how to wear modern kilts

[Paul]

That was hilarious.

I think you guys are missing the forest for the trees, though.

Setting aside a few key points:

I am a guy, and slouching with my legs spread is a God-Given Right.
I will never, ever wear "knee highs". They are for girls.
I have no idea who Tim Gunn is, and I don't care.
I am not a "lad". I am a "guy". On a good day, I might even be a "man".
"Spat" is the past tense of "spit", unless you are in Full #1 Dress or similar.

...I honestly don't see what the fuss is about. Yeah, some of the stuff he writes is a complete joke, but what he's saying in general is turn yourself out well. If you're not in public, nobody cares...I wore my kilt, a two-tone sleeve skater shirt, and BTF flops over to a buddy's place last night. 'Course, it was also 2330 and our good friend JD was joining us ...but the key there is, not public, and among friends. In that case, my kilt is more like a towel that I can answer the door in, and @#$% if anyone else is uncomfortable, because while they're sitting in their own stink, I'm enjoying Scottish A/C. Going out in public? Put a little thought in to it. You wouldn't wear slacks with your pajama top, right?

May I quote? Thanks ...
Solid advice! I have noticed that within the supportive confines of this forum, it's very easy for us to think that anything goes, and assume that everyone else should just accept us in all our unconventional glory...and that's simply not realistic. Nowhere in any document does it state that anyone has any right to not be offended by anything, nor does it say that anyone is ever granted the right to be free from hearing that they're "doing it wrong".

...For example, what we're doing to this guy about his blog post.

"Don't be a buffoon" is as succinct as anyone could put it. So, why is it so hard a rule to follow? We're not immune, I'm sure I've done it myself, and we can all pull photos from the forum (but we're not gonna). It's already a difficult rule, in an environment he correctly identifies as being overly casual...but it's an impossible rule to follow, if we're all entirely convinced of our own kilted cognizance and the duty of the general public to bask in our kilted glory.

I can think of a few more places than shower and garden, but I understand what he means.

No. My testicles will pursue their manifest destiny, I do not want them "pleasurably compressed", and I have never had a problem with unintentionally flashing anyone.

Solid advice!

Besides, wasn't it just the other day that a bunch of kilted rabble claimed ignorance of t-shirts? If you're so top shelf that your only concept of a "t-shirt" is a white, short-sleeved cotton garment meant to be worn only under a buttoned dress shirt, then you surely understand what he's going on about in this paragraph. If not, then you definitely need to understand what he's describing!

There is absolutely nothing off-mark about that paragraph, and any guy who aspires to be a well-dressed gentleman should keep it in mind.

BTW, the author quite bluntly states that he wears skirts. BFD. I don't care what he wears, as long as he can tell a kilt from a skirt when he sees either, and doesn't confuse the two. His general fashion advice is sound, even if he gets a bunch of the kilted details all screwed up.

I am very leery of inviting a crossdresser to wear a kilt, particularly when he generalizes a dislike of hypermasculine kiltedness (I have never seen this, except in a couple UK commercials. The reality is not so!). The result I'm picturing is a caricature, and not complimentary to kilt-wearing in any way.

-Sean

Sean, I really must diagree with the quotes. Firstly, often I look to replace trousers with the kilt - otherwise I don't look like myself in a casual setting. Therefore, in the fashionable modern world people generally don't tuck t-shirts in, and neither do I. I don't tuck mine into the kilt, as I often buy them quite tight-fitting anyway, so they're not bagging and they really don't hang.
As for being a well-dressed gentleman. There is a time and a place, and I certainly can dress-up in my kilt. But that's what it is - dressing up. I don't run around in tweed Argyll jackets during the day and prince charlies in the evening. I, for one, could be described as a rather sloppy teenager who can often be well-dressed in the correct setting. Anything upto semi-formal, I am keen on dressing much like a young person - kilted or not.

So basically when I wear a t-shirt, I wear it untucked - kilt or not. When I wear a shirt I often wear it tucked-in.

[Alan H]

The man who wrote the column is entirely entitled to his opinion.

I, however am entitled to the opinion that were I sit down to dinner with the twit, I'd probably hurt him before the meal was over.

[Whidbey78]

The man who wrote the column is entirely entitled to his opinion.

I, however am entitled to the opinion that were I sit down to dinner with the twit, I'd probably hurt him before the meal was over.

Not sure if I'd even make it to the table! A wise man once said "Those who think they know it all really OFF those of us who do."

[Brian K]

I think it unlikely in the extreme that I will ever wear Utilikilt or any similarly modern kilt. They don't seem like "real" kilts to me. When I am finally able to be kilted I'm going with a tartan with the top of it at my navel or above. If I want something in a solid color I'll go with a tweed. That being said, I understand perfectly why someone might want to wear a UK and I think the vast majority of those who own one think of it as the kilted equivalent of a pair of jeans.

The whole point of a UK, as far as I have been able to determine, is to BE CASUAL. Can you dress one up a bit? Sure, but you don't have to and it's probably never going to look truly formal or dressy. If you have a UK and want to wear it with a t-shirt and flip flops, then good on ya! If you want to wear it with walking shoes, knees socks and a button down shirt, that's great too! The point of a UK is casual comfort and this guy just doesn't get it. I'd rather wear shorts, jeans or chinos for that, but that's just me and you should do as you please.

If I saw someone in a UK wearing a jacket and tie, or spats (?!?!?!?) or standard kilt hose, or any of the other things the author of the article in the OP suggested were necessary, I'd think he needed to join X Marks and learn the difference between contemporary and traditional kilt wearing. Can the two be blended a bit? Probably, but not in the befuddled manner of the aforementioned writer.

Regards,

Brian

[O'Callaghan]

This first comment is bound to get me in trouble. I know one or two guys who are gay, but I don't seek fashion advice from them. I'm sorry, and I don't mean any sleight against members here who are gay, but their point of view is different. Come to think of it, I don't seek fashion advice atall, LOL!

Tim Gunn - Who? Never heard of him, and that's fine. The Gunn tartan, OTOH, I can recognise.

"Your sack of cantaloupes will compress nicely (and pleasurably) without any need to pursue testicular manifest destiny." No. Actually, IMHO whether a guy can sit comfortably with knees together for long periods is largely a function of the size of the thighs, not the size of other parts. If your legs have a large circumference, then there's not enough room for other things. Guys with skinny legs don't seem to have a problem, but that description doesn't fit me.

[Bugbear]

This first comment is bound to get me in trouble. I know one or two guys who are gay, but I don't seek fashion advice from them. I'm sorry, and I don't mean any sleight against members here who are gay, but their point of view is different. Come to think of it, I don't seek fashion advice atall, LOL!

Tim Gunn - Who? Never heard of him, and that's fine. The Gunn tartan, OTOH, I can recognise.

"Your sack of cantaloupes will compress nicely (and pleasurably) without any need to pursue testicular manifest destiny." No. Actually, IMHO whether a guy can sit comfortably with knees together for long periods is largely a function of the size of the thighs, not the size of other parts. If your legs have a large circumference, then there's not enough room for other things. Guys with skinny legs don't seem to have a problem, but that description doesn't fit me.

Ehh, what do I care; no sleight taken. I only half count anyway.

I don't care about your cantaloupe problems either...

[Whidbey78]

I had to look him up. Out here in the Nether Regions where stoplights are only seen on TV and digital watches still seem pretty neat and Andy and Barney make sure the streets are rolled up and put away at 7PM we don't even know what a "fashion consultant" is, much less know of any by name.

As the "Chief Creative Officer at Liz Claiborn," according to wikipedia, and a fashion consultant who likes to dress FEMALE stars up for the red carpet in get-ups that look...well...stupid, I fail to see how he is qualified to tell ANY man how to wear ANY kilt. And casual wearing of a garment designed to be worn how the owner sees fit is obviously out of his realm of expertise. Frankly, I'd be that "dressing down" for him probably means removing his tie.

And sit with my legs together? How lady-like!!!

I have printed a copy of his article and will no doubt find good use for it as I am currently low on Charmin.

Though I will probably continue to read posts on this topic, I'm done wasting my brain-juice on this and will now move on to something more deserving of my attention: Funions or Doritos?

[BoldHighlander]

A wise man once said "Those who think they know it all really OFF those of us who do."

I've always said "a know it all is someone who doesn't know a d@#n thing!"

[Whidbey78]

I've always said "a know it all is someone who doesn't know a d@#n thing!"

All I know is that I don't know nuthin'. That, and these are some awesome Funions.

[Bugbear]

All I know is that I don't know nuthin'. That, and these are some awesome Funions.

I believe in blue corn chips and New Mexican salsa.