Wearing a kilt in winter

[alfrenovsky]

I made my first x-kilt (blue denim) and I wear it everyday to work, I wash it saturdays, press it and get ready for the week (I really need another one)

I wear it with a belt, polo or t-shirt, boots and schunched socks.

I live in Mendoza, Argentina, where people are getting used to the strange "man in skirt".

Is summer now here, and I find my kilt more comfortable and fresh than a pair of pants. Thus the question: ¿How not to freeze in winter?

Wool tartan? higher socks? tights?

[Father Bill]

Hullo there! We do get a spot of winter here in Canada, although I’m not in the coldest part.

Denim is the worst possible cloth for winter. In my younger days, I took my Boy Scouts winter camping and had to teach them how to dress for the cold. Denim is a wick material - any water goes straight up like a wick and spreads and then it’s spread thinly enough that it freezes and you have ice banging against your skin. Not recommended!

Wool, on the other hand, is warm even if it’s wet. It’s just the property of the material. (Did you ever see a sheep shiver?)

Now, mind you, I’m a traditionalist so that’s my bias, but I wear my 16 oz wool kilt and wool socks at 15 - 20C below and so long as there’s not a heavy wind blowing, I’m quite comfortable.

[alfrenovsky]

Hullo there! We do get a spot of winter here in Canada, although I’m not in the coldest part.

Denim is the worst possible cloth for winter. In my younger days, I took my Boy Scouts winter camping and had to teach them how to dress for the cold. Denim is a wick material - any water goes straight up like a wick and spreads and then it’s spread thinly enough that it freezes and you have ice banging against your skin. Not recommended!

Wool, on the other hand, is warm even if it’s wet. It’s just the property of the material. (Did you ever see a sheep shiver?)

Where I live, water is not a problem, we have dry cold winters.

Now, mind you, I’m a traditionalist so that’s my bias, but I wear my 16 oz wool kilt and wool socks at 15 - 20C below and so long as there’s not a heavy wind blowing, I’m quite comfortable.

What abount the knees? Long kilt or longer socks?

[Father Bill]

Where I live, water is not a problem, we have dry cold winters.


What abount the knees? Long kilt or longer socks?

A long kilt soon ceases to be a kilt and is rather improper. Socks can come to the bottom of the kneecap and the kilt to the middle although top looks better. If your kilt and your socks are good wool, your knees will likely survive without much problem.

[Liam]

In the coldest weather I wear a long overcoat.

[Tarheel]

I live at an elevation (750 feet above sea level) where moisture is always in the air. Winter seems colder, summer is humid and feels hotter. Dry cold air can be stopped better for you with longer socks. A wool kilt (as Father Bill states) will stop the cold wind and feel warmer next to the skin than denim.

I can wear cotton socks most of the year because the cold is less than other places in the world. I do have wool socks for the coldest and wettest times I want to wear my kilt. I even have a pair of tights (new technology underwear for hunting, hiking, skiing, etc) that I could wear under my kilt and hose if I wanted. It has not gotten that cold for me, yet.

[Pleater]

This winter has been rather cold, and I have found a woollen tunic makes a big difference to comfort.

Anne the Pleater

[kingandrew]

I definitely agree that a wool tartan kilt and some good wool socks will go a long way towards making you comfy in winter.

I have found that bundling up my torso also makes a difference wearing the kilt in cold weather. A few layers, especially of wool, and a good scarf and bonnet really help. I found that with a proper sweater, jacket, scarf and gloves, I was fine wearing the kilt in the fairly brutal winters in Beijing.

Andrew

[Me cousin Jack]

Gird up your loins

[Riverkilt]

Basic physics....Heat rises...you'll be quite warm in a kilt.

Dress the rest of you as you would for cold weather.