Quote Originally Posted by acaig View Post
I say again - there are no rules. Wearing a kilt is not the same as putting on a military (or other orgaisation such as a pipe band) uniform, where the wearer has to conform to some rules. There is no reason at all why someone should not wear a kilt in an individual way - whether that is against what might be seen as a social practice, or not. As my original post stated - just look at my Clan Chief (and he should know !).
I think you are wrong here.

I don't think citing a single individual (chief or not) sets the acceptable standard of highland dress. While one is free to express individuality in wearing the kilt (as your Chief has done, and by the way he knows the rules), there are rules-- FOR EXAMPLE: Pleats are worn across the back of the kilt, not the front.

Now I am as willing as the next man to laugh at some poor bugger who has made a complete *** of himself with his kilt down to his ankles, sporran across his butt, and pleats to the front -- IF he knew that that's not how the kilt is worn. On the other hand, if he was dressed like a refugee from a stranded roadshow company of Brigadoon because he didn't know the rules, I wouldn't laugh I'd try to set him straight on how to wear the kilt. I'd tell him the "rules" so folks wouldn't laugh at him behind his back.

Like I've said before, telling someone that there are "no rules" is giving them bad advice. I'd put it on a par with tossing a 16-year old the keys to the car without first making sure he knew the rules of the road. It might work out okay, but then again, it might not.

There are rules. Once you know every single one of them, then you can begin to experiment. Not before.