Need Help With Jacket Purchase

[BEAS]

I want to make one purchase for a jacket/vest combo.
This will be worn to casual evening events, church gatherings, out on the town dinners, and just all around hanging out with nice clothes.
I really like tweed and see a couple for sale on Xmarksthescot I am considering. But don't know if tweed is taboo for summer time wear. I am in the southern U.S. but heat is really no issue to me. Just don't want the kilt/ fashion police on my back. Hahaha

Any help would be great

Thanks
Beas

[Destin_scot]

Beas,

Just about any kilt jacket in tweed will work. I live down on the Gulf Coast, so I know all about the heat and humidity.
Depending on your budget, you may want something in a tropical weight fabric.
There was a member here advertising tropical weight kilt jackets, don't remember who, though.

As far as the Kilt/Fashion police are concerned, as long as you have the basics right, (pleats in the back, length, etc.); I really wouldn't worry what they think. As long as YOU are comfortable with the way you look, and your SO doesn't object, then that is really all that matters.

[Standard]

Rocky at USA Kilts has a summer weight jacket: http://www.usakilts.com/index.php/ki...ll-jacket.html
The Scottish Tartan Museum has a Tropical weight Linen jacket: http://giftshop.scottishtartans.org/linen_jacket.html

[RockyR]

I would wear tweed in summer if heat isn't an issue. Another thought... a tweed vest by itself (purchased with or without a jacket) is another way to be stylish without being too hot.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I agree with Rocky, I would wear tweed year round if it were not for the heat. In fact, I have in the past worn tweed kilt jackets in the middle of the summer just for the look -- and suffered the sweat for it!

Some tweeds are heavier than others, so perhaps a light to mid weight tweed is the thing you are after.

[Tobus]

I'll occasionally wear tweed jackets in summer. It's not really that bad, even in the kind of heat we have down here in Texas.

Remember, there was a time when men wore waistcoats and jackets all year round, regardless of the heat. And that was before air conditioning! It won't kill you. It just takes some getting used to. And in this day and age where most buildings have air conditioning, the type of events you're describing that you'd wear the jacket/waistcoat to shouldn't be that bad.

[JohntheBiker]

A tweed jacket and vest will cover you off for any event or activity up to and including those requiring a suit. By all means get the vest, this will give you a number of different looks, including, as Rocky suggested, wearing the vest alone if heat is an issue.

[Tobus]

I would wear tweed in summer if heat isn't an issue. Another thought... a tweed vest by itself (purchased with or without a jacket) is another way to be stylish without being too hot.

A tweed jacket and vest will cover you off for any event or activity up to and including those requiring a suit. By all means get the vest, this will give you a number of different looks, including, as Rocky suggested, wearing the vest alone if heat is an issue.

Sorry, I wanted to respond to these points as well. Definitely get the waistcoat. I often purchase my jackets from eBay (vintage ones), and the frustrating part of it is that they usually don't have matching waistcoats. If you're ordering a new one, having a matching waistcoat gives you a lot of options. You can wear the waistcoat by itself, the jacket by itself, or the jacket/waistcoat together, depending on the look you're going for. As for fashion police... I'm not aware of any fashion objection to it. Heck, waistcoats are in style these days even with guys who wear trousers.

Wearing a waistcoat alone (sans jacket) is a great way to dress it up a bit while still not straying out of the casual range. Especially if you wear it without a tie (which I don't, but some folks do). Or, when worn with a tie and other accessories, it can look pretty sharp without actually looking "dressed up". Personally, I think this only really works with tweed. Wearing a black waistcoat with a kilt seems to be de rigeur for pipers, and it's a look I'm not particularly fond of. But with a good earthy tweed, and antler buttons, I think it looks fantastic.

As a visual example, here's a lovely tweed waistcoat of mine with antler buttons, worn without the jacket. But the tie dresses it up a bit, and the spatterdashes take it a bit further. There's a lot of leeway in this level of dress, depending on your mood. Wearing a different sporran, or black polished shoes, can make a dramatic difference. The point being that there are many different combinations you can use to make the same basic outfit seem more outside/casual or indoor/dressy while still being firmly in the "daywear" category.

[BEAS]

Great replies gentleman. I do appreciate your help. I see the "big players" of the kilt community here saying its not a fasion faus paux to wear the tweed in summer. Thats what I was looking for.


Thanks to all

BEAS

[creagdhubh]

I agree with Rocky, I would wear tweed year round if it were not for the heat. In fact, I have in the past worn tweed kilt jackets in the middle of the summer just for the look -- and suffered the sweat for it!

Some tweeds are heavier than others, so perhaps a light to mid weight tweed is the thing you are after.

***

I agree. You can always wear the jacket by itself, or the waistcoat by itself with your shirt sleeves rolled up if need be. Both ways are perfectly acceptable. Along with Matthew Newsome's, Tobus' assessment is absolutely spot on and he is offering very good advice. To add, I have seen many of my fellow Macpherson cousins wear their tweed jacket/waistcoat in this manner in Scotland during our annual gathering and rally during the month of August when it tends to be warmer. I have also done this myself at various games and gatherings here in the midwestern part of the US, where it can get quite hot and humid in the summertime.

Kindest regards,