Right Gents - Have at me

[The Supreme Canuck]

I'm a little lost. As you no doubt know, I'm waiting a bit before I get my first kilt. And as will become apparent, I have no idea what I'm doing. I was, shamefully, born without fashion sense. So hopefully someone here will be able to answer this question: just what should I be wearing?

Keep in mind I prefer a more traditional look, and that the first kilt will be a tank in the Ogilvie Hunting tartan.

Mainly, I'd like to know what colour belt, what colour hose, what to wear above the waist, what colour flashes, what sort of sporran, etc. You get the idea.

So. Help?

[Master Boid]

Have ye got a wee picture of yourself in that tartan? Or a picture of yourself at all? That might help...(though I'm as fashionable as constapation)

[The Supreme Canuck]

Nothing in the tartan. Actually, not much of me at all. Most of my photos are at home. I did drag one up, but it isn't the best. I'm the idiot in red.

Link

I've got nothing of me standing up, unfortunately.

[Southern Breeze]

Here's a little advice.
Flashes should match one of the colors in the kilt. You can also get them in the kilts tartan.
Hose- oatmeal goes with almost any thing.
Don't mix colors - brown belt with black shoes for example.
Fashion tips- Look at Hamishs pics, they're excellant. http://www.imff.net/php/useralbums/hamish

[TimC]

I'm no fashon expert but I have SK Ogilvie Hunting (1st kilt I ever owned). I went with cream hose, solid green fashes, black shoes and belt. Hope it helps.

[Christopher]

My advice, for what it's worth, on an outfit for each occasion (informal and formal). Remember that this is only one outfit and there are countless other combinations that will work just fine:

Informal: Tan or light brown button down shirt with sleeves rolled up or down to your preference (could substitute appropriate T-shirt or Polo Shirt); brown Belt (2.5 to 3-inch wide with brass buckle); oatmeal or greenish hose...or even hiking socks...pushed down to your brown hiking boots (I prefer Doc Martens but you can choose whatever you like); Brown Freelander Mrk III Sporran. If you choose to use a black belt, get one with a silver buckle and switch to black boots and black sporran. Try and select hose/socks and shirt that are single color (or subtle pattern) and aren't too garish or they'll detract from the kilt.

Formal: White tuxedo shirt; black bow tie; off-white hose; red or green flashes; black belt with silver buckle; white rabbit fur sporran with silver adornment; black Prince Charlie jacket and waist coat or black Argyll jacket and 5-button vest; silver, black or pearl studs and cufflinks; black dress shoes or black Ghillie Brogues; sgian dubh with black handle and silver or gem top tucked into top of hose on side of whichever leg matches your handedness (i.e. if you're right handed, tuck sgian dubh into top of hose on side of right leg).

The key is that silver accents go with black and brass accents go with brown. Don't wear brass buckles/adornment with black belt/sporran/shoes or silver buckles/adornment with brown belts/sporran/shoes, etc. Also, on average, black is more formalish than brown.

Only a guideline and others might disagree...but there you go.

[Caradoc]

Formal: White tuxedo shirt; black bow tie; off-white hose; red or green flashes; black belt with silver buckle; white rabbit fur sporran with silver adornment; black Prince Charlie jacket and waist coat or black Argyll jacket and 5-button vest; silver, black or pearl studs and cufflinks; black dress shoes or black Ghillie Brogues.

Or the borderline between semi-formal and formal:

Charcoal tweed Argyll jacket over a dress shirt with cufflinks, a self-colored tie in a lighter gray than the jacket, but not so light it'll get "lost" on the shirt, black belt with silver buckle, silver sporran chain, black leather and fur sporran with the three nickle "bell" tassels, cream/white hose, flashes, and black ghillie brogues.

Oh, and a tank in the Weathered Lochaber tartan.

[Caradoc]

Mainly, I'd like to know what colour belt, what colour hose, what to wear above the waist, what colour flashes, what sort of sporran, etc. You get the idea.

So. Help?

All of the questions you ask cannot be answered without knowing in which context you plan to be wearing the kilt.

Accessories for daywear/casual wear differ rather radically from those for formal wear/evening wear.

Don't mix leather colors for your belt and shoes, though. I'd also put the sporran into that mix - I wouldn't wear a black belt and shoes with a brown sporran, for example.

[The Supreme Canuck]

All of the questions you ask cannot be answered without knowing in which context you plan to be wearing the kilt.

Accessories for daywear/casual wear differ rather radically from those for formal wear/evening wear.

Very good point. It'll mainly be for day wear at first. Eventually I'd like to, er, acquire some more formal accessories, but not just yet.

Don't mix leather colors for your belt and shoes, though. I'd also put the sporran into that mix - I wouldn't wear a black belt and shoes with a brown sporran, for example.

Yep. That's rule number one.

[Caradoc]

Very good point. It'll mainly be for day wear at first. Eventually I'd like to, er, acquire some more formal accessories, but not just yet.

Well, I've got my eye on a brown Freelander sporran (although I may also look into a brown Inverness sporran - I like the "drawstring" sporrans for casual wear), brown belt, and a strap instead of a chain for the daywear.

I don't like sporran chains for regular wear - they tend to wear spots in the kilt itself, or so I've been told, and they just look too formal for me.

You'll find a lot of pictures around the net showing people wearing anything from hiking boots with the socks shoved down to sandals, anything from T-shirts to tuxedo shirts. Most of them look OK as long as they've matched the belts, sporran, and shoes to whatever they're up to.