The Importance of knowing the Rules of Kilted Fashion

[Scotus]

I would expand on that notion just a bit and suggest that if Utilikilts are not highland dress, they are not subject to the same "rules" as those who admire and want to emulate highland dress.

I would agree.

Those of us who do admire and wish to wear highland dress not only owe it to history but to the Scottish culture not to thumb our noses at that culture and those conventions.

Well said.

[Coinneach]

I think there are rules and there are laws and the understanding to know the difference. That being said, when I want to know how to wear a kilt well, I just look for photos of Hamish.

[Panache]

Modern kilts have been brought up and it has been noted that they do not follow the same rules/conventions of traditional Highland wear.

Even though they are not traditional kilts, the contemporary kilt wearer can still take a page from the traditional kilt wearers book to look sharp.

Such as:

Short waisted jackets are going to look better than full cut ones with such a kilt.

Matching your belt and shoe color

Coordinating colors of the shirt to match the socks (even if they are "scrunched down").

Tucking in one's shirt

Having neatly pressed pleats

Learning to do "The Sweep" before sitting down to keep them that way

Never wearing a rubber chicken

The point being that good information is good information.

The kilt wearer who regualarly reads XMTS is going to be a lot more "in the know" about how to put together their own look because of all the great advice here.

Cheers

Jamie

[ccga3359]

Never wearing a rubber chicken

Now show me where that is written.

[Spc. Scott]

Well, the major problem with this is that the Second Amendment of the US Constitution has absolutely nothing to do with heraldic arms, which is what we are talking about here. An armiger is someone who has his own heraldic arms, as the information you quoted correctly states. The Second Amendment is speaking of weapons.

If you are going to try to apply the Second Amendment in this case, you might as well argue that it gives all Americans the right to wear tank top shirts (you know, so we can have "bare arms"). Either way is a gross misreading of the text.

Yeah it didn't seem to make very much sense to me either. But it did happen to catch my eye...I guess I'll blame it on the fact that it was very late at night and I was kinda sleepy.

[Ilsydr]

My main issue with "Rules" for "Highland Dress" is the fact that it seems that a lot of folks seem to confuse the term "Tradtional Highland Dress" with "formal Traditional Highland Dress". The thought that Scots paraded around the Highlands wearing Balmorals, PC jackets, Waistoats and ghillies to do their morning/evening chores seems a bit....well, ridiculous to be frank. To equate the terms seems to suggest this type of idea. I reason that as long as the kilt is worn with the deference due to the noble lineage of the garment in question, then it is, or should be, considered "traditional". Understandably, wearing things that intentionally flaunt the conventions of good taste, (Rubber chicken sporrans [wink]) will always be looked at with distaste ( or a tongue firmly in cheek....see previous stated example).
Now as one who wears outfits that routinely do not conform to the "rules" but one who also aspires to own and wear a formal outfit that does, I think we should definitely take the advice previously offered and separate this thread into two threads to deal with semi-formal/formal wear and casual/non-traditional wear.

Just my two cents(pence for those of you across the pond) worth....

[David Dubh]

I think that part of this is traditional. Where the kilt sits natural waist, sporran etc. I would throw 21st century kilts in their as well, I talked to Howie and his creations are for people who want to wear the kilt, not tartan but in fabrics that one would make a suite out of. For these there are certainly guidelines and conventions that would certainly have Panache's hats fitting into nicely. Remember that Duncan on MOTG wore the kilt and it looked and worked as a practical working outfit.
The contemporary kilt utilikilt,freedom kilt etc. are bringing the kilt into the mainstream they would be not have the same guidelines, infact they may not have any other than what looks good. For those of not in the UK these companies are making kilt wearing more popular.
I think that there are only two rules.
PLEATS IN THE REAR
Basting stich removed.
Oh yea wear it with pride if you have the swish you should have the swagger

[pdcorlis]

I believe contemporary kilts, while not falling under traditional kilt guidelines, still conform to guidelines. In fact I would suggest that this very forum may have actually done more to codify these guidelines than perhaps anything else. These guidelines, things like heavy scrunched down socks & big beefy boots for example, become a standard of dress as we share photos and reach consensus about what looks "right." I will even go so far as to suggest that these contemporary guidelines are an evolution of the traditional guidelines. As Jamie noted in a recent post - things like tucked in shirts, coordinated colors and leathers, short waisted jackets, etc) are really just an evolutionary step away from the expected dress when wearing a tartan kilt.

While there are no kilt cops - there are subtle yet important social forces that encourage us to conform as a mark of belonging. I imagine this is really not so different from the social forces that lead to the guidelines for traditional kilt wear. Its not revolution - its evolution.

[Jock Scot]

My main issue with "Rules" for "Highland Dress" is the fact that it seems that a lot of folks seem to confuse the term "Tradtional Highland Dress" with "formal Traditional Highland Dress". The thought that Scots paraded around the Highlands wearing Balmorals, PC jackets, Waistoats and ghillies to do their morning/evening chores seems a bit....well, ridiculous to be frank. To equate the terms seems to suggest this type of idea. I reason that as long as the kilt is worn with the deference due to the noble lineage of the garment in question, then it is, or should be, considered "traditional". Understandably, wearing things that intentionally flaunt the conventions of good taste, (Rubber chicken sporrans [wink]) will always be looked at with distaste ( or a tongue firmly in cheek....see previous stated example).
Now as one who wears outfits that routinely do not conform to the "rules" but one who also aspires to own and wear a formal outfit that does, I think we should definitely take the advice previously offered and separate this thread into two threads to deal with semi-formal/formal wear and casual/non-traditional wear.

Just my two cents(pence for those of you across the pond) worth....

I am not too sure what you consider to be formal traditional attire, just so there are no misunderstandings here; there are dress conventions(call it as you will) with traditional highland kilt attire, whether you are at a BBQ on the beach or going to the most formal of formal ball. I fully accept, however, that not everybody sees it that way.

[Livingston]

Now show me where that is written.

Right here:

Modern kilts have been brought up and it has been noted that they do not follow the same rules/conventions of traditional Highland wear.

Even though they are not traditional kilts, the contemporary kilt wearer can still take a page from the traditional kilt wearers book to look sharp.

Such as:

Short waisted jackets are going to look better than full cut ones with such a kilt.

Matching your belt and shoe color

Coordinating colors of the shirt to match the socks (even if they are "scrunched down").

Tucking in one's shirt

Having neatly pressed pleats

Learning to do "The Sweep" before sitting down to keep them that way

Never wearing a rubber chicken

The point being that good information is good information.

The kilt wearer who regualarly reads XMTS is going to be a lot more "in the know" about how to put together their own look because of all the great advice here.

Cheers

Jamie