Kilt without sporran...yes or no

[kiltimabar]

The cut of the apron has a lot to do with whether or not it will fall between the legs to prevent flashing--a wide apron on a wool kilt won't slip down, but the narrow apron on the Utilikilt is designed to do just that.

I would have to spread my legs pretty wide to be able to jam my sporran down between them, especially since I wear it rather high for two reasons: most sporran straps are too short to have any slack by the time it gets around me, and I don't want it bouncing around down there anyway. Simply put, I wear a sporran with a traditional kilt that doesn't have pockets, but not with a contemporary kilt that does.

[TheBlueCow]

Okay, time for a semi-newb's say

When I got into kilts, I had NO IDEA about the sporran. Like Ron said, a kilt is a kilt even without a sporran, and the non-kilt-educated public has no problem identifying a kilt without the sporran. Heck, when I was wearing my UK out for the first time some chick did a double take on me, and we got into a short conversation and she clearly understood it to be a kilt. I've also had plenty of other people understand my UK's to be kilts pretty easily. Although I don't think everyone would recognize a UK as a kilt right off the bat, I do think that the general public can pick out a kilt just from seeing the tartan (or as an uneducated American would call it, "plaid"), and maybe even the pleats. I don't think they really understand the sporran either, as they're used to pants having pockets and would possibly assume that kilts did too.

Personally I don't like the look of a sporran itself. Just doesn't fit my style. I only have UK's so far, and one SWK standard, but as I just started getting into tartan kilts I haven't figured out what I would use to carry my stuff in, besides adding pockets to the kilt. I thought about something that would sling over my shoulder, as Ron suggested, and that would lead into messenger bags, which I've worn before but tend to come too big for the small amount I need to carry. Also small belt pouches would work too. I haven't looked too hard yet though.

It all comes down to how it looks on you. If you can wear your get-up and get away with not wearing a sporran, and it looks good on you overall, then that's all you need.

[Chefdave]

I wondered whether they had stuffed all their belongings into their girlfriends' bags, which would be decidedly cheating!

My girlfriend likes to stuff all of her things in my sporran!

Yes with a trad kilt.
Optional with a contemporary kilt/MUG.

[Hamish]

To my mind, Ron's first post says it all. Admittedly, when wearing the traditional kilt casually out and about I do generally wear a sporran - but not so much if I am wearing a jacket or gilet with pockets for the things I need to carry. After all, the sporran is nothing more than a decorative pocket and, when I wear the kilt casually, I am not wearing a costume or uniform.

If, on the other hand, I am wearing a tweed Argyll jacket with shirt and tie, and garter flashes, I will wear a sporran (although I do not need it) simply because I am then wearing a form of costume, a National costume. This also the case, of course, when I am wearing full evening dress - the dress sporran is an essential part of that ensemble.

Sporrans with Utilikilts, or their like: No, no never! A sporran worn on a kilt with capacious cargo pockets is totally superfluous.

I am afraid that in my book, if a chap needs a sporran to protect his modesty, then he does not know how to sit properly in his kilt! Sorry, but that's how I see it.

Take care,
Ham.

[Cavebear58]

Sorry... are you saying that these guys all left their's at home, even though several of them were posing for photographs - hardly a daily occurence?



Of course, we can wear our kilts without a sporran - it does not make it a skirt!

Cheers, Graham.

[Riverkilt]

LOVE IT!!! Thanks Graham.

The top left pic is sorta what I was thinking of for an above the waist sporran look.

And, you reminded me that backpacks/daypacks work well in lieu of a sporran when hiking.

Ron

[shawhighlander]

Is it wrong to wear a kilt without a sporran?

My Bud Howie, from 21st Century Kilts, says that he prefers it when wearing the kilt a bit lower and with different styles of jackets, perhaps with more pockets, which makes the sporran unnecessary. Here is a pic of me in my leather RKilt with built-in side pockets. Rock&Roll!

[xena]

Okay! The request was for opinions, and I stated mine above. I'm not always right, and what makes sense as far as fashion or praticality may differ between us.

There are no rules! That is, unless you're wearing it as part of a uniform. In civilian clothing, wear what you like, or don't wear what you like (well, you may have to retain SOME clothes so that you don't get arrested and all that!).

But, to all and sundry, if my opinions above seemed inflammatory or ill-advised, I apologise and re-iterate that it was merely my personal opinion.

You're right, sporrans are not always required, and there is a lot of historical evidence for this. But, I still get a kick out of wearing a sporran with my UK's - it may be superfluous, but superfluous can sometimes work in an odd way. I use the nylon cargo sporran and sporran hangers from SWK, and the chain bits lend an "edgy" look, and the nylon doesn't look out of place like a dressier one might... IMHO, of course.

... once I figure out how to post pics...

... then everyone is going to tell me how silly I look!... lol!

[CDNSushi]

Just my two bits: I think we've so gotten used to sporrans that it's just rather natural to wear one with the kilt, to the point that many feel "naked" when they aren't wearing it and it just doesn't look right to wear a kilt without one...

Ron's right though -- and in the pics he posted, he looks fine not wearing one. I almost always do, though. Maybe I aught to omit it more often. Thanks for the reminder Ron, that we should not be slaves to a particular look, style or fashion! :-)

[Wompet]

I'm getting into this thread a bit late, so I'll just second everything in Turpin's and Hamish's posts - except to change "at work" to "walking in the woods with the dog."