Do any parts of your outfit have special meaning?

**TheOfficialBren** · 15th April 13, 08:54 AM

These are all touching annecdotes, especially yours, Alan. Very moving.

Kyle and Tobus, ***. John, I can kind or relate to your last few lines.

As I am new to kilt-wearing, I have had less time to soak up vibes and develop as many experiences but one sticks out.

I was given a very nice sporran as a gift by a very generous x-marker. It was completely unexpected and of very sharp workmanship. I will treasure it always and pass it on to my descendents should any come along the way.

Next is my sporran strap. I was in the middle of purchasing my sporran strap from a vendpr that advertises here. I mistakenly chose one method of payment and needed to change it for my order. I attempted to contact the vendor a couple of times to make the change but to no avail. I put the matter out of mind and then one day I received an email saying that my strap had shipped. I called the vendor (no easy feat to coordinate as they are in Scotland and I'm in California) and informed them that there must be a mistake. The owner reassured me that it was not a mistake and that they just decided to send it to me as a gesture of goodwill. They earned a lifetime customer there. I have since done business with them several times (and recommended them to others) and will continue to do so in the future.

Last is my belt. It's my first leather tooling project ever and it looks pretty decent. Mostly sentimental value there.

**Katia** · 15th April 13, 04:16 PM

I am getting far more varied responses to this thread than I expected! I love all of these stories.

**Downunder Kilt** · 15th April 13, 04:44 PM

I wear my fathers Rising Sun hat badge as a kilt pin. He served in the R.A.N. during WWll and for a time was stationed in Darwin. Although not a offiial part of the R.A.N. uniform, many sailors in the area were issued with slouch hats and badges due to the climatatic conditions. If they did not get an official issue, one could usually be sourced through the scoungers of the unit.

**tadyergey** · 15th April 13, 05:05 PM

My first kilt that I bought in Edinburgh. Although I purchased it myself, it means the most to me because I married my smoking hot wife in it.

Click image for larger version.

Name: 155921_535111019835153_395351702_n.jpg
Views: 10
Size: 70.5 KB
ID: 10939

**Carlo** · 15th April 13, 06:15 PM

I'm not a great writer so you might get bored

about 10 years ago I bought a cheap (still my second most expensive garment) kilt. As a non scot I couldn't buy my family tartan so what would I do. Obviously I took one of the stock tartan (MacKenzie Modern). Now many of you say that you never get asked what tartan you wear or if you are part of the clan. I was asked that while I was trying the kilt on by an australian lass that took part in the Edinburgh Tattoo. I said I was sorry if there was a problem with me wearing her tartan and that I wouldn't wear it if there was. She said it wasn't a problem and that she's honored by me wearing her family tartan.
Some years later on a trip to Skye I was sporting my kilt because we went to a ceilidh on our way. Beside that we also went to Eilean Donan castle. A castle that once was a MacKenzie stronghold. As some of you may know, taking pictures inside Eilean Donan castle is forbidden. Well, have a look at my Avatar

And back in 2008 I traveled around Scotland on public transport. I decided to wear my kilt because it was practical. Anyway on my way from Edinburgh to Thurso I met a nice elderly man who asked me if I was a "caberfeidh". Obviously I'm not, but from that we started talking about our lives and the fact that he was with the Seaforth Highlanders and in the falkland war.

So for me it's actually the tartan that has special meaning because of the opportunities and discussions that only happened because of it.
This is all brilliant but it's a dilemma for me, I'll buy a new kilt soon. Will I take the same tartan to honour the people I met and the things that happened to me while wearing that beloved tartan or do I choose a different tartan.

for any spelling mistakes.

**KD Burke** · 16th April 13, 03:08 AM

I wear a kilt in the Citadel tartan because I am an alumnus of that institution. I occasionally wear a tie patterned from the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal because I went there and did that (and never want to again!). My pocket watch was a gift from my sister. The fob on the chain is a well worn silver dime that once belonged to my father.

**aonghas** · 16th April 13, 02:14 PM

I have 2 bear teeth kilt pins made for my son's wedding, we both wear it on our Clan MacNicol kilts.

**Grizzly** · 16th April 13, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by Carlo

This is all brilliant but it's a dilemma for me, I'll buy a new kilt soon. Will I take the same tartan to honour the people I met and the things that happened to me while wearing that beloved tartan or do I choose a different tartan.

for any spelling mistakes.

Carlo you raise a very good topic for discussion. Rather than digress from the OP I suggest that you open a new thread and post this question. I would be interested to see the replies.

**Carlo** · 16th April 13, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by Grizzly

Carlo you raise a very good topic for discussion. Rather than digress from the OP I suggest that you open a new thread and post this question. I would be interested to see the replies.

Just opened a thread titled "tartan dilemma" in the kilt advice section.

Now back to topic.

**CMcG** · 16th April 13, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by Tobus

...
It always gives me great pleasure and pride to wear items that have family history. After all, isn't family history one of the biggest aspects of wearing the kilt?

Indeed, Tobus. It's not to say that family, lineage, and history are the only reasons to wear a kilt, but they are certainly some of the most significant.

For myself, I might not be wearing a kilt if it weren't for my dad's old horsehair sporran and kilt pin lying around the house, which so aroused my curiosity as a youngster. He used to play in the Edmonton Boys Pipe Band, back in the day, though I never saw him wear a kilt. His sporran and pin acted as lodestones, pointing me back towards my heritage.

MacQuarrie is an armigerous clan, which has been scattered amongst the diaspora, so the tartan is not very common. I take it as a tremendous stroke of serendipity that I found a full set of clothes in the clan tartan on eBay and won it for only $100: kilt, pants, vest, and tie. My connection to the clan may be ancient and somewhat misty, but it must be a positive sign from my ancestors that not only did I win the set, it all fits me really nicely!