Kilt as just another part of your wardrobe

[Jock Scot]

I wear a kilt everyday. I feel have to because I own a kilt shop. (Although none of the kilt shops I visited in Scotland had staff in kilts)

This is how you will see me dressed on a daily basis.



I spend a large part of everyday explaining to customers - that if they want ideas of how to wear the kilt, they need to come here and not the Scottish based websites. Almost all of the hire shops that Jock Scot rails about in the above post are located in Scotland. It was the Scots who invented and promoted the white hose. It are the Scots who invented the fuzzy rabbit fur sporrans, the ruche ties and the fly plaids worn with Prince Charlie Coatee for day wear.

I don't deny that much of the problem with poor kilt attire and advice comes from modern Scottish hire establishments aided and abetted by a myriad of incorrect kilt attire pictures on the internet and yes indeed, I do rail against it. I call it the "uncaring advising the unknowing" and actually it is almost understandable as the Lowlanders generally have no kilt history so the hire shops are understandably the place beginners go to for advice, poor though it is.

The other part of the equation cannot be laid at even Lowland Scots' feet as more often than not the kilt throughout Scotland is only worn for very special occasions. This part of the equation can be laid at the the feet of those outwith these shores and is described to an almost general "I will wear the kilt when and where I like" and it is this choice that causes discomfort to the traditionalist thinking Highlander, who generally adheres to the mantra of, "just because I can, does not mean that I should".

Its understandable really, as those outwith these shores-----perhaps also excluding parts of old Europe-----generally do not have attire conventions that vary from one type of event to another. Those that struggle with this aspect of social attire conventions are seen almost daily on this website.