So recently I had my baccalaureate Eucharist and Dinner. One of the priests I was graduating with is from Brazil and wanted to wear his Brazilian pants which are a kind of pantaloons but he was a bit bashful. He was at my Nuptial Eucharist/Mass and saw me in the kilt and so to sure up his confidence he asked if I'd wear my my 'cultural clothes'. I hadn't planed on it but thought it was a good idea; it would be one of the few times we get dressed up together as a class. Its not formal but not 'student' either. To fit the dress code into 'x-marks' language, it was a day-wear event even though it would carry over into the evening. In any event, my friend did not wear his special pants... not sure why but it got me thinking about 'cultural wear'.

Sure the kilt is 'cultural wear' but it was not quite what he meant. To me it is not a cultural costume but rather my 'best suit' my 'favorite pair of paints' if you will. I like to keep highland wear in my rotation clothes as life permits and sometimes thats just one day of the week, instead of pants and a sweater, kilt and sweater or to a more dressy meeting etc. He does not wear his pants as a part of his normal wardrobe because they are for special occasions, and who would not agree the kilt is for special occasion but perhaps also for ordinary occasions as well.

All that to introduce a few hard to see pictures, I had to touch them up because of the darkness. So they are a bit muted.







The last one got a bunch of laughs though I didn't know why at the time. Coincidentally the lady whose likeness is projected on my back is married to a Scot... he was at my wedding in the MacDonald.

My wife actually helped pick out the tie... and here is my experimentation. I have only really worn solid colour ties with the kilt. It is hard to see here, but I am wearing a kind of embroidered not quite paisley tie, nude background and indigo embroidery. Its great tie from the 70's, very wide and on the funky side of the force. She encouraged me toward this tie and it was my first foray into non-solid ties. I had another great option but was more conservative so I kept that for an friend's ordination in RC diocese of Napa that weekend.

Thought I'd share the tie with you all.
Note: I'm not wearing a No2 jacket, though it is very close, no epaulets, no vents, and those are some locally harvested antler buttons. The jacket is piece of a long story that maybe told at another time.

peace,
justin