[MacLowlife]

Hello friends,

I have been lurking and feel as if I know you already. Now I am jumping in and wondering about tartan doublets. You see them in old portraits. You see them mentioned in books. I know of one seller who offers them for sale. Anyone got a picture of himself wearing one? I posted over on DIY about making a Black Watch Prince Charlie and one helpful member pointed out "you wouldn't wear a BW Tuxedo, would you?" In fact I DO sometimes wear a BW Dinner Jacket and it frequently passes for black in the dim light of a party. I am wondering if an all Black Watch dress outfit is TOO MUCH or subtly very cool? I suspect I will be more likely to wear it than, say an all Royal Stewart ensemble, but I await your wise advice.

Thanks in Advance
MacLowlife
You take the high life and I'll take..

[Tartan Hiker]

Don't forget to avail yourself of the search feature in each forum. You'll find lots of threads that mention doublets.

Also, check the sticky in the Photos forum for "One kilt, 10 looks". You'll see doublets there, too.

[Jock Scot]

There are one or two members, here, that are very keen on a tartan waistcoat(vest) and at least one member who wears a tartan evening jacket. Not to my taste, but either option is very traditional, but not usual these days and no doubt those members will chip in before long.

One thing you must understand, is that mixing tartans of different clans is a definite no no.The mixing of tartans of the same clan is alright, in most circumstances. When it comes to "universal" tartans I am not quite sure what happens, but on the whole it is safer not to mix tartans.

[Bugbear]

Don't forget tartan waistcoats... Perhaps not at the same time as the tartan doublet, though.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

By all means a doublet, cut from the same tartan as your kilt, is perfectly acceptable and, indeed, desirable. To my mind's eye this style works best with a very traditional doublet (Sheriffmuir, regulation doublet, Dress Argyll, or similar) than it does with the ubiquitous Prince Charlie coatee. Our very own JSFMACJR (Sandy MacLean) often wears a tartan doublet and looks smashing. Perhaps he can be encouraged to join in the discussion.

[MacLowlife]

Same tartan on a different scale? Two clans, both of which I can claim? What if one is named, say Stewart Campbell, as someone in these parts probably is? Thanks, all
MacL

[MacLowlife]

Oooh, ah forgot- What about the Bias cut? It breaks up the "grid" look, I think, but may make us look like walking Test Patterns. Thanks,

[Jock Scot]

Originally Posted by MacLowlife

Same tartan on a different scale? Two clans, both of which I can claim? What if one is named, say Stewart Campbell, as someone in these parts probably is? Thanks, all
MacL

You need to know clan histories extremely well before mixing tartans. For example, mixing Clan Campbell and Clan MacDonald tartans could be dynamite in certain circles---even these days! It is not unknown for two parts of the same clan, with their own tartan, not to be too friendly, on occasion either, so beware! Same tartan, different scale, is fine.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Originally Posted by MacLowlife

Oooh, ah forgot- What about the Bias cut? It breaks up the "grid" look, I think, but may make us look like walking Test Patterns. Thanks,

Cut on the bias, in my opinion, generally looks better than tartan cut "on the grid" as you have put it. That said, I think it really depends on the tartan, the colours ("old", "modern", "weathered", etc.), and of course, the cut of the doublet.

But as Jock has said, you should stick with only one tartan. So, if your name is Lindsay Scott Munro you are best advised to have your whole suit in Munro tartan rather than a Munro kilt, a Lindsay waistcoat, and a Scott tartan doublet.

Now suppose for a moment that your clan has several distinct tartans: Dress, Ancient, and Hunting. There would be nothing to prevent you from using two or even all three of them-- although most would advise having the doublet and kilt in the same tartan. It's really your choice, and it comes down to how comfortable you will feel wearing a "full tartan" Highland suit.

[Bugbear]

I was just thinking about a tartan Sheriffmuir cut on the bias, and in my mind all of that looks much better with argyle or tartan hose... I'm not sure why, though.