"Brigadoonery"? "TCHD"? Who decides?

[Nathan]

If I wear one of the so-called "ghillie shirts", it's not because I am trying to emulate a historical or piratical look. It is because it is a very comfortable and practical garment, loose and cool, and made of natural fibre, and it keeps the sun off my arms - an important consideration in Australia.

It is outside the context of the three classifications of kilted attire discussed at length elsewhere on the forum. (I've lost track of the most recent nomenclature, but if I indicate with Traditional/Historical/Contemporary, I think most will understand that context.) I am not seriously suggesting a fourth classification - hang it, most days I wear my kilt of the day with what suits the day - but in my mind, I am dressed in "plain, everyday kilted attire", and, as long as my clothing 1. is socially acceptable, and 2. is neat, then I don't lose any energy stressing about whether I am dressed correctly.

T'ink about dat one, as Guru Bob might say.

Fair enough. I've never said someone shouldn't wear the shirt, just that it's not traditional. One question though, would you wear this shirt with your trousers or shorts?

[Orionson]

Sheep Washing in Glen Lyon (1859) by Richard Ansdell has always been one of my most favourite paintings. The men pictured are not wearing pirate/pseudo ghillie shirts, but the shirts they are wearing are homespun garments with what one might refer to as a blousan sleeve. I have a few collar-less shirts like this, with three plain wooden buttons at the neck, some in linen and one in flannel. They are very plain and very comfortable. I do wear them occasionally for chores like splitting logs and working in the garden. Sometimes with, sometimes without a waistcoat, depending upon the weather. They are very comfortable. But because of the Brigadoon factor, I would not wear them to the Highland Games.

I know, no pics-no story, but I'm not in the habit of posing for pics whilst splitting logs - even though my girlfriend is of the opinion that chores are more of a spectator sport when I am so attired.

[Orionson]

Fair enough. I've never said someone shouldn't wear the shirt, just that it's not traditional. One question though, would you wear this shirt with your trousers or shorts?

Yes, I do wear these shirts with work trousers and jeans. I haven't worn shorts in 30+ years and back then they were Gurkha Khaki's - without the Pith Helmet, I hasten to add - but I do like the look on @Panache! I prefer them with the kilt though.

[BadenochWolf]

Even though civilian kilts don't have that military rise, the two straps carried over to civilian dress.

I'm now inordinately concerned that I am wearing my only kilt wrong. It's a USAkilts traditional 8-yarder. I've been wearing it such that the waistband overlaps my lowest ribs (about 2 inches above my belly button), and the apron ends just above the tops of my kneecaps. If I wear it lower it feels wrongly sized, but perhaps I measured wrong in the first place.

On a personal note, I was not aware till @Nathan pointed it out that you were the gentlelaird wearing the safari shirt and pith helmet in the TCHD guide. I did not mean any slight by calling it an affectation. Please forgive me if it seemed so, you wear them very well. I'm sometimes less handy with our language than one ought to be.

[Nathan]

Fair enough. I've never said someone shouldn't wear the shirt, just that it's not traditional. One question though, would you wear this shirt with your trousers or shorts?

Yes, I do wear these shirts with work trousers and jeans. I haven't worn shorts in 30+ years and back then they were Gurkha Khaki's - without the Pith Helmet, I hasten to add - but I do like the look on @Panache! I prefer them with the kilt though.

The shirt you described has no collar and is more historic than the pseudo Jacobite Ghillie shirts in question.

I'm now inordinately concerned that I am wearing my only kilt wrong. It's a USAkilts traditional 8-yarder. I've been wearing it such that the waistband overlaps my lowest ribs (about 2 inches above my belly button), and the apron ends just above the tops of my kneecaps. If I wear it lower it feels wrongly sized, but perhaps I measured wrong in the first place.

On a personal note, I was not aware till @Nathan pointed it out that you were the gentlelaird wearing the safari shirt and pith helmet in the TCHD guide. I did not mean any slight by calling it an affectation. Please forgive me if it seemed so, you wear them very well. I'm sometimes less handy with our language than one ought to be.

It sounds to me like you're wearing your kilt correctly. Some military kilts (not mine) come right up to under the man's nipples. I think this is a case of lots of different sized soldiers, lots of similar length kilts.

[Holcombe Thomas]

I agree with Nathan. It looks like you followed Rocky's directions and he made the kilt to fit you properly.

Holcombe

[CMcG]

...

On a personal note, I was not aware till @Nathan pointed it out that you were the gentlelaird wearing the safari shirt and pith helmet in the TCHD guide. I did not mean any slight by calling it an affectation. Please forgive me if it seemed so, you wear them very well. I'm sometimes less handy with our language than one ought to be.

I believe it is actually Tobus wearing the pith helmet in the blazing Texas sun near the end of our THCD guide, although Panache deserves credit for being the Xmarks pioneer of that style ith:

[BadenochWolf]

The answer for "why the pith helmet?" goes back to my sensible deviation from convention point. A wool bonnet is a terrible choice in the Arabian or Indian sun. Something lighter with a little shade makes sense. @Panache lives in California where the sun gets pretty hot compared to Badenoch, so he may have chosen a logical garment with a kilted precedent over say a cowboy hat which would serve the same function but be more incongruous due to its iconic Western status.

Does that help any?

Sadly, I'm not actually *in* Badenoch, though parts of my Scots heritage come from that area. I chose the forum name because one Alexander Stewart was given the appellation "the Wolf of Badenoch." I thought it would work as a way to consolidate differing parts of family history in one username. It wasn't until after I had made the name that I learned his moniker was NOT a compliment.

I was slightly bemused to see the pith helmet accepted over Balmoral or Glengarry in hot weather. My only extended contact with *actual* Scots, aside from a few ex-pats, was in Iraq running supplies into the Triangle of Death for the Black Watch. Even in that blistering weather, inside the wire, I only ever saw them in Glengarry or khaki ToS (with cockade). Granted, this is a point of unit pride and esprit de corps, but I wasn't sure how the pith helmet worked in to acceptable warm-weather headgear. Hence my questions.

I'd like to ask you and @Panache, as well as the wider forum: If one is not quite confident enough to wear a pith helmet in public, what headgear would be traditionally acceptable in a blisteringly-hot, sunny climate? My local games are coming up soon. The forecast for the day is currently 90+°F (32+°C), ~100%rH, full sun, and nary a breeze. I'm rather fair and would like not to end the day as red as my scarlet flashes, nor would I like to flirt with heat stroke.

[Nathan]

Sadly, I'm not actually *in* Badenoch, though parts of my Scots heritage come from that area. I chose the forum name because one Alexander Stewart was given the appellation "the Wolf of Badenoch." I thought it would work as a way to consolidate differing parts of family history in one username. It wasn't until after I had made the name that I learned his moniker was NOT a compliment.

I was slightly bemused to see the pith helmet accepted over Balmoral or Glengarry in hot weather. My only extended contact with *actual* Scots, aside from a few ex-pats, was in Iraq running supplies into the Triangle of Death for the Black Watch. Even in that blistering weather, inside the wire, I only ever saw them in Glengarry or khaki ToS (with cockade). Granted, this is a point of unit pride and esprit de corps, but I wasn't sure how the pith helmet worked in to acceptable warm-weather headgear. Hence my questions.

I'd like to ask you and @<u><a href="http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/member.php?u=2230" target="_blank">Panache</a></u>, as well as the wider forum: If one is not quite confident enough to wear a pith helmet in public, what headgear would be traditionally acceptable in a blisteringly-hot, sunny climate? My local games are coming up soon. The forecast for the day is currently 90+°F (32+°C), ~100%rH, full sun, and nary a breeze. I'm rather fair and would like not to end the day as red as my scarlet flashes, nor would I like to flirt with heat stroke.

I noticed you weren't *in* Badenoch, but I needed a Highland locale to juxtapose with California and your moniker served as fine inspiration. I'm a fan of the look of a Panama hat or the Tilly hat for very hot weather but just like the soldiers you mentioned, I still tend to wear my Balmoral or simply go hatless with lots of sunscreen. Thankfully, I have enough hair to protect my scalp for now. I wore a Balmoral bonnet and a beret in uniform in extremely hot temperatures and you get used to it. I did wear a pith helmet for a big parade once and it was comfortable in the sun, I have to say. I personally wouldn't wear it with civilian attire - just my style preference - but this guy does a good job with it.

[Panache]

...
I'd like to ask you and @Panache, as well as the wider forum: If one is not quite confident enough to wear a pith helmet in public, what headgear would be traditionally acceptable in a blisteringly-hot, sunny climate? My local games are coming up soon. The forecast for the day is currently 90+°F (32+°C), ~100%rH, full sun, and nary a breeze. I'm rather fair and would like not to end the day as red as my scarlet flashes, nor would I like to flirt with heat stroke.

A nice panama hat is perfect way to ward off the Summer sun. This is what I wore after the Red Thistle Dancers performance on Saturday at the Pleasanton Highland Games when it was 90+



And what I wore the next day at the Games



The panama is nothing if not practical

Cheers

Jamie