Something that Hamish wrote years ago that stuck in my head

**davidlpope** · 22nd November 14, 11:12 AM

Originally Posted by Alan H

So for examples..... and I want to point out that this is ME (and possibly Hamish, too, but I can't speak for Hamish of course), this is what I PREFER. I'm not saying "this is wrong and that is right?" OK?

So.

I much prefer this:

Sartorial tastes differ from person to person. What looks "right" to one person's eyes may seem unattractive to another person. I can't help but think, though, that a preference for the look above is strongly influenced (perhaps even subconsciously) by the ubiquity of such kilt-hire outfits.

If this is the way that one prefers to dress, de gustibus, etc. If one desires to consciously emulate the traditions of the Highlands of Scotland, though, one has to be a bit bolder...

**bwat** · 22nd November 14, 11:30 AM

If you're genuinely at peace with yourself then you can wear pretty much anything and make critical observers question their own judgement instead of yours.

**Stitchwiz** · 22nd November 14, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by bwat

If you're genuinely at peace with yourself then you can wear pretty much anything and make critical observers question their own judgement instead of yours.

Oh so true, but I too prefer the KISS principal - Keep It Simple Simple.

**ThistleDown** · 22nd November 14, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by davidlpope

Sartorial tastes differ from person to person. What looks "right" to one person's eyes may seem unattractive to another person. I can't help but think, though, that a preference for the look above is strongly influenced (perhaps even subconsciously) by the ubiquity of such kilt-hire outfits.

If this is the way that one prefers to dress, de gustibus, etc. If one desires to consciously emulate the traditions of the Highlands of Scotland, though, one has to be a bit bolder...

Just my personal opinion and statement, of course, but to me the earlier example Alan posted is an advert for a kilt-hire costume as worn by an anonymous wedding attendant, right down to the bleachable sockies. This pic, on the other hand, is a personal statement by Burgess, a confident -- and quite accustomed-to-it -- kilt wearer. In KiltFitz' two examples, the first is of a kilt-wearer and the second of a band of costumed people. The women are unlikely to wear those dresses again, and the men definitely will return their uniforms to the shop the next day.

**Alan H** · 23rd November 14, 06:39 PM

You folks say "Kilt-Hire" like it's a BAD thing. And yet I bet most folks here would tell a young lad who didn't have much money, but needed to dress up for a special occasion, to patronize that exact same kilt-hire outfit. So either the kilt-hire places are bad-bad places, or they're not. Folks gotta make up their minds.

As an aside, if folks think that I look like I rented my kilt I don't really care. But that's just me. Other folks might be bothered by that.

BTW, I happen to think that the fellow ..is his name "Burgess"? ... Looks absolutely horrible in that outfit. It's an eyesore. There's too much tartan and the socks don't even vaguely go with the tartan. The sporran is completely outrageous and over-the-top. But that's just my opinion. I also think....who cares? If the man wants to wear that outfit, then he should go right ahead and wear it. He's not hurting me or anybody else by wearing it. If he likes it, more power to him. I'd buy him a beer.

**pbutts** · 24th November 14, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by Alan H

BTW, I happen to think that the fellow ..is his name "Burgess"? ... Looks absolutely horrible in that outfit. It's an eyesore. There's too much tartan and the socks don't even vaguely go with the tartan. The sporran is completely outrageous and over-the-top. But that's just my opinion. I also think....who cares? If the man wants to wear that outfit, then he should go right ahead and wear it. He's not hurting me or anybody else by wearing it. If he likes it, more power to him. I'd buy him a beer.

And damn could he play the pipes! He can dress any way he wants to!

**Alan H** · 24th November 14, 01:04 PM

I would like to point out something in this picture.

1. It contains Hamish. Hamish. THE Hamish. Hamish the Kilted. Hamish the Kilt Collector, Hamish the sponsor of more kilted creations than any other single person. Hamish who knows all and is the ultimate authority of kilted style. Hamish, who does all that he can to assemble the most correct and most appropriate kilted "ensemble" for every situation. Hamish, who owns more kilts than anybody else in the world, and with it, more associated kit....pins, sporrans, jackets and so on...and who CERTAINLY owns a myriad assortment of kilt hose.

2. It contains two other fine gentlemen in kilts. One is a piper. Assuredly, none of the gentlemen in this photograph underwent the ultimate indignity of actually RENTING their kilt. They own the stuff.

-> And they're all wearing white socks.

So, go ahead, write it. Write it down, right here.... that Hamish.. THE HAMISH is a victim of "Kilt-Rental-Shop" mentality.....or worse, that THE HAMISH is a boring, style-less kilt-wearer. Tell us all how THE HAMISH is a cookie-cutter, bleached-socks poser who has been duped, though his own massive ignorance, into wearing a bland assortment of kilt-rental-castoff pseudo-finery.

**bwat** · 24th November 14, 02:58 PM

Originally Posted by Alan H

-> And they're all wearing white socks.

So, go ahead, write it. Write it down, right here.... that Hamish.. THE HAMISH is a victim of "Kilt-Rental-Shop" mentality.....or worse, that THE HAMISH is a boring, style-less kilt-wearer. Tell us all how THE HAMISH is a cookie-cutter, bleached-socks poser who has been duped, though his own massive ignorance, into wearing a bland assortment of kilt-rental-castoff pseudo-finery.

See: http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...-1961-a-85958/
I counted five pairs of cream hose in that short film from 1961 and they looked like proper old-school kilt wearers to me.

**Alan H** · 24th November 14, 03:18 PM

I don't mean to be a jerk, it's just that the response of ... "it's because the rental places have brainwashed everybody"... which has been written many, many times on XMTS always strikes me as a really elitist response. It always comes off, TO ME.....to MY way of reading it, as saying ... "Well, those stupid, ignorant people are duped by the money-grubbing rental companies into wearing cookie-cutter trash, but WE, the pure, the educated and the wealthy who can afford such kit, know better."

Now, I don't honestly believe that anybody actually means to say that, but honestly, that's what it sounds like at my end, and it really bugs me. Thus my rather over-the-top response above, with Hamish's photo.

In summary...if you don't like the look, whether it's the Prince Charlie/ghillies/white shirt/white hose look....or the Tartan vest/diced hose/huge sporran look, or whatever "it" is, then by all means just say so. Say "I don't like that". Fair game. "I don't like that" is not the same as "that is awful". Also... "I think that looks awful" is not the same as "that is awful". Everybody is entitles to an opinon. Declaring that your opinion is right and those other people are wrong, or are "low class because they rented"... kinda sucks. It's not the difference in taste here on XMTS that bothers me. It's how it's written that bothers me..

To ascribe some sort of educational low-ground to "those people" who happen to wear different kit from what you like, and claim that they're "ignorant" and they've been "duped"... is...well....

OK, that's more than enough ranting for one day.

**McMurdo** · 24th November 14, 07:33 PM

The thing is that your photos you are showing are different formalities while there really is nothing wrong with the photo of the gent in the Prince Charlie it is rather generic. When I first started wearing the kilt I did wear my Prince Charlie in much the same way, here is a photo of me in my first kilt with my Prince Charlie. I bought it early on so I had something to wear for Burns Night.

There is nothing wrong per se with the above outfit, let me say that off the start however after wearing it a few times I realized I looked just like everyone else.

One thing about wearing Highland wear for me anyway is the individuality of it all so why look like everyone else? Alan, you can wear what you want as can we all, for my part my ideas of what looks good has changed over the years. Also I decided that I should do it right. Another thing about the photos you show are that they are of different levels of formality thus things are going to be different. For more clarification you can see the 1 kilt 10 looks thread that Jamie and I did.
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...-attire-46888/
I think hire shops are great places when you are first starting out, but as I grew in confidence I naturally started experimenting with different looks and more colours than white hose for example. These days I prefer to wear white tie formal for events like Burns nights, like this.

There is nothing wrong with this outfit per se let me say that right off, but it is for certain events only, would I wear it to the pub for Tartan Tuesday? No, but for a Burns Night or St. Andrews Ball then I would. I think the thing to remember is context. The right outfit for the right event.

As to PM John Burgess buying him a drink would be a waste as he passed away in 2005 for more information see the website below
http://www.pmjohndburgess.net/