out in the storm, kilted

[Pleater]

Usually I go out in rain and wind with a Gortex cape but I was caught out by a brief interval of bright sunshine between weather fronts. I should have checked the forecast but decided to venture out.

I was wearing my almost 8 yards of black peached cotton kilt - with the soft side inside, and a woven cotton liner, a short jacket over a knitted jersey, with a beret and hose, all wool, with leather shoes.

The wind must have got up to force 6 gusting 7 or more, and the rain was lashing down - it came through the jacket in no time and I could feel the water running down to my waist, but I was quite surprised that it got no further, it was collected by the kilt and every fold was dripping from the lower edge.

The kilt fabric was clinging to itself and the liner and had formed a solid bell of fabric which remained wind proof, and inside which I could walk freely, unlike the restricting grip of wet trousers or shorts.

I was far warmer than I would have been in jeans, and having hung up the kilt to dry I find it is very soft - the tap water round here is full of minerals which clog the pipework, kettles etc, and as I don't like the smell of fabric conditioners I supose that the mineral deposits build up in fabric - obviously the rainwater has rinsed them out of the kilt and restored the original softness.

I would have been far more uncomfortable in trousers - particularly jeans, and although cotton is considered an unfortunate choice for cold and wet weather clothing, it seems that when in kilt form it is not so bad as all that.

[Dirk Skene]

What in the world were you doing out in that weather in the 1st place

[Galician]

What do you mean by a liner? Is that a seperate piece, like a woman's slip?

Last Friday I went to a formal function in full kilt kit. We had weather similar to yours that day (and the next). I decided to wear a 16 oz. acrylic kilt. I had no problem with the water, as a result, but it was not as warm as I would have wished.

[Pleater]

What in the world were you doing out in that weather in the 1st place

I thought the worst was over by then - no - it was just getting its second wind.

I tend to look down on the sort of weather we get around here - I was born and raised further north where there are mountains and we had some real winters, where the weather deserves more respect - but the centre of low pressure came much further south than usual and there was - I forget the term - explosive cyclo something - the barometer was way down when I got back home. I should have checked before, an old sailor like me should not have been caught out like that, I'm getting careless in my old age.

[Bugbear]

Sounds good.

[Pleater]

What do you mean by a liner? Is that a seperate piece, like a woman's slip?

Last Friday I went to a formal function in full kilt kit. We had weather similar to yours that day (and the next). I decided to wear a 16 oz. acrylic kilt. I had no problem with the water, as a result, but it was not as warm as I would have wished.

I make the liners from woven material, as a strip with just a few small pleats to shape it into the waist. I then attach it to the reinforcing waist band - usually a strip of webbing, so the liner is more integral to the kilt than a slip. It is long enough to go almost from edge to edge of the kilt - so it is under both the apron and under apron.

I make the kilt waistband in a fairly standard way, but rather than folding the band over and attaching it to the material of the kilt I put the webbing under the waistband and attach it to that. I do not reinforce my kilts inside the pleats, as they are a rather basic design, but without a sturdy waistband the pleats try to dip into a curve centre back.

I have never found a really heavy acrylic to make a kilt from - I don't use much man made fibre material, having always prefered natural materials, but I might be tempted to try it if it was available in heavy weights.

I think I stayed as warm as I did because I was wearing so much wool - I suspect that there was steam rising when I reached the porch. I hurried home, I'd certainly not have lasted the night out in the open in those conditions, but for a short while it was OK.

I actually quite enjoyed the experience, even the thunder and lightening - I think I always have, even as a child, loved a really good storm, yet my mother and sister are terrified by thunder storms.

I don't go walking on golf courses though - or standing under trees unless there are tall buildings close by. I know about the Darwin Awards.

[Alan H]

Someday I hope we get to see a picture of you.

[Jako Dar]

The final score:
Kilt - 1
Weather - 0

[ccga3359]

Yup, jeans in that sort've weather would be downright miserable. Been there, done that. Now to get more of that material, I understand that there's Inverness Cape plans floating around...

[BoldHighlander]

I actually quite enjoyed the experience, even the thunder and lightening - I think I always have, even as a child, loved a really good storm, yet my mother and sister are terrified by thunder storms.

I don't go walking on golf courses though - or standing under trees unless there are tall buildings close by. I know about the Darwin Awards.

Nor do you want to be near a lake, or fishing with a graphite pole

My mother is also terrified by lightening as well, but then she has good reason to be. A few years back she was getting something out of her car's trunk during a storm and a bolt of lightening actually struck the ground within four feet of where she was standing!
I was in the house at the time & it the resulting "boom" sounded like the roof was being torn off
Needless to say she won't venture out in such a storm, and I have a healthy respect for them (though I love watching them).