Crail vs. Argyle

[JamieKerr]

Is there an overwhelming preference for one vs. the other for semi formal dress? I think I would prefer a Crail jacket, but I don't want to engage in a fashion no no.

[Panache]

How do you like your cuffs to look?

That is the only thing that matters.

(Says Panache who is most fond of Braemar cuffs)

Cheers

Jamie

[JamieKerr]

Simple answer for a simple question. That being said, is there any real rule against a charcoal gray jacket for semi-dress to formal? I've never been one to wear black, even at weddings or funerals. I have several brown and charcoal suits, though I'm really not sure if there is a hard and fast rule.

[ccga3359]

Simple answer for a simple question. That being said, is there any real rule against a charcoal gray jacket for semi-dress to formal? I've never been one to wear black, even at weddings or funerals. I have several brown and charcoal suits, though I'm really not sure if there is a hard and fast rule.

I purchased my Braemar and waistcoat from Rocky at USAKilts. I went with the tweed crag so dark a grey it's almost black. I love it and think it's more versatile than plain black. I'd wear this to anything semi-formal to formal. I can't see me ever needing a PC but if I go to such a function I have an ex- Royal Navy mess jacket that would fit the bill. I only wish I could justify getting the matching tweed kilt.

[David Dalglish]

No hard rule Jamie, a charcoal grey jacket will do for most occassions, what you buy either Crail, brammar or Argyll, its you preferance.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I just put together a little guide for choosing a kilt jacket for the museum's gift shop page. Granted this is mainly concerned with the styles of jacket that we offer, but I think the advice applies no matter where you are shopping.
http://giftshop.scottishtartans.org/which_jacket.htm

(Pay special attention to the end of the article which deals with confusion in jacket names. When I saw the thread title I immediately asked myself, "Ok, what does he mean by 'Crail' and what does he mean by 'Argyle'?")

[beloitpiper]

I have always thought the cuffs of the Braemar and Argyle jacket with fancy pocket flaps make it a bit more dressier than the plain-cuffed and unadorned-pocket-flap crail jacket. But that is just in my head, feel free to choose whatever works best with you.

[Phil]

I really wonder where these names come from. Crail is a small fishing village on the Fife coast and you are about as likely to see someone in a kilt there as fly in the air. Most probably an Edinburgh kiltmaker had a weekend cottage there and thought it would be a nice name. Argyll is a more likely place to come across a kilt-wearer but the only people I've ever seen wearing kilts in Braemar are the Royals when they go native on their holidays there and the proprietor of the kilt shop, no-one else. At one time if you wanted a jacket you went to the local tailor and what you got depended on what he knew how to make. A browse through Armstrong's second-hand rails in Edinburgh turns up all kinds of different styles of old jackets, no doubt reflecting the place they were made. Nowadays virtually everything you get is mostly dictated by the rental trade and is mass produced, one size fits all. That is why outlets such as Matt's carry a fairly limited range because that is pretty much all that is available from what is, essentially, a ready to wear market.

[Arlen]

I prefer the Argyle jacket for semi-formal events and the Braemar for formal events.
I use a Crail jacket for daywear, but it could easily be used for semi formal.

It's the whole outfit put together that pulls it off.

[Nanook]

I have always thought the cuffs of the Braemar and Argyle jacket with fancy pocket flaps make it a bit more dressier than the plain-cuffed and unadorned-pocket-flap crail jacket. But that is just in my head, feel free to choose whatever works best with you.

Among my jackets (to illustrate how the styles can be mixed): are a district tweed with Braemar sleeves (3 horn instead of silver buttons) and mess closure (chained button), a solid purplish heather tweed with Argyle cuffs and silver buttons; and a close fitting and darted heavy black barathea crail (plain sleeves). What's dressier?

I think the crail. Its not the cuffs but the material and cut.