tattersall et al?

[artificer]

I love tattersal shirts...if only Brooks Brothers wouldn't make them with those blasted collar buttons! :mrgreen:

LL Bean has some nice patterned shirts for more casual wear.

T.

+2

I've never liked button down collars, and I find it hard to believe that I ever will.

[creagdhubh]

We are talking mainly shirts here?

Picture 1: perfect for a shirt.
Picture 2: smaller check and less loud is a fine option, light blue works well for a shirt.
Picture 3: for a shirt, in pale colours fine, particularly khaki.Herringbone in tweed can look great for a jacket.
picture 4: small pale blue works well for shirts and tweed houndstooth is a classic jacket pattern.
Picture 5:for a shirt? No. For a jacket? No. For a sweater? Perhaps. For hose? If you must.

Just so you know, in UK terms a "dress" shirt is worn with "dress"(formal evening) attire , for example, a PC. Everything else is just a shirt.

Thanks Jock! Very interesting indeed. I knew of the UK terminology for dress shirts and just "shirts". It can be the same here in the States, yet sometimes it depends on the manufacturer of the shirt-i.e.-Brooks Brothers has dress shirts (or simply "shirts" in the UK) as well as formal dress shirts strictly for tuxedo wear, Highland evening attire, etc. It's all superfluous I suppose!

[creagdhubh]

I am a devote of gingham shirts. I wear them with the kilt, too!

You look great Sandy! I love your attire in this photo-it all just works so beautifully. Well done mate.

[creagdhubh]

Personally, I believe a paisley tie goes well with tartan, especially an ancient madder one with a hunting sett.

I agree.

[creagdhubh]

I love tattersal shirts...if only Brooks Brothers wouldn't make them with those blasted collar buttons! :mrgreen:

LL Bean has some nice patterned shirts for more casual wear.

T.

I know Todd! Many of the very smart looking tattersal shirts in the more interesting and varied colours and checks, have button down collars! I'm not completely against that type of collar, but I prefer the Ainsley or forward point much better for BB shirts. You know what I'm talking about Todd! LL Bean is indeed a good resource for more casual check shirts-lovely to wear without a waistcoat and jacket, unbuttoned collar, with the kilt for a more casual, relaxed look.

[CMcG]

Are you talking about wearing such fabrics in a dress shirt with the kilt? I primarily wear tattersall and check shirts from Brooks Brothers with my Highland day attire. I have all kinds of colours and variations of check size. <snip>

One theory has it that you can mix patterns, especially several different plaid/check/ tartan patterns as long as you vary the scale. <snip>

Mellow is generally better than garish, I believe.

<snip>

Personally, I believe a paisley tie goes well with tartan, especially an ancient madder one with a hunting sett.

We are talking mainly shirts here?

Picture 1: perfect for a shirt.
Picture 2: smaller check and less loud is a fine option, light blue works well for a shirt.
Picture 3: for a shirt, in pale colours fine, particularly khaki.Herringbone in tweed can look great for a jacket.
picture 4: small pale blue works well for shirts and tweed houndstooth is a classic jacket pattern.
Picture 5:for a shirt? No. For a jacket? No. For a sweater? Perhaps. For hose? If you must.

<snip>

Very interesting

I was asking not just about shirts but anywhere such patterns might be appropriate... jackets, hose, and ties were also mentioned. When it comes to shirts though, are patterns like tattersall and gingham usually set on a white background?

In terms of contrasting patterns, it seems like the key is to find an example of any of these patterns that won't be overpowering. Some combination of smaller checks and subdued colours might do it...

JSFMACLJR's picture is particularly welcome because he's not wearing a jacket and it allows the pattern of his shirt to be seen clearly against his kilt. Looks good to me

How many patterns are people known to wear all at the same time? I'm still struggling at the thought of two together... let alone a tartan kilt, Argyll or diced hose, tattersall shirt, houndstooth jacket, and a paisley or striped tie.

I did have to look up MacLowlife's suggestion about shepherd check... another pattern I'm not familiar with

[Jock Scot]

CMcG.

I think you are beginning to see that there are a huge number of colour options and patterns for us traditionalists, whilst keeping within a certain style. I have to admit that your good and valid questions have caused me to realise how much information, on highland day attire,I have unwittingly picked up over a fairly long life. Right then, where do you start ? Well you have! You are asking all the right questions. I do think that for you to make your journey of discovery easier you need to be less rigid(yes a traditionalist is really saying that!) with thinking what pattern and colour, goes with the kilt. It will make things easier. Much easier.

Shirts, as you are seeing, give you a large number of choices in patterns and colour. The trick is understanding that your kilt is the foundation to it all. So your shirt does not need to be overstated and yes, nearly all day shirts are based on white or very pale coloured background often pale green, or pale blue. The pattern over the white etc background, be it Gingham, tattershall, houndstooth or whatever is bolder but not loud. I think it was Maclowlife who pointed out that from ten yards an observer will not be able to identify the pattern of your shirt, he is so right! In the process you get two looks for the price of one! A distant look that looks rather vague and a close up look where the observer will see the details of the pattern. How is that for Scots frugal thinking?

Much of the same applies to the jacket colours and patterns too.

Might I suggest for the time being that you keep your thoughts to solid colour hose as it is not really necessary to wear anything else, hose wise. In time when you have sorted out all the other colour and pattern combinations of shirt,and jacket in your mind then you can get more adventurous with your hose if you wish.

You will notice I have not mentioned a tie! Well assuming you have a traditional, regimental, club,university style tie and as you know they come in a combination of colours that often defy any sort of reason, well------just wear it! You will be amazed how they somehow seem to fit in with the rest of your attire.

A typical tattersall shirt, from a distance of about 8 yards.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Here's a photo taken at the Stone Mountain Highland Games last year. I'm on the left.


Just about everything I'm wearing has a pattern to it. Obviously the kilt (1), then the Argyle hose (2), the jacket and waistcoat (3), a tattersal shirt (4) (though the pattern doesn't really come across in the photo), and a heraldic themed neck tie (5).

One reason why this outfit "works" is that even though there are 5 different patterns, they all tone well together. None of them are "fighting" with each other. Now I'm not saying the outfit would not have looked just as nice with solid color hose, or with a solid tie, or a plain white shirt. But this does illustrate that you can wear multiple patterns together to a pleasing effect.

I find that a lot of people here in North America are taught "don't wear a pattern with a pattern" as a basic fashion rule. I think that rule is only appropriate as a guideline for those who truly have no eye for selecting patterns that work well together. If that describes you, then maybe not mixing patterns is a safe way to go. However, I think that most people have (or can develop) an eye for selecting patterns that work together.

Here's another example:

Here we have the tartan kilt (1), diced hose (2), windowpane pattern jacket & waistcoat (3), and tattersal shirt (4). (Once again, the pattern in the shirt doesn't really show in the photo).

The jacket & waistcoat have a very subtle pattern which in this case comes near to the same colors as in the tartan I'm wearing. Here's a better photo showing the pattern.


The different patterns in this outfit work great because they all draw from the same small color pallette. I have a lot of patterns, but just a few colors. That's one way to go. But (as you can see from my first outfit above), it's not strictly necessary.

I'll end with one final photo, showing what I would consider a more "country" look which combines a lot of patterns.

Here you have several patterns together: a tweed kilt (1), shepherd check hose (2), tattersal shirt (3), and even the spotting on the bobcat fur sporran (4).

I remember when I walked out of the bedroom wearing that outfit my wife commented, "Wow, you are wearing a lot of patterns together!" Really, I'm wearing 4 patterns, which is the same number as in the second outfit, and less than in the first outfit. I think the fact that I'm not wearing a tartan kilt actually highlights the multiple patterns; that and the shirt has a somewhat larger tattersal pattern. In this case again all the patterns have similar color tones and textures, which helps bring the whole thing together. And I think the solid color vest provides a nice accent.

Oh, and one thing that is definitive from the above photo -- chicks dig the patterns! :-)

[OC Richard]

Great photos Matt! I love that grey check kilt jacket.

Here are some photos showing nice use of pattern in Highland Dress







To my eye, check, windowpane, and houndstooth tweed all look great for kilt jackets.

[artificer]

To my eye, check, windowpane, and houndstooth tweed all look great for kilt jackets.

Richard, I LOVE that illustration. Every time I see it, it makes me want to find and buy the brass cantle shown on the left.