Kilts in Hawaii

**Panache** · 19th April 14, 09:21 PM

My family and I had the opportunity to visit some very dear friends on the island of Oahu over the children's Spring Break. Neither I nor my Flame-Haired Celtic Amazon Goddess had ever visited the tropics before but I was given the friendly advice before we left the mainland that neither wool clothing nor ties would be very suitable in the islands.

I brought two kilts (a Sport Kilt in the California tartan, and one my lovely and talented F-H.C.A.G. made in the XMTS tartan from the last PV run). I limited myself to only one belt and one sporran. My light A_Hay Pictish boar sporran is one I use during the hot weather and its design had a tribal feel I thought might go well with Hawaiian/Polynesian garb. Since Aloha shirts are the norm I decided to embrace them and see if I could come up with some outfits that worked. Whether or not I was successful is up to you to decide, but I had a lot of fun, felt very comfortable, and got an awful lot of compliments and shaka signs when I wore my kilts.

So here are a few photos

"Underneath the banyan tree
Me honey and me can watch for the moon
Underneath the banyan tree
Me honey and me make boolooloop soon"

(To Paraphrase Mr. J. Bond and Miss H. Ryder)

Of course it goes without saying that kilts and lovely brews go hand in hand

This is what we wore to visit the Honolulu branch of the RSCDS for a night of Scottish Country dancing. I really like this outfit and the balance between the Hawaiian elements (the Aloha shirt and makau necklace) and the Pictish design of the sporran and the colors of the XMTS tartan.

Me wearing a slightly more sedate outfit with a friend

The rainforest was very humid but I was quite comfortable in my Sportkilt. Thank goodness for my Empire Canvas Works safari jacket as it started pouring rain soon after the last photo was taken!

Family shot (to show that we brought Sinbad and Xena after all!

)

Wearing tartan and Hawaiian prints is a bold look I'll grant you, but sometimes it is fun to go big and play with colors and patterns. I also think Life is too short to not enjoy it and have fun.

Aloha!

Jamie

**mookien** · 19th April 14, 09:29 PM

Jamie: Your attire worked wonderfully in the tropics. You look like a character out of a Joseph Conrad novel. But, with such a beautiful family definitely not one of his more tragic ones. Thanks for posting the pics for us to enjoy.

John

**McMurdo** · 19th April 14, 09:33 PM

Great photos Jamie kilts and Aloha shirts a bold choice but you carry it off with panache ;)

**Tartan Tess** · 20th April 14, 04:15 AM

It was so fun to travel to Hawaii with you for a few moments!
Love what you did with the kilts and Hawaiian shirts.

**GMan** · 20th April 14, 04:45 AM

Great shots. It is great to see how a Kilt can adapt to any situation and place yet still be an ideal wardrobe selection.

By the way your kids are getting taller with every picture I see of them, how old are they now?

**ASinclair** · 20th April 14, 07:03 AM

Great pictures, Jamie, and what a wonderful vacation! I'm jealous.

**Jack Daw** · 20th April 14, 07:41 AM

GREAT pics! A buddy of mine, Gordon Lindsay, from several Highland Games here in Texas, retired and moved to Hawaii a couple of years ago, and continues to find occasions to wear his kilt.