Did You Ever Wonder Why

[Woodsheal]

And to make matters worse, on my monitor those look like box pleats in that painting. Some one should have told Sir Alexander MacDonald that he was improperly dressed.

Yep, boxpleats - all the way around! How do you like the sporran worn high on a thin belt OVER the waistcoat?! I've seen that practice depicted in other portraits from that period....

[raindog]

Maybe this shows that there really were no conventions in those days, and also maybe tells us that we can wear kilts in any way we please and still be true to historical accuracy.
I don't think the old scots had much time for rules and conventions...Too busy surviving and living life.


Jeff.

[Chef]

I would say that our current idea of conventions comes not from any era but from the kilts of the regiments. The conventions we use now are all off-shoots of the military way of wearing the kilt. Granted that is a representation of the way people wore kilts during the era they were brought to use by the military. The military standardised the wearing of the garment and while it evolved over the years it still is the standard that people accept. Probably in years to come if the kilt is accepted as mainstream civilian styles will evolve further away from the military look. When will that be probably about the same time people stop asking where you are playing when they see you in a kilt.

[macwilkin]

I would say that our current idea of conventions comes not from any era but from the kilts of the regiments. The conventions we use now are all off-shoots of the military way of wearing the kilt. Granted that is a representation of the way people wore kilts during the era they were brought to use by the military. The military standardised the wearing of the garment and while it evolved over the years it still is the standard that people accept. Probably in years to come if the kilt is accepted as mainstream civilian styles will evolve further away from the military look. When will that be probably about the same time people stop asking where you are playing when they see you in a kilt.

I've been "preaching" that same message for quite some time now around here, Chef (great minds think alike, eh?) -- much of our coventions about Highland attire does come from the regiments, since it was those said regiments that "saved" it during the Proscription years.

Every kilt wearer, whether they acknowledge it or not, owes a great debt to those original "Jocks" who kept the kilt alive.

Regards,

Todd