Montrose Doublet

[davidg]

Here is a photo of me in an argyl with collar. I think it's a pretty good look for less formal occassions:

That's pretty much how I would dress informally as well, although I usually prefer tab collar shirts as I find them more comfortable. I wear black clerical shirts for semi-formal (like weddings) with a black jacket and sometimes a dark blue clerical shirt with a tweed jacket

I like your sporran BTW

[creagdhubh]

Personally, I like the Montrose, Sherrifmuir, and Kenmore style of doublets with a lace jabot and matching cuffs, or a formal shirt with the jabot and cuffs already sewn on, which are indeed rare, but available. I tend to believe the lace jabot and cuffs 'finish' these style of highly bespoke and slim-fitting doublets, quite nicely - and in a rather traditional fashion. Simply my opinion.

Beannach'd libh,

[thescot]

Personally, I like the Montrose, Sherrifmuir, and Kenmore style of doublets with a lace jabot and matching cuffs, or a formal shirt with the jabot and cuffs already sewn on, which are indeed rare, but available. I tend to believe the lace jabot and cuffs 'finish' these style of highly bespoke and slim-fitting doublets, quite nicely - and in a rather traditional fashion. Simply my opinion.

Beannach'd libh,

I agree whold heartedly. And that's the way I wear my Montrose.

But for his clerical look, i kind of like his plain collar and tabs.

[MacRobert's Reply]

The other thing to consider is the time of day. The Montrose would normally only be worn in the evening at a white or black tie do. A black Argyle jacket is appropriate day or evening except, perhaps, for the most formal of evening events.

[piperdbh]

I like the collar-and-tabs look, but I wonder why the tabs factory didn't interface the tabs, so that they wouldn't be so transparent.

What if the tabs were made of knitted lace, like some of us here like to make? I think it would look pretty nice, without being overly frilly. Mind you, I'm not in a collar-wearing denomination, nor am I clergy, but I have dwelt among them.

[AFS1970]

I think the tabs look quite nice with the montrose. They bring a certain simplicity to the otherwise formal look, which to my mind is keeping with the modest look that clerical garb often is designed for. I think that the lace cuffs would actually look out of place with this look, as I think lace should be an all or nothing sort of thing and the clerical collar in place of the lace sets the tone of the whole outfit.

I am not as familiar with the montrose as I would like to be, not owning one, but isn't the collar on the jacket sort of high enough that when wearing the full collar it would not need any additional black to appear like a Roman notched collar? Or is the opening too wide for that?

[creagdhubh]

I agree whold heartedly. And that's the way I wear my Montrose.

But for his clerical look, i kind of like his plain collar and tabs.

Agreed.

[Father Bill]

Much like our "traditional myths" about tartan, there is a "traditional myth" about notches: that a wide notch is Protestant and a narrow notch is Roman. Again like tartans, watch carefully and you will see that this is simply not true.

As for the interfacing idea, possibly, but it is traditional for the tabs to be exactly as you see them - white on the edges and "transparent" in the middle. Lace would not be considered appropriate in most denominations, just weird.

[FatherWilliam57]

Another idea I have played with is cutting a cassock down to normal shirt length to wear with a kilt, cassock shoulder cape, and biretta. Of course, it would be an Anglican style, wool cassock (as opposed to a Roman style with the bottons down the center front). Do either of you (David and Bill) think that could work properly?

BTW, I guess we speak to what we are used to. My cassock has a collar opening of only two inches, but David is quite correct in stating the opening can be up to 4".

[AFS1970]

Is cutting down a cassock just to get a certain style of opening? I think the over all look would be really that of a slightly fancier clerical shirt and not that of a jacket. I think the shoulder cape might be a bit of overkill in anything but the most traditional settings.

The biretta seems a bit out of place in highland wear, if only because I rarely see it worn as a non ceremonial item of dress these days, despite it's roots as an academic hat. Most denominations that wear them do so generally with other vestments or choir dress both of which would tend to cover up the kilt. Although the trouble maker in me is thinking if one could be diced? Although the red pom at the top might lead some to confuse you with an Arch Deacon or Monsignor.

While writing this another thought came up, of using the simple cloth buttons common on cassocks for a montrose, to give it a plain but still fancy look. That lead me to wonder if one could be made with interchangeable buttons, metal for formal and cloth for informal wear. This might end up with something similar to the idea of cutting down the cassock.