The Ghillie Shirt

[Tobus]

I cringe at the memory of first photo of the outfit I posted on XMTS...

Luckily I read a lot, listened to the good advice of the more experienced, looked at all the photos and came up with looks that worked for me.

There really are no wrong first steps on a journey. Far better to get moving and learn as you go rather than just stand there and never go anywhere!

Agreed.

And just to show Patrick that he's not the only one who has been down this path, I'll go ahead and post this cringe-worthy photo of my first kilt outfit. My thoughts at the time, being brand-new to wearing the kilt, were very similar to Patrick's. I genuinely thought that white hose and a ghillie shirt were correct and proper. Why? Because that's what I kept seeing advertised at kilt shops! It didn't take long before the more knowledgeable people here set me on a different path, and I am eternally grateful for their guidance, even if it was somewhat embarrassing along the way. It took a while for things to sink in and for me to develop a new internal image of what makes a kilt look distinguished or well-presented.

The second photo is fairly representative of what I wear nowadays when I put on the kilt for a Highland Games or other occasions where "smart daywear" seems appropriate.

This just shows where I started and where I've ended up. Everyone will end up somewhere different, based on their own personal style. But it is interesting that so many people start at the same place (white hose and ghillie shirt, thanks to generic marketing devices). I look forward to seeing how Patrick's style changes over time as he discovers the world beyond stark white shirts/hose, and starts exploring the many other options.