Kilt Do's and Don'ts

[greenguzzi]

Exactly. As a uniform it must be "uniform". But it is not a uniform, it is (first) a national dress and (second) a fashionable and very personal garment.

Well, as a kilted newbie what you say makes the most sense. I have Celtic blood, but that's not why I (sometimes) wear a kilt. I wear it because I like to wear it (a very personal garment). I am very interested in learning about the history and traditions of kilted folk. But in the end I wear what I wear in the way that I wear it because I am comfortable and enjoy doing so.

However, I do agree that it's important to know what taboos one is breaking.

I also have long hair, a mustache and a beard. I'm often told that it's not fashionable to do so. I'm grateful for the information, it makes it all the more fun being hairy!

(I'm typing this in Australia; wearing an Irish tartan kilt, a non-hairy sporran, and an American T-shirt. )

[ThistleDown]

Well, as a kilted newbie what you say makes the most sense. I have Celtic blood, but that's not why I (sometimes) wear a kilt. I wear it because I like to wear it (a very personal garment). I am very interested in learning about the history and traditions of kilted folk. But in the end I wear what I wear in the way that I wear it because I am comfortable and enjoy doing so.

However, I do agree that it's important to know what taboos one is breaking.

I also have long hair, a mustache and a beard. I'm often told that it's not fashionable to do so. I'm grateful for the information, it makes it all the more fun being hairy!

(I'm typing this in Australia; wearing an Irish tartan kilt, a non-hairy sporran, and an American T-shirt. )

Good on ya Green! "Traditionalist" that I am, I am wearing a grey shirt, a grey Freedom kilt, dark grey hose, black slip-on brogues, a grey beard, long(ish) greying hair and no sporran. Oh, and I am writing right now in Vancouver.

[DWFII]

It occurs to me that the whole idea of fashion and tradition and the juxtaposition of them is a bit of a red herring.

As mentioned before fashion changes with the wind and seldom outlasts a generation. But beyond that (or maybe because of it) fashion is much more narrow and nuanced.

After all, a "little black dress" is still a little black dress no matter how short the hem. A doublet is still a doublet be it Sherrifmuir or Montrose. And a great honking hairy sporran is still a sporran.

The point is that fashion may dictate the shape of things but tradition dictates the thing itself. A great hairy sporran may no longer be in fashion but a sporran of some sort is literally de rigueur with a traditional kilt.