Seven Days... New Topic

[MacLowlife]

Seven Days without THCD discussion makes one weak.

I have a Black Watch Saxon blazer that I am considering having remade for kilt wear. A little creative destruction on another sportcoat has yielded a pattern for making a coatee (with tails) on the order of a PC, though probably not double breasted. On the other hand, it could easily be shortened in the manner of an Argyll style jacket.

I will not suggest wearing it with tartans other than the BW, (though I think it would look pretty good with the Dress Gordon used by a nearby school.) However, I am wondering about day vs evening wear. My concern is that BW often appears as plain black in evening settings, while it might be more obviously tartan in the daytime. Is this good or bad? I am not inclined towards the Paladin / Johnny Cash look, but I think a tartan kilt and jacket would be pretty swell. And I expect the rest of the outfit would define the formality.

At last the point of all of this rambling:
1) What style of jacket/ doublet?
2) When to wear it?

I already have more than one option for day or evening and I am hoping to get this done pretty cheaply, so it is more of a play project than a matter of great importance. Just the same, I am eager for good advice.

[Bugbear]

Make it into an argyle, MacLowlife.

[davidlpope]

Here's an example of a similarly dark tartan used in kilt, doublet, and waistcoat:

[CMcG]

<snip>
At last the point of all of this rambling:
1) What style of jacket/ doublet?
2) When to wear it?

<snip>

Just the same, I am eager for good advice.

I doubt I can provide you with GOOD advice, but I'll venture an opinion or two.

It seems that a Saxon blazer has more in common with a Highland jacket than a doublet. A bit of alteration would do the trick, while to make a doublet might require some more extensive tailoring.

If part of your goal is to keep this on the cheap, then go the direct route and make it a Arygll-style jacket: reduce the length and give it a sporran cut-away. This would give you a tartan jacket that would easily work for daywear or non-formal evening wear.

Something like what Highland Clans has here:
http://www.highlandclans.co.uk/Tarta...ll_Jacket.html


If you want to "go big or go home," then take it up a notch with more sartorial-candy. You could swap in some fancy buttons and maybe a contrasting colour lapel. If you have a Highland tailor (or at least one with a creative eye) you could even have gauntlet or patch cuffs and epaulettes made in the same contrasting colour as the lapels... would that be too much? This would give you a much fancier jacket, capable of being worn for more formal occasions, day or evening.

Something like what Highland Clans has here:
http://www.highlandclans.co.uk/Appin_Doublet.html

[Bugbear]

Ya, MacLowlife, make sure you have eyelets for removable buttons put in the jacket, otherwise they'll laugh at you behind your back.

[MacLowlife]

Thanks- All opinions appreciated and suggestions gratefully considered. I especially like seeing those great photographic examples, but I recognize and give thanks for the wisdom of McBug, the honey eater, too.

A while back there was a picture of Alan Cumming wearing a tartan suit when he was knighted. That is a pretty formal occasion, but I wonder if there are other daywear examples and photos around...

[Bugbear]

Thank you for noticing, MacLowlife.

The argyle with interchangeable buttons sounds fine.

Good luck.

[MacMillans son]

Maclowlife, here is a photo of him in his "Dressed to Kilt" outfit from last year. He is wearing a kilt suit with brown boots and sporran. It's about all you can do to dress down a kilt suit I suppose.

http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/11Re4...h/Alan+Cumming

[CMcG]

<snip>
A while back there was a picture of Alan Cumming wearing a tartan suit when he was knighted. That is a pretty formal occasion, but I wonder if there are other daywear examples and photos around...

This tartan kilt suit?


There is also the MacGregor. This photo is rather dressy too, but appears to have been taken during daylight hours:

[CMcG]

Sorry to post over myself

I've been doing my best Googling to find THCD daywear or less formal examples of tartan jackets... you've set a tough challenge MacLowlife! It appears that tartan jackets (with matching kilts) in contemporary times are rather dressy and also somewhat uncommon. There are perhaps more examples of either historical examples, so I'll post some of those too. Apologies if I stray too far from traditional into historical or fashion

Apparently there are some examples of mismatched tartans, which MacLl hinted at...

Here is Ted Allen from an edition of Dressed to Kilt. Tartan jacket that does NOT match his kilt:



A similar but more historical, non-matching tartan combo:


The check on this tweed is strong enough that it's almost like tartan:


A painting of Culloden with mismatched tartans: