Kilt Debut: Christmas & Anniversary

**denmcdough** · 29th December 11, 01:50 PM

Excellent! I, too, love the claret hose with your kilt.

**tulloch** · 29th December 11, 02:07 PM

Very fine indeed. Good for you. May you enjoy it for many years.

**Downunder Kilt** · 29th December 11, 02:12 PM

A great turn out Sir. For the events that you were attending I think you looked splendid. Now that your addicted, I hope to see you go from strength to strength.

**gary meakin** · 29th December 11, 02:56 PM

Put together very well.
I love the pin. It's great when things like that fall into place.

**Panache** · 29th December 11, 04:26 PM

I think you look splendid.

As for a lack of garters (or flashes) and sgian dubh I wouldn't think twice about it had I seen you at some event. As a matter of fact if I would assume it was a deliberate choice to do away with some of the excess flash than can dominate highland attire. Just because you can wear a bit of kit doesn't mean you have to. I have friends that dislike kilt belts and forgo them and look just fine. Other friends see no need for flashes/garters and give them a skip and also look fine. Very few people will notice or care if you wear or don't wear a sgian dubh. Again I know those that don't bother with one for a variety of reasons and look...you guessed it! ...just fine!

Your simple black sporran, well fitted argyll, matching hose, tie, and pocket square nicely frame without detracting from the tartan. Your outfit has an understated elegance to it and you should be very pleased with your appearance. I especially like the one with the claret accents.

If I were to offer one small suggestion, it would be that as a new kilt wearer you should note that sometimes the fabric of the front apron can ride up or pucker behind the sporran and strap/chain. This is easily fixed with a quick adjustment of the sporran or sporran strap.

May I also offer my congratulations to you and your lovely wife on so many wonderful years together.

Cheers

Jamie

**bigdad1** · 29th December 11, 04:55 PM

You look just dandy and your wife is lovely too. Any nit picking with your attire would be really reaching and I see nothing to either nit or knit.

**Nighthawk** · 29th December 11, 07:13 PM

OK, especially for a first time kilt wearer, you look spectacular. I do have one small nit to pick, and this is purely on the basis of personal bias. I would personally have worn at least a semidress sporran. To my eyes, the sporran looks a touch out of place with the rest of the outfit. Again, I restate that this is purely my own personal bias. And on the note of personal biases, I love warm colored accessories with cool colored tartans, and vice versa. The claret hose look spectacular with the tartan you're wearing.

The kilt pin is great. I love unusual kilt pins. I have a Southwestern cow skull pin that I wear on my Colorado state tartan. It shows imagination and thought.

So now- onto more important matters: Congratulations on the anniversary!

**CMcG** · 29th December 11, 08:13 PM

Looks good to me. The sporran is appropriate to the level of formality and everything seems to fit well. Nit-picking is a specialty on this forum though, and I applaud your willingness to subject yourself to it.

I agree with Panache that going without garters/flashes or a sgian dubh is just fine... sometimes. That sort of simplicity might work better, however, if you were also wearing a less ornate jacket; a crail with fewer buttons and plain cuffs. The no garters/sgian look could also work nicely with just a shirt and sweater.

The claret hose are really nice but I don't prefer them with the matching tie and pocket square. The second look with charcoal hose and grey tie/pocket square looks better because it has more of the studied carelessness that is such a part of THCD. The best look, to me, would be the claret hose with the grey tie/pocket square or the charcoal hose with the claret tie/pocket square, because these mix up the colour scheme and balance it out.

Good luck with the new garter ties, which I think would set these outfits off to advantage. The charcoal hose would especially benefit from some garters ties to break up the darkness. I think there are some videos around on how to tie them...