Advice on semi formal wear shirt

[MrScott]

Hello,

Ballroom dancing has piqued my interest for years and I'm finally going to give it a shot at church. There's intro classes coming up and I plan to wear my dress shoes, black slacks, and white dress shirt for that. But should I take a greater interest in dancing I plan to wear my wool Elliott Modern. Up to now my kilts just replace jeans or shorts. I wear clean leather work boots, hose, flashes, kilt, day sporran, belt, T-shirt, Detroit jacket and sometimes a ball cap. Looking around I see no obvious thread for this, but I need to know what to wear from the waist up for a semi formal evening.

Here's what it boils down to: If a guy is wearing dress shoes, black slacks, and a white long sleeve button up shirt (no tie) what is the kilt equivalent? Mind you Elliot Modern is bold blue and I have USAKilts charcoal, claret, and black hose.

I tried the kilt with my white long sleeve shirt just now and it seemed a little much in the mirror. But maybe that's OK? I'm 25, 6'2", about 160lbs, and single... To that last point I don't want to look like a girls grandfather. Is there alternatives to an Jacobite shirt? Sorry to any guys that like that style shirt.

I tend to run hot and I'll be dancing, so I think a vest maybe a bit hot, and a jacket is absolutely too hot. But I'm open to recommendations for vests.

I can spring for the Ghillies, that's no problem. I'm looking forward to finally dressing up in my kilt!

[kilted2000]

I would check out these threads for inspiration.
https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/...-attire-46888/
https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/...xamples-85511/
https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/...entures-72206/

I look at a kilt as a trouser substitute. So whatever shirt would wear the the occasion, thats the shirt I would wear.

[EagleJCS]

Hello from a fellow Scott!

Good on you for taking some dancing lessons.

I wouldn't worry about getting ghillie brogues. Totally unnecessary. Your dress shoes should work fine.

As kilted2000 said, the kilt can be considered a substitute for trousers (or vice versa), so in addition to the kilt and dress shoes, wear kilt hose, flashes (may or may not be needed if your hose stay up OK even with active dancing), and sporran with sporran strap (probably turned to one hip or the other while dancing).

Your day sporran should work out fine, but you may want to consider getting an evening sporran. A full mask sporran could be worn all day. (Some may debate that, but that's what I was told by a Scotsman with some experience.)

[YOJiMBO20]

I second the kilt being a replacement for trousers.

If you don’t like the look of the white shirt alone with the kilt, maybe try a coloured shirt? You could either pick a colour in the kilt and find a shirt in that colour, or forego the American need for matchy-matchy and get a colour that’s not in the kilt at all, but goes well with it.

[Father Bill]

Be very careful of terms like ‘semi formal’. Few people know what they mean. To those of us from the old school that means black tie and dinner jacket as opposed to white tie and tails which is formal. What you are describing to me is just nice casual wear.

[Steve Ashton]

It may be helpful to query the host of the event and ask what their definition of "Semi-Formal" is.

If they say jacket and tie, then wear a jacket and tie.



You could, if you wish to dress it up just a bit by adding a waistcoat.



If the host says that you wear jacket but no tie, leave your shirt collar open.

[MrScott]

Thank you all for your advice! I think the colored shirt as YOJiMBO20 mentioned is the ideal option right now. I can see a charcoal with an open collar as in Steve's picture working well. I think that with my claret hose. It seems like I was overthinking it! And I'll stick with the dress shoes and day sporran for now. Last Christmas a coworker wore his kilt and jacket to the formal Christmas party. Everything he had was on point, except as I noticed and he pointed out to me, he had a day sporran on well after 6pm. We just laughed because he and I were the only ones who were gonna know!

Edit, meant to say: Be careful with that pipe in your mouth, Steve, the universe might just freeze solid from your coolness!

[kilted2000]

he had a day sporran on well after 6pm. We just laughed because he and I were the only ones who were gonna know!

Edit, meant to say: Be careful with that pipe in your mouth, Steve, the universe might just freeze solid from your coolness!

Day sporran doesn't mean only worn in the day. It's just less formal than black tie or a sharp suit.