how to eat whilst kilted

[Theyoungkiltman]

Because I care more about my kilts. And there's Murphy's Law!

Exactly! A well made wool kilt has a MUCH higher cost compared to a fine pair of trousers, and trousers often hide small stains better because of the often dull pattern and colours.

[Ayrkiltie]

Exactly! A well made wool kilt has a MUCH higher cost compared to a fine pair of trousers, and trousers often hide small stains better because of the often dull pattern and colours.

I agree with you youngkiltman and also with woodsman. I wear kilts nowadays a lot of the time and find that the fact that its my kilt means I'm more aware of the possibility of spilling something on it, which of course just makes it all the more likely to happen. I havnt had any real disasters as yet but did once spill some coffee on one of my kilts in a restaurant in Edinburgh.
The other thing I find is that the kilt apron while sitting is a wider area theres a greater chance of something falling on it. I tend to just keep my knees as far under the table as is comfy and eat carefully. Usually works and stops the Mrs getting in a lather if I do end up with a stain on it.

[Peter Lowe]

I agree with all the tips about eating and drinking in a normal way. However I am not immune from disasters. Not so long ago I spilt a glass of red wine onto my apron. A big glass I should add! I was not in a position to take any sort of remedial action (sitting in an audience when movement would have been very inappropriate). My woollen kilt was dispatched to the dry cleaners and it came back as good as new! I still try to be careful but I do not worry so much!

[tundramanq]

Almost all spills happen when I am distracted by fellow diners. In a fine kilt I set down my utensils or drink to talk.
Some tartans are very good at hiding a stain, some not.
The sit close and use a lap napkin is the best routine daily advice.

[Stitchwiz]

I agree with all the tips about eating and drinking in a normal way. However I am not immune from disasters. Not so long ago I spilt a glass of red wine onto my apron. A big glass I should add! I was not in a position to take any sort of remedial action (sitting in an audience when movement would have been very inappropriate). My woollen kilt was dispatched to the dry cleaners and it came back as good as new! I still try to be careful but I do not worry so much!

When we're out, I only order white wine just for that reason. Have your partner order white wine, and you can decide who drinks it after your red wine is gone.
If you do spill red wine on your clothing, pour a similar amount of white wine right over the red wine - colour is gone! It's like magic!
Of course, then you have to blot all the wine out of the fabric, and you may smell like a winery, but there is no stain.

[figheadair]

Once, many years ago I was out for supper with a young lady I was trying to impress. I was wearing my pre-WW2 Hodden Grey kilt – you know where this is going…………

The main course was freshly made chicken Kiev, none of that frozen rubbish. Overwhelmed by the delicious aroma of garlic I cut into the succulent breast at which point a jet of liquid butter exploded in an arc and landed on apron. The flimsy napkin was not defence and the garlic infused oil quick spread like ink on blotting paper (for those that are old enough to remember what that was). There’s really no way out of such a situation but to keep calm and carry on. Supper duly finished we strolled back through the centre of London with me looking as though I’d been caught short. The next day I took the kilt off to the dry cleaners and a couple of hours later it was as good a new.

Oh, and it didn't put the young lady off

[Mike_Oettle]

Glad to know your accident did not put the young lady off, Peter. I presume she is still with you?
Incidentally, with your expertise on tartan, I was a bit surprised that you were wearing the London Scottish camouflage. Do you still have the kilt?
I like the look of them, but I am not tempted to get one, since there are so many tartans out there calling like syrens.

Around the time I got my first kilt, someone (my wife, I think) gave me a denim apron. If I expect to be doing something that will produce spills on the kilt, I put the denim on over it.
Long experience has taught me that serviettes (napkins) are invariably not big enough to stave off disaster!

[figheadair]

Glad to know your accident did not put the young lady off, Peter. I presume she is still with you?

Oh no, she was a passing flurtation

Do you still have the kilt?

Yes, I still have the kilt and in recent correspondence with Stuart, the Regimental Secretary, he confirmed that:

I can tell you with reasonably confidence that our man was in our 3rd Battalion which was rolled anti-aircraft and was part of the Royal Artillery (Hence the different number) however they looked, sounded and walked like London Scottish. His number indicates that he was serving when they went overseas to N Africa, to train for the Sicily and Italian campaign. The chances are that if this was his original kilt issued on joining, that it accompanied him on his tour.

It's really nice to have a piece with a known history.