"Throw Back Thursday" Kilt Photos

[creagdhubh]

Greetings,

Here are a couple of photos of yours truly that I thought the rabble (and those that know me) may find interesting, if not humourous. They were both taken at my high school prom in St. Louis, Missouri in 1998. I had to get permission from the school principal to wear the appropriate Highland Dress to the black-tie event, as well as promise that I would wear underwear with the kilt and not carry a sgian dubh in my hose. Much to my chagrin, I kept my promise. Though, I will say, at the post-prom festivities at my parent's house (which was along the lines of a wild, Highland ceilidh!), I promptly removed my underwear and the sgian dubh went back into my hose!

Now, I'm sure you will see several things askew; i.e.- the kilt worn a wee bit too high; the black leather/silver studded daywear sporran worn for black-tie, when it really should be a sporran made of some sort of fur with a silver cantle; the dreaded white hose worn too high up on the leg; and finally, the sleeves of the Prince Charlie Coatee being just a wee bit too short. I hope the "kilt police" will go easy on me, since I was only 17 years old at the time of these photos with much still to learn!

Oh, and this is the only recorded evidence of yours truly wearing white kilt hose.

Enjoy,

Pre-prom at my parent's backyard.


At prom.


Post-prom.
[Photo is far too indecent to show on this forum.]

[Cardinal]

Your "youthfully ignorant" photos are a sight better than many of us in the diaspora look now! Educational as always, and a better attempt at black tie than most on the red carpet at the Academy Awards manage.

How did your classmates react to your being "that guy" in a kilt? It looks like you had much more fun at your prom than I had at mine.

Well done!

Best,
Patrick

[Texas4wheeler]

Got any pictures of your date??.. Lol.. Just kidding you looked great ,kids in high school should all have your self confidence and pride of heritage

[creagdhubh]

Your "youthfully ignorant" photos are a sight better than many of us in the diaspora look now! Educational as always, and a better attempt at black tie than most on the red carpet at the Academy Awards manage.

How did your classmates react to your being "that guy" in a kilt? It looks like you had much more fun at your prom than I had at mine.

Well done!

Best,
Patrick

Hahaha! Thank you for the kind words, Patrick. My classmates loved it! Of course, my close friends already knew that I wore Highland Dress on occasion, since my family has always been well aware of their Highland heritage, so it wasn't surprising to them. The school staff and administrators really had no idea what my Highland Dress was going to look like, even though I did describe it to them when I initially met with them in order to gain official permission to wear the kilt to prom. And then when I blossomed forth in my kilt and Prince Charlie, they were quite elated to see how well "put together" everything was. I guess they were concerned I was going to show up looking like Mel Gibson from Braveheart or something!

Cheers,

[Nathan]

I've posted these before, but I thought I'd share!

Here I am at my prom dressed much like Kyle at his. I had a Prince Charlie style evening seal skin sporran (EW7?) but I had ecru hose and ghillie brogues. Being a Cape Bretoner, I was raised with the adage that it was better to beg forgiveness than ask permission. It never occurred to me that this would be an issue and it wasn't. I wore my sgian dubh to the prom with no difficulties and nobody checked if I was Regimental though people would have assumed I was.



Here I am in my day wear of the time. This outfit, too, needed a little work.



Ah memories!

[creagdhubh]

Love those photos, Nathan. At least you had a sealskin sporran!

Slainte,

[Nathan]

Love those photos, Nathan. At least you had a sealskin sporran!

Slainte,

True but I only had the evening sgian dubh. I had silver buttons on my daywear tweed and wore a three button waist coat with it that day. Oh well, you live and you learn.

What tartan were you wearing back then? It doesn't look like MacPherson to me!

[creagdhubh]

True but I only had the evening sgian dubh. I had silver buttons on my daywear tweed and wore a three button waist coat with it that day. Oh well, you live and you learn.

What tartan were you wearing back then? It doesn't look like MacPherson to me!

Aye Nathan, that is definitely true...we live and learn.

I'm wearing the Gow Hunting tartan in modern colours from Strathmore. It's the only kilt that I have ever owned that was not of a Macpherson sett. It's also the only kilt that I have ever owned that was made from 13 ounce, medium-weight material. Even though I had a kilt in the Macpherson Hunting tartan at the time, my mother, who's surname is Smith (Gow originally; her ancestors emigrated from Perthshire near Dunkeld and anglicised Gow to Smith upon their arrival at Ellis Island), insisted I wear that particular tartan, since she has always adored the colours. So, what else could I do? It's not like I had a choice in the matter!

[MacRobert's Reply]

Kilt and sleeves too short creagdhubh? This was perfectly normal when and where I grew up. Lads invariably grew out of their clothes which was why they were often too large when originally purchased. "He'll grow into it" being the justification.

[creagdhubh]

Kilt and sleeves too short creagdhubh? This was perfectly normal when and where I grew up. Lads invariably grew out of their clothes which was why they were often too large when originally purchased. "He'll grow into it" being the justification.

Quite! Thinking back on it, that's more than likely what my parent's were thinking! Honestly at the time, I didn't really pay much attention to those wee details. At least not as much as I do now.