Dress Codes

[Panache]

I suspect I have already fully answered, and offered photgraphic documentation, to this question!

Cheers

Jamie

[Bugbear]

... ME: "I'm doing a PhD in ethnomusicology focusing on the percussion music performed by Chinese kung fu clubs, so I came to Hong Kong to improve my Cantonese."

Sounds interesting. Hope all goes well with your PhD, CMcG.

[CMcG]

I suspect I have already fully answered, and offered photgraphic documentation, to this question!

Cheers

Jamie

Well, yes and no. We know that you have the wardrobe and the sartorial knowledge to dress at pretty much any level of formality. The crux of the issue, however, is the malleability of words like "formal" and "casual" in different social contexts.

Sounds interesting. Hope all goes well with your PhD, CMcG.

Thank you sir. One thing that surprises me is how little Chinese people question my research interests; they know their culture is awesome and aren't surprised that other people want to learn more about it. They are, though, generally taken aback at my choice to study Cantonese instead of Mandarin...

When it comes to kung fu events, dress codes are much more simple: we usually just wear our uniform ith:

[CMcG]

Here is the follow up to my example of the end of term party held by the Vice Chancellor of CUHK (post #39). As you will recall, the dress code was "semi formal / national costume."

I was pleased to see people generally seemed to be making an effort. The interpretation of the dress code ranged from jeans and untucked shirt (thankfully few people); through slacks with a tucked in shirt, tie optional (the majority of the students); up into sports coats, shirt, tie optional, and slacks; and got about as high as a dark suit (the majority of the profs). For national attire, there were a pair of Japanese girls, several Chinese girls, and a group of Korean girls, but the Vice Chancellor and I were the only men wearing so dressed.

He wore slacks, a shirt, tie, and a blue silk Chinese jacket. The VC was overjoyed at a Canadian wearing the national attire of his ancestors and went out of his way to get photos taken with me. I wore my clan tartan kilt, a CUHK striped tie, light blue shirt, dress Braemar jacket, matching waistcoat, solid navy hose, and hunting sporran.

Apologies for the slightly blurry photo. Night time is not the best for snapping pics. The Chinese lion head next to me is what I used for the dance I performed earlier in the night:



As far as the appropriateness of my attire for the event, I felt slightly over dressed and would have preferred a tweed jacket. I could only spare room in my luggage for one jacket and needed something that could stretch between semi-formal and formal, so I brought the Braemar.

Sure enough, there were a couple Scottish professors there and I felt trepidation that I would be shunned or scolded for daring to wear the attire of my heritage. Actually, they were friendly and we had lovely chats! One of them was a kilt-wearer and, as I predicted, was regretting not bringing his kilt with him. The other was not a kilt-wearer but commented that "Canada is close enough to Scotland" considering that we have so many people of Scots ancestry here. I did get a mild reprimand for not having a flask in my sporran

Most of the people that I spoke with asked where I was from and seemed satisfied with the answer that I'm from Canada, while the kilt is the attire of my ancestors. The host was pleased and the organizers asked if I would wear my kilt for the black tie end of term party next week. All in all, I'd say it was a dress code success

[Sir William]

Sure enough, there were a couple Scottish professors there and I felt trepidation that I would be shunned or scolded for daring to wear the attire of my heritage. Actually, they were friendly and we had lovely chats! One of them was a kilt-wearer and, as I predicted, was regretting not bringing kilt with him. The other was not a kilt-wearer but commented that "Canada is close enough to Scotland" considering that we have so many people of Scots ancestry here.

Most of the people that I spoke with asked where I was from and seemed satisfied with the answer that I'm from Canada, while the kilt is the attire of my ancestors. The host was pleased and the organizers asked if I would wear my kilt for the black tie end of term party next week. All in all, I'd say it was a dress code success

I've had similar experiences. No one, including quite a few Scots and other Commonwealth members, I've met has ever challenged my "right" to wear a kilt (at a non-Scottish themed event), and in fact have complimented me for wearing it.

You look great. Personally, I don't think you're overdressed per the invitation, though you may have been compared to others who attended. I went to my wife's firm dinner last weekend and wore a suit - I was one of two! All the other other men wore sports coats and no tie. So I shucked my tie and didn't think twice about how I "fit in" the rest of the evening (too busy enjoying the Macallan 18).

[Bugbear]

Glad all went well, CMcG.
I don't know what a Chinese lion dance is. Are there other animal dances?

[Spartan Tartan]

Great to hear the final outcome. You definitely are very well dressed and I hope we get some pictures from next weeks end of term event as well.

[CMcG]

Glad all went well, CMcG.
I don't know what a Chinese lion dance is. Are there other animal dances?

If you search on YouTube, you can find many fine examples of the Chinese lion dance. There are also dragon dances and unicorn dances!

Great to hear the final outcome. You definitely are very well dressed and I hope we get some pictures from next weeks end of term event as well.

Thanks I'll see about posting some of my Xmarks worthy pics but should probably start a new thread for that...

[Bugbear]

Ah ha! There's a Chinese monkey dance!

[davedove]

I've had similar experiences. No one, including quite a few Scots and other Commonwealth members, I've met has ever challenged my "right" to wear a kilt (at a non-Scottish themed event), and in fact have complimented me for wearing it.

I have found it's not the Scots who challenge a person's right to wear a kilt, but rather non-Scots who have heard rumors or misinformation and then feel they should "correct" the offender.