Esquire Magazine's Advice On Kilted Formal Attire

[Downunder Kilt]

Gentlemen, we must forgive these style journalists and bloggers, for they know not what they write about. They are not part of the XMTS
" Kilted Cognizanti".

[DyerStraits]

Gentlemen, we must forgive these style journalists and bloggers, for they know not what they write about. They are not part of the XMTS
" Kilted Cognizanti".

....All the more reason to lobby the editors--with a personal appeal to Mr. Súilleabháin--for an instructional "All About Kilts" pictorial!

[TheOfficialBren]

....All the more reason to lobby the editors--with a personal appeal to Mr. Súilleabháin--for an instructional "All About Kilts" pictorial!

...then direct them to the "1 kilt 10 different looks" thread.

[Nathan]

I agree with everything he said... I know some don't but I wouldn't call him out for "errors".

"Hey Donald, where's your troosers?"
"Lad, I don't know where you've been, but I see you've won first prize..."

;)

[be da veva]

What's with the ''no underwear'' comment ? Is he really a fashion director ? Locals varies as does events (and participants of said events).

Maybe he was making a joke...

[WillowEstate]

Well, it's said any publicity is good publicity, a view I generally agree with and will put up with a few errors in that spirit. More knowledgeable subscribers to the magazine (a.k.a. XMTS members) can write to the editor to correct the misconceptions and hey presto, even more publicity for the cause!

[David]

It bothers me that the kilt is being considered and discussed in Esquire as "fashion wear". I never have and never will consider the kilt or any of associated parts as a fashionable item. I pray it never ends up "on trend" or a "statement piece". See, it just goes to show that I do hear what the Wife is saying when I am dragged out to the shops. Just had a thought .... the wedding industry seems to have made the kilt and on trend statement piece ...... Were doomed, DOOMED ah tell ye!**For overseas/younger readers see Private Frazer in the old BBC TV series Dad's Army for this reference

[DyerStraits]

What's with the ''no underwear'' comment ? Is he really a fashion director ? Locals varies as does events (and participants of said events).

Maybe he was making a joke...

It always amazes me how people who otherwise know absolutely nothing about kilts somehow always know about the No Underwear Thing. This is one of the minor bits of misinformation I originally referred to. But, yes, it is Esquire after all--its witty, irreverent, urbane editorial tone is one of the things I love about it--so he undoubtedly was joking. Nick Sullivan's advice column, by the way, appears in the US edition--not sure about the others.

[CDNSushi]

It always amazes me how people who otherwise know absolutely nothing about kilts somehow always know about the No Underwear Thing. This is one of the minor bits of misinformation I originally referred to.

That one often comes up, as do the other "usual suspects" of kilted folklore. Another one that I get quite often is along the "right to wear" lines... "Do you have the right to wear that tartan?" and its more frequently seen declarative variation, "I have the right to wear <clan name>." Just the other day, I was kilted and a woman struck up a conversation with me. At one point she mentioned, "I have the right to wear the Stewart tartan." To which, I responded, "Well, if you're referring to the Royal Stewart variation, then I would venture to say that we all do..." At first she appeared rather shocked by my remark, but I then explained more about what that meant -- information she had never heard before and was quite amazed to learn...

But what boggles me, somewhat, is that if it came to most other things, people wouldn't speak so authoritatively. But it just seems that if you take someone, with even a DROP of Scottish blood somewhere, 7 generations ago, they will speak like they're a leading scholar on all things Scottish, based on family tales and folklore, and snippets of (mis)information they may have gleaned randomly over the years.

[ForresterModern]

It always amazes me how people who otherwise know absolutely nothing about kilts somehow always know about the No Underwear Thing. This is one of the minor bits of misinformation I originally referred to.

Am I the only one who caught the humor in the juxtaposition of the phrases "no underwear thing" and "minor bits"? Minor? Let's not go there.