A Study on "the Most Versatile Jacket"

[Cygnus]

The point about charcoal is that it works not only for general daywear/weddings, but also for business or funerals where one would not want to dress "brightly"...

That's true enough for those outside Scotland who may have to blend in with a bit with local customs on occasion; though my feeling on the subject is that if you need to blend in with the locals, you can always wear trousers.

Here's a picture of the funeral of Chief John MacLeod:

Notice the different colours of tweed jacket, even among the pall bearers.

[CMcG]

If, indeed, one were to go tweed, then charcoal colour advice one would best heed.

I don't see why it would need to be a charcoal Argyll jacket. To me, part of the appeal of Highland dress is the possible variation in colour. Even on the most formal occasions, brightly-coloured velvet doublets are not only eye-catching but appropriate.

Find a tweed that you like; be it checked, houndstooth, blue, green, purple, charcoal, or just about any other colour or pattern.

The fact that dark colours are in vogue with the "trousered" doesn't mean the kilted have to follow suit!

You are entirely correct that THCD embraces a wide range of colours and patterns of tweed for daywear. There are also different coloured or even tartan doublets worn to the most formal events. In the middle/dressy of formality, however, jackets tend to be black, even amongst the kilted. By this I am referring to dressy, semi-formal, morning attire, formal evening wear, etc.

I'm not saying one couldn't wear other colours for dressy to formal occasions, but that the majority of people tend not to. Just look at the pictures other Xmarkers have posted from Burns' Suppers both in Scotland and abroad. Not everyone is in formal wear but people are wearing predominantly black or at least dark jackets.

Any tweed jacket is never going to work as true formal wear (too rough of a texture) but a dark tweed can be dressed up the most. In terms of versatility with a tweed Argyll jacket, it doesn't have to be charcoal. Any dark solid colour will have a similar effect: navy, dark green, black, etc.

Perhaps I should rephrase my earlier rhyme:
"If, indeed, one were to go tweed, then dark solid colour one would best heed."

[JSFMACLJR]

You are entirely correct that THCD embraces a wide range of colours and patterns of tweed for daywear. There are also different coloured or even tartan doublets worn to the most formal events. In the middle/dressy of formality, however, jackets tend to be black, even amongst the kilted. By this I am referring to dressy, semi-formal, morning attire, formal evening wear, etc.

I'm not saying one couldn't wear other colours for dressy to formal occasions, but that the majority of people tend not to. Just look at the pictures other Xmarkers have posted from Burns' Suppers both in Scotland and abroad. Not everyone is in formal wear but people are wearing predominantly black or at least dark jackets.

Any tweed jacket is never going to work as true formal wear (too rough of a texture) but a dark tweed can be dressed up the most. In terms of versatility with a tweed Argyll jacket, it doesn't have to be charcoal. Any dark solid colour will have a similar effect: navy, dark green, black, etc.

Perhaps I should rephrase my earlier rhyme:
"If, indeed, one were to go tweed, then dark solid colour one would best heed."

(emphasis added by JSFMACLJR)

But I believe this assumption is based on a non-Highland , pants wearing position. The tweed just does not have to be dark coloured. This is what one finds in the Highlands. You will on occasion find black Argyll jackets on some men at uber-dressy daytime weddings...but not always. A dark tweed certainly looks fine in dressy situations, no doubt about it. I just don't want
folks to get the idea that jackets MUST be of dark tweed or black barathea.

A picture is worth a thousand words, so here are a few taken at weddings, in Scotland, of Highlanders. There are dark jackets shown, and various other tweeds. Those not in the kilt were wearing morning coats.

[Jock Scot]

Does me for most occasions. But need a semi-dress sporran, and my MacLaren tank is now being made. 8yd 16oz Lochcarron Strome, MacLaren Ancient

If I may, can I advise that a certain amount of caution may be required here. A semi dress sporran is about the most useless and needless bit of kilt attire that you could spend your hard earned cash on, it is "neither fish nor fowl".

Your black sporran that you wear will see you through to any event up to very formal events and a semi formal sporran just looks awful in each and every case---- every day, smart day, smart (not formal) events and even worse, at formal events. Better by far and completely versatile is a fur mask sporran, or a nice dress sporran that "looks the business" in the right surroundings. Why spend money on three sporrans when one(or two) will cover all eventualities perfectly?

I quite understand that accumulating a kilt wardrobe takes time, but given that you are and time is what you have, then I personally would advise careful consideration over the necessity of a semi dress sporran.

[MacLowlife]

I dislike solid black jackets whenever they can be avoided. If you look at things long enough, there are cycles of popularity, but for many men, solid black was limited to evening wear until very recently. You might have a dark grey suit for the day, but not solid black. And let's face it, the cool., hip, black is mostly a mid -to-late twentieth century phenomenon. For all of these reasons, I vote for a navy blue argyll instead. At night, when you have to, you can wear it among black jackets and it doesn't look too bad. In the daytime, it looks better than solid black (IMHO, of course). Swappable (bone or horn) buttons would be nice, as would the slightly better grade of square silver buttons.

But let's be realistic about two things:
1) black tie is not a weekly concern for lots of us, and
2) for those who do wear black tie often, we don't try to do it with daywear.

But I'd rather be wearing a colorful jacket for black tie than a funereal one for a happy occasion.


So yes, the ummm DARK colored Argyll is very versatile, but the tool that does too many jobs does none of them truly well and if the only tool you have is a hammer, the whole world begins to look like a nail.

[CMcG]

M'Ll, your argument for the navy blue Argyll is compelling. Do you have one of these jackets?

[robbiethepiper]

Double post

[robbiethepiper]

I don't see why it would need to be a charcoal Argyll jacket. To me, part of the appeal of Highland dress is the possible variation in colour. Even on the most formal occasions, brightly-coloured velvet doublets are not only eye-catching but appropriate.

Find a tweed that you like; be it checked, houndstooth, blue, green, purple, charcoal, or just about any other colour or pattern.

The fact that dark colours are in vogue with the "trousered" doesn't mean the kilted have to follow suit!

One of the most popular traditional songs says it all:

HIGHLAND LADDIE

The lawlan lads think they are fine
But oh, they're vain and idle gaudy
How much unlike the graceful mien
And manly looks o' ma Hielan laddie!

[chrisupyonder]

MacLowlife
Swappable (bone or horn) buttons would be nice, as would the slightly better grade of square silver buttons.


Ok where can I get them? how do they work? Can you just change buttons quickly without sewing?

[CMcG]

Swappable buttons are attached with a small cotter pin. The button shank goes through the jacket and the pin on the back holds them in place. At least that's how it is on my jacket