first negative encounter

[KiltedKnight]

Jim, Go ahead with your order from Alexis Malcolm Kilts. I just got mine yesterday (pleated to the stripe) and it is beautiful. The workmanship is superb and the kilt was finished about a month ahead of schedule. Don't forget to get the flashes and fly plaid at the same time.

I'll post pictures in about two weeks as I am leaving tomorrow for two weeks away from home on business.

I wish you a lot of luck, that jacket would look great with just about any tartan but no matter how laid back your CO is I doubt that he'll allow you to be out of uniform. The Regs are strict on this. As retired Army I know for a fact that none of my COs would have permitted it, only because they had no control, over the Regs.

Now that I'm retired I've been looking at some Army Mess short jackets that would only take a button conversion to go great with the kilt, very similar to your jacket in the pic. I will then have everything needed- including the arm candy that you're teasing us all with in the pics. (Mine is my wife of 18 years).

Chris

[davedove]

In wish you a lot of luck, that jacket would look great with just about any tartan but no matter how laid back your CO is I doubt that he'll allow you to be out of uniform. The Regs are strict on this. As retired Army I know for a fact that none of my COs would have permitted it, only because they had no control, over the Regs.

Chris

Chris is right about this. Regs are VERY specific about mixing uniform items with civilian items - you just don't do it!

[GatorUK]

I plan to ask my CO if I can go to the Navy Ball wearing said kilt and the jacket seen below.

Just show him this picture (also on alexis' web site):



I've worn the kilt with the mess dress in London for the Navy Day Ball. It is the Navy tartan after all...too bad the Polaris tartan is not available.

[BLAZN]

Jim, Go ahead with your order from Alexis Malcolm Kilts. I just got mine yesterday (pleated to the stripe) and it is beautiful. The workmanship is superb and the kilt was finished about a month ahead of schedule. Don't forget to get the flashes and fly plaid at the same time.

I'll post pictures in about two weeks as I am leaving tomorrow for two weeks away from home on business.

I'm not entirely certain that a fly plaid will go so well with that jacket. Hamish... I look to you on some input here. Fly plaid or no?

I look forward to seeing your pictures.

BTW... For the purpose I want the kilt for (the Navy Birthday Ball), should I have the kilt pleated to the stripe (realizing this is the "Regimental" thus military style) or to the sett? I may have answered this myself, but still...

[BLAZN]

I wish you a lot of luck, that jacket would look great with just about any tartan but no matter how laid back your CO is I doubt that he'll allow you to be out of uniform. The Regs are strict on this. As retired Army I know for a fact that none of my COs would have permitted it, only because they had no control, over the Regs.

Now that I'm retired I've been looking at some Army Mess short jackets that would only take a button conversion to go great with the kilt, very similar to your jacket in the pic. I will then have everything needed- including the arm candy that you're teasing us all with in the pics. (Mine is my wife of 18 years).

Chris

My experiance with most Navy balls` is that they are very laid back. We'll just have to see.

Now... the annual Submarine Ball next April will be a good possibility. Sub Ball is WAAAY relaxed. It's not uncommon to see uniform items that aren't entirely regulation. Formal shirts with decorative backs and sleves up to the cuff, decorative cuff links, cumberbunds other than regulation, etc.

As I am fond of saying, I can't fail if I don't try.

Now that I'm retired I've been looking at some Army Mess short jackets that would only take a button conversion to go great with the kilt, very similar to your jacket in the pic. I will then have everything needed- including the arm candy that you're teasing us all with in the pics. (Mine is my wife of 18 years).

Chris

Thank you, Sir. I shall be forced to share with my wife that you have referred to her as "arm candy."

Just show him this picture (also on alexis' web site):



I've worn the kilt with the mess dress in London for the Navy Day Ball. It is the Navy tartan after all...too bad the Polaris tartan is not available.

This all leads me to believe it's not unprecedented. I wonder if those guys are all Submarine officers.

[highlander_Daz]

This reminds me of a story in the paper a few months ago where 3 kilted men were set about coming out of a bar in London, unfortunatly for the assailants the men were an officer and two privates of the Black Watch just back from Iraq who delivered such a hiding to the men that they needed treating for shock ! I doubt that the men would insult a kilted man again.

[GatorUK]

This all leads me to believe it's not unprecedented. I wonder if those guys are all Submarine officers.

Naval Security Group "Cryppies".

[GatorUK]

I'm not entirely certain that a fly plaid will go so well with that jacket. Hamish... I look to you on some input here. Fly plaid or no?

The kilt (when authorized) is worn as an option for the dress trousers and cumberbund. A fly plaid would not be an optional item on the mess dress jacket.

[Mithral]

Oddly enough, I think the only thing that I can truly count as a negative response to my kilt was from a woman. We were talking online and she was interested in seeing a picture of me. The only one I had was me in my kilt. She made a neutral comment and eventually the converstion ended.

Flash forward a few months, I noticed her name on my buddy list, but couldn't quite remember who she was, so I IM'd her. She said, "Oh yeah, the kid in the skirt." Now, I did have a comment about the kilt not being any old skirt, but I mostly let that comment slide. I was a bit annoyed with her calling me a kid though, since she's 2 years younger than me.

The conversation ended with her saying, "People down in the south are going to make fun of you and beat you up when you wear your kilt!"

I'm not sure if she meant it as statement of fact or a wish, but either way, hasn't happened yet. Most people down here react pretty much the same way they did back home in N. Illinois.

...They like it.

[BLAZN]

The kilt (when authorized) is worn as an option for the dress trousers and cumberbund. A fly plaid would not be an optional item on the mess dress jacket.

That settles it... no fly plaid.

Cryppies, eh?