Burns Night is coming. Formal on the cheap.

[usonian]

My formal jacket at the moment is a spencer jacket - I got mine third hand with silver celtic buttons already sewn on, and I'm quite happy with it until such time as I decide to invest in a PC.

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I believe it originally came from here -100% wool spencer jacket for $59.00.

I haven't worn it to a black tie event with lots of other kilted folks yet, so I can't speak to how many eyebrows it might raise... but at an event where most people aren't kilted you'll probably be hard-pressed to find anyone who knows the difference between a PC, spencer jacket, argyle, etc.

[Zardoz]

I did exactly what Allen suggests for years, although I prefer nicer shirts that you can get at Uniformal.
I recently 'upgraded' to a nice wool tailcoat that I got from a tux re-seller for like 40 bucks and had a local tailor modify into my version of a PC style jacket;


Total cost for the coat, tailoring and buttons was under 80 bucks, and is plenty good for the 2 or 3 black tie events I might attend every year

[Alan H]

I believe it originally came from here -100% wool spencer jacket for $59.00.

I haven't worn it to a black tie event with lots of other kilted folks yet, so I can't speak to how many eyebrows it might raise... but at an event where most people aren't kilted you'll probably be hard-pressed to find anyone who knows the difference between a PC, spencer jacket, argyle, etc.

That Spencer jacket looks like a good deal, actually. $59? Can't beat it. If I was going to be attending a black tie event, I'd be tempted...well... if they had a size that would fit me, but they only go up to 48 and I need a 50 or 52.

Yeah, the Uniformalwearhouse stuff is polyester. EEeeeeewww. ---> But so is your poly-viscose kilt, eh? Anyway, they don't claim to be the same stuff as wool, and if you've got a "wool budget" then absolutely, purchase a wool jacket. But if you don't have the budget, you're not completely stuck.

[CMcG]

Lots of guys absolutely ABHOR what I'm going to write here, but I'm gonna do it anyway...

I absolutely ADORE what you've written here

My only objection is that the Uniformalwearhouse jacket is polyester, which tends not to breath and looks extra "waiter-ish". For the same price, one can find a (used?) wool Spencer or Eton jacket, which IMHO would look and feel better.

[Alan H]

I absolutely ADORE what you've written here

My only objection is that the Uniformalwearhouse jacket is polyester, which tends not to breath and looks extra "waiter-ish". For the same price, one can find a (used?) wool Spencer or Eton jacket, which IMHO would look and feel better.

I dunno, Colin. monkey@arms ... who doesn't post here much any more, had one of these Eton jackets and from 6 feet away I sure couldn't tell. I thought he looked great. He did say that it was only partially lined... but hey, that's why it's $39.

I have to say though, if the Spencer Jacket that usonian gave us the link to is A.) wool and B.) only $20 more than the Uniformalwearhouse jacket, I'd be hard pressed to justify the polyester jacket.

[CMcG]

I dunno, Colin. monkey@arms ... who doesn't post here much any more, had one of these Eton jackets and from 6 feet away I sure couldn't tell. I thought he looked great. He did say that it was only partially lined... but hey, that's why it's $39.

I have to say though, if the Spencer Jacket that usonian gave us the link to is A.) wool and B.) only $20 more than the Uniformalwearhouse jacket, I'd be hard pressed to justify the polyester jacket.

I'm sure monkey@arms looked smashing and I'm not saying that polyester is categorically wrong or bad. My point is merely that one can get a short-waisted formal jacket, in wool, for LESS money than the Uniformalwearhouse jacket. Friday's link showed just one example, for $35. I'd agree that even for an extra $20 at the link usonian provided, it would still be worth it.

I've also seen Spencer/Eton jackets on eBay and my local thrift shops for $25-$40, assuming a typical bargain hunter doesn't have a problem with used clothing...

[Alan H]

I'm sure monkey@arms looked smashing and I'm not saying that polyester is categorically wrong or bad. My point is merely that one can get a short-waisted formal jacket, in wool, for LESS money than the Uniformalwearhouse jacket. Friday's link showed just one example, for $35. I'd agree that even for an extra $20 at the link usonian provided, it would still be worth it.

I've also seen Spencer/Eton jackets on eBay and my local thrift shops for $25-$40, assuming a typical bargain hunter doesn't have a problem with used clothing...

Wow...I've scanned our local Goodwill shops for years and never found anything! You're lucky! I wish I WOULD find something!

[CMcG]

Wow...I've scanned our local Goodwill shops for years and never found anything! You're lucky! I wish I WOULD find something!

I guess we are lucky in Toronto If you're ever in the neighbourhood, you should check out Kensington Market. There are a ton of vintage/consignment/thrift shops with all kinds of goodies, sometimes even including kilts! I'm pretty sure the people that run these shops comb the Goodwills and get everything good before we ever find them Granted, you would pay $25-$40 for a short tux jacket in Kensington Market, rather than $7-14 at the Goodwill but they have a pretty good, curated selection, which means less garbage to sift through than the donation-stocked Goodwill or Salvation Army.