My first outing to a Scottish Festival (in a kilt)

[OC Richard]

I should add that it's wonderful to see a first-time kiltwearer who doesn't do any of the things one often sees with kilt newbies, such as wearing the kilt too low, wearing the socks too high, wear the flashes oddly, have a gap in between the bottom of the waistcoat and the top of the kilt, and so forth.

And not just newbies! It's annoying in pipe bands I've been in to see people who have been wearing kilts their whole lives do those very things. Why must so many people, experienced people, wear their kilt too low, and get a waistcoat that's too short? Pull their socks up so high?

And something I've been noticing more often as of late, wearing the flashes too low. What guys are doing is, instead of putting the elastic garter at the top of the turnover, putting the garter at the very bottom of the turnover, making the flashes as long as possible. It doesn't make sense to me and having the flashes hang down so low doesn't look right, and makes the band look sloppy. I guess it's a byproduct of the modern elasticized socks that don't need garters to hold them up, allowing people to move the garters from their original functional position.

Anyhow one of the first things I noticed with your kit is how nicely your hose and flashes are worn.

[Theraphosa]

I should add that it's wonderful to see a first-time kiltwearer who doesn't do any of the things one often sees with kilt newbies, such as wearing the kilt too low, wearing the socks too high, wear the flashes oddly, have a gap in between the bottom of the waistcoat and the top of the kilt, and so forth.

And not just newbies! It's annoying in pipe bands I've been in to see people who have been wearing kilts their whole lives do those very things. Why must so many people, experienced people, wear their kilt too low, and get a waistcoat that's too short? Pull their socks up so high?

And something I've been noticing more often as of late, wearing the flashes too low. What guys are doing is, instead of putting the elastic garter at the top of the turnover, putting the garter at the very bottom of the turnover, making the flashes as long as possible. It doesn't make sense to me and having the flashes hang down so low doesn't look right, and makes the band look sloppy. I guess it's a byproduct of the modern elasticized socks that don't need garters to hold them up, allowing people to move the garters from their original functional position.

Anyhow one of the first things I noticed with your kit is how nicely your hose and flashes are worn.

I really appreciate your kind words. I know what you mean. In the past year or so, as I've pondered getting my own kilt, I've formed an idea of what I want to look like (other than Sean Connery), and I'd definitely say my opinion of what looks "sharp" is grounded on the posts (including yours) from this forum. I'm gratified that it's observable.