, and almost never button the top button. My day wear jackets are a bit longer than most folks so even if i do button the top jacket button it does not look out of place relative to a standard sportcoat. Tow pics of me in daywear dress below----in the first I am not buttoned and the second buttoned, Though I must admit in the second it was more out of concern that holding my son would distort the drape of my jacket than a fashion choice.






jeff