WHAT TO WEAR TO FORMAL
EVENTS
©Matthew A. C. Newsome, FSA Scot, GTS
originally published in The Scottish Banner, August 2008
I
received a letter from a reader from Australia, who is a member of the
Clan Kerr Society there in New South Wales. He writes, “Dear Matt; I
was wondering if you may… touch upon correct dress at Scottish formal
functions. Here in Australia there seems to be many versions of what is
acceptable... I am referring to events such as Tartan Balls and formal
events for people who wear Scottish attire.”
It sounds like Australia is not too different from here in the United
States, or most other countries where the kilt is worn these days, in
that there would seem to be “many versions of what is acceptable.” I
imagine, like me, my reader has seen everything from the sublime to the
sub-par in his experience at such events. Why the range?
I
chalk it up to two factors. First, in most places the kilt is seen as
different and unusual enough that folks sometimes think they can pass
off just about anything as Scottish formal attire (this is true, to a
lesser extent, even in Scotland). Second, your average person these
days simply doesn’t attend as many functions requiring formal attire
(kilted or otherwise). Men rent a tux for their high school prom and
their wedding, and may never have occasion to wear one again! With this
limited experience with formal attire, no wonder people are confused as
to what is and is not appropriate with formal Scottish clothing.
On this latter point, I have recently stumbled upon a web site that
serves as a wonderful guide to men’s evening attire, called simply
www.blacktieguide.com. It defines terms such as “black tie” and
“white tie” and what is appropriate for each. It does not address the
kilt or Scottish attire, but can be a very helpful resource for people
who are less familiar with the rules of etiquette for men’s formal
wear.
Which brings up another good point. I have often repeated the mantra
that the kilt is “clothing not costume” and unless one wears the kilt as
a part of a uniform, there are no such things as “rules” to wearing the
kilt. This remains very true. But just like in non-Highland attire,
there are rules of fashion, and the more formal the event, the more
strict those fashion rules become. This is not to be lamented – it is
part of the fun of dressing for a formal event!
I
fear that the constant reminders, by myself and others, that the kilt is
a “free dress” (to quote
Stuart Ruaidri Erskine) may
have inadvertently contributed to the phenomenon of men dressing
haphazardly to a formal function. When one attempts to correct their
faux pas, the retort is “there are no ‘rules’ to wearing the kilt!”
True, but the fact remains that there are still rules of fashion, and
those rules don’t get discarded when one puts on the kilt. For
example, one would never wear a t-shirt with a tuxedo jacket. Likewise
one should not wear a t-shirt with a Prince Charlie jacket (which I have
seen done).
Another consideration is the
relative cost of Highland dress. The kilt itself represents quite an
investment for many people, and the cost of accessories – especially
formal accessories – can be fairly substantial. Many people acquire
their kit in stages, buying the kilt first, then adding on jacket,
sporran, hose, etc., as they can afford them. Keep this in mind when
you see someone wearing a casual style sporran to a formal function – it
may simply be the only sporran he has.
All that being said, what
does constitute proper formal Scottish attire? My available space is
not sufficient to give as thorough an answer as the question deserves.
A summary must suffice. Let’s consider an event that is a common annual
occurrence many placed where Scots gather around the globe – a Robert
Burns Supper. The same dress would be appropriate at Tartan Balls and
other formal dinners.
First, check invitation to
see if it specifies a level of formality. If it doesn’t say, you may
want to ask the event organizers. Sometimes “black tie” will be
specified. Other times it will be less specific. While some groups
have a rigorously enforced dress code for formal dinners, other groups
simply ask that you dress nicely (what would be considered “jacket &
tie” in ordinary dress), and so you can expect to see a mix of formal
and semi-formal clothing at such functions. Still other groups
purposefully plan for a casual, low key, Burns dinner, in which case you
should respect the wishes of your host and dress casually.
Assuming the function is
formal or semi-formal, what do you wear? Starting from the head and
working our way down, let’s address first the bonnet. Most likely you
will not be wearing one. It is safe to assume that most such functions
will be indoors and therefore a cap would not be appropriate. You may
choose to wear your Balmoral or Glengarry on the way to the location, if
you desire, but please remove your cover when you enter.
The most common style of
kilt jacket for a formal function is undoubtedly a Prince Charlie. This
is the Highland dress equivalent of a tuxedo jacket, and is worn for
black tie affairs. It should be worn with a low-cut, three button vest
(which is often sold with the jacket at a unit price), or alternatively,
a cummerbund. These jackets are almost always black. Wear a formal
shirt (pleated front or not, is up to you), and a bow tie – not a long
necktie, please! And though I have seen men pull off tartan bow ties, I
would recommend a solid color, preferably black.
There are more formal styles
of doublet, such as the Montrose, the Sheriffmuir, etc. that are
typically worn with lace jabot. These are excellent for white tie
functions. In the other direction is the Argyle jacket, which is cut
more like a sportscoat. A black Argyle jacket with silver-tone buttons
is actually quite a versatile jacket to have. It can be worn with or
without a vest (which is cut higher than the Prince Charlie vest). It
can be worn with a bow tie for black tie affairs, or worn with a simple
necktie to dress it down.
Moving down the body to the
waist, all I’ll say about a belt at this point is that if you are
wearing either of the above style jackets with a vest or cummerbund,
please leave the belt at home. If your kilt and jacket both fit
properly, the lower part of the vest should cover the top of the belt.
Forgoing the belt makes for a cleaner line, and looks so much better and
more streamlined.
All that needs to be said
about the kilt itself is that it should be well constructed from quality
wool. Any tartan will do. Despite the name, it is not at all required
that men wear “dress tartans” for “dress occasions.”
Formal sporrans typically
will have a round cantle top, as opposed to a flap closure. Often the
cantle is silver or chrome, and the body will be fur. If you are
wearing a leather sporran, black is the color of choice for formal
events. With so many different styles of sporran available today, there
is a fairly broad spectrum from casual to formal. One has to use some
judgment here. If one is just starting out and multiple sporrans are
not in the budget, look for a style that is formal, but not so fancy
that you couldn’t dress is down if required.
As far as your feet are
concerned, if you have Argyle or diced hose, now is the time to show
them off! If you don’t a solid color hose will be perfectly
acceptable. I’ve treated the subject of “white hose” in this column
before (by which I mean here not only pure white, but cream or ecru, as
well). This is a subject that is hotly debated, with some arguing that
white is to be reserved for formal wear, and others insisting that white
is never appropriate for dress occasions. My recommendation is to avoid
the controversy by simply wearing another color. There are many to
choose from, so select a nice solid color that tones well with the kilt.
(For semi-formal occasions consider matching the color of your hose with
your necktie).
The only comment I will make
about shoes is that while ghillie brogues look nice, they are by no
means the only choice. Buckle brogues look infinitely better with a
formal doublet. And many other styles of men’s’ dress shoes can easily
be made to work with the kilt. So don’t feel like you need to be
limited to the ghillie simply because it is the most common choice.
I realize this treatment has
been limited, and I’ve left out many accessories such as sgian dubh,
kilt pin, and fly plaid & brooch. But I hope this has been of some help
to those trying to navigate their way through the world of Scottish
formal attire.
