Casual shoes with a utilikilt

**yoippari** · 24th July 10, 07:38 PM

Not a newbie, or even much of a lurker, but I pop in from time to time with a question.

*pop*

Boots seem to be the standard with a utilikilt, and ghilli brogues with pulled up hose with any kind of dress getup. But what about a utilikilt when you don't want boots? I'm not a sandal person and my brown Clarks seem out of place below a black mocker. Would these work?
http://shop.moxsie.com/footwear/men/...ack-suede.html
and if so with what socks? hose pulled up? short socks? I have a bunch of black wool dress socks both crew and knee length.

BTW this is casual like t-shirt casual, maybe a button up shirt.

I'm asking because I did a search for sneakers and it seems to me that when anyone here says sneakers they are talking about tennis shoes or running shoe type of sneakers. I'm curious what the forum's opinion is on a nicer pair of basically converse, with out the annoying white cap and sole.

**Kiltman** · 24th July 10, 07:53 PM

Many years ago in another age I thought that the only footwear that went with a kilt (traditional) should be ghillies. Now, if it looks good, it is good. I notice that many of us XMarkers wear good leather shoes with our kilts and I wear sandals during the summer. The one you suggest I would wear with kilt hose.

**Jordan** · 24th July 10, 08:02 PM

I wear trainers with my UK's or any of my other kilts for that matter, They might not be traditional but theyre comfy trainers and my UK I usualy just have on short black socks. I dont often wear proper shoes usualy boots or trainers since im usualy in a tshirt i dont think shoes look right. Just my tuppence

Jordan

**BBoykin** · 24th July 10, 08:35 PM

You might look into Vans shoes. Kind of like Converse but many more styles and colors to choose from. Nice shoes.

**jeremy j starche** · 24th July 10, 08:38 PM

Wear appropriate shoes to the situation.

Me, I'd never wear dress gillies with my UK -- if it calls for dress shoes it calls for a nicer kilt.

For most of this summer, I've word sandals or 'gillie-like' sandals[1] but I'm at a work environment where sandals and shorts are quite appropriate.

For mots of us, the kilt is not a uniform. Right and wrong give way to appropriate or not tacky.

If you swapped your kilt for jeans, slacks or shorts -- what shoes would you wear? Ok -- wear those with the kilt.

[1]Referring to something much more like the ancient gillies, not the modern dress shoe.

**yoippari** · 24th July 10, 11:31 PM

Right, no ghillies with uk, but my 4 yard box pleated or my knife pleated acrylic kilt in the appropriate situation then yes.

If I were to wear jeans I'd either wear my brown clarks or the suede wingtips I posted. But I wouldn't wear the clarks with a black uk because the brown shoes with black kilt seems out of balance. The boots are heavier and tend to blend a bit better with the kilt. But I wasn't sure with the wingtips because the black blends but with socks pushed down it seems there would just be too much sock, with them pulled up looks better but the sartorialist in me says to match the socks to the pants (or kilt in this case) and I don't have black socks except for my gold toe (of which some are knee length, and wool). But kilts are a different thing with different balance, Thus my indecision. I think they will work, but there is always the possibility of looking like a tool.

With slacks I wear my rockport moc toe bluchers, or my really cheap (~$100) ghillies but with short laces which I wear like wingtips a couple times a week for work. I work retail selling suits 'n stuff. I wear slacks or a suit 4-5 days a week. And my boss has already said a kilt wouldn't be allowed. And the dress code specifically says slacks or suit (so if I can ever justify a 21st Century Kilt suit I'll be sure to try it).

I don't do shorts. Dunno why.

Re: Vans. Meh, never been a fan.

BTW, I do over think things.

**CDNSushi** · 25th July 10, 04:40 AM

With my (tan) UK I wear:

- black leather shoes (look a little like buckle brogues)
- sneakers
- leather sandals (brown, NO SOCKS!!! -- kilt or no kilt, socks & sandals looks just awful)
- motorcycle boots (heavy, brown, leather)
- barefoot

Just depends on the need/occasion. As I sit and write this, I'm wearing my UK barefoot, but have been wearing sandals all day (it's been 36C since this a.m.)

UKs are by very nature less formal and less dressy, IMO -- so I think just about anything other than stiletto heels and nylons should be fine... I would also check out some of the photos on the UK website, and they even had a short little video about it...

Hope that helps! :-)

**Antonio** · 25th July 10, 08:48 AM

I wore a Survival yesterday and had on my KEEN Sandals... had a nice Roman feel/look to it...

**Dick Ackerman** · 25th July 10, 08:48 AM

With any color UK I wear Brown 6" Timberland Boots, Sneakers or Teva Sandals.

Dick Ackerman

**CMcG** · 25th July 10, 08:53 AM

I started a thread a while back for X Markers Modern Kilt Pics (click the underlined text for a link). Take a browse through there to get some ideas and post a few of your own photos while you're at it!