Introduction

Formal wear is something that is important for all of us. Whether you are looking for the perfect formal or semi-formal attire for your own wedding or just the next wedding that you will be in attendance at, making sure that your attire fits the occasion is essential.

We want to make sure that your outfit works perfectly for this special occasion, and that you have a new idea of style when it comes to wearing a kilt at the next wedding that you are attending.

Much like choosing a suit or a tuxedo for a wedding, there are a lot of factors that go into choosing the kilt, accessories, and the overall ensemble for the occasion.

How Formal is the Wedding?

The question that you need to answer before determining anything about the kilt that you are going to be wearing is “how formal is the wedding that you are going to?”

There are a few different ways that you can figure this out.

If this wedding is going to be during the evening, it is safe to assume that it is going to be formal, unless the invitation says otherwise. If the wedding is earlier in the day or even during a weekday, there’s a good chance that it is semi-formal. When in doubt, always check the invitation or consult with someone in the wedding party.

Much like choosing the right shirt, tie, and vest for your suit or tux, the first thing that you need to decide after you have settled on your kilt is what type of tartan you are going to be wearing.

Start with Your Tartan

If this is the first time that you are going to be wearing a kilt to a wedding, you need to have a Tartan. Tartan is an essential piece of your attire and typically consists of woolen fabric, though it can be made with other materials as well.

Tartan is characterized by a criss-cross pattern that is similar to that of plaid and can come in a variety of different colors as well. You may have a specific tartan that is associated with you depending upon your Scottish heritage, your family, and who they associated with.

Certain names and clans throughout history have been associated with different colors and patterns of tartan. If you have some deeper insight into your family’s Scottish history, you may want to do some research on the tartan that is linked to your surname or clan.

Whether the event is going to be formal or semi-formal can give you a little more insight as to what type of material you can use. We highly recommend choosing your material based on the weather as well, as the classic wool tartan would be great for a cool wedding the in fall or winter, but wool would be way too hot in the summer or late spring.

After you have chosen your tartan, let’s take a look at the types of Kilts that you are going to be wearing for either formal or semi-formal occasions.

Wearing a Kilt at Semi-Formal Occasions

Wearing a kilt for a semi-formal wedding is a great way to become the hit of the party. For semi-formal occasions, Argyll jackets would be appropriate. The semi-formal kilt is usually accompanied by a five-button vest and a normal shirt collar. You are fine to go with cream socks with this outfit, as well as a semi-formal sporran.

Wearing a Kilt at Formal Occasions

For formal occasions, there are a few important facets of wearing a kilt that you need to address. The most formal type of jacket that you can wear over your vest is known as the Prince Charlie. A three-button vest underneath is the next piece of your kilt which will be worn beneath your jacket, followed by a wing-collar shirt and a bow-tie.

Argyll jackets provide another option that is excellent for formal occasions. Though less traditional than the Prince Charlie jacket, these jackets look nice enough for formal occasions but are versatile enough to be worn to semi-formal occasions as well. The Argyll jacket looks great with or without a vest and you can either wear a wing-collar shirt or a standard shirt collar and a straight shirt tie with it.

In terms of shirt color, that really depends on the look that you want to go for. Dress shirts are worn with kilts are normally white, but black shirts are a nice way to dress up your look as well. Black socks work very well with formal kilts and a full dress sporran is key for wearing your kilt in a formal setting.

How to Accessorize your Kilt

The most common ways to accessorize your kilt are with

  • Kilt flashes

  • Kilt Pins

  • And Sgian Dubh

Kilt flashes are the bright strips of material that hang down from the folds in the hose of the kilt. They are usually made from the same color and material as your tartan.

Kilt pins are a great way to set off the look of your kilt. Though these are sometimes seen as an area to display a family crest, they are more modernly used to accessorize your kilt in any way that you see fit.

This is the ceremonial, scabbarded knife that you are to wear with your kilt. Though this blade can be sharp, it should be sheathed at all times.

If you have more questions about getting a kilt for your net wedding, contact us today.