Well I know it's been a while but I've finally got around to getting some pictures of me wearing my new kilt from Bob Chalmers. It's not that I've not had it on, it's just that taking pictures isn't always my top priority so I apologise that it's been so long. I was visiting my mate Dave near York last weekend and had it on alot there. I was also wearing my Bruce that weekend and on the Saturday we both ventured into town kilted to pick up some socks and then go for a pint. It turned into a bit more than one pint and we had a great day in the pub watching two games of 6 Nations Rugby on the tele and then a live band in the evening (Bit of a jazz/folk fusion to sound arty... which was interesting). Long time since we got into an all day sesh. We did pace ourselves so we weren't hammered but we did manage to find everthing on the walk home at midnight hilarious.
The shop we went to for the socks is a local huntin'shootin'fishin' shop and I picked up a beautiful pair of loden green, argyle topped hunting socks with green/red, wool, garter ties. They really are a special pair of socks and I am most chuffed with them. I usually wear 'WB Brewin & Co.' kilt hose, mainly because they are cheap and cheerful so I have managed to accumulate a reasonable variety for a modest outlay. I'd rate the Brewins as adequate but these hose from 'House of Cheviot' are in a whole different league. I love the colour and the rich background green with red diamond and yellow criss-cross of the argyle top is wonderful. The quality speaks for itself.
They are a wool mix so it says machine washable at 30c in the packaging but I think I'll stick to hand washing just to be on the safe side. I'd hate to ruin them. They are not cheap but they are not exorbitant either. They were £24 including ties, probably because they are, I think, machine made rather than hand knitted. I'll not be buying a pair a week at the price but more of them is certainly something I aspire to. I've never paid so much for a pair of socks in my life by the way but they go perfectly with my Bruce Modern.
Anyway onto the pictures.
I'm wearing a royal blue, unbadged rugby shirt with a dark navy and white cross stripe (and I just noticed a bit of a wonky collar... more attention to detail required. I'm obviously out of practice). I also have a white Tee shirt underneath. The Johnstone Kilt (It's an 8 yard, 13oz and I think it's Strathmore Mills) is a deep green with a broad dark mauve cross stripe enclosing 3 thin black lines. It also has a gold narrow cross stripe enclosed by thin black lines. It's pleated to the gold stripe which you'll see in a minute. I'm also wearing brown belt and spozz with the shooting socks and garters mentioned above and after obtaining a special dispensation from Madam EB. I've got brown trainery-type shoes on rather than the usual indoor crocs. We're going for a casual look here. I'm not a great one for dressing up anymore and tend to wear a kilt instead of, but in the same way I'd wear a pair of jeans. Casual but not scruffy (although depending on your personal standard could be a matter of opinion )
More of the same...
Bit of a side-on look. You can see the stocking tops and garters clearly here.
And finally from the back showing clearly the stripe pleating.
It's Blinkin' gorgeous. As I say, an impulse buy and one I was almost regreting when I saw the scottishkilts.com sale offer on an 8 yard Isle of Skye that came out just after New Year but this Kilt is stupendous and I love it...
I'm learning so much from the experience of others on this forum. I still believe that a £40 PV is a great starter Kilt for someone new to kilting but you're all absolutely spot on when you say there is nothing like a wooly. I now have a 16oz and a 13oz, both 8 yarders and they knock my PV's into a cocked hat!!
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