How to wear your kilt

[Freelander Sporrano]

I only wear ghilles with full dress. Otherwise I use ankle boots for the Autum and winter, and a sturdy walking shoes otherwise.I've also worn trainners.
Bubba is right about the sock length. Look at the galleries of Bear and Graham for tips.

[Hamish]

Footwear is a matter of 'balance' in the overall appearance.

It's difficult to explain, but I think you can tell just by looking at the entire outfit. It is not so much as what footwear goes with the kilt, but more about what footwear goes with what is being worn with the kilt - jackets, shirts, pullovers, etc., etc.

I certainly agree that with boots the hose looks better if it is pushed/rolled down, and with shoes it looks better pulled up.

Maybe my Photo Album at IMFF.NET will help too. There's a link below.

[Blu (Ontario)]

IMHO I think that the ghillies with the laces wrapped around the ankles looks kinda odd...

These are pretty much for more formal attire rather than casual. When wearing a Prince Charlie or Argyle jacket, anything but ghillie brogues just doesn't quite make the grade.

[kilted in KC]

i wear my usual skater shoes<although i dont skateboard> they are the most comfertable shoes i have found, a bit expensive but they have lasted over 6 months and they are still comfertable.

in the winter though i plan on wearing my biker boots with doc marten inserts, dont want me legs to get too cold .

thanks
kilted in kc 8)

[Miah]

i think i have settled on a set of oxfords for most days, i have a few sets of combat boots around but i feel odd wearing them if not in uniform, guess that is just from them being a part of military uniform for a while. I do have a set of Doc Martins but like most my shoes and boots they are brown. think i may have to invest in a set of black shoes and or boots.

[Alaskan Celt]

[Colin]

i think i have settled on a set of oxfords for most days, i have a few sets of combat boots around but i feel odd wearing them if not in uniform, guess that is just from them being a part of military uniform for a while. I do have a set of Doc Martins but like most my shoes and boots they are brown. think i may have to invest in a set of black shoes and or boots.

Just grab a brown sporran and belt to match your boots.

[kiltedscot]

From the ever-opinionated David:
I am afraid that, once again, I am going to raise the "voice of antiquity"! When I was young and first wearing the kilt in Scotland (i.e. nearly sixty years ago), in the days where there was no such thing as white hose, lace-up ghillie-shoes were reserved for evening-wear (= formal, for wear with a Prince Charlie outfit and similar) and NEVER for day-wear. Even for evening, the more common and correct form of footwear was PATENT-leather shoes (preferably with silver buckles) - just as patent-leather shoes were correct for wear with an evening-suit (dinner-jacket/tuxedo) in those days.
For day-wear, ordinary brogues WITHOUT lacing up the calves or what in North America are known as Oxfords were worn. In other words, we wore (and I still do) good "stout" leather shoes. In my view, those laces up the calf on modern ghillies are highly impractical and look pretty ridiculous especially against white hose.
There is no doubt that brogues are, strictly-speaking, the proper form of footwear for day-wear - remember that this style of shoe was devised expressly for the wet Scottish and Irish weather. Consequently, hiking-boots or the equivalent are entirely acceptable unless one is "in town", where any classic day-shoe (black or brown, according to the rest of the outfit) is appropriate.

[Andrew]

Well here's my two bits on the wearing of Kilts and the how too's. If your comfortable and you like the way you look, then it is just fine! If someone comes up and tells you that you are wearing your Kilt wrong, just kindly tell them that they are wearing their trousers wrong! Most people that have told me that I am not wearing my Kilt right have had pants on and think they know everything there is to know about the Kilt. What they don't know is that I wear this piece of clothing the way I want to and not to any set of rules, which I think are silly to start with. So as most of you know I am a casual Kilt wearing guy and think that it should be that way. Of course I dress up nice for special occations, but I will dress up with what I think is a nice outfit, not someone else.
Modern times Lads, things change, enjoy it!!!

[bear]

Well here's my two bits on the wearing of Kilts and the how too's. If your comfortable and you like the way you look, then it is just fine! If someone comes up and tells you that you are wearing your Kilt wrong, just kindly tell them that they are wearing their trousers wrong! Most people that have told me that I am not wearing my Kilt right have had pants on and think they know everything there is to know about the Kilt. What they don't know is that I wear this piece of clothing the way I want to and not to any set of rules, which I think are silly to start with. So as most of you know I am a casual Kilt wearing guy and think that it should be that way. Of course I dress up nice for special occations, but I will dress up with what I think is a nice outfit, not someone else.
Modern times Lads, things change, enjoy it!!!

That sounds familiar!