what would happen? Pocket lint

[be da veva]

Well, if you are talking traditional.... picture a great kilt. Lots of places to put stuff in the folds above the belt. So in a sense they were pockets.... int:

[The Wizard of BC]

Well, yes, but then you would be posting about a great kilt in the Historical Kilt section just as I would be posting over in the Modern kilt section with my kilts.

[Nathan]

I don't know of traditional kilts with "pockets" as we could argue about whether Steve's kilts are still traditional once the feature is added. That said, there are plenty of military kilts for sale on ebay that have a square "pocket" on the front apron. I've also know of pockets to be sewn on the under apron in a similar fashion. Not sure if military kilts count as THCD since they're technically THMD but there is a long precedent for at least one pocket on traditional kilts.

[ASinclair]

ML, a spy's pocket lint would accumulate in his sporran, naturally. I'm with Kyle on this one. No pockets in or on my kilt.

[davidlpope]

I agree to some degree, Steve, but when it comes to kilt construction, surely there's a line which, once crossed, falls out of TCHD. To wit, if I were to wear a Utilikilt with traditional brogues, hose, garter ties, sgian dubh, daywear sporran, tweed kilt jacket and waistcoat, tattersal shirt, regimental tie, and Balmoral bonnet, all my accessories would be "correct" for TCHD but my kilt would be shockingly out of place.

So it is about the kilt itself too.

But I do agree that if the overall presentation looks like a traditional tartan wool kilt with a standard front apron width and pleats around the sides and back (whether they be knife pleats, military box pleats, or other traditionally-Scottish pleating styles), as yours does, it would still come off as being soundly in keeping with TCHD. Hidden internal pockets would not really change that, although the kilt itself may not be constructed rigidly within the confines of tradition.

I agree. It seems to me that if a kilt appears at first glance to be a traditional 8-yd knife-pleat tartan kilt it will work in the THCD category. In that sense, Steve's modern tartan kilts fit the bill, as would a 5 or 6 yd knife-pleat or Kingussie kilt, whether handsewn or machine-sewn. In my mind box-pleated kilts (not the military box-pleat, but the large box-pleat style that Matt Newsome has resurrected) fall into the historical category, although when worn with traditional accessories one would never know the difference unless seeing the pleats.

As to the original question- I tend to carry fewer keys and ditch my wallet in favor of a few cards and bills in a money-clip when wearing a kilt. These either go in my sporran (with a challenge coin ) or in my jacket pockets.

[The Wizard of BC]

When I travel my passport, credit cards and cash go into my Under-Apron Pocket.



For someone to pick this pocket they first have to know that it's there.
And then if someone does try to pick this pocket I'M PROBABLY GONNA KNOW!

It's strange in a way but when I first started putting Under-Apron Pockets on my kilts people would look at me just as funny as they did about my Side Slash Pockets.
And yet there is a long history of soldiers adding pockets to Military kilts. So in a odd twist of the world pockets actually are traditional.

[creagdhubh]

I agree. It seems to me that if a kilt appears at first glance to be a traditional 8-yd knife-pleat tartan kilt it will work in the THCD category. In that sense, Steve's modern tartan kilts fit the bill, as would a 5 or 6 yd knife-pleat or Kingussie kilt, whether handsewn or machine-sewn. In my mind box-pleated kilts (not the military box-pleat, but the large box-pleat style that Matt Newsome has resurrected) fall into the historical category, although when worn with traditional accessories one would never know the difference unless seeing the pleats.

As to the original question- I tend to carry fewer keys and ditch my wallet in favor of a few cards and bills in a money-clip when wearing a kilt. These either go in my sporran (with a challenge coin ) or in my jacket pockets.

Well said, David. I really need to start carrying a challenge coin myself.

S/F,

[MacLowlife]

Well said, David. I really need to start carrying a challenge coin myself.

S/F,

would that be a two headed one, or a two tailed one? Most of the time, my coin gambling is in the form of "matching" where each man puts his coin down and says "I'm just like you" or "We are different." It is hard to work a two headed coin to any advantage in those situations- not that I am actually implying that either of you ( or any other gentleman or lady of X Marks) would cheat in any way...

[Jock Scot]

Would I wear a kilt with pockets? Most certainly I would and have! Providing the kilt was made to a traditional style out of "my" tartan , made of wool(I like wool) of the weight that I require, pleated to how I require, style that I require and measurements that I require. I don't think that I would have any problem in wearing one of Steve's kilts with hidden pockets. I used to wear one of my Grandfather's kilts(probably made in the 1920's) with a hidden pocket, without a second thought-------well I did, after having a major ticking off for having too much in the pocket to cause a bump in the apron!

You know, I think many get too precise and too wound up about this THCD thing. I don't care if the kilt is machine sewn----I don't think that I would bother to look and even if I did, I would not know the difference between hand sewn and machine sewn, I don't care if it has discreet hidden pockets. Should I pass someone in the street who was wearing a traditionally cut tartan kilt made of non wool, well, frankly I would not know and I am certainly not going to discuss the finer points of kilt construction with anyone apart from on this website!I drive cars and still on occasion, tractors, diggers, loading shovels, combine harvesters and I have no idea how they work in detail, as long as they start and do the job that I require then that is all I need to know. I am a major user of things that go bang, but I could not be bothered in the least about the minute details of cartridge construction. If the kilt looks right when being worn and the overall look is fine, then that is all I need to know.

We were always taught that sporrans were not really for carrying anything much in, and most certainly overly large and worse still, bulging sporrans were something that was absolutely not done. I can see that in warmer climes where jackets are not worn so extra pockets are not available ,then larger sporrans have a place, but then,-----------and I am not being contraversial----------should attire be worn out of its natural surroundings? If worn in more natural surroundings then larger and bulging sporrans could then be avoided. Before anyone explodes, just think about it?

[Spartan Tartan]

would that be a two headed one, or a two tailed one? Most of the time, my coin gambling is in the form of "matching" where each man puts his coin down and says "I'm just like you" or "We are different." It is hard to work a two headed coin to any advantage in those situations- not that I am actually implying that either of you ( or any other gentleman or lady of X Marks) would cheat in any way...

I believe they are referring to military type challenge coins. If that is the case, there is a tradition (or sorts, the details often vary but the same overall point remains) that one person will "challenge" others from the unit and slap their coin on the table/bar/etc... If anyone is unable to answer the challenge and slap their own coin, then they owe a round of drinks to all others that do successfully answer the challenge.

If outside a particular unit, it tends to have a similar effect of challenging other service members. It is not necessary to "match" per se, but to respond in kind with a coin.

If the challenger is met by a full round of successful responses, then they them-self owe a round to everyone they just challenged (in effect they lost).

And I always have one in my sporran (or jacket pocket in the event that I'm not kilted)...you never know when it will come in handy!

-----

But to your questions: I am not a fan of pockets and would be unlikely to wear a kilt with pockets. I think hidden pockets would still permit the use of THCD as an overarching umbrella irrespective of construction. However, outright pockets like cargo pockets would be over the line in my opinion.

As to the poll, I try to carry as little as possible in any case, so only the bare necessities (yes, that includes a challenge coin) are usually with me and easily fit into my sporran.