Black Tie and Black Isle at 2010 Snow Ball

[ForresterModern]

My children's hospital charitable foundation puts on a pretty fancy black tie fundraising event each holiday season call the Snow Ball-------BMW raffle, high priced silent auction, dinner, dance band, the whole thing. Wife and I were invited by the hospital president to sit at one of his tables with other administrators and department heads and had a royal blast. Lots of turning heads and positive comments for the kilt, way too many function photographers following us around taking posed and spontaneous photos. I ran into another department head who was also kilted-- our chief neuroradiologist was in PC and Black Watch looking grand.

I was trying to downplay the kilt by wearing the Black Isle tartan with my Holyrood/Brian Boru, with charcoal grey fancy top red/grey hose, maroon flashes, calfhide dress sporran with hangers (belt staid hidden with buckle rotated under my waistcoat), ghillies, and standard 1/8 inch ruffle front tuxedo shirt and black bowwtie. My wife was concerned about the peacock effect of the kilt when I would be next to her in her eggplant ballgown. I think she looks great. Me? Ok.









Me with my colleague in his PC and Black Watch. Neither of us were expecting to see another kiltie at such an event, but were pleasantly surprised when we ran into each other. May have found another Louisville kiltie for future kilt nights.

And I did not win the BMW or any of the auctions I bid on. Bummer. Still a great dinner with great company, and technically, other than wedding attire, my first black tie outing---and kilted at that.

jeff

[T-Bone]

Very nice!!

Oh, and you look good, too, Forrester.

[Macman]

Very nice!!

Oh, and you look good, too, Forrester.

My sentiments exactly! Nice turnout, Jeff.

[NorCalPiper]

Man-You ALWAYS rock the look!!!

[londonpiper]

It does all look very good, the only slight problem I have is with the sporran hanger things which just don't look right to me. I expect it's because they'd be very difficult, not to say uncomfortable, for reeling.

[EagleJCS]

What T-Bone said. I think your wife looked lovely, and you definitely did not overshadow her look.

[BoldHighlander]

BRAVO!
Jeff, you & the Mrs. make a wonderful looking couple!

[Standard]

You and your lovely wife look very well turned out for this event. I'd second the thought about the sporran hangers, but that's just me. The button pattern on your sleeves is not one that I'm familiar with, but it is sharp, I rather like that. Sounds like you had a good evening, and getting to meet up unexpectedly with a fellow kilter always brightens up the evening.

[denmcdough]

Great pics, Jeff. You and the misses look dashing. I especially love the BB jacket/waistcoat. Of course I'm bias, as I have the same one. Remember? We discussed it before.

[ForresterModern]

Standard

No offense taken withregards the sporran hangers---believe me if I didn't have to use them I would rather not as well. But my height and clothes choices help hide a significant gut (I would call it beer-belly except I didn't get it drinking beer) that makes wearing standard chains and straps problematic with regard bunching up of the apron. I have considered the option of using a chain and just running it thought the two leather loops that usually come with kilt belts, and repositioning the loops more at 3 and 9 o'clock, so to speak, or 10 and 2, but then that really isn't that much different than using sporran hangers, no is it.

The jacket/vest combo when I bought it was on sale and described as a Scottish Holyrood, but in actuality is a Brian Boru, the Irish equivalent of the PC, and has antiqued silver round harp-motif buttons rather than the usual square ones, along with a shawl collar to the jacket and vest. Wears pretty much the same but does get a second look from other kilt wearers in the know. I am probably going to change the buttons at some point, when I get motivated.

jeff