Dress codes and changing trends

[Jock Scot]

I think we can all agree that modern dress is far more casual than it was even 40 years ago and who knows where general dress standards will go in the future? Kilt dress codes generally have moved at a much slower pace, although, mainly through ignorance, combined with a worldwide( Scotland to) slide towards casual dress, does cause genuine misunderstandings with what is required for traditional kilt attire.

No one, not one of us here, are immune from these cultural, traditional, national, international, climate, modern dress conventions, fashion cross currents and this thread alone never mind the umpteen thousand other threads here that have been posted about all this confirm it.

So I(and others) have taken the view that for those that want to, can be armed with the more traditional point of view on kilt attire so that when and if, the occasion should arise, out of the blue perhaps, then those that wish to can at least be armed with the right information to venture forth with their attire that will do them and the kilt justice whilst not looking like a clown. I am not aware of anyone on this website has ever said you cant wear this or that kilt attire however you want. What has been said regularly, is; "if you want to wear the kilt properly in the traditional manner for such and such an event then these are your best options to dress to best effect", and if that is not your choice then so be it. What is more than a little galling is when the "I will wear what I damn well like" comments get trotted out when advice has been asked for!

I think it does help if we all remember AND KEEP REMEMBERING that kilt attire came from a completely different tradition than what most of you are familier with. There is no exact comparison between kilt attire and saxon attire, matching colours is not a pre-requisit for kilt attire, there are no---and never has been----exact dress pigeon holes for kilt attire and it is here that we seem to get the most confusion with those who are not familier with kilt attire and added to this confusion, is that people fail to understand similar events(black tie for example) do not necessarilly require the same standard of dress. When personal flair(which kilt attire does encourage to some extent, even in Scotland) is added to the equation then it is so easy for the unaware to go off the rails.

This is such a useful thread. Well done.

[Calgacus]

Well said, Jock. Well said.

I have found a link which I think summarises the whole thing nicely

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6kgS_AwuH0

Welcome aboard...

[ASinclair]

Well said, Jock. Well said.

I have found a link which I think summarises the whole thing nicely

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6kgS_AwuH0

Welcome aboard...

We need an Arrr button!

[IsaacW]

I think it does help if we all remember AND KEEP REMEMBERING that kilt attire came from a completely different tradition than what most of you are familier with. There is no exact comparison between kilt attire and saxon attire, matching colours is not a pre-requisit for kilt attire, there are no---and never has been----exact dress pigeon holes for kilt attire and it is here that we seem to get the most confusion with those who are not familier with kilt attire and added to this confusion, is that people fail to understand similar events(black tie for example) do not necessarilly require the same standard of dress.

I have never thought of this so much until this week, wearing highland attire all week in my classroom. I can not count the number of times students (as well as a couple community members) made comments in the lines of "that does not match," "why would you wear that, with that?" etc. It was exhausting trying to explain that the rules of fashion were different and have evolved from different sources.

[Jock Scot]

I have never thought of this so much until this week, wearing highland attire all week in my classroom. I can not count the number of times students (as well as a couple community members) made comments in the lines of "that does not match," "why would you wear that, with that?" etc. It was exhausting trying to explain that the rules of fashion were different and have evolved from different sources.

Exhausting? I'll say it is! Several of us have been trying to get the message across here, for years!

[TheOfficialBren]

If we simply accept that Highland wear never was, is not, and never will be directly analoguous to Saxon wear we will all be happier.

It's not that difficult at all. These various 'points' one way or another are seemingly over-complicated by not accepting the above.

I may be wrong. No offence was intended.

[Hopper250]

If we simply accept that Highland wear never was, is not, and never will be directly analoguous to Saxon wear we will all be happier.

That is true, but we have to accept the same levels of formality. For years I've been frustrated with the black suit. You can wear it to lots of functions but even with a different tie and shirt you still look like every one else. The kilt gives me more options but the formality is a bit harder to nail down due to my lack of experience.

[TheOfficialBren]

That is true, but we have to accept the same levels of formality. For years I've been frustrated with the black suit. You can wear it to lots of functions but even with a different tie and shirt you still look like every one else. The kilt gives me more options but the formality is a bit harder to nail down due to my lack of experience.

Ah! Good point. Very true.

I, for one, am also glad to have the more experienced among us offering advice and pointers.
:-)

[Highlander31]

Exhausting? I'll say it is! Several of us have been trying to get the message across here, for years!

You are getting through, Jock.

Remember, those of you who work to show us the error of our ways, are the kilt's David to the rest of the world's fashion Goliath.
Those on the board that wear hats, tip them to you. Those of us that don't wear hats, well,...we bow to your knowledge.

[David]

I like to keep it simple. I wear an argyll during the day and a PC and bow tie at night. Our works Christmas dance is always stipulated as "black tie". Simples!

Great thread though.