Kilt too formal?

[Nik]

Ok as some of you know I wore my kilt to church service on St. Patrick's day this year. I had a feeling that my Bishop (LDS) wasn't too keen on the idea but said as long as it was modest it was ok. Well I asked him a couple weeks ago if it would be alright to wear it besides that day. I was informed that he had also talked to the Stake President and was told that for Sunday service, it was not proper but is best for more formal occasions.

Now I don't know if many of you are too familiar with my church I know a few member on the boards are church members too. But suits are the status quote. So besides wedding, of which I know I'm not going into the temple with my knees showing, bad idea. What events are there left to wear it at?

Now before you answer I am aware there are Burns Nights, and non church related activities. I'm just getting the feeling they wanted to avoid offending me and just instead gave me a condistion that is neigh impossible to fill.

Cause really when do people were tuxes these days?[/frustrated]

Thanks for any insight.

-Nik

[Carlo]

I'm not familiar with your church so I'm not gonna comment on that.
What I'm gonna do is, I'll post some links with pictures of what people were expected to wear in a part of Switzerland in the old days.
Women
Daywear
Sunday wear
Special day wear (Easter / Christmas...)

Men
Special day wear

It is as it was. Men are supposed to blend in while our ladies are supposed to show off.

The point I wanted to make is:
I think your feeling is right.

[Chas]

I always thought that it was what was in a man's heart that counted, not what was on his back.

Likewise, I think it is important to distinguish between the Word Of God and the word of a man.

[Nik]

Well in a perfect word I'd say well I'm wearing it, too bad. However I hold a calling in our ward that has me working close with these authorities, so playing nice is good for all concerned.

The thing I'm getting to wear my kilts more and more. I've worn them casual and dressy. I'd like to wear it and be at least tolerated. Because most of the other people in other wards were loving the kilt when they saw it, but people in my own were just ho-hum.

-sigh-

Suppose this is just ranting.

-Nik

[sydnie7]

If this is just their way of saying "no kilt, no way" then you may decide it is better to play nice.

If they truly do not understand that the kilt is a versatile garment that can be worn in a wide variety of ways, perhaps showing them the 1 Kilt 10 Looks thread would help.

I seem to recall older threads on this forum regarding kilts and LDS, maybe a search would bring up some other helpful suggestions and relevant experiences from other wearers.

Just an FYI, my oldest sister (and her 5 children, their large families, etc.) are LDS. Many live in the Salt Lake City area and there are some occasional kilt-wearers in the crowd, but I think it is mostly festival/clan event use so no specifics to add here.

[gwynng]

Do you sense that your bishop's discomfort is based on a sense of propriety or conformity? From what you have said, it seems the latter. And from what I know growing up with a lot of Mormon families, conforming to expected norms was very important to them. Not so much from a modest/immodest place, but rather not standing out too much or drawing attention to oneself. Perhaps with the statements of the stake president, it would be best to wear your kilts to secular events only.

That said, I think of my kilts as something you dress up or down in accordance to the occasion. You can wear them to the theater, art events, weddings at other churches, sporting events, evenings out, the kids soccer games, picnics, hiking, pretty much anywhere you want. At first it took me a while to get in the habit of throwing on a t-shirt and a pair of boots with my kilt. Really what i needed was a day sporran since my first sporran purchase was pretty formal. My point is when I first got my tank, I was so enamored of the whole dress look with the PC and ghillies that I forgot that I could wear the kilt pretty much anywhere. That day sporran kind of opened up my head to all the different ways you can wear a kilt. (You just may want to skip the kilt for home teaching!)

Good luck, I am sure there are lots of places you can enjoy your kilt once you put your mind to it.

[Nik]

gwynng,

Actually I'm the opposite of you. I bought a fairly casual kilt as my first and I have a day sporran. I wore my kilt with black hose, the day sporran, white shirt and black waistcoat. I think I looked very presentable. Most of the time I'm running around in the same kilt with just a t-shirt on. I'd love to get a tank and jacket and really dress up, show it off. But budget, people budget.

You did remind me that we have a stake picnic coming up and I'll see about wearing it then if I'm attending. That might get me some kudos or it might get me in hot water. Time will tell how this turns out. I'm just hoping it's for the better.

-Nik

[gwynng]

I'd bet a picnic, even one from the stake, is pretty safe.

(Note I didn't suggest a pub crawl!) Enjoy and KILT ON!

[Psynister]

Ok as some of you know I wore my kilt to church service on St. Patrick's day this year. I had a feeling that my Bishop (LDS) wasn't too keen on the idea but said as long as it was modest it was ok. Well I asked him a couple weeks ago if it would be alright to wear it besides that day. I was informed that he had also talked to the Stake President and was told that for Sunday service, it was not proper but is best for more formal occasions.

Now I don't know if many of you are too familiar with my church I know a few member on the boards are church members too. But suits are the status quote. So besides wedding, of which I know I'm not going into the temple with my knees showing, bad idea. What events are there left to wear it at?

Now before you answer I am aware there are Burns Nights, and non church related activities. I'm just getting the feeling they wanted to avoid offending me and just instead gave me a condistion that is neigh impossible to fill.

Cause really when do people were tuxes these days?[/frustrated]

Nik, from the research that I've done lately it seems pretty common for Bishops to say no to the kilt on Sunday, mostly because of its distraction factor as members will look at it, talk about it to other people who then talk to other people, and on it goes with people being distracted by it. Some people won't be able to get over the "a skirt is a skirt is a skirt" mindset and feel that you're wearing completely inappropriate attire so they complain to the bishopric and so on. Mostly, it's a bunch of a crap, yet unavoidable crap so they're better off just telling you not to wear it to normal service on Sunday. In the long run, you're there to feel the spirit, renew your covenants, and fellowship with the other ward members. So if the kilt is going to interfere with that either directly or indirectly, then it's not a battle worth fighting.

Almost every other church event should be open to the kilt, though. Baptisms, ward activities, scouting events, YM/YW, holiday meals, etc. While it will be suited for more formal events, it will likewise be suited to all less formal events as well. As long as you wear some compression shorts or the like when wearing it, then you don't have to worry about modesty and neither with anyone else there. Wearing your kilt to the temple is fine too, as long as you're comfortable doing so. Temple workers won't turn you away from doing temple work whether you're dressed in a $10,000 suit or filthy clothes that you haven't changed in six weeks. Would I wear a kilt to a sealing? Probably not, unless it was one of my brothers and they asked us all to come dressed in the family tartan. But short of that, I'd feel comfortable wearing it to just about everything else.