The Making of your Jacket
At Tyneside Tartans we believe that you deserve the best quality and service. That's why we only supply made-to-measure jackets.

Your jacket is cut and tailored to your requirements, and designed to fit you perfectly. No corners are cut, and no compromises are made. When you buy your highland dress from Tyneside Tartans, you know you are buying the best quality and the best products available.

Our Jackets

Prince Charlie
The ultimate in formal wear.

Argyll/Braemar
The formal jacket that you can wear to any event and still be dressed for the occassion.

Tweed Jackets
Made from the tweed cloth of your choice. So versatile, you can wear it on any occassion.

Highland Dress has its own set of 'rules' about what is acceptable and what isn't. Like many things, these rules have become more relaxed over time, but it's wise to know the unwritten rules so that you will never - unknowingly - make a mistake when wearing your Highland Dress.

The Prince Charlie Jacket & Outfit
The Prince Charlie is a full-formal outfit. When wearing a Prince Charlie jacket you must NEVER, EVER, wear a belt. A well-made kilt will not require a belt. There is some debate on whether a belt is acceptable with Trews when wearing a Prince Charlie Jacket. The jury is still out, but our advice is to stick to a kilt.

The Prince Charlie should only be worn with a Dress Sporran. Don't be tempted to try and 'get away' with a semi-dress sporran - officianados will frown, and your friends will disown you. The same is true in reverse. A Dress Sporran should only be worn with a Prince Charlie outfit.

A Prince Charlie is always worn with Ghillie Brogues.

With a Prince Charlie you should always wear a bow-tie, although a Jabot and Cuffs are acceptable and suit the Prince Charlie Outfit very well.

When you look at it, a Prince Charlie Jacket doesn't really exist in isolation. It's the full outfit.....or not at all.

The Argyll (or Braemar) Jacket
The Argyll is a more traditional cut of jacket. It's still designed for formal wear and suitable for many events. Fortunately, the 'rules' are more relaxed.

You can wear your Argyll with a semi-dress or daywear sporran, a bow-tie or self-coloured tie can be worn. Tartan or patterned ties are not really suitable, although a tartan bow-tie seems to pass muster these days.

Footwear is a matter of choice, although formal events suit the Ghillie Brogue particularly well.

Tweed Jackets
The ultimate in versatility.

Tweed jackets aren't limited to being worn only with Highland Wear. Jackets made from this cloth are so versatile that you can wear it all the time.

A Tweed jacket, worn with a kilt and a semi-dress or daywear sporran, is extremely versatile. This outfit is acceptable at many black-tie events and can be worn with a bow-tie or self-coloured tie.

Your Tweed jacket can be worn with other outfits - not just your Highland Dress - so is the ultimate all-in-one jacket.

If you want your made-to-measure jacket to fit correctly, you must take careful measurements. (top)

• Chest: When measuring your chest, the tape measure should be roughly in line with the middle of your shoulders blades. Don't pull the measuring tape too tightly. You should measure your chest size when wearing a shirt, or vest, depending on what you plan to wear under your jacket.
• Waist or Girth: Take the measurement round your waist. This should be at the widest point - usually in line with your belly-button. If you plan to lose weight please tell us and we will discuss with you the need to take this into account.
• Arm length: From the middle of your shoulder to your cuff. Bend your arm slightly, and measure along the rear of your arm.
• Back length: This should be measure from the top of the collar of a shirt to the base of your back just above your seat.

If you are at all unsure, please contact us. We'll be happy to help. If your jacket doesn't fit perfectly, your Highland Outfit won't look as good as it could - and we want you to be delighted with your purchase.