The New Traditionalists (Traditional kilts, Modern looks)

[creagdhubh]

Or, more likely, a nice sweater, hand knit by my wife!

I love this look, Matt! Very weathered, and rugged looking, and all the colours and tones work well together...quite smart.

Cheers,

[warrior]

Here is how you may find me typically dressed in the warm months.

That is exactly the look I want to achieve. I may be crazy but I am seriously wanting to change my daily attire. Currently I wear a uniform of my own making (I own the business so I set the dress code ). Currently I wear black tactical pants and red t with company logo. If I can pull it off I will be the only kilted NWCO trapper in Georgia.

[Matty Ross]

How about a Modern Scout uniform?

[Brett]

I agree with your agreement with Matt.

I think it might be that, in this case, the jacket looks like it's functioning more like a coat than a jacket (if that makes any sense at all; it does in my head). Leaving it unbuttoned is the key; buttoned and it would look all kinds of strange and weird.

And, yes, I suspect having a tall, slender frame goes a long way toward making that kind of look successful.

I suppose the photo below counts toward this thread; I had just bought my first kilt, and didn't have much in the way of "proper" kilt accessories to wear with it, but my leather jacket is somewhat high-waisted, and I think it does the trick (it also helps that I had the most important accessory of all ):

I think you pulled it off very well with your leather jacket and you and your "most important accessory" look great.

I have a similar leather jacket and I don't think it would look nearly as sharp with my kilt as it does on you, which speaks to our belief that a taller man can pull off a longer jacket or coat with his kilt much more gracefully.

[RAF]

99% of the time when I see a normal sportcoat or suit jacket worn with a kilt, it looks horrible.... You can just tell he garment was not meant to be worn with the kilt and it makes the outfit look sloppy. So I would not normally recommend it.

Then there is the 1% that proves that it is possible for a standard sportcoat to work with the kilt on occasion. And this outfit is in that 1%.

I'm not sure what makes this look alright to me, but I honestly think it might be the striped scarf!

Whew! seems I just passed the muster! Thank you Matt. I realize a standard sport coat is not considered the ideal choice of most here for wearing with a kilt. I'm wearing it here as "outerwear" so it comes off when I'm inside.
I would very much like to add to my current Kilt Jacket collection of ONE. And I intend to as I like that look very much, but find I have champagne taste and beer budget - that and I get ridiculously picky when looking at kilt jackets for some reason. I think because I have built a nice collection of standard sport coats (reference previous "Clothes Horse" thread) and have VERY little closet space to continue adding . I think a Spring clean out may alleviate that situation. Rest assured, I'll proudly post pics when I finally get Kilt jacket #2.
And thanks also to Opositive, Spartan Tartan, Kilted Bear and Brett for the compliments. It's nice to know any efforts we all make are acknowledged.
I apologize for the overdose of smilies - I'm in therapy for this condition.

[Panache]

....I think confidence has so much to so with whatever we wear , kilted or not, it's neither about breaking rules nor is it being completely anarchist.I want to feel comfortable whatever I'm wearing, and in whatever situation,there are times that people do comment on my choices, and sometimes they don't work as well as I had hoped but I'm always willing to learn and give it a go!

20 oz Italian green tweed

Paul,

Thanks for putting up your green kilt photos. I remember the first time I saw those either here or on the yuku Kilt Forum. Those outfits and your summation above of your approach to highland dress is EXACTLY what I am try to get at. A modern look isn't about rejecting or defying tradition. It is about understanding those traditions and using them as a jumping off point to create something that is "you" and that fits with your sensibilities in our modern world.

Here's what I think...

RAF,

I like this a lot. If it was described to me I probably would have thought "WHAT?" But looking at your picture it is definately modern, definately you, and the whole thing has a nice balance. In this photo I also get a sense from you that you are comfortatable in your own skin. Which is what Paul is talking about.

Keep them coming everyone!

Cheers

Jamie

[Woodsheal]

Also a practitioner of this concept!

[fluter]

I'm not sure what makes this look alright to me, but I honestly think it might be the striped scarf!

Here's my favorite striped scarf. Matt's practiced eye will probably detect the circular needles where a fringe should be, indicating that it's not quite finished. here it's about 90 percent of its intended length.

scarfWT90 by arcturus1997, on Flickr

Otherwise, I'm often to be found in the leather jacket cotillion.

USA Kilts Edzell tartan by arcturus1997, on Flickr

[RAF]

RAF,

I like this a lot. If it was described to me I probably would have thought "WHAT?" But looking at your picture it is definately modern, definately you, and the whole thing has a nice balance. In this photo I also get a sense from you that you are comfortatable in your own skin. Which is what Paul is talking about.

Keep them coming everyone!

Cheers

Jamie

Thanks Jamie! I became a kilt convert in my early to mid-40s. I think that has a lot to do with the whole comfort level point you and Paul make. While I now wish I had started kilting sooner, I think I would have just come off as some cocky kid. Cheers!

[Ryan Ross]

99% of the time when I see a normal sportcoat or suit jacket worn with a kilt, it looks horrible.... You can just tell he garment was not meant to be worn with the kilt and it makes the outfit look sloppy. So I would not normally recommend it.

Then there is the 1% that proves that it is possible for a standard sportcoat to work with the kilt on occasion. And this outfit is in that 1%.

I'm not sure what makes this look alright to me, but I honestly think it might be the striped scarf!

I was thinking the exact same thing, even down to the possibility that the scarf might be what makes the coat work.

...that said, I'm really not sure either, but it certainly does work. Bravo, man!