I'm not a kilt expert by any means (my first hasn't even arrived yet).
I was in the 'fashion home furnishings' industry for 10 years, which meant
that to a certain degree, we were required to dress with the trend.
Personally, I'm more modern in my tastes.
Anyway, here are my thoughts on the outfits in question.
Overall, I do like them. It is a much more modern take on a traditional look. Much in the same way that the cut or style of suits changes over time, I think these looks are a nice modern adaptation of the 'classic' kilted looks.
I'd get stared at if I wore a 'trousered' suit that was cut and styled from a pattern developed at the turn of the last century. Because the kilt falls into 'traditional national dress' it is somehow removed from time where it's accessories are concerned - not just in it's formal 'traditional dress' roles either, but all the time. (no offense intended, just an observation about clothes
)
There are elements about each that I don't find terribly attractive. In general, the wing collared shirt and ruche tie don't really work for me. A spread collar with a fine quality, thickly woven silk tie, tied in a full Windsor knot with proper attention to the knot would deliver much the same effect, but in a cleaner, more modern way (and also more traditional - isn't it odd when traditional and modern are the same thing
)
The black shirt works with the monochrome look, but only then. The black shirt, black waistcoat, black jacket, black hose, don't work with a bright tartan (pictures two and three, in particular).
Two of the three gentlemen in this pic pull the 'modern' look off very well, with the monochrome working on the center and right quite nicely.
Yes, the sporrans are wrong, and I'm not a big fan of the pinstripe kilt on the far left. But if the center's jacket was better tailored, and he had a day sporran, I think it would look very smart.
I'd prefer the kilts to be made of tartan, or at least a tweed, but overall i think the look is a very strong one.
The below image is probably the one that works best for me.
I think that the tone on tone with the tie, waistcoat jacket and kilt all work wonderfully, set off by the contrasting shirt.
I also like the lack of bright 'blingy' buttons on the this, vs the traditional 'dress' jackets.
Imagine the sleeves showing 1/4" of of shirt cuff, the collar spread instead of wing, a proper tie instead of Ruche, and a day sporran of either rich Cognac coloured leather, or a nice oil finished black. Actually, I could see taking the shirt from bright white to a very light, natural linen colour and lightening up the hose to a charcoal, perhaps with slightly heathered yarn.
Again, just a few thoughts from someone without a 'kilted' viewpoint, but someone whose had to spend a LOT of money on suits and all that go with them over the years. I hope I didn't offend anyone, as none was intended.
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