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Tuxedo wear

Help! Does a red bow tie and cummerbund work ok for formal? How about suspenders? Can you wear a belt and a cummerbund? Is there any website that helps out on deciding what is ok to wear/combine?
 

Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
If you wear suspenders should you not wear a vest?

You are intended to wear suspenders with a tux. You also wear either a cummerbund or vest. (The vest traditionally has a low front like the guy below, not high similar to a 3-piece suit.)

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What about a black shirt?

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! That is just wrong. Leave it white. But hey, go nuts with maybe a custom detachable collar formal shirt, or cool opera pumps as your shoes! With the grosgrain bows. Super punk rock.
 
You are intended to wear suspenders with a tux. You also wear either a cummerbund or vest. (The vest traditionally has a low front like the guy below, not high similar to a 3-piece suit.)

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Agree with everything except how this person wears the collar. The wings are to be tucked under the wings of the bow. With very stiff collars this can be a problem, and I do find the wings peak out from time to time. You do sometimes see the wings sticking out on purpose but that is tres déclassé. Oh lord I sound like I post on styleforum. Better go shave now. With lots and lots of bay rum.
 
Actually, this will be worn with a kilt and and Bonnie Prince Charlie jacket.

Great, then I'd definitely suggest going traditional. After all you are being very traditional, historical even, by wearing your ancestors' tartan, which I assume reflects heritage. And you'll be wearing a knife on your sock just in case anyone questions your white shirt.
 
Agree with everything except how this person wears the collar. The wings are to be tucked under the wings of the bow. With very stiff collars this can be a problem, and I do find the wings peak out from time to time. You do sometimes see the wings sticking out on purpose but that is tres déclassé. Oh lord I sound like I post on styleforum. Better go shave now. With lots and lots of bay rum.

Well, . . . where the collar points should be on a true winged collar--I am not quite sure this one is; it does not look detachable, not that it has to be, I suppose--is quite controversial. And, you are right that styleforum has lots of strongly expressed opinions on the matter of what is and is not correct as to where those collarpoints end up!

My, minor, problem with the photo is that typically the buttons on a blacktie waistcoat are fabric covered. These look, pehaps, metall, or at least bare. The more major problems I have are: 1) I think the rule is consistent across all vests and waist coat that the lowest button is never buttoned; 2) traditionally one never had a watch, pocket or wrist, when wearing black tie!! <g>

All of this said, I really like this guy's look. Just because something is traditional and just because black tie is more rules oriented than most attire, does not mean one has to follow the rules to a "T." Isn't there an old saw about it being okay to violate the "rules," so long as you know you are. I get the feeling that if you told this guy that one does not wear a watch with a tux waistcoat, he would say, yes, of course, I know that. But I choose to wear one. (I am not quite as sure about that last button! But I am not quite as sure about that rule as applied to a tux waist coat either!)

I turn the forum over to D4 for further "swagger coaching"!
 
If you're going to wear the kilt, then by all means follow those rules as well. As a dedicated kilt wearer (upon occasion) I would say that the 'rules' for formal Highland wear can be quite exacting. If I may mention another website here (please delete if that's a no-no) I would recommend xmarksthescot.com for details on how to wear it all properly. Of course, there are debates regarding "traditional" vs "modern" but before one breaks the rules, one should at least know what they are. If you are already familiar with all this, I apologize. Especially if you're going to be among others wearing the kilt, you'll want to be "correct."
 

Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
Agree with everything except how this person wears the collar. ...

I used that photo only to demonstrate the vest style (ie 'low cut front') and there were few decent photos that I could find with a quick search. Heck, I give the guy "fail points" for taking off his jacket, but at least we see the vest clearly.

Actually, this will be worn with a kilt and and Bonnie Prince Charlie jacket.

The "tartan black tie" is its own special beast ... check out this link for an example ... I have no idea if that link gives good quality &c, I just like the photos.

But I would advise against just buying a tuxedo and swapping the pants for a kilt, if that was your intention. (And looking at the photos in that link, it's clear that they go with a vest rather than a cummerbund.)

... another useful information link ... http://www.clangrant-us.org/wearing-highland-dress.htm
 
A cummerbund is not worn with a kilt. Nor suspenders. And to be technical, one would not even wear the usual large-buckled kilt belt. In formal wear, one would wear a vest with the Prince Charlie. The vest would cover the shirt (i.e. no shirt visible below the vest). The sporran would be visible below the vest (which in a Prince Charles set would be specially cut to show off the sporran). I agree that one does not use a 'regular' suit coat or tuxedo with a kilt; they are too long and cover too much of the kilt, disappointing the ladies. And a gentleman does not disappoint ladies.
 
I used that photo only to demonstrate the vest style (ie 'low cut front') and there were few decent photos that I could find with a quick search. Heck, I give the guy "fail points" for taking off his jacket, but at least we see the vest clearly.

You mean that is not a photo of you or a close family member?<g>

And, wow, you are right about it being difficult to a photo of the appropriate kind of vest.

< "fail points" for taking off his jacket>

Good point! I guess another thing is that black-tie waist coats are generally backless. Said to be a Duke of Windsor innovation to help wearers be cooler, in part because, as D4 says, a gentleman does not remove his tuxedo jacket.
 
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I see I have made several boo-boos in my first formal kilt wearing. However, these will be rectified in May for the next Annual Meeting of the Clan Montgomery.
 
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