Fit Check - Burns Supper 2026

[bookish]

I appreciate the clarification and example. I'll be sure to use "tone with" in this context going forward.

[bookish]

Here is me with hose toned with my navy tweed. If I had hunter green flashes or something more aligned with the Glen Affric, I'd have put that on.
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[OC Richard]

I appreciate the clarification and example. I'll be sure to use "tone with" in this context going forward.

Ha! I wouldn't worry, I don't think anybody has used that term in a half-century.

Nowadays people would say "match" but in the old days "tone with" had a different shade of meaning

Matching hose to tweed has a century of tradition behind it but do it nowadays and the townsfolk come out with torches and pitchforks.

[DCampbell16B]

Matching hose to tweed has a century of tradition behind it but do it nowadays and the townsfolk come out with torches and pitchforks.

That's what I do. No one has actually made me bleed, so I'll keep on.

[geomick]

I like bottle green hose with my Lovat Green tweeds

[jsrnephdoc]

I am attending a Burns supper with the Detroit St. Andrew's society. I emailed about dress code, and was told that many will be wearing Argyll jackets, but a nice sweater would do. So, there isn't a strict dress code.

Very useful discussion for us neophytes!

I've been two only two, but from those and from my own reading I would guess you've done your homework well just by asking, because it's my understanding that SOME (but probably not many) Burns Suppers are QUITE formal, with people who know what's expected wearing Prince Charlies and black bows. But that's not common, but always accepted even if very casual attire is more prevalent because of the sentinel importance of the event. (Sort of like some people go to the symphony in shorts, some in full black tie formalwear).

And I second OC Richard's fondness for the modern but quite simple kilt jacket. It's what my son began re-assembling my highlands wear wardrobe with after all of it vanished with everything else I owned except my wife (oops, I should NEVER claim "ownership" there), our cars, and our laptops in the Sonoma County, CA "Tubbs" wildfire in October 2017. My son obtained mine from Kinloch Anderson.

When we visited Lochcarron Mills in the summer of 2023 (something I think ANYONE with enough interest in Highlandswear to be a member of this forum should do if they have a chance) it was the jacket I had with me but DIDN'T wear because we were just "Amurican" tourists wearing jeans and T-shirts (hot) or sweaters (cold and rain) throughout our visit. However, just a few months later another guy you might recognize showed up in Selkirk for a (probably more extensive) tour and chatted up the same matron (in the foreground, beaming) we did (her task was to repair single-thread mistakes in bolts of cloth).



My guess is that the folks in Edinburgh who made his jacket spent a bit more time on it than they did mine. And, I notice he's embellished his outfit with a silk pocket square.

[geomick]

On the 24th, I will be attending my first Burns Night. I asked a similar question of the organizer to determine if I was formal enough. I was told to expect PC wearers, conventional suit wearers, kilts without jackets and such. So my tweeds won't be completely out of place. May look at an Argyle jacket later in the year.

[jsrnephdoc]

Here is me with hose toned with my navy tweed.

Bring along that strength training workout frame and I'm sure you'll earn an invitation to the next Highland Games near you

[TheVintageLibertine]

@bookish

I think both ensembles are on point and work perfectly for a Burns Supper where there’ll be a mix of black tie to casual.

Aesthetically, I like the blue-toned kilt ensemble little more for an evening event because those red hose are so snazzy.

In terms of tailoring, I don’t think your jacket is too off. Perhaps the sleeves could be shortened a bit to show some cuff, but that’s really a matter of personal preference.

For pocket squares, I find that a simple white cotton handkerchief in a square “TV” fold complements any shirt/tie combination, even if it doesn’t necessarily match.

I also noticed that your hose aren’t too tall and kilts aren’t too long, so show just the tight amount of bare leg to my eye.

I’m not sure if you’re an experienced or novice kilt-wearer. But you certainly don’t look like a novice.

[bookish]

@bookish

I think both ensembles are on point and work perfectly for a Burns Supper where there’ll be a mix of black tie to casual.

Aesthetically, I like the blue-toned kilt ensemble little more for an evening event because those red hose are so snazzy.

In terms of tailoring, I don’t think your jacket is too off. Perhaps the sleeves could be shortened a bit to show some cuff, but that’s really a matter of personal preference.

For pocket squares, I find that a simple white cotton handkerchief in a square “TV” fold complements any shirt/tie combination, even if it doesn’t necessarily match.

I also noticed that your hose aren’t too tall and kilts aren’t too long, so show just the tight amount of bare leg to my eye.

I’m not sure if you’re an experienced or novice kilt-wearer. But you certainly don’t look like a novice.

That's kind of you to say! I like to believe that I'm a quick study. I'll look up "tv fold"! I've never worn a pocket square, but it seems like a classy touch.