Kilt without sporran...yes or no

[ForresterModern]

I only own traditional tanks or one casual but traditional cut 16 oz tartan kilt. I only occasionally go without a sporran on very casual occasions-----a regular saturday of shopping/chores/etc.., but in those cases instead wear a sizable belt pouch in lieu of the sporran, with the belt pouch carrying what the sporran would only sitting on my belt higher than a sporran and off to one side, generally under one arm or the other. Sometimes when you are just busy doing things--fixing bikes, cleaning out the garage, etc..., the sporran just gets in the way. And besides I would not wish to damage my nice sporrans with such potential abuse. For some reason the tartan kilts seem to take the same beating with out problem, though.

[DWFII]

As Hamish's video so aptly demonstrates, a sporran does more than just "hold things." It also is essential to your "modesty"...unless you want to sit with your knees primly pressed together.

[Andy HPADC]

I vote: No.
Without the sporran, it just looks like a skirt.
I also always wear proper belt and buckle.. unless it is Prince Charlie, etc.. which should be worn with dress sporran... no belt and buckle.
Of course, kilt pin as well.

[xena]

Personal opinion submitted here too!

Yeah, I'd go with a sporran, unless involved in doing something that precludes it like tossing cabers. The sporran is more than just a pouch to hold 'yer stuff'. It is strategically placed to protect your modesty while sitting. If you're wearing a sporran, and it doesn't protect your modesty while sitting, and you're probably wearing it too high.

Even with my UK's, I prefer to wear a sporran. I've got three UK original's - and combine their pockets with the cargo capacity of the Stillwater nylon cargo sporran, and I can definitely carry more than a six pack!

Sporrans are the most easily recognizable thing that sets a kilt apart from a skirt. The minds of the uninitiated masses tend to think something along the lines of: "Why is that guy wearing a skirt? Oh, wait, he's got a sporran! That must be a kilt then..."

But, as I said, this is my personal opinion. When doing athletics, or just kicking around the house, sure, forego the sporran - but I think the kilted look is incomplete without one.

[Riverkilt]

You guys! I'm like boycotting sporrans until the sporran vendors start including the size of their sporrans in their advertisements to sell them.

Most sporrans are 'in the way' and awkward to mess with. I much prefer wearing a vest or jacket in lieu of a sporran. Like this guy in an advertisement.



And leaving the sporran off doesn't make a traditional kilt look like a skirt - it makes a traditional kilt look like a kilt. Its a kilt without the sporran when we buy it. Its a kilt when we put it on but haven't strapped on the sporran yet. Its still a kilt when we get home and take off the sporran. A kilt is a type of skirt for sure, but sporran or no sporran a kilt is still a kilt. We're starting to sound like the besotted louts who tease us.

I like that leaving the sporran off is MUCH more comfortable.

I like that leaving the sporran off shows much more of the kilt's tartan colors.

I've worn a LOT of different sporrans and I've yet to find one that actually falls down between my chubby thighs for modesty purposes. My sporrans lay atop my legs. Its the underapron that provides the modesty.





Ron

[beloitpiper]

Why would you go without a sporran? They keep you modest when you sit and they're your only pocket!

[Riverkilt]

Gravity works the same on wool underaprons as leather sporrans. Wasn't that colonel in the notorious underkilt shot with the Queen Mother wearing a sporran? Seems the sporran can lay on the wool and prevent its natural collapse between the legs.

Vests and jackets have pockets.

Would like to see a leather sporran rig designed to be worn like a shoulder holster - up out of the way.

When you're walking a lot,or hiking, why would you want your sporran beating up your boy parts? Sure, you can move it to one side...but that sorta makes a loud statement.

Better to leave it home and wear a jacket or vest instead.

Ron

[george7]

I vote: No.
Without the sporran, it just looks like a skirt.
I also always wear proper belt and buckle.. unless it is Prince Charlie, etc.. which should be worn with dress sporran... no belt and buckle.
Of course, kilt pin as well.

If your kilt looks like a skirt when you're not wearing a sporran, I'd reevaluate the quality of your kilt. There are lots of Irish who wear kilts sans sporran.

[The Barry]

I always wear a sporran with my kilt..

But Ron makes some great points.

However, my deep "inner" need to shop for and wear kilt accessories far overpowers any sensible notion of wearing a vest to carry everything. So sporran it is for me! Tassels and all!

Plus, I love the way a certain gender kind of, ahem, directs their gaze downward. The sporran gives them a perfect opportunity to avoid the "question" that's really on their mind, as they can ask, "hey, what's that?", and we can have a chat about sporrans.

Of course, they're blushing by then, so it's just a hurdle on the way to the verbal or physical kilt check.

God I love the kilt!

[DWFII]

Gravity works the same on wool underaprons as leather sporrans. Wasn't that colonel in the notorious underkilt shot with the Queen Mother wearing a sporran? Seems the sporran can lay on the wool and prevent its natural collapse between the legs.

Actually, that photo was photoshopped. There are a number of them on the Internet. One clue is that most of them look like a spotlight is being directed up under the kilt--there's too much light under there, in other words for it to be real.

I have son-in-law who used to wear a kilt without a sporran (money was the problem) and it was good wool kilt. But without the sporran he was always "flashing." I honestly don't think you can sit with your legs spread--which spreads the apron--and not flash the whole world if you are not wearing a sporran. Maybe some body types would defy that notion, but the easiest way to know is to sit in front of a full length mirror.