Highland games attire

[Styckbow]

I will be attending my very first highland games this coming Sunday in Seattle (Enumclaw) Is it appropriate for me to wear my hybrid tactical kilt in royal stewart, with a t shirt and tactical boots?
Keep in mind I am driving 13 hours to the event and bringing all my fancy gear would be a major inconvienience.

[Dughlas mor]

You will see every style, level, type of kilted attire there. Plenty dressed similar to what you describe. Go for it and have fun!

[Tarheel]

I see the forecast is sunny and hot for Seattle on Sunday. You may want to remember a hat or cap. Boots and t-shirt will be common with kilts at many gatherings. If that attire is comfortable for you, by all means feel free to dress as you would with slacks or shorts.

You are not bound to strict rules, but your tastes may change later as you wear a kilt more often and then be compelled to add more traditional gear to your wardrobe.

[FlamingHaggis]

I recommend a well-brimmed hat and sunscreen. The grandstands at the piping field and the athletics fields are not covered.
As for the kilt; go for it!

[Tobus]

What is a hybrid tactical kilt?

Seattle is the home of Utilikilts, and sort of the mecca of modern (non-traditional) kilt styles. While I personally would choose more traditional kilt attire for a Highland-themed event, you will certainly not be out of place with your tactical boots and t-shirt.

[OC Richard]

You will see every style, level, type of kilted attire there. Plenty dressed similar to what you describe. Go for it and have fun!

Well there's truth and wisdom there!

Yes at our West Coast Highland Games one sees a wide variety of kilt-wear: Utilikilts a-plenty (actual Utilikilts, and their numerous imitators) and thin cotton "casual kilts" and lightweight wool "casual kilts" and traditional kilts. This spectrum is par for the course here.

But yes sun protection is very important, and unfortunately all the traditional Highland forms of headdress offer little of it.

Especially at hot sunny US Southwestern Highland Games what I might call a new style of traditional Highland Dress has emerged, all traditional, as one might see at a Games in Scotland, but with a brimmed hat such as a Tilley hat.

Yours Truly and other X-Markers at the Sacramento Games



The British Army has long been sensible about such things, and first put visors on feather-bonnets, then put Highland troops in sun helmets, and later in wide-brimmed hats. So I think there's a precedent for wide-brimmed hats, in case anyone wants to pull the Trad Police thing.





All that aside, let us know how it went tomorrow! Let's see some pics! (If you want to share...)

[kiltimabar]

I've been wearing a brimmed hat a lot more since my doctor recently froze a couple of bits off my ears--I live in California, which seems to be getting sunnier all the time.

[Octobrachium]

At the International Highland Games in Angelbachtal recently, you wouldn't believe the variety of kilts and MUGs we've seen. I'd say you're fine, as long as your kilt is properly made for what it is and not a checkered towel slung across your hips. And I agree with the hat, because I wish I had brought one - you are spending a sunny day on an open field.

[OC Richard]

I've been wearing a brimmed hat a lot more since my doctor recently froze a couple of bits off my ears...

Yes, lectures from my dermatologist have caused me to switch from baseball caps to brimmed hats. I cringe now when I think of all the years I wore baseball caps and exposed by neck and ears to the blazing sun.

I have a Tilley style hat, but also a tweed Elgin/Trilby hat which fits better with my overall traditional look.

[Jock Scot]

Yes, lectures from my dermatologist have caused me to switch from baseball caps to brimmed hats. I cringe now when I think of all the years I wore baseball caps and exposed by neck and ears to the blazing sun.

I have a Tilley style hat, but also a tweed Elgin/Trilby hat which fits better with my overall traditional look.

Very sensible thinking there. Interestingly, I can’t recall seeing anyone wearing a tweed trilby with the kilt over here, so I am not at all sure that it would be called traditional. Does it matter? Not one bit in your circumstances.

What I do see over here with the kilt when the sun is out, like we have seen recently, are the standard Panama’s, tweed fore and afts,tweed deer stalkers( both with wide brims front and back but with narrow side brims), and the Tilly hat quickly gaining favour. Having said that, I have to say bareheaded is still the usual option, with the younger generation. How wise that is, time will tell.