Advice for a newbie

[Ivor]

OK I have been lurking here for a while and joined recently to find as much as I can about highland dress. Not having any at the moment I have to admit being completely confused by what I read. My exposure to date is seeing wedding guests who all seem to wear Prince Charlie jackets, kilts, white socks and gillie brogues. Reading here, however, there seems to be an infinite degree of formality in dress, patterned socks, jackets various etc. and with such an endless variety and such seemingly rigid rules where does one start? I enjoyed the sticky about “putting it on” but have to admit being even more confused. Before I think about putting my hand in my pocket where should I start?

[Father Bill]

You're a wise man, Ivor. Hands off your purse for a while. Just read!

The PC and white sox is what a lot of people think is formal. It has become used that way in a de facto kind of sense, but it's more rental shop practice than tradition.

Take a look at this thread for a bit of a primer. It may be helpful. http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...-attire-46888/

[Tobus]

I enjoyed the sticky about “putting it on” but have to admit being even more confused. Before I think about putting my hand in my pocket where should I start?

I would start in the "Traditional Kilt Wear" forum and read every thread there.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f101/

After a while, you'll start to see recurring themes of what's appropriate for what we call THCD, or traditional Highland civilian dress. There have been a lot of good discussions over the years (do go back into the locked/archived threads and read those too), with a lot of input from modern Scots on what looks correct for the Highland tradition of wearing the kilt.

[Manu]

Welcome to the forum Ivor! As Tobus suggested, the traditional kilt sub forum is a great place to get started. There you will learn how the highland Scots wear the kilt. After all, that's where the kilt originated, and as such, a great point of reference. I don't see it as rules and rigid ways, but I do see THCD as the guideline to wear the kilt. I'm not a highlander or even scottish for that matter, but if I'm gonna wear the kilt, I'll listen to those with the most experience welcome and enjoy!

[Taskr]

Hi Ivor,

Welcome. You've already been given some great advice. There are no "rules". You might find in all the reading that it boils down to this: When you feel its time, start with:

a kilt. Not one that you can afford but one that you want. Don't settle for anything less. A quality kilt will last forever when well cared for. Wait as long as you must.

a sporran. Not any ol' sporran, your sporran. One that you know you will wear every day and it won't feel oddly ornate or scrappy.

hose. not white, not too colourful (that being personal taste, of course). One or two pair that compliment the tartan being enough to start.

flashes. plain colour.

That's it. Most of your footwear and shirts are going to go with your kilt. Ties and sweaters/jumpers/pullovers too. Get comfortable in it as you go about the days you choose to wear it. Then, build on your kilted style from there. A bit at a time as the occasions to add to the wardrobe present themselves. Come back often to read, discuss, explore and consider options. Share pictures.

and, Happy kilting.

[Ivor]

Thanks for all the helpful advice guys and I will be checking out as many of those threads as I can. I hope can help me with any questions I come up with along the way.

[Dirk95]

hi Ivor.
welcome to the forum, as everyone has said just keep looking on here you will get all the knowledge you will ever want.
Btw where about in Wales are you, i'm in Nth Wales.

Dirk95 [Derek]

[Tobinn]

Hi Ivor,

Welcome. You've already been given some great advice. There are no "rules". You might find in all the reading that it boils down to this: When you feel its time, start with:

a kilt. Not one that you can afford but one that you want. Don't settle for anything less. A quality kilt will last forever when well cared for. Wait as long as you must.

Or.......a halfway decent one to try out and see what you think. I've just started wearing kilts. I bought my first one in Feb of this year - cheap-n-cheerful $100 Black Watch from Celtic Croft for a 5K Highland Games run. I decided this was the garment for me and decided to spend just a little bit more ($120) and get a second one from CC (Brown Watch wool/poly blend). By May I stepped up a bit and ordered my Scruffy Wallace PV semi-trad. from USAK for about $250. Still very affordable in the grand scheme of kilts.

So far, I'm very happy with all three kilts and all are at least worth what I paid, as far as I'm concerned, anyway.

My goal is to probably get a couple more relatively inexpensive kilts and then, with five kilts to wear, resist, resist, resist and save up and buy material to make my own (been studying TAoK) and make the one that I want (actually there are several one the list....) but at least make one myself just to say that I did it.

Just another point of view and thought.