"Smart casual" with a kilt

[dutchy kilted]

My lovely wife and I have been invited to a charity dinner-dance in Philadlephia next ,onth. The dress code for men is "smart casual." I have been requested to wear a kilt and am planning on wearing my USAK Warrior (mainly purple) or USAK Albannach (mainly blue). I do not have a waistcoat or kilt jacket. Two quick questions:

1. Would it be approriate to wear a tweed sportcoat with either kilt, and what color hose would be recommended? I don't have the funds for a new jacket

2. What in all that is holy is "smart casual"? I checked the photos from last year and it appeared most men were wearing sportcoats and open collars, no ties, but I'm not sure how that applies to kilted wear.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

[Chas]

Best of luck, trying to work it out. "Smart casual", sounds like a round square to me. It has to be one or the other, it can't really be both.

Regards

Chas

[auld argonian]

If you have a month, you may have time to find a tweed jacket (or whatever) at the thrift store and have it shortened for kilt wear by then. Several excellent tutorials here or find a sympathetic tailor who'll do it for you...

Best

AA

[Dale Seago]

If there's nothing you can do about the jacket anyway, I'd say wear it without a second thought: In all probability you will be the only one present who has any idea it wasn't made to wear with a kilt.

Just as a point of reference, this post below gives my own idea of "smart casual with a kilt". No pics in the post itself, but there are embedded links that will give you a good sense of what I'm talking about.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...67/#post953888

[auld argonian]

One thing that I've noticed about jackets, shortened or not: if they're of a generous cut, they look wrong; if they look a size too small, shortened or not, they look a lot better. The tight fit of the trad kilt jacket has a lot to do with the perception of it being appropriate to wearing with the kilt!

Best

AA

[Jock Scot]

A thin good quality woollen V neck, or crew neck sweater worn over a suitable shirt, with or without a tie(not a black bow tie) is another option.

[CMcG]

There is a Wikipedia page for "smart casual."

I generally think of it like looking nice but not too dressed up. As with most dress codes, it depends a lot on the organizer and the crowd that will be attending.

I would avoid wearing a regular sports coat with a kilt unless it is cut unusually short in the waist, otherwise it will look disproportionate and dumpy. A better way to go would be to follow Jock Scot's excellent advice.

[Spartan Tartan]

From the waist up--I'd wear essentially the same thing as others. Collared shirt with or without a tie. Personally, I'd wear the tie and then remove it if I somehow felt "overdressed". Maybe even a nice sweater over top as Jock has mentioned too. In both the sweater and tie options, I figure if it's too much it can be removed...

Kilt: Of the two you suggest, I would recommend the warrior kilt. I happen to like it and have considered it as a future purchase of my own.

Hose: maybe a color which compliments a color in the striping...bring out the colors other than purple.

Just my 2 cents.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

A thin good quality woollen V neck, or crew neck sweater worn over a suitable shirt, with or without a tie(not a black bow tie) is another option.

Ditto what Jock said. I think a tweed Argyle jacket would be perfect, but if you don't have one a sweater will work great.

[Dale Seago]

A thin good quality woollen V neck, or crew neck sweater worn over a suitable shirt, with or without a tie(not a black bow tie) is another option.

Definitely!