The Tweed Argyll.

[Mark Stephenson]

I agree 100% with Jock. Of course, if not in a kilt, I typically wear one of my 5 Harris Tweed jackets. I have found they are incredibly versitile and wear them with jeans, or to the office. They work when lecturing at a university, out having a beer & burger, and can be dressed up with a tie & sweater or vest for a professional conference. So, when I began to express my Scottish heritage and entered into the kilted communityy, it was natural that along with a PC, one of my first acquisitions was a charcoal tweed Argyle jacket and vest. I have found it to be incredibly versitle. I will soon be adding a lavid blue tweed jacket to go with my MacTavish modern kilt. I have dark green and Harris tweed jackets on my radar screen too. I highly recommend a tweed jacket and vest. Folks who don't have one will surely be surprised at how versitle they are and the range of places they can be worn. Plus... my wife loves how they look! on me :-)

[Jock Scot]

Thanks Jock!

Your post is very timely for me as I have been recently considering (fretting) all of the things that you listed; sleeve style, color, tweed pattern etc. and trying to match them to the type of event I am most likely to attend. All of which fit into the group you listed as appropriate for tweed.

I still tend to follow my North American tendencies toward color/tone matching, but am getting a bit more relaxed about that.

My only "yet to be decided" is the sleeve style, (currently have it down to Braemar or Crail), but will just have to commit and pull the trigger!


Thanks for your continued input and support for those of us not raised in the culture, it really helps a lot.

Best Regards,
Brooke

Do you mind if I ask a question? Well alright, I will ask it and hope you don't mind!

Out of pure curiosity nothing more, why is the gauntlet cuff of an argyll going to be rejected? I notice others of the "new age" kilt wearers also reject it, maybe for the same reason as you, I really don't know, but I would love to know your reasoning for your choice.

[JSFMACLJR]

Do you mind if I ask a question? Well alright, I will ask it and hope you don't mind!

Out of pure curiosity nothing more, why is the gauntlet cuff of an argyll going to be rejected? I notice others of the "new age" kilt wearers also reject it, maybe for the same reason as you, I really don't know, but I would love to know your reasoning for your choice.

I'm curious about that, too, Jock. All of my tweed kilt jackets ( save one ) have gauntlet cuffs. Tey've never given me reason to fret.

[auld argonian]

re: the cuffs, I'd go with a simple cuff only because I try to pare everything down to its most simple form anyway. When I had the black Argyle made, I opted for a plain cuff with one button...the simplest one that was offered. Just a matter of personal style; the less ornamentation, the better.

If I was having a jacket made, I'd opt for a flat rather than a braided epaulet and it no epaulet at all was an option, I'd probably go with that. I'm kinda particular about the shoulders on jackets and stay away from any thing that exaggerates the definition of that line.

I suppose that part of it is that I always feel that you wear article of clothing that stands out and everything else should be secondary and not distract from the "main event"...obviously, a kilt is going to be the focal point of the outfit so everything else should be laid back so that the kilt is the focus.

My style of dress is usually so plain that I have been mistaken for a clergyman on more than one occasion and the most frequent comment I hear is, " Who died?".

Best

AA

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I'm curious about that, too, Jock. All of my tweed kilt jackets ( save one ) have gauntlet cuffs. They've never given me reason to fret.

I'm also a fan of the gauntlet cuff, although I've got plain cuffs on my gray tweed jacket, and "surgeon cuffs" will put in an appearance on my linen jacket this coming summer. I suspect one reason for the popularity of the plain cuff is its ease of manufacture, which creates a lower retail price, which in turn encourages shops to stock these jackets rather than the more traditional (and in my opinion, better looking) jackets with gauntlet cuffs.

[piperdbh]

Sort of related:
I get my tweed jackets at the thrift shop, especially in the spring. For those of us trying to build up a wardrobe, but who don't have the wherewithal to acquire bran-new, or made-to-measure articles, this is a good option. I've found a couple of Harris tweed jackets, and a couple that are not Harris, which I wear with britches, but which could easily be altered to wear with the kilt.

[Dale Seago]

re: the cuffs, I'd go with a simple cuff only because I try to pare everything down to its most simple form anyway. When I had the black Argyle made, I opted for a plain cuff with one button...the simplest one that was offered. Just a matter of personal style; the less ornamentation, the better.

If I was having a jacket made, I'd opt for a flat rather than a braided epaulet and it no epaulet at all was an option, I'd probably go with that. I'm kinda particular about the shoulders on jackets and stay away from any thing that exaggerates the definition of that line.

Pretty much how I feel. Harris tweed jacket & waistcoat; no epaulettes; Crail cuffs; wearing it at my martial art teacher's birthday party in Japan last month:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...&id=1199617140

[kennethrmc]

Thanks Jock! I have a tweed kilt jacket that I wear w/ pretty much everything and it goes great with pretty much everything too. I might add that tweed is just downright practical. I've owned a Harris Tweed sportcoat (regular not for kilts) for more than 30 years, and still wear it to work several times a week. It is warm, classy but not flashy, and by now is truly an old friend.

[BobsYourUncle]

re: the cuffs, I'd go with a simple cuff only because I try to pare everything down to its most simple form anyway. When I had the black Argyle made, I opted for a plain cuff with one button...the simplest one that was offered. Just a matter of personal style; the less ornamentation, the better.

If I was having a jacket made, I'd opt for a flat rather than a braided epaulet and it no epaulet at all was an option, I'd probably go with that. I'm kinda particular about the shoulders on jackets and stay away from any thing that exaggerates the definition of that line.

I suppose that part of it is that I always feel that you wear article of clothing that stands out and everything else should be secondary and not distract from the "main event"...obviously, a kilt is going to be the focal point of the outfit so everything else should be laid back so that the kilt is the focus.

My style of dress is usually so plain that I have been mistaken for a clergyman on more than one occasion and the most frequent comment I hear is, " Who died?".

Best

AA

But you are a Peacock, and you must fly. It brings a wry smile that folks who are willing to brave the kilt are so modest about the accessories, and about wearing more than one pattern in an outfit. You should not be shy about ornamentation, as long as it is tastefully done and appropriate to the level of formality [reference to John Burgess here].

Gauntlett cuffs, epauletts, heavily ornamented sporrans, none of that will ever outshine the kilt you are wearing--most people will be so occupied with the observation of your kilt, that the other items of your kit will not even register.

Two years ago I went with the family to a Yule festival, wore kilt, Argyll, black tie, diced hose--and a badger head full mask sporran. An hour or two after first meeting up with us, my brother in law did a big double take and nearly fell off of his stool--he had just registered the fact that an animal face was staring at him out of my nether regions...

Most folks won't register the type of cuff on your coat...so please yourself in that choice. Cheers!

[KiltedDixon]

This is another great thread for a newbie like myself.

I am working my first jacket and waistcoat purchase.
All this information sure helps.