We're finally getting kilted!

[GG]

What a nice story, Flavia.

I too should say that your husband should keep his BlackWatch kilt. Even if not very traditional Scottish I think that many members here enjoy havinbg kikts in various tartans. At least i do. In my case trousers, not kilts are reserved for special occasions.

[JonathanB]

You sure know how to tell a story, Flavia. I'd say hold on to the Black Watch. (After I'd bought my first kilt - a Black Watch - I had the theory that it is the only tartan pattern specific to a group that pre-dates 1800. This is on the basis that it was worn in the Army by the Highland Regiments when civilian Highlanders were forbidden to wear tartan.)

And it is a nice, dark pattern that won't clash with other colours easily.

[Shedlock2000]

Firstly:


and welcome to the madness. They are a good bunch on here! And there's a lot of useful information to be had!

There are replica fur sporrans to be had - if your son is troubled ethically. If not, then as the event is somewhat formal, but you could get away with a metal cantle and a faux black leather sporran. Black goes with pretty much anything, and surprosingly enough, fawn also goes with pretty much anything. There is a white sporran available, and that would also go (and pick up his shirt - presuming that he is wearing white with a PC jacket (I am not sure on the formality for the position he is playing in the wedding - a Montrose Doublet would be correct wear to be married 'IN')).

I also, really enjoyed your tale, and I look forward to hearing more of your struggles. I will agree with all that has gone before, and tell you that I own several kilts in the Black Watch: a Great Kilt in 18oz; a ex-mil 18oz; and a 10-ish oz large sett. They're hard to beat, go with anything, always suit any occasion; and you can be as comfortable out in the bush as you can dining with Royalty.

I am pretty sure that once your hubby dons the kilt, there will be excuses to wear it at any given opportunity. I have been fully kilted for a while now - and I do not look back at it negatively one bit - including the -40s we get here. Now, how long the girlfriend will put up with it is an entirely different matter!

Good luck with the wedding, and good luck with the kilted hubby! I expect numerous photos of all the awesomeness!

If your husband enjoys being killed, he'll end up needing more than one kilt.

I know this was a typo - but it made me chuckle!

[Bill aka Mole]

Firstly,

Secondly, read my signature.

Thirdly, I'm not a Scot nor Irish that I'm aware of (my Mom is an adoptee) but I love wearing a kilt.

I understand about finances. You might take a gander at some of the kilt-like and athletic kilt companies (sportkilt, amerikilt) and look at those sporrans. Some look perfectly fine but are not the best leather or even leather at all. Sgain Dbuh's might be an option that you'd want to wait on as well. E-bay is often a good place to shop as well. I happen to have four kilts at present, 2 Sport Kilts (U.S. Navy and National Fallen Firefighters Memorial), an inexpensive Black Watch tank and a bespoke medium weight Firefighters Memorial. He'll find that he's going to need more than one kilt once he gets used to it.

And congratulations for getting him in a kilt!

[brewerpaul]

First and foremost welcome from Mid Missouri.

You are way ahead of the ball in the fact your son has taken to the kilt, good for him. All you can do is let him set his own style and keep him encouraged.

As far as the Black Watch is concerned everyone has encouraged you to keep it. I would say the same and give you this reason. I own at least 8 kilts of various tartans, most of which are regional or ones that some would call generic. This means most anyone could wear them even without clan affiliation or even ancestry such as me, Im Texan/German. Two of my kilts are Black Watch Economy Wool from Stilwater Kilts. I keep one for nice and the other is worn almost daily, switched at times with a Black Stewart. The Black Watch is one of the easiest tartans to wear as a person might have worn jeans or pants. I have the greatest respect for the tartan and its history and always wear it with pride yet find it is one I can wear at any time or any place. I call it my "jeans" of kilts because of this versatility. So good for your husband for giving the kilts a go finally and keep the Black Watch, as we all say you cant just have one.

[Flavia]

The saga continues!

Just took a leap of faith today.

Saw a bargain on eBay - a boy's Prince Charlie set - & jumped at it, with only 2 reservations:

1) It was a whole size larger than my son's age

2) It was from (ok, deep breath) Heritage of Scotland.

I've been reading up before I joined, & I know this isn't everyone's favorite store. Even I'm not thrilled with them not getting back to me when I sent them an e-mail asking for the measurements. But, to be fair, I'm pretty sure I asked too late on Friday for them to answer (they're five hours later than I am!), & the sale was "up" fairly early today. But, the way I figure it, the worst that can happen is that he'll have it to grow into it, & I'll have time to make him a Montrose Doublet, like Prince Edward wore when he was in Princess Anne's wedding. I have several yards of black velvet (nothing too fancy - rayon!) that's been dying for a project, & a Civil War jacket pattern I can extrapolate down.

The groom has been told what kilt my son has and is getting him (shh! Don't tell! It's going to be a surprise!) hose & matching flashes! My son has maybe 2 inches to go, height-wise, before he can't really wear the kilt anymore, so he'll be able to have the flashes be useful for awhile. But the real coup were the hose.

In a conversation that included the groom and a Highland dancer friend of mine, very polite but firm opinions were stated on the appropriateness of white (yeah, yeah, it's really cream, we know!) kilt hose. The groom stated that it was the only formal color, while the dancer said that it was only for pipers & finished with: "Like u'd rly wear white sox with ur tux - lol!" So I was worried that I'd hurt his feelings if I insisted on any color but white - but he gave me a choice! And, for once, my wits were totally on the ball & I was able to answer very diplomatically, "He can be a messy kid sometimes - get him the black ones." YAY!

(&, husband's sgian dhub came today. He ordered me to get him the cheapest one I could find &, sure enough, I did! He's from Brooklyn, so it's not like he needs an actual knife to fight with, anyway - haha)

Thank you all for your friendly support!

[GG]

Flavia, I have also read the bad verdicts regarding Heritage of Scotland / Gold Brothers. However, I have the impression that most of them might be based upon what “others” say, rather than upon their own experiences.

At least, since October 2007 I have bought kilts, jackets and accessories from Heritage of Scotland; in total 20 orders and I never ever had any reason to complain about anything. On the contrary; I every time got high value for money, a product in accordance with description, delivery on time, and also immediate answers to my questions.

If just all other vendors of kilts or operating on other product markets - would be just as reliable as Heritage of Scotland. Some are good, but certainly not all – to my experience.

[rmccool]

I know this was a typo - but it made me chuckle!

Isn't that why they call it 'kilt'?

[GG]

In a conversation that included the groom and a Highland dancer friend of mine, very polite but firm opinions were stated on the appropriateness of white (yeah, yeah, it's really cream, we know!) kilt hose. The groom stated that it was the only formal color, while the dancer said that it was only for pipers & finished with: "Like u'd rly wear white sox with ur tux - lol!" So I was worried that I'd hurt his feelings if I insisted on any color but white - but he gave me a choice! And, for once, my wits were totally on the ball & I was able to answer very diplomatically, "He can be a messy kid sometimes - get him the black ones."

Years ago most men were wearing white shirts with their business suits. Me too. Most advertising for heavy duty detergents was about their ability to wash white. The whiter the better and every new product development meant even whiter than before, even if nothing can be whiter than white and every manufacturer had already claimed the utmost of whiteness for years.

Now white shirts are very seldom seen, at least where I live. Colored shirts have taken over. And now detergents are supposed to protect their colors.

Some years ago most pictures of men in kilts showed white kilt hose. Now they, like the shirts, are colored.

Was there anything wrong about a white shirt? No, but fashion changed. Is there anything wrong about white kilt hose? No, but due to fashion – even with such traditional thing as a kilt fashion obviously plays a role - it has become more or less out of place to wear white kilt hose.

Blame upon me, but sometimes I do (still) wear white kilt hose and, by the way, more often than I’ll wear a white shirt.



The biggest problem with white kilt hose might be that they are easily stained – and that most detergents nowadays are without optical brighteners, which should damage colored garments.

Or am I really mistaken?

[Flavia]

Blame upon me, but sometimes I do (still) wear white kilt hose and, by the way, more often than I’ll wear a white shirt.

I actually LIKE the look of cream hose with a kilt - certainly those with white or yellow lines to be picked up by the contrast. But I also want to make sure that my son looks his best to the majority of guests. And since the groom actually did not have a preference, I went with the black. The flashes'll look great on both (I'll be getting him some cream hose, too, at some point for less formal occasions).

ALSO: heard back from Heritage of Scotland in an e-mail, wherein I was asked if the measurements were ok with me, & that "if they were, they would send the kilt out to me right away." Which leads me to believe that they will graciously cancel the purchase, because the measurements they quoted were way too big (I'm hoping!! Haven't heard back from them yet, today).

I know it could be considered prudent to buy it now, anyway, & let him grow into it, BUT
a) the budget really has to be concentrated on the immediate
b) I'd like to make sure my son sticks with it before I get him all sorts of stuff that would make it a resentful obligation rather than "COOL!".

However, FTR, I did tell them that I would understand if they felt they could not cancel the sale: I did buy it & they are within their rights to hold me to it.