"Scots trip up on kilt style" (article)

[MacMillans son]

Unfortunate, though not surprising.

If an item is relegated to use 1-2 times a year, and for special occasions only, it seems likely that it's "proper" use would diminish over time as well. I suspect that as the kilt was relegated to "special use only" by some, there were others who interpreted that practice as "not important enough to wear regularly". If it's not important enough to wear, why would it be important enough to wear it "right" ?

Perhaps it is in Scotland that, by some, the Kilt has been relegated to "That thing we wear when playing Scottish dress up" ?

(OK, that was a slightly resentful response to a post in a previous thread )

[English Bloke]

I have a Scottish "Kilt Shirt". It's black.


(Not mine but in this style, as worn by The Corries, Circa 1960's)



I bought it because it was the shirt that I'd seen many kilted Scotsmen wearing and in my higgorance thought it was traditional. I have worn it once, but only in a try it on stylee. I decided it was far too flouncy for me. It is however the most commonly seen shirt with kilt "outfits" in all of Scotland, based only on my observation of course.

The Kilt is worn in many differing ways in Scotland. I personally don't care.

I try to listen and learn from everybody and adapt what I see and read, to wear the Kilt as I think best suits me.

How I wear MY Kilt is my take, and my opinion of what looks good for me may not be to everyones taste.

So be it.

[CMcG]

<snip>
I try to listen and learn from everybody and adapt what I see and read, to wear the Kilt as I think best suits me.

How I wear MY Kilt is my take, and my opinion of what looks good for me may not be to everyones taste.

So be it.

The phenomenon of weak kilt style mentioned in the article was attributed to lack of experience and poor guidance from hire shops. Given how often you wear the kilt and your level of involvement on kilt fora English Bloke, I think you have a leg up on some of those poor "kilted but once a year" Scots. You actually take the time to figure out what you think suits you rather than relying on the advice of a rental catalogue!

As MacMillan's son mentioned, the relegation of the kilt to special occasions appears to be having a negative impact on the amount of experience that Scottish kilt wearers are getting with their national attire

[Mickey]

I'm looking forward to reading the book. I remember reading a post from Jock about how he came across a group of young lads who were very well turned out and how much he appreciated it. I wonder if the observations by the writer come from limited research, only in weddings, where the attendees perhaps are not Scots who have no choice but to rent/hire a kilt?

I find it odd that we (on this continent) are often corrected, yet this would be happening in Scotland so often without the same corrections. That someone, in all of these weddings, wouldn't offer some advice? That the only people knowledgeable about how to dress are the unknowing shop help?

Perhaps Jock and MoR and a few others could enlighten us as to whether the kilt is something that most folks would have? With all the readings here on folks who grew up in kilts and were taught early on how to wear it, the article sort of smacks me as a bit of book marketing. (it works, cuz I want to read it).

But I would still like to hear from our Scots on their own observations vs. this writer and author of the book.

[Peter Crowe]

I'm looking forward to reading the book. I remember reading a post from Jock about how he came across a group of young lads who were very well turned out and how much he appreciated it. I wonder if the observations by the writer come from limited research, only in weddings, where the attendees perhaps are not Scots who have no choice but to rent/hire a kilt?

I find it odd that we (on this continent) are often corrected, yet this would be happening in Scotland so often without the same corrections. That someone, in all of these weddings, wouldn't offer some advice? That the only people knowledgeable about how to dress are the unknowing shop help?

Perhaps Jock and MoR and a few others could enlighten us as to whether the kilt is something that most folks would have? With all the readings here on folks who grew up in kilts and were taught early on how to wear it, the article sort of smacks me as a bit of book marketing. (it works, cuz I want to read it).

But I would still like to hear from our Scots on their own observations vs. this writer and author of the book.

Although I now live in Massachusetts, I am a native-born Scot (lived there till I was 37 originally in Lanarkshire, then the Borders, and lastly in Glasgow's west-end), and I was probably among 10-15% of my peers growing up in west-central Scotland who grew up in a family where civilian kilt wearing was customary especially for Sunday School/Church and in the Scouts. My father and many of the adult men I knew growing up wore the kilt 'traditionally' (but excepting a Scout leader I knew who was a former commissioned officer with the Argylls none wore balmorals/glengarries or any other hat-he wore an undiced fawn balmoral with Scout leader uniform). I was taught the little things about kneeling on the floor to judge if the length of the kilt was correct (it should just brush against the floor), wearing flashes between the middle of the outer side of the leg and the middle of the front of the leg etc. from an early age.

When I moved to the Scottish Borders (aged 16) that proportion was probably less than 1%, however, many more boys, youths and men were involved in the Common Ridings and similar events, and customarily wore traditional equestrian wear (Tweed Hacking Jackets, Jodphurs, Riding Boots etc.)

[Irish Jack O'Brian]

Well, in my native garb, I would normally look something like this:
[sorry for the giant photo]



But these days - we just broke the record for most days over 100 degrees Fahrenheit - 71 - and it is still August. This could go on until October!!! As I type this, I am in native hill country summer garb - t-shirt, shorts and moccasins.

[Peter Crowe]

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[tpa]

I have a Scottish "Kilt Shirt". It's black.

I have 3, black, white and blue and yes, they were on special offer and cheaper than normal shirts.

I wear them at informal parties or gatherings, usually with a leather waistcoat, and my wife thinks they are OK, so they can't look too bad or she'd tell me!

If I come across a picture I'll post it, but usually it is me taking the pictures.

[O'Callaghan]

There is really no English national dress. Some have put forth the attire worn by Morris dancers, but it is only worn by them and no-one else, and only worn for that purpose. I did a bit of that a long time ago, but had to quit for lack of time to devote to it. Get a little out of sync in some of those dances and you can accidentally smack eachother across the knuckles with big sticks, LOL!

As for Irish national dress, although worn by few, it is the kilt. Those who decided on that were Irish nationalists a little over a century ago, and really they specified solid colour kilts to distinguish from the Scots, which means that strictly speaking, kilts in Irish tartans are all incorrect! To say that it was not adopted by the Irish government is disingenuous, as Ireland did not have independence at that time, which was really the whole point. OTOH, if you were to point out that my ancestors left Ireland before that, and so none of them ever wore the kilt, I would have to admit you'd be right.

[OC Richard]

There is really no English national dress.

Yes that's a poser. I think of the tweed outfits of the oldfashioned English farmers, and the smocks and floppy hats of the oldfashioned Zummerzet farmers: