Formal wear origins
Formal wear origins
Formal wear origins
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SPECIAL FEATURE<br />
FORMAL<br />
WEAR<br />
FORMAL WEAR CULTURES<br />
FORMAL WEAR AS<br />
A CULTURAL HERITAGE<br />
— 43 —<br />
BACK IN THE DAY<br />
FORMAL WEAR ORIGINS<br />
— 46 —<br />
THE BESPOKE COACH<br />
BLACK OR WHITE TIE?<br />
STICK TO ETIQUETTE,<br />
GENTLEMEN<br />
— 48 —<br />
AUTUMN-WINTER<br />
2011-2012 ACCESSORIES<br />
— 54 —<br />
SCABAL ACROSS THE WORLD<br />
AN ENGLISHMAN IN NEW YORK<br />
— 56 —<br />
STYLE TRIBUTE<br />
GARY COOPER: THE DEMOCRATIC PRINCE<br />
— 59 —<br />
INTERNATIONAL AGENDA<br />
FOLLOW THE DRESS CODE<br />
— 62 —<br />
FORMAL WEAR CULTURES<br />
FORMAL WEAR AS A<br />
CULTURAL HERITAGE<br />
In our European and North American countries, we all know the traditional white tie and<br />
black tie. But world is wide. Let’s cross the borders and meet particular formal outfits that<br />
reflects local heritages.<br />
Some of them are<br />
very well-known<br />
as the Scottish kilt<br />
and the Japanese<br />
kimono. Other<br />
are less popular<br />
outside their native<br />
country. In all<br />
the cases, their precise <strong>origins</strong> and<br />
the way the are still worn today stay<br />
generally neglected. Follow the guide<br />
and do not hesitate to keep your black<br />
tuxedo home when you visit one of<br />
these countries for a formal event.<br />
THE SCOTTISH KILT<br />
That most Scottish of garments, the<br />
kilt, was developed by an Englishman,<br />
Thomas Rawlinson. In 1727 he set up<br />
an iron-smelting furnace in the north<br />
of Scotland with the help of a local<br />
regimental tailor he shortened and<br />
simplified the long plaid cloth that<br />
the local workers wore around their<br />
bodies. In the 19 th century English<br />
landowners in Scotland adoptedthe<br />
outfitin a romantic way, but despite<br />
national rivalries Scots all over the<br />
world proudly <strong>wear</strong> it as their national<br />
dress. Some <strong>wear</strong> the kilt as regular<br />
day attire, but more commonly it is<br />
worn as formal dress for weddings,<br />
evening dinners and celebrations.<br />
The pleated skirt, fastened on<br />
the waist with side adjusters, just<br />
hits the knees. The classic formal<br />
accompaniment is a short,singlebreasted,<br />
black jacket, a neat<br />
waistcoat, white shirt, black bow tie,<br />
and a sporran, the wallet slung from<br />
a chain at the front of the kilt. Heavy<br />
brogues, thick socks and a skean dhu<br />
(a decorative knife) down the sock<br />
complete thetraditional Highland<br />
outfit. Growing in popularity as an<br />
alternative to the kilt today are trews,<br />
tightmilitary-style trousers without an<br />
outside seam. Whether kilt or trews,<br />
the cloth must be tartan, of course.<br />
The Scottish kilt<br />
BESPOKEN I 43
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