Aside from a few dinners at Edinburgh Castle, I can't ever recall being piped in to dinner by someone in a military uniform. My friend Leslie Peter of Lee had his own pipe band, and dinners at Lee Castle were always piped in by one of the bandsmen-- usually in Peter of Lee kilt and waistcoat, black Argyll and glengarry. I've been to other dinners (and hosted a few myself) with pipers, and I can honestly say I've never given their attire a single thought; to me it's the pipes that matter-- I wonder if "the look" is something more important in North America that back home in Scotland?

BTW: Can one of you gentlemen recommend a source for a pipe banner? Mine's gone walkabout.