Highland Games

[Knoxy10]

Well alright we now have something to work with! I am in Scotland so my view will be slanted a tad, for instance I don't know what "sperrys" are.

Lets start with the kilt---tartan?----it is the centrepiece of you attire for any event, so for all occasions wear it properly. The kilt "hem" to be no lower than the centre of the kneecap----- level with the top of the top of the knee cap would be even better.
A polo shirt is fine too with the kilt. I don't think many would disagree so far.

Now, I don't know your climate so I am making assumptions here, but it will probably be warmer than Scotland? So, "sprerrys" are boots? Personally I am not keen on the kilt/boot look combination, but it does seem popular over there, a good pair of brogues, wingtips I think you call them over there are perfect. Please don't waste your money on those dreadful ghillie brogue things. Hose are better in my eyes, worn pulled up to about a couple of inches below the bottom of the knee, however scrunched down hose does appear to be a popular look for some over there,particularly if its hot!

Others will no doubt chip in, but I doubt if my advice is too far out. Have fun.

I will be wearing a sweatshirt. I have a MacFarlane ancient hunting tartan kilt. And I'll be in New Hampshire, where it's just south of Canada. I don't have any shoes for the kilt and it's going to be muddy there. I want to dress casual with a kilt but not look stupid how much are brogues? I will see where I can buy them!

[EagleJCS]

I do actually have Sperry Boots, haha and they're comfortable as can be!

If the conditions are muddy, the sperry boots would probably be OK. Similar to wearing wellies (Wellington boots). Wear some kilt hose or long socks (not knee high athletic/tube socks, though).

I don't have any shoes for the kilt and it's going to be muddy there. I want to dress casual with a kilt but not look stupid how much are brogues? I will see where I can buy them!

Ghillie brogues are a style of dress shoe worn with the kilt. They look like wingtips, but have very long laces and no tongue. The cost will vary some, but like dress shoes, most run about US$100 and up. The shoes are absolutely not necessary for wearing with the kilt. Any regular dress shoe will do, when you're dressing up with the kilt. You'll find in reading through the threads on here, even in the traditional section, that most kilt wearers don't wear ghillies (or even like them), outside of the pipers and a few others. There is an art to tying the laces without looking like you're a Roman gladiator with the long sandal thongs (?) running up your legs. I've written a couple of posts describing how I do it, but then, I'm a piper in a pipe band.

Most folks I've seen dressing 'casually' in the kilt will still wear some type of shoe a little dressier than cross-trainers or other athletic shoes, though some do go for a low boot/hiker with scrunched-down socks/hose. In hot weather, I've seen sandals worn, without hose (if it's hot enough to wear sandals, it's hot enough to go without the hose). Done that myself on occasion when temps go north of 90F and the humidity is close to the same number.

Best thing is to get out there and not worry too much about what other people think about your choice of footwear.

[Knoxy10]

If the conditions are muddy, the sperry boots would probably be OK. Similar to wearing wellies (Wellington boots). Wear some kilt hose or long socks (not knee high athletic/tube socks, though).



Ghillie brogues are a style of dress shoe worn with the kilt. They look like wingtips, but have very long laces and no tongue. The cost will vary some, but like dress shoes, most run about US$100 and up. The shoes are absolutely not necessary for wearing with the kilt. Any regular dress shoe will do, when you're dressing up with the kilt. You'll find in reading through the threads on here, even in the traditional section, that most kilt wearers don't wear ghillies (or even like them), outside of the pipers and a few others. There is an art to tying the laces without looking like you're a Roman gladiator with the long sandal thongs (?) running up your legs. I've written a couple of posts describing how I do it, but then, I'm a piper in a pipe band.

Most folks I've seen dressing 'casually' in the kilt will still wear some type of shoe a little dressier than cross-trainers or other athletic shoes, though some do go for a low boot/hiker with scrunched-down socks/hose. In hot weather, I've seen sandals worn, without hose (if it's hot enough to wear sandals, it's hot enough to go without the hose). Done that myself on occasion when temps go north of 90F and the humidity is close to the same number.

Best thing is to get out there and not worry too much about what other people think about your choice of footwear.

I appreciate the tips! That's so cool you're a piper. I'll remember what you said and just wear what looks right and just wear wha r I feel. Hopefully you'll be in New Hampshire sometime soon! Thanks again!

[Terry Searl]

If the conditions are muddy, the sperry boots would probably be OK. Similar to wearing wellies (Wellington boots). Wear some kilt hose or long socks (not knee high athletic/tube socks, though).



Ghillie brogues are a style of dress shoe worn with the kilt. They look like wingtips, but have very long laces and no tongue. The cost will vary some, but like dress shoes, most run about US$100 and up. The shoes are absolutely not necessary for wearing with the kilt. Any regular dress shoe will do, when you're dressing up with the kilt. You'll find in reading through the threads on here, even in the traditional section, that most kilt wearers don't wear ghillies (or even like them), outside of the pipers and a few others. There is an art to tying the laces without looking like you're a Roman gladiator with the long sandal thongs (?) running up your legs. I've written a couple of posts describing how I do it, but then, I'm a piper in a pipe band.

Most folks I've seen dressing 'casually' in the kilt will still wear some type of shoe a little dressier than cross-trainers or other athletic shoes, though some do go for a low boot/hiker with scrunched-down socks/hose. In hot weather, I've seen sandals worn, without hose (if it's hot enough to wear sandals, it's hot enough to go without the hose). Done that myself on occasion when temps go north of 90F and the humidity is close to the same number.

Best thing is to get out there and not worry too much about what other people think about your choice of footwear.

To me a kilt or any part of kilt attire is not a costume. So I would never try to make it so . Those on the other side of the Atlantic may have a difference of opinion and wear a kilt in a certain fashion and for the most part only at certain events, but we are on this side of the pond and as long as you wear the kilt respectfully and proudly, I am sure there is no reason to doubt your own choices Like all of your clothing you wear to a special event wear it proudly but wear it as YOU would like.....it is after all an article of clothing and NOT a costume and you are not trying to dress as someone you are not!

[Jock Scot]

You are absolutely right Terry, the kilt and its attire are not a costume, unless worn on a film set or some such. I seem to recall seeing somewhere in a 1920/30/40's kilt attire catalogue from some well known Scottish tailors where their attire was described as "costume" and the description was not well received by their customers and the description was dropped in later editions.

Where you appear to have the wrong impression is who wears traditional kilt attire in Scotland. On the right occasion the dustman, farmer, Duke or anyone may and do wear the same style of kilt attire. That is perfectly traditional and no one is pretending to be anything.

[Knoxy10]

You are absolutely right Terry, the kilt and its attire are not a costume, unless worn on a film set or some such. I seem to recall seeing somewhere in a 1920/30/40's kilt attire catalogue from some well known Scottish tailors where their attire was described as "costume" and the description was not well received by their customers and the description was dropped in later editions.

Where you appear to have the wrong impression is who wears traditional kilt attire in Scotland. On the right occasion the dustman, farmer, Duke or anyone may and do wear the same style of kilt attire. That is perfectly traditional and no one is pretending to be anything.

That's why I want to wear it properly. I want to wear it in pride there and not tarnish the meaning of my kilt. It annoys me when people wear kilts as costumes or a fashion statement. A kilt is meant to show pride in the Scottish heritage, your family and your love of the culture. It's not a fashion statement even though it is clothing, it's symbolic.

[EagleJCS]

To me a kilt or any part of kilt attire is not a costume. So I would never try to make it so . Those on the other side of the Atlantic may have a difference of opinion and wear a kilt in a certain fashion and for the most part only at certain events, but we are on this side of the pond and as long as you wear the kilt respectfully and proudly, I am sure there is no reason to doubt your own choices Like all of your clothing you wear to a special event wear it proudly but wear it as YOU would like.....it is after all an article of clothing and NOT a costume and you are not trying to dress as someone you are not!

I didn't intend to imply that I was wearing the kilt as part of a costume (or fancy dress, as the terminology in the UK). If that was the impression, I apologize. As a piper in a pipe band, the kilt is part of the pipe band uniform, and the kilt-wearing guidelines for individuals don't apply. The goal is uniformity in appearance.

As I stated, I've worn sandals on occasion with the kilt, but only when the temps were north of 90F (32C) and the humidity was in the same range - 90% or better. It happens from time to time here in the Ohio River Valley in the summer. When I wear sandals, it's before or after a competition/performance with the pipe band on those kinds of days. I arrive wearing the sandals, change into the hose/brogues for the competition/performance, guzzle water while I have them on, then change back into my sandals when I can. If doing so means an onlooker gets the impression I think the kilt is a costume, then they're quite mistaken, and shame on them for making the presumption they know what I'm thinking!

[tripleblessed]

Let's start with a warning: an opinion follows herein. 'Tis perhaps a worthless thing, but mine own. I'm about as casual as most meet
outside of a Walmart - T-shirt and jeans with moccasins or Dansko clogs per weather, as my body didn't fit standard clothes. My opinion
is that if it's not in your house or yard, shirt tail tucked. I tuck mine to walk to the driveway to get the newspaper. If it's formal enough
for socks, it's formal enough they are worn up as designed. That said, I've never received a check (cheque) for supervising this local area
of the universe, so it's on you. A bluegrass friend of mine was a highly respected teacher of guitar, mandolin, banjo, and fiddle; he was frequently heard to say, "Well, you CAN play it that way, if you don't mind it sounding like that."

When I segued into kilts, still casual. Tee or collared, tail tucked. Hose up, about three fingers or so below knee. Belt. I know, not
necessary, but w/o looks off to my eye. Sgian. Still moccasins or Danskos if dressier shoes unnecessary.

All that follows the opening warning may mean I shouldn't have wasted our time with it, but there it is.

[Knoxy10]

Let's start with a warning: an opinion follows herein. Tis perhaps a worthless thing, but mine own. I'm about as casual as most meet
outside of a Walmart - T-shirt and jeans with moccasins or Dansko clogs per weather, as my body didn't fit standard clothes. My opinion
is that if it's not in your house or yard, shirt tail tucked. I tuck mine to walk to the driveway to get the newspaper. If it's formal enough
for socks, it's formal enough they are worn up as designed. That said, I've never received a check (cheque) for supervising this local area
of the universe, so it's on you. A bluegrass friend of mine was a highly respected teacher of guitar, mandolin, banjo, and fiddle; he was frequently heard to say, " Well, you CAN play it that way, if you don't mind it sounding like that."

When I segued into kilts, still casual. Tee or collared, tail tucked. Hose up, about three fingers or so below knee. Belt. I know, not
necessary, but w/o looks off to my eye. Sgian. Still moccasins or Danskos if dressier shoes unnecessary.

All that follows the opening warning may mean I shouldn't have wasted our time with it, but there it is.

Thanks for the advice! Hopefully they'll have a sgian dubh table at the games and a place for hose to buy. I aprreciate the help and doesn't matter how you dress as long as you're comfortable, right?

[Knoxy10]

To me a kilt or any part of kilt attire is not a costume. So I would never try to make it so . Those on the other side of the Atlantic may have a difference of opinion and wear a kilt in a certain fashion and for the most part only at certain events, but we are on this side of the pond and as long as you wear the kilt respectfully and proudly, I am sure there is no reason to doubt your own choices Like all of your clothing you wear to a special event wear it proudly but wear it as YOU would like.....it is after all an article of clothing and NOT a costume and you are not trying to dress as someone you are not!

That's why I'm curious, I don't want it to come off as a costume. I want to show people I'm wearing it in pride of my heritage. But I'll wear it as I like and I would never dress as something I'm not, unless it's Halloween but I never wear something that offend other cultures because I get mad when people wear kilts as costumes when it's meant to show family pride.