So Your Going to Wear The Kilt

[Nile]

"So Your Going to Wear The Kilt" by J. Charles Thompson with a foreword by Andrew MacThomas of Finegand is published by Heraldic Art of Arlington, VA. Charles Thompson is also co-author with D. C. Stewart, of the book "Scotland's Forged Tartans"


I am surprised that this book has not been reviewed previously in this forum. (perhaps it was but, I couldn't find a post.) The first American version was in 1979 and the first Scottish version was in 1981. I have a copy of the third American version of 1989.


"So Your Going to Wear The Kilt" is not only a good read but, also a great reference book for kilt wearers. Having read the full thread called "Too Traditional" (Whew! 500 + postings) in the "Traditional Kilt" section of the board, I realized that many of the concerns expressed by a number of members in that thread are specifically addressed in this book. It discusses not just the kilt and how to wear it but, all the accessories associated with wearing the kilt starting, top down, with the Bonnet.


Thompson's audience is the new, inexperienced kilt wearer who was not brought up in a kilted tradition as found in Scotland and other Scottish/Celtic communities around the world. His point of view is primarily the traditional Scottish approach to wearing the kilt but, he discusses a variety of options for day wear through formal. Written with some degree of humor, the author periodically infuses his own opinions in the text (and identifies them as such), especially concerning tartans (of which he is an expert).


The following is a list of the chapters:
The Bonnet / Sporrans
The Clansman's Crest Badge / Plaids
Tartans / In Cold Weather
Which Tartan? / Footwear
Color Schemes / Dirks and Skene Dhus
What about the Purists? / The Cromach
And the Ladies / Weapons
How to Address Your Chief / Jewelry
The Kilt / Medals and Decorations
Jackets / The Final Question
Belts and Waistcoats / Some Final Cautions
Shirt and Tie


One of the gems of the book is the interesting information found in the index. The author shows how to shape a Balmoral and how to make a toorie and a two color cockade for it. There's a section on shortening a kilt and converting a regular jacket into a kilt jacket. How about, making your own sporran or flashes! Do you know how to tie a garter knot? And… he ends it with how to make a rosette of the lady's evening sash.


And finally, inspired by the question so many have asked and what all newbies wonder, is the next to the last chapter, "The Final Question". Let's just say it's not about hose and brogues.

[SlackerDrummer]

While there may not be a review per se of So You're Going to Wear the Kilt, it has been much discussed. "Scotty" Thompson has been very influential in American kilt-wearing, but also largely responsible for the divergence of American kilt-wearing from more traditional Scottish kilt-wearing. There are things he advocates that apparently just aren't done across the pond. It's a reasonable and inexpensive resource for the complete novice who lacks the availability of kilt-wearing mentors, but other resources (like this forum) should be sought as well.

[Jock Scot]

It is a very long time since I have read the book, so my memory of the detail is scant and I know that some of us have our reservations and criticisms of the book, but actually it is a very handy guide for the novice kilt wearer.

[Chas]

Unfortunately the tag system is such that it will only accept 25 characters and that includes spaces.

Whereas - So You're Going to Wear the Kilt - is a total of 32.

So there we have it.

I do have a copy, and you are quite right, Nile, it is a good read.

Regards

Chas

[creagdhubh]

While there may not be a review per se of So You're Going to Wear the Kilt, it has been much discussed. "Scotty" Thompson has been very influential in American kilt-wearing, but also largely responsible for the divergence of American kilt-wearing from more traditional Scottish kilt-wearing. There are things he advocates that apparently just aren't done across the pond. It's a reasonable and inexpensive resource for the complete novice who lacks the availability of kilt-wearing mentors, but other resources (like this forum) should be sought as well.

***

Well put, Kenneth.

[Sir William]

While there may not be a review per se of So You're Going to Wear the Kilt, it has been much discussed. "Scotty" Thompson has been very influential in American kilt-wearing, but also largely responsible for the divergence of American kilt-wearing from more traditional Scottish kilt-wearing. There are things he advocates that apparently just aren't done across the pond. It's a reasonable and inexpensive resource for the complete novice who lacks the availability of kilt-wearing mentors, but other resources (like this forum) should be sought as well.

When I wore my first kilt in 1982 this was about all that was available on kilt-wearing except what you could "learn" at the local Games, Scottish Country Dancing, etc. There was no internet, let alone a kilt-wearer's forum like XMTS. If nothing else, I learned about the proper kilt length and what the difference was between day-wear and evening-wear, which have served me well in the years since. When I reread it last year there were a few minor things I disagreed with, but on the whole I still recommend it as a useful reference for beginning kilt-wearers - in addition to XMTS!

[Nile]

Thank you all for the feed back. I am a novice with no real tradition in kilt wearing so the book seemed authoritative to me. However, I agree with Kenneth, I'm getting a lot of good information from this forum and I especially value the pictures of how people are wearing kilts. For example, the "Too Traditional" thread, elsewhere on this forum is an education unto it self. A lot of good stuff in that, especially from the Scotts.

[Lime]

I get the feeling that Scotty Thompson would have been an extremely active member of this forum!

[macwilkin]

While Thompson's book is generally a good one, I'm surprised no one has mentioned Matt Newsome's web site:

http://wwww.albanach.org

And in particular, Matt's own book, Patented Advice for First Time Kilt Wearers:

http://www.albanach.org/books.html

When I meet folks who are new to Highland dress in our local St. Andrew's Society, I generally refer them to Matt's site, the Scottish Tartans Museum and the Scottish Tartans Authority.

T.

[creagdhubh]

While Thompson's book is generally a good one, I'm surprised no one has mentioned Matt Newsome's web site:

http://wwww.albanach.org

And in particular, Matt's own book, Patented Advice for First Time Kilt Wearers:

http://www.albanach.org/books.html

When I meet folks who are new to Highland dress in our local St. Andrew's Society, I generally refer them to Matt's site, the Scottish Tartans Museum and the Scottish Tartans Authority.

T.

A fantastic resource indeed! A big *** here!

Cheers Todd,