Camouflage Kilts...

[Hamish]

Personally, I know nothing at all about the various camouflage designs or their origins, but I am proud to have two Camo kilts in my 'Kollection'. Apart from two years' National Service conscription back in the 1950s, I have had no connections with the military or armed forces - even during those two years, I was not given the opportunity to wear camouflage, but I love wearing it now! Not that I really feel that any kilt is more 'masculine' than another, I do believe that camouflage fabric immediately presents a slightly more 'butch' appearance than many others we use in our kilts.

There are some who might say that only the younger chaps in our kilted ranks can get away with wearing camo but, at 69 3/4 years, I think I do too!!

The two that I have are:

1) The Utilikilt's Nightwatch, and

2) this one from our very own KiltStore.net which I refer to as my "Green Camo" kilt:

It is a full 8 yarder, has a wonderful swing - but is inclined to crease badly and requires much ironing. That is a small price to pay, however, for such a quality kilt!

It came with the matching sporran which, I believe, in this instance is much more appropriate than a plain leather one.

[CameronTaylor]

I'm still looking for the penguin to go on my snow camo kilt Josh, it'll turn up someday .... (jonesing for penguins just sounds so wrong).
Sad to see Jeff is trapped by the programming monster but a man's got to make a living.
Maybe Alan H. will do tiger striped pleats ...


CT - devils kanyon kilt kompany (Dr. Phil is gonna slap me if I don't stop)

[SumoKilt]

Anytime!

See you later Space Cowboy.....

[Rex_Tremende]

It came with the matching sporran which, I believe, in this instance is much more appropriate than a plain leather one.

Oh, so it does - I almost missed that - hard to see, ya know.

And I agree with you on the butch thing. I think the pattern runs interference on people's expectations in the urban jungle.

Regards,
Rex in Cincinnati

[NewKilt]

If anyone is interested, Utilikilts has a new camo called the Mossy Oak in the Original model. Also, Amerikilt is now offering a kilt in Desert Digital Camo for as long as their supply of material lasts.

Darrell

[revdpatience]

Bubba:

There's actually an interesting Scottish/golfing connection to camouflage material.

Dr. Alister Mackenzie, who served as a civil surgeon in the Boer War, established the British School of Camouflage during World War I, and later helped design Augusta National Golf Club with Bobby Jones, wrote the following in the introduction to his book The Spirit of St. Andrews:

"I was a keen golfer, and while studying camouflaged defenses it struck me that inland golf courses could be vastly improved, not only from the point of view of beauty, but in creating interesting strategic problems by the imitation of the natural features characteristic of the only golf courses which were at the time worthwhile, namely, the sand dunes by the sea. I then became one of the pioneers of modern golf course architecture and wrote the first book on the subject."

So, golfing or being Scots means being linked to the creation of camouflage. Reason enough for me, on two counts!

Rodger

In truth, I believe "camo" predates any organized and regimented military. I suspect it started with hunters rather than warriors. Historically speaking, soldiers tended to more gaudy display and fought in larger tight formations while hunters often ambushed their prey. Even the celtic warriors of old painted themselves to be seen in battle.

[bubba]

So, golfing or being Scots means being linked to the creation of camouflage. Reason enough for me, on two counts!

Rodger

That sounds about right for "official" camo, but I'm sure the principles were in use long before that with hunters tying brush and weeds to their bodies and smearing mud on their faces to help ambush game. Part of the art of stalking which hunters were doing long before civilization grew larger than the tribal level.

[revdpatience]

Bubba:

I agree absolutely -- in fact Mackenzie became interested in the notion of camouflage design because the Boers proved themselves so effective at concealment. Obviously hunters and trappers have relied on camouflage since forever, but here we see part of the standardization of principles which has led to the camo designs we see today.

Interesting thread here ... I will have to look more closely at getting a camo kilt in the future, if only for urban operations.

Rodger

That sounds about right for "official" camo, but I'm sure the principles were in use long before that with hunters tying brush and weeds to their bodies and smearing mud on their faces to help ambush game. Part of the art of stalking which hunters were doing long before civilization grew larger than the tribal level.

[SumoKilt]

Correct me if I am wrong folks,

But as I understand it the origional plaids (ancients) were designed to be a sort of camoflage first and a Clan identifier second.

"By the 16th century, when we begin to see the earliest type of kilted garment (the belted plaid), tartan had become characteristic of Highland Dress. Gaelic speaking Highlanders wore tartan of bright and flashy shades to show off wealth and status. They also favoured darker, natural tones that would emulate the shades of the bracken and the heather so that they might wrap themselves in their plaids and be hidden. But the colors chosen had more to do with what dyes were available to them (either locally or that they could afford to import) and personal taste than any clan affiliation."


Here is a great link to this very cool guy, I recommend his material if your interested in kilts .....

http://albanach.org/kilt.html

Yours in pleats

Josh

WWW.Neokilt.com