Kilt for prom

[Calanon]

Hi,

I want to wear a kilt to my prom, however I am unsure which tartan to chose. I have Armstrong ancestry to so I want an Armstrong tartan, but which one of the Armstrong tartan patterns should I use? http://www.macgregorandmacduff.co.uk/tartan-finder.htm

Also, what colour should my flashes be? Should they match the kilt in tartan or what? What jacket, shirt and tie would be recommended and should I wear white hose?

[Tobus]

Welcome to the forum!

From the link you posted, it appears that the choices in Armstrong are either modern or ancient. It makes absolutely no difference which one you use. They are the same thing, just in different hues. Pick the one you like the best. I personally prefer the "ancient" colours, as they tend to look more lively and quaint, where "modern" colours seem to be very dark. But it's absolutely your choice.

As for flashes, red is the standard. You can never go wrong with red. And since your tartan has a bit of red in it, using red flashes will look that much better. If it were me, though, I would choose traditional wool garter ties instead. They look much more suave than the cookie-cutter flashes. Little details like this can make a big difference in the overall effect.

But no, they needn't necessarily match the tartan. In fact, they needn't match anything at all. They can stand on their own, as it were. Just make sure the left one matches the right one and you'll be fine.

As for hose, I think you'll find that most people nowadays advise against white. There was a period of a couple of decades where white was popular, but it's really not traditional, and the visual effect is nowhere near as nice as wearing coloured hose. Or better yet, if this is a formal affair, wearing patterned (diced, Argyll, etc.) hose.

I see that you're in England, so I shan't comment on which jacket, shirt, and tie would be most appropriate, since I'm unfamiliar with the traditions of formality for a prom there. In fact, I didn't know they did proms in England!

What is the stated dress code for this event? Is it "black tie", etc.?

[auld argonian]

Looks like your choices are Armstrong Modern and Armstrong Ancient...

Best to do an image search on google or whatever to get an idea of what they look like...you may then be directed to the different tartan mills' sites as there are some slight variations.

While you can easily get away with the red flashes, having flashes made in the tartan would be cool...especially when the tartan has the nice red stripe...put that red stripe right down the middle of the pieces you make the flash out of and it really pops out nicely.

Best

AA

[Frank McGrath]

Good Luck...Stand Tall and wear it proudly!

[Cathy McWilliams]

I have helped quite a few young gents into their first kilt for their prom. You are not renting the kilt and chances are you will wear this often and proudly. I sometimes joke around and say "guilt by asthetics". If the colors appeal to you, that's the one to get. The colors on some of the "modern" tartans don't look as colorful in the dark, for example, modern Campbell in the night looks almost like solid black. That also depends on the mill and the dye lots that they use. I found the House of Edgar's modern colors are a bit brighter than LochCarron or Strathmore. Strathmore has a distinctively vivid yellow (does not apply with Armstrong) LochCarron's blues and greens are very rich.
Men in kilts are like beautiful peacocks in all their glorious colors - wear something you can strut proudly in.
flashes? I agree with matching tartan flashes. If you don't want tartan, then red flashes would look nice, but sometimes red is hard to match up. or green - soo many different hues. Your kiltmaker can make tartan flashes out of the left-over scraps from your kilt.
Cheers and good luck at the prom!
Cathy McWilliams
Fife & Thistle

[McClef]

A post has been reported and removed to the Holding Cell. Posts that reacted to this have also been removed to keep everything together. More information will be given in due course.

[Chas]

Hi Calanon,

You have asked questions that are hard to answer. We really do not know enough information.

Firstly, how old are you? Secondly, how often do you think you will be wearing a kilt after the prom (realistically). I live in Norfolk and the opportunities for kilt wearing are few and far between! I have to create the events to wear a kilt.

Your age is a big factor. Boys do not stop growing till about 21. After that they start to fill out. So whatever waist and chest you are now, you will not be in a few years time.

A full kilt outfit could cost a few quid short of a £1,000 That would be a formal outfit, not something to visit family or a night out with the lads. You would need other jackets and such for that.

I suggest that you rent for the prom. If you get on with a kilt (not everyone does) then you look at Heritage of Scotland (website or eBay). They do cheap acrylic kilts which will do you till your size stabilises. You could waste a lot of money by having to replace everything in a short while.

Oh, yes. No white hose - ever (we used to call them Virgin socks).
Flashes - solid colour.
Shirt - white.
Bow tie - black - learn to tie one - just too cool.

Regards

Chas

[McClef]

Re what I wrote in post #6 - the removed post was considered a rule violation and will not be returned.

The two posts reacting to this post and which were removed with it will not be returned either as without the post that they were reacting to, these become redundant. The posters have been notified and thanked.

[Kilted Craanen]

Use whatever you like! Having a connection with a tartan is obviously the nicest though. Flashes must certainly match, unless you use a solid colour that is the most present in your kilt. Or just plain red, which is what people also seem to use. Since you are a starter, I suggest buying coloured hose, although if you prefer white hose I'm not going to start a flamewar - also depends on your tartan to be fair. In response to the first post after yours, I do have to say it would be utterly devilish to wear pink flashes with a green kilt or so. For the love of no god, don't do that ^_^ especially during a prom, where your kilt and flashes will mostly be the most colourful, do match it with your kilt. I just saw the armstrong tartan - why not go for dark green hose with red flashes? so it brings out the stripe!

Jacket -- I wear a kilt to prom myself and I strongly prefer the argyll jacket. I just hate the overall look of the prince charlie style jacket (I do however really like the sherrifmuir jacket...) so I'd recommend that.

Furthermore, since a prom is usually a black tie event - wear a black tie. Unless you can find a rouche tie, if you really hate black bowties because they remind you of waiters (like me).

Also, don't forget to get yourself a decent sporran and kilt pin. I like it when my sporran matches the kilt pin in a fashion (if you go for a thistle pin, go for a thistle cantle as well!). When that's done, I reckon you're pretty much set!

Also, you going with a lady? consider getting a corsage using a bit of tartan, so she matches with you! Don't overdo it (no sashes) after all, she's the lady and she deserves all the attention in her own way, without you draping your trademark all over her - but that's my opinion!

Hope that helped!

[Calanon]

Thank you for all your replies, this will all be of much help to me. Yes, proms in England are black-tie although somebody in the year above mine dressed up as the Stig from Top Gear last prom. One of my friends did also wear a kilt to prom.

Firstly, how old are you? Secondly, how often do you think you will be wearing a kilt after the prom (realistically). I live in Norfolk and the opportunities for kilt wearing are few and far between! I have to create the events to wear a kilt.

I am 15 and I think that I might wear them now and again, probably just for fun when I visit my friends abroad. :P

A full kilt outfit could cost a few quid short of a £1,000 That would be a formal outfit, not something to visit family or a night out with the lads. You would need other jackets and such for that.

I don't really do things such as a 'night out with the lads', but if it's that expensive do you recommend I just rent one?

I'm not overly sure if I'm still going with the girl. One of her friends told me that she won't go with me if I wear a kilt 'because she wants me to look smart'. Even though I tried to explain that full Highland Dress is considered to be very formal. More formal than most people there will wear.