Not putting it on properly

[McClef]

There are also the tartan tat places who are happy to sell their wares to unsuspecting tourists and don't give them any instructions about how to wear them.

Several times in Edinburgh I have to gently and politely demonstrate how to wear!

[OC Richard]

Yes the same things happen here in the USA. The culprit, as you point out, is the fact that people who are unfamiliar with Highland Dress are hiring kilts.

As a piper, I'm often hired for weddings, and sometimes I'm directed to put my things in the room where the groomsmen are changing/have changed into their wedding finery. If they've hired Highland Dress I find myself giving advice on how to wear it (being the only one in the room that's familiar with it). Many's the time I've had the men turn their kilts around so the pleats are in the back, tell them how to tie Ghillies, and how to put on flashes.

One thing I don't think you mentioned, but which is very common, is for people to separate the two flashes on each garter and have one on the outside of the leg, and one on the inside. Sean Connery has been photographed doing this very thing. I wish hire companies would sew the two together.

The oddest thing, maybe, I've seen was the guy who had the under-apron going BEHIND him under the pleated portion, thus exposing one thigh all the way up. He rather liked this naughty look.

Just last weekend was our largest Games here in the Southwest and I saw thousands of kilted men. I saw very few of the sorts of things you mention. I only recall seeing one person, a teenaged boy, with a kilt worn low past his knees.

However in the Pipe Band world it's very common for men to wear their kilts and inch or two too low, with the bottom edge around the middle to the bottom of the kneecap. For some reason it's more common for drummers to do this than pipers, and more common amongst teenagers than amongst older players. This, combined with waistcoats which are too short, has ugly results.

It's my pet peeve, especially when they're wearing a waistbelt under the waistcoat.

Another thing fairly common with inexperienced band people is wearing the flashes too low. For some reason they put the elastic garter as low as possible, right under the bottom edge of the cuff.

[David]

I understand the points made about hire kilts not being tailored to suit the wearer and the need to stock "average" sizes. But how hard can it be for the hire company staff to tell the wearer to just pull the waist up till the critical part of the kilt i.e. the bottom of it is at the correct height - just at the knee. I think everyone at the wedding was wearing a waistcoat, therefore the top of their kilt would have been covered by their waistcoat. Hiking the waist up would have corrected the length and filled the gap between the kilt and waistcoat, thereby covering the shirt and resolving two kilt wearing mistakes in one easy action. I was going to tell my young cousin to do this very thing when SWMBO told me in no uncertain terms to keep my mouth shut and not cause embarrassment or a scene with anyone. This is an example of what we are up against.

We have another family wedding in 6 weeks or so, my son will be going to this one and wants to wear the kilt. He is nervous about his thin legs, but is keen to give it a go nevertheless. As it will be a hired kilt outfit and bearing in mind his concerns, I will be with him for the fitting despite him being in his mid 20's, and I will make sure he has the basics of putting it on properly sorted out before he looks in a full length mirror.

[OC Richard]

Sir Sean and his separated flashes



Kilt too low, waistcoat too short, and the evil waistbelt-under-the-waistcoat thing (this man should be wearing a kilt at least two inches longer)



This kilt appears to be the proper length for this guy but worn a couple inches too low (at least there's no waistbelt!)



About sporran height, one thing I see on posed photographs using models used by Highland Dress makers is the sporran worn far too high; the knob at the top of the sporran is often nearly touching the belt buckle



In the old days, even in the military, sporrans were often worn lower than we usually do today; note the distance between the top of the sporran and the belt buckle (I would think that the Pipe Major of The Black Watch would wear his kit how he deemed proper)



Hard to beat the classic elegance here (well it's Royalty, it should be classically elegant!)

[Micric]

I'd Hope that in time information of this type would seep out into the world in general.

It's a shame that a kilt can look so good, yet often looks so bad!
I do not believe it is merely us being picky, more the fact that it is distressing to see something with potential being ruined by ignorance.

At our local games etc. the black too-high hose and too long kilts are very common. Makes the wearers look like a bunch of old spinsters!
Even a visiting Scottish musical group looked the same. I thought for long enough they were all wearing black tights!
Such a trollopy look is B. awful in my eyes!

Thanks for this thread.

Richard.

[Tarheel]

I'm changing my post here. I realized that I don't know what I'm talking about (contrary to believing I do). There is a bliss to being an idiot sometimes. Thank you all for not slamming my shortcomings.

If I cared what people think of me (when I open and mouth and insert my foot) I wouldn't be as much fun to laugh at and with. I will continue to learn, to err and improve at a snail's pace. I offer a toast to imperfection.

[Holcombe Thomas]

When I picked up my kilt from the tailor (in Hong Kong!), he pointed out that the basting was to come out before wearing. I didn't need the warning, but appreciated it nonetheless. I never object to advice calculated to keep me out of trouble.

Holcombe

[OC Richard]

He is nervous about his thin legs

Some nice bulky Aran knit hose would solve that worry.

Like this

https://www.google.com/search?q=aran..._AUoAg#imgrc=_

Me, with my ginormous calves, it's the opposite, and I look better in thin hose.

[Riverkilt]

As mentioned. Some vendors forget to educate new customers.

[Reiver]

I've noted, even in supposed knowledgeable kilt catalogues very close to home here, 'models' wearing kilts down on the hips like low cut blu jeans.....shirt bottoms exposed below waistcoats...hose to the knee....etc.
If in the business you'd think a bit of regularity would dominate.