This is bound to be contentious-so do not read any further!

In the recent series about Austria I noticed a comment about getting a good kilt muddy--oops.

A real kilt is a tough outdoor garment-get it muddy-let it dry and brush off, and as good as new.

Get it wet-you'll be comfortable and it will dry out unharmed.

Sit down on wet grass-you'll be comfortable, and the kilt will dry easily.

I could go on-but enough of that.

The real point is that a kilt is a man's garment for doing man's things in all weathers and for all tasks: that is in fact the difference between it an a skirt: OK by definition a kilt is a skirt, but it is a man's skirt by reason of it's rugged 'all terrain' nature.

It is that rugged nature that defines it, and also suggests that it is necessary to preserve such characteristics. However there is a foe, all too often allied to the kiltmakers--and that is the tendency to girlify the kilt.

Such things as leaving out the skean dhu, wearing white socks which might be fine for little girl dancers, but which overly feminise the kilt, the same could be said of those ghillie shoes-again OK for dancers, but not really suitable for wear with a kilt. [A derivation from the country brogue.]

Always the kilt has been an overtly masculine garment-even in the days when chief's would have their pictures painted adorned with lace and silks-but armed to the teeth, whilst accompanied by their hounds.

I do not deny that the kilt being dynamic will evolve: but it should I'd suggest retain it's truly masculine character, if it is not just to be a man's skirt.

At the one end it means a rugged all action garment with suitable socks and footwear: or at the other the true over the top masculine flamboyance-jabot not bow tie-and doublet not cut down tuxedo: and wear a proper dirk as well as the skean dhu.

There is one last thing before I get lynched-you need to swagger if wearing a kilt-it is a garment with attitude from long before attitude was invented. And it is not possible to swagger with a long droopy kilt-show your kneecaps* and walk tall.

*You'll soon know why if you wear the kilt outdoors in heavy rain.

James