Kilts and hot weather

[41Gunn]

How do you tolerate a kilt in hot/humid weather?

[Steve Ashton]

Kilts are open at the bottom. For the same reason ladies wear skirts in the summer. They are cooler.

[kingandrew]

I am from Florida and now live on the beach near Hong Kong, so a good percentage of my kilt wearing is in conditions considerably warmer than is typical in Scotland.

For me, the kilt is actually pretty nice in the warm weather, since it provides good ventilation and is not too confining. So it doesn't get soaked with sweat, stick to your body, and create the chafing that more form-fitting garments can under these conditions.

Much depends on how heavy the material is and how many yards of it are in the kilt, of course. A lighter-weight (10-13 oz.) fabric will help and a 5-yard kilt will be cooler than an 8-yard kilt.

I have a cotton "comfy kilt" from Sport Kilt that I wear for running races, which is actually quite cool and comfortable.

In hot weather, it is often advisable to wear headgear with a good brim for sun protection. You may find a panama hat or pith helmet more useful than a Balmoral bonnet in sunny, humid conditions.

Lighter weight kilt socks will also be helpful. Sock Dreams sells cotton kilt socks that are very cool and comfortable, although they do look thinner and have a less decorated turn-down than the more traditional wool hose.

Any comfortable shirt is OK with the kilt. Many members here wear cotton polo shirts in the summer. I have a sleeveless "ghillie" shirt I wear running races. I also have a few very light weight shirts with a banded or henley-style collar that are both cool and nice-looking with the kilt. Safari-style shirts also work well. For dressier events, I wear a cotton dress shirt and roll up the sleeves.

I had a tailor make me a summer-weight kilt jacket. It is unlined and made of cotton shirt material. So I can wear that if I have a more formal daytime event in the heat.

I hope this is helpful. I think you will be able to wear your kilt in comfort and style, even in muggy conditions.

Andrew

[Father Bill]

I had a tailor make me a summer-weight kilt jacket. It is unlined and made of cotton shirt material. So I can wear that if I have a more formal daytime event in the heat.

Andrew

I'd love to see pictures of that, Andrew. Doesn't it bunch or wrinkle?

[jumary]

I am also in Florida, and have a 5-yard wool kilt. I do wear it sometimes when it is warm, and it is surprisingly comfortable except around the waistline, especially when I wear a belt. I would like to hear if any of you experience the same thing.

[41Gunn]

I should have been a little more specific with my question. How do people in hot climates accessorize for everyday wear? I read somewhere on here about someone who wears sandals with their kilt. I can't see myself doing that. Boots and hose are too hot, although the thinner hose might help as well as the polo shirts. Almost all of the pictures I see are with long sleeve shirts.

[Father Bill]

Hi 41.

Don't forget the incredible versatility of wool. I have a couple of pair of wool hose knit with over-sized yarn and a loose stitch. They look like any other good quality kilt hose, but I barely notice that I'm wearing them.

[kingandrew]

Father Bill, those hose do look great. I'd love to find a pair like those myself. Where did you get them?

I have found that the cotton hose are perfectly cool and comfortable (I've even worn them running a 10K in the sun). I have also worn lighter-weight wool hose, such as the tan socks from What Price Glory and found them to be comfortable as well in sunny weather with high humidity and temps in the 90s fahrenheit. 41 Gunn, I'm not sure which part of Texas you are in, but the weather in Orlando (where I'm from) and Hong Kong (where I am now) is pretty similar to Houston and the Gulf Coast.

I've never found my boots to be too warm, but growing up in the Sunshine State, my feet weren't the body part where I felt sweaty and hot. I've always been more uncomfortable due to sweating through the back of a shirt or on the legs inside long pants. So your mileage might vary. The only time I wear sandals is with my kimono, and those are worn with tabi (toe) socks. I do wear running shoes when I race kilted.

I have also found that wearing a kilt belt in the heat can give you a sweaty midsection. If you have a kilt that fits well enough to wear beltless, this can keep you cooler in steamy weather.

Father Bill, I will try to shoot a picture of the jacket on me. The material is 97% cotton, 3% spandex, so it has a little stretch to it. It fits nicely, which helps to keep it looking relatively neat. But like anything in the summer, it looks a bit more rumpled at the end of the day when you wear it. It's Argyll style, with the epaulets, cuffs, and flapped pockets and the color is pretty close to kelly green.

Andrew

[WillowEstate]

Here in sunny Queensland, I have no problem wearing an 8 yard 22 ounce military in the summer (peaked at 47 degrees Celsius last year). Wool is a good insulator, so an 8 yard "tube" wrapped around maintains a body temperature column of air under the kilt. A cotton shirt will deal with the top and mixed fibre wool and cotton hose are comfortable. Forget the tee shirts, jackets and waistcoats, of course!

[Manu]

Here is a pic of me in south florida. Temperature in the mid 80s with high humidity. The kilt is 16oz wool (5 yards) and the hose are House of Cheviot (70% merino wool and acrylic blend). I could have opted for a polo or short sleeve cotton or linen shirt and still look well put together. The only time I felt some discomfort was standing in the sun watching the band's play, and it was just my hose that warmed up, the kilt was fine. I hope it helps!
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