The London Lounge

I have an uncontrollable desire to own a pair of these in the tartan of the clan that my mother's maiden name is said to be linked to. I have no Scottish blood at all. I just want the trousers to wear when attending Black tie occasions that aren't too serious eg Burn's Night. I can make a joke of the whole thing and can deal with the good-natured flack I'll get from my friends all of whom realize I'm not remotely Scottish...but you only live once..

Personally, I can't stand the sight of tartan trousers with, well, not just black tie but anything anything else formal. If it's tartan, it's got to be a kilt.

Having said that, if you've got an itch... you need to scratch! Enjoy!

Pull yourself together man! You'll get more than good natured flack.

charles wrote:I have an uncontrollable desire to own a pair of these in the tartan of the clan that my mother's maiden name is said to be linked to. I have no Scottish blood at all. I just want the trousers to wear when attending Black tie occasions that aren't too serious eg Burn's Night. I can make a joke of the whole thing and can deal with the good-natured flack I'll get from my friends all of whom realize I'm not remotely Scottish...but you only live once..

Bad idea! I shan't say more because you already seem to know that it isn't something you should wear with black tie. How about you indulge yourself with another bespoke order instead? Have some velvet slippers made!

charles wrote:but you only live once..

If it's for fun, then have fun!

Do you think that everyone wearing an estate tweed owns a scottish estate?
If you don't wear your tartan troosers...this will be the general reaction....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDJflQfN ... re=related

I say you should go for it. Black tie shoudln't always be a competition of proper uniformity. Just don't do it every time and then the times that you do do it, it will looks spontaneous at the least. Just because creative black-tie has gone a little too far in recent times, it does not mean there is no room for inspiration or fanciful flourishes.

Wearing tartan trews with dinner jacket is the acceptable semi-formal rig for several Scottish regiments, and if civilians choose to do so, good for them. Have fun.

I certainly wouldn't stop you! In the UK I have seen it many many times. Admittedly usually it is something that only a native Scot would wear but if you have a link with a clan then you should crack on, and as Simon A says plenty of the Scottish regiments in the British Army wear the same, no questions asked.

Tartan trews are a perfectly authentic take on formal Highland Dress, although more so with a Prince Charlie coat and waistcoat than dinner jacket.

I feel like wearing a cape with white tie... That doesn't mean I'm going to do it! If you are not scottish and don't bear the name of the clan either it would be... Well, I think it would be usurpation to wear the Tartan of that specific clan.

Not really....if you are a Monarchist with no clan and feel so inclined, you might like to wear Royal Stewart. It amused Queen Victoria to do so, and she was German and married a German. Some might argue your right to wear it but one can take such things too far. I wear Gordon, despite having no Gordon ancestry, but that is the tartan of my old Regiment so I don't feel it to be a usurpation of anybody's rights.

All over the world wrote:I feel like wearing a cape with white tie... That doesn't mean I'm going to do it!

Why that's a shame! Post pictures!

All over the world wrote:If you are not scottish and don't bear the name of the clan either it would be... Well, I think it would be usurpation to wear the Tartan of that specific clan.

O-ho! The kind that triggers world wars...
Charles wrote clearly that it would all be in good humour. Any pretext for a good story and a healthy laugh among friends is fine by me. He makes no claims to the throne
We sometimes need to take ourselves more lightly. Of course, not anyone wearing tartan trews with a dinner jacket will be fun... It's all about the way you do it.

Costi wrote:

All over the world wrote:I feel like wearing a cape with white tie... That doesn't mean I'm going to do it!

Why that's a shame! Post pictures!

All over the world wrote:If you are not scottish and don't bear the name of the clan either it would be... Well, I think it would be usurpation to wear the Tartan of that specific clan.

O-ho! The kind that triggers world wars...
Charles wrote clearly that it would all be in good humour. Any pretext for a good story and a healthy laugh among friends is fine by me. He makes no claims to the throne
We sometimes need to take ourselves more lightly. Of course, not anyone wearing tartan trews with a dinner jacket will be fun... It's all about the way you do it.

No way!

Well, Tartans like coats of arms identify people and are their 'property'. In Scotland all new Tartans must be registered with the Lord Lyon. In Scotland using someone else's Tartan or arms is a crime and you can be prosecuted. Though I must admit that I never heard of anyone being prosecuted in the last erm... Well not since I was born anyway.

What I'm saying is that to some people it might seem very improper. It is as if Michelle Obama was to put on a Tiara, she just can't. Or if David Beckham wore a signet ring... It's just not done.

BUT...

When it comes to clothing there are times when you can bend the rules: Costume Balls, You live in the US, You are visiting the US, You are outside of the UK. Then in any of these four situations you can wear whatever you want. The United Kingdom seems to be one of the last civilised places where strict etiquette regarding clothing is still in place.

Isn't Black Tie all about following strict etiquette anyway? Everyone tries to mess with Black Tie these days, the ones that follow proper etiquette will be the ones that will be noticed.

All over the world wrote:the ones that follow proper etiquette will be the ones that will be noticed.

Great, so you won't even notice Charles in his Tartan trousers - what's the issue?
I don't see that Charles would do this to get noticed (which is the reason behind so many ways of maiming black tie - I agree with that!), he just feels playful and wants to have some fun with friends. Why the need to be dogmatic about it, given the spirit and the circumstances? I think there is an acceptable way of doing almost anything, and I'm not trying to stop Charles because I feel this is one of those situations (but I'm not advising anyone who doesn't feel the same urge as him to copy it).