Dressing Like A Gentleman

DRESSING LIKE A GENTLEMAN: EVENING WEAR
©2009 Matthew A. C. Newsome, GTS, FSA Scot

The author in black Argyle, waistcoat and cravat, with hair In last month’s column we dealt with the subject of day wear. This month we will tackle the somewhat more regulated world of evening wear. I’m afraid that in many regions today the dress codes of past generations are falling out of disuse. To many that I correspond with about Highland Dress, for example, “day wear” is assumed to be casual and “evening wear” is viewed as synonymous with “formal.” Such is not truly the case.

There are actually varying degrees of formality with evening wear. Black tie, for example, is actually classed as semi-formal, with white tie dress being formal. It is important, when attending a formal event, for one to be familiar with the customs and expectations of the local culture. Certain society events will have a very strict code dictating how one is to be dressed at certain functions; others may have a much more casual approach to formal wear. When attending an event, it is always a good idea to find out in advance the expectations of your host – and then make every effort to adhere to those expectations!

As with last month’s column, I will begin with the assumption that you have a well made traditional Scottish kilt, and are looking now to invest in some quality accessories that will serve you well for evening wear. What would my personal recommendations be?

We will begin at the top and work our way down. Starting with head coverings, the simple rule is don’t wear any. The polite gentleman does not keep his cover on indoors, which will be the venue for most formal evening activities. If you’d like to wear your Balmoral or Glengarry to and from the ball, feel free. But indoors, please keep it off.

The jacket or double will be of large concern to most. It represents a significant investment for many and you will want one that will last and suit you well for most occasions. The style preferred by many is the Prince Charlie. This is essentially the Scottish equivalent of the tuxedo jacket and looks best when worn with a three-button waistcoat (normally supplied with the jacket) and a bow tie. Usually this jacket is seen in black. Though other colors can be had, black is always an excellent choice.

I, personally, do not own a Prince Charlie jacket. My preferred jacket for evening wear is an Argyle jacket made in black barathea wool. The cut of the jacket allows me to wear it with a long neck tie for less formal occasions, but I can also dress it up by wearing a black bow tie with it. I can wear the jacket alone, with a five button waistcoat, or with a three button waistcoat, which is the most formal. The waistcoat can be black to match the jacket, or tartan to match the kilt. It is the versatility of the Argyle jacket that has made it my go-to jacket for evening wear.

Some will wear a white lace jabot collar and cuffs with their Argyle or Prince Charlie jackets. While some can pull this off, these styles of jacket look best when worn with a neck tie (for the Argyle) or bow tie (Prince Charlie or Argyle). The lace jabot looks works best with a more formal doublet.

There are many styles of doublet which one will want to consider especially if attending white tie events. We don’t have space to detail each one, but some commonly seen styles are listed below.

The Kenmore doublet is a single breasted doublet, usually made from velvet or barathea wool, worn buttoned and without a waistcoat. It is worn with a belt and lace jabot. The Montrose doublet is very similar to the Kenmore but double breasted. My personal favorite is the Sheriffmuir doublet. This latter style is a wonderfully old fashioned doublet worn open, which spreads at the waist (great for those of us worried about expanding around the middle!). It is generally worn with a high button waistcoat.

There are many other styles of doublets, and some Highland gentlemen go so far as to have their own style of doublet designed and made for them. True bespoke tailors should be able to offer customized options.

One piece of personal advice regarding the waistcoat. While a waistcoat to match the jacket always looks nice, give some consideration to having one made in tartan to match your kilt. Tartan waistcoats, especially when made on the bias, add a very authentic Highland look to your evening wear ensemble.

Moving further down the body, the formal sporran should be of good quality. Perhaps the most common is a so-called “Prince Charlie” sporran, made with a round metal cantle and a fur body. My only advice is not to feel limited to that option. If you look around you will see all manner of sporrans available. I long ago stopped telling people that this or that style of sporran must be worn for evening or day wear. All I offer now are rules of thumb. Generally speaking, fur is considered more formal than leather. Black leather is more formal than brown. The more metal on the sporran the more formal it is. Within these guidelines, though, use your best judgment as to what style of sporran suits you and the occasion best.

Regarding hose, as I mentioned in the last column, diced or argyle (tartan) hose are an excellent choice for evening wear. If you have the option, a pair of argyle hose made to match your tartan looks very sharp! For diced hose, red and black or red and white are most commonly seen, and these color combinations work well for many tartans. But it is possible to have diced hose made in other colors to match your tartan.

Don’t feel like diced or tartan hose are an absolute requirement for your evening wear outfit, though. Solid hose are acceptable. We will not enter into the “great white hose debate” this month – but I will remind my readers that there is a whole rainbow of colors available other than white or ecru that deserve serious consideration!

Lastly, just a brief mention of shoes. I once had a Scottish mother tell me that she would not have her son (whom I was outfitting for his wedding kilt) married in any style of shoe other than ghillie brogues. To her mind, they were the only shoes proper for formal Highland dress. Nonsense. Ghillies look fine, but they are by no means the only shoe worth wearing.

Many people, myself included, think a good pair of buckle brogues look infinitely better – especially with white tie. But barring that even, really any style of formal man’s shoe that you would wear with ordinary saxon evening wear will work with the kilt. Don’t feel bound by what the Highland dress catalogues are selling!

There is oh so much more we could delve into on the subject of evening wear, including fly plaids and the like – but that will have to wait till next month’s column.