Personal flair

[Jock Scot]

Personal flair is a very personal addition to ones attire and it is sometimes very difficult to strike the optimum balance, therefore we really do need to be very honest with ourselves when looking in the mirror, before we head out. When we add, the complication of personal interpretation of what we see in that mirror, particularly if one is a bit of a showman, then personal flair can be easily overdone. I think if we then add in the further complication of being in the company of those that make their attire decisions from photographs and the internet and their peers who also have little real experience of how kilt attire is worn in the real world then sadly, these kilt wearers who also don't have have a lifetimes knowledge of kilt attire, then the chances of sometimes looking like a film extra from a Rob Roy film is almost inevitable. Alright I exaggerate, but I think, I hope, you can see my point.

I am sorry if this is being hard, but that is how I and others, not everyone of course, over here see it and make no mistake we all have dropped the odd howler with our attire from time to time! Personal flair is like walking on ice, take little steps and testing ones footing is best course of action and even then the ice gives way suddenly when we have taken a step too far.

[Manu]

Personal flair is a very personal addition to ones attire and it is sometimes very difficult to strike the optimum balance, therefore we really do need to be very honest with ourselves when looking in the mirror, before we head out. When we add, the complication of personal interpretation of what we see in that mirror, particularly if one is a bit of a showman, then personal flair can be easily overdone. I think if we then add in the further complication of being in the company of those that make their attire decisions from photographs and the internet and their peers who also have little real experience of how kilt attire is worn in the real world then sadly, these kilt wearers who also don't have have a lifetimes knowledge of kilt attire, then the chances of sometimes looking like a film extra from a Rob Roy film is almost inevitable. Alright I exaggerate, but I think, I hope, you can see my point.

I am sorry if this is being hard, but that is how I and others, not everyone of course, over here see it and make no mistake we all have dropped the odd howler with our attire from time to time! Personal flair is like walking on ice, take little steps and testing ones footing is best course of action and even then the ice gives way suddenly when we have taken a step too far.

Aside the differences between east and west of the Atlantic and the discussed personal flair...how does my generation (mid 30s) wear the kilt in scotland? Do they stick to the traditional highland way? Is there a more contemporary flair that the younger folks adopt when wearing the kilt? Oor can we expect those younger men to approach kilt wearing the same way those of the older generations?

[Jock Scot]

Aside the differences between east and west of the Atlantic and the discussed personal flair...how does my generation (mid 30s) wear the kilt in scotland? Do they stick to the traditional highland way? Is there a more contemporary flair that the younger folks adopt when wearing the kilt? Oor can we expect those younger men to approach kilt wearing the same way those of the older generations?

Good questions. Not easy to answer though! I will try to give you a few impressions though.

It all depends whether the Scottish Mid 30's come from the Highlands and from a kilt wearing family, or they come from the Lowlands and from a non kilt wearing family. The demarcation lines are not that precisely marked in real life, but as a huge generalisation it actually runs fairly true.

If a Mid 30's lad from a kilt wearing family then access to Grand parents, Great Grand parents and even Great Great Grand parents kilt attire in the form of sporrans, sporran chains, bespoke kilts are available and even more importantly, generations of kilt attire know how. The end result is that the mid 30's lad from this sort of background, ends up dressing pretty traditionally.

Those from a non kilt wearing back ground who actually want to wear the kilt often buy the cheaper off the peg kilt attire, hire it when needed, or don't ever bother with the kilt.

Remember that the utility style kilts are not seen often in Scotland-----I think that I have only seen three here. Bespoke kilt attire is still the aim of many young kilt wearers, they will often not buy kilt attire until they can buy the best. I think, particularly in the Lowlands where kilt attire knowledge is scarce then, the North American attitude to kilts is understandably the easiest option.

Now, these are my impressions based on observations that I have gained over the years and of course there will be exceptions to what I have said, as there always are. However, if you go to the search section on this website look for two threads started by me "Jock Scot" titled "Food For Thought" and "Food For Thought Two(F4T2)" . They are couple of amateur surveys that I did in Scotland which should not be regarded as to what ALL kilt wearers in Scotland think, nevertheless you may find the answers to the questions enlightening. Let me know what you think?

[Manu]

Thanks for your answer Jock. You created the picture I suspected would be the case. The reason I asked is because, generally speaking, it's the younger generation that pushes the envelope with fashion and how they portray themselves through their attire adding a personal flair, which to some of the older folks might seem outrageous or obnoxious in certain ways. So, I wanted to see how often you see those younger kilt wearers from know how kilt wearing families approach their attire, and it seems to me that they keep on the conservative side, without personal flair I'd say. I personally like to think outside the box to some extent with my kilted attire, and personal flair helps us not look like kilted power rangers, same outfits in different colors

[Jock Scot]

Thanks for your answer Jock. You created the picture I suspected would be the case. The reason I asked is because, generally speaking, it's the younger generation that pushes the envelope with fashion and how they portray themselves through their attire adding a personal flair, which to some of the older folks might seem outrageous or obnoxious in certain ways. So, I wanted to see how often you see those younger kilt wearers from know how kilt wearing families approach their attire, and it seems to me that they keep on the conservative side, without personal flair I'd say. I personally like to think outside the box to some extent with my kilted attire, and personal flair helps us not look like kilted power rangers, same outfits in different colors

Actually personal flair is very traditional in the Highlands, not particularly apparent with day attire to those outwith the Highlands, its there though, but very noticeable as the formality for evening attire creeps up towards the higher end of the scale. Particularly in the Western Highlands.

Interestingly, it appears that over dressing for any given event is a very North American thing.

[Father Bill]

Interestingly, it appears that over dressing for any given event is a very North American thing.

I would both agree and disagree with you, Jock. I think that day-to-day attire in N.A. has declined to the level of disgusting and tawdry, which may explain in an odd way why over-dressing for an event may be in vogue - an opportunity to escape the trashiness of day-to-day.

Personally, I have always, ALWAYS dressed slightly better than average. In 1971-72 at teachers' college, I was one of two in our class who actually wore a jacket and tie every day. In the classroom and school office, I continued to do that, and only in my last year or two declined to a very dressy sweater and tie. I dislike dressing in jeans/dungarees for day-wear and when I do on occasion wear jeans, they're black, not blue because I find the black a half-notch better looking.

I know you've encouraged me to dress down my kilt a bit (and I'm doing that!) but the over-dress is personal more than it's a highland-wear sort of thing.

Ah well; we canna' all be Jock!

[Jock Scot]

You are coming along nicely Bill.

[OC Richard]

Personal flair is a very personal addition to ones attire and it is sometimes very difficult to strike the optimum balance...personal flair can be easily overdone...we all have dropped the odd howler with our attire from time to time! Personal flair is like walking on ice, take little steps and testing ones footing...

Thanks for that well-worded summation.

it appears that over-dressing for any given event is a very North American thing.

Certainly this is true of Highland Dress around here. The topic has come up often on these boards, how one might go to an outdoor daytime Highland Games or a morning Church service and see men in Prince Charlies. And many men don't stop with Prince Charlies but add dirks and plaids and numerous pins and badges.

But when it comes to non-Highland Dress locals here are often ludicrously underdressed for events. As a piper I attend more weddings and funerals than most people, and always there's at least one guy wearing board shorts, zorries, and a t-shirt. (Sometimes there's an Aloha Shirt thrown over the t-shirt to make it dressier.)

The underlying factor is probably a general lack of knowledge and/or concern regarding codes of behaviour.

There was a long discussion on another forum about Americans not knowing about/respecting Irish and British customs concerning where one should sit in a pub. Americans were thought of as being rude because they would come into a pub and sit in a seat that the locals knew was so-and-so's seat. There's a common response around here for things like that: "what, is your name on it?" meaning if a seat isn't clearly reserved it's fair game for anyone.

Lord MacDonald is the Clan Chief! He is expected to cut a dash!

Prince Charles is dressed in a higher end kilt attire...and is perfectly acceptable...(ordinary people) that use these pictures as examples of how to dress formally...would most certainly be over-egging the cake!

These jumped out to my eye. It just doesn't go over here, the notion that a certain manner of dressing is OK for members of the aristocracy but not OK for the rest of us.

[Jock Scot]

Thanks for that well-worded summation.



Certainly this is true of Highland Dress around here. The topic has come up often on these boards, how one might go to an outdoor daytime Highland Games or a morning Church service and see men in Prince Charlies. And many men don't stop with Prince Charlies but add dirks and plaids and numerous pins and badges.

But when it comes to non-Highland Dress locals here are often ludicrously underdressed for events. As a piper I attend more weddings and funerals than most people, and always there's at least one guy wearing board shorts, zorries, and a t-shirt. (Sometimes there's an Aloha Shirt thrown over the t-shirt to make it dressier.)

The underlying factor is probably a general lack of knowledge and/or concern regarding codes of behaviour.

There was a long discussion on another forum about Americans not knowing about/respecting Irish and British customs concerning where one should sit in a pub. Americans were thought of as being rude because they would come into a pub and sit in a seat that the locals knew was so-and-so's seat. There's a common response around here for things like that: "what, is your name on it?" meaning if a seat isn't clearly reserved it's fair game for anyone.



These jumped out to my eye. It just doesn't go over here, the notion that a certain manner of dressing is OK for members of the aristocracy but not OK for the rest of us.

I think that you are reading too much into my last statement OCR. As dicussed many times,Prince Charles takes particular effort to dress well but modestly with his day attire. With modest personal flair that most of us would probably not even notice. With more formal Highland attire his choices are well within reasonable boundaries considering the events. He would not wear high end attire for a Burns do at the local pub, for example.

[Tobus]

But when it comes to non-Highland Dress locals here are often ludicrously underdressed for events. As a piper I attend more weddings and funerals than most people, and always there's at least one guy wearing board shorts, zorries, and a t-shirt. (Sometimes there's an Aloha Shirt thrown over the t-shirt to make it dressier.)

I don't even know what board shorts or zorries are, but what you describe is common all over the United States. Underdressing for an event will often brand a person as having "no class", or being "trashy". It is most definitely not a respectable thing to do here in the USA. It happens not only at places like weddings, funerals, and church services, but in the workplace as well. Just last week I had a guy show up to a job interview here at my office wearing shorts and an untucked shirt. I had to tell him bluntly that his unprofessional appearance was an indication that he would not fit in here.

This descent into sartorial mediocrity seems to be an unfortunate side-effect of modern attitudes about lifestyle. There is such a social movement to be non-judgmental about everything that no one feels the need to present themselves decently. They actually get angry when they are judged for being underdressed. Whether it's wearing stained, ripped blue jeans to church or wearing pajamas to the grocery store, people seem to think that society has no right to judge them for wearing what they think is most comfortable all the time.

I know we've had threads lamenting this in the past, and I don't necessarily mean to go there again. But suffice it to say that this probably explains a lot when it comes to Americans wanting to overdress when they want to present themselves positiviely. Being underdressed is most definitely not an asset.