formal evening dress: vest or no?

[CMcG]

<snip>
The design and cut of a Prince Charlie is intended to be worn with a three button waistcoat, which comes up to the bottom of the lapel. For a five button waistcoat to work with the design of the garment, the lapels would have to be much, much, shorter.

I think you should wear a PC with a bowtie and either a waistbelt OR a 3-button waistcoat. The belt looks better, to me, on men that are short and stocky, the waistcoat better on taller men. I think the broad expanse of white shirtfront on a taller man is prone to looking untidy.
<snip>

Thanks gentlemen, that's just the sort of explanations I was looking for. If it's a question of physique, davidlpope's advice could be very helpful. I however, am neither particularly tall nor particularly stocky, so perhaps either a waistbelt OR a 3-button waistcoat might just work for me.

I appreciate the waistbelt, no vest, black-tie pics from JSFMACLJR as that appeals to me most. I'm not clear though, if MoR seems to be suggesting that the PC should always be worn with a 3 button vest or if it was more that WHEN a vest is worn with a PC it should be 3 button. The bit about the long lapels, short vest makes visual sense to me.

Also, please don't think me a troll; I included the "5 button vest with cravat look" as reference, not because I was planning on wearing it. I like a good disambiguation and this thread is supposed to be about vest options, so it's great that we can get that one out of the way quickly!

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Thanks gentlemen, that's just the sort of explanations I was looking for. I'm not clear though, if MoR seems to be suggesting that the PC should always be worn with a 3 button vest or if it was more that WHEN a vest is worn with a PC it should be 3 button.

Whether or not one wears a waistcoat with the PC is a matter of personal opinion (quite often dictated by prevailing weather conditions!). But when a waistcoat is worn with the PC it should always be one of the three button variety. In my opinion the PC should always be worn with a waistcoat. I just don't think it looks "finished" without one. For really hot climes (Texas, in the summer?) the best answer is a light weight dress Argyll jacket-- with or without a waistcoat.

I realise that Highland attire can be pricey but, if I lived somewhere really warm I'd invest in a lightweight/tropical weight dress Argyll jacket long before I'd consider buying a PC.