I think this place has developed entirely too much angst...

[Panache]

You know in the old days most people had a "party piece" they could recite or sing at gatherings.

What a wonderful tradition to try and revive

Cheers

Jamie :ootd:

Perhaps, but these day knowing how to "dress" is quite different. "Fashion" is way more cliquish (for lack of a better word). Appropriate dress (or lack thereof) depends on the situation...

As for singing, dancing, etc... A LOT of that was killed by TV, IMHO. In the olden days most families had, at the least, a piano in the house. They made their own entertainment.... And that's one reason why I don't watch TV. In fact, since cable became the primary delivery system, I've only had a connection for maybe 3 years total. I've had no TV connection for the past 12 years (man, am I clueless around the water cooler at work )...

...I'm rambling and stuttering because I don't want to spend an hour typing out my thoughts, but hopefully you get my drift.

[GDub]

You know in the old days most people had a "party piece" they could recite or sing at gatherings.

What a wonderful tradition to try and revive...

I totally agree!

[SteveB]

This is the General kilt Talk section of the forum, and as such it is a place open to everything from the ultra traditional, to the last take off in the contemporary realm. Mention has been made in this thread of various clothing options, and the different takes on them per side of pond, or even above and below the 38th, on this side of the pond.

My observations are that on this side of the puddle, the casual wear must prominently display a brand emblem, and on the lower garment, it needs to be on the backside. This started many years ago with Levi Strauss and the two mule emblem on the back right hip between the belt loops, and the little tab in the right rear pocket, with both rear pockets with the "v" stitching. Denim trousers of every ilk soon had their advertising on the backsides of young men, and brand loyalties developed. Utilikilts and Amerikilts have followed in that regard. In some brands today the whole garment is a piece of advertising logo. This soon spread to shirts, and outerwear jackets. Recently sport coat cut jackets have started being decorated with the adverts.
Young men in the U.K. are less involved in this trend. it is far rarer than it is here. During the recent Highland Games season, I observed that Americans were concerned about the maker/supplier of the kilt, and the people from Scotland could care less. I attribute this to the fact that many Scots that I know have no idea who sewed the kilt as it has been handed down for some generations, or has been around for most of their lives. Most Americans have only recently become kilties and are fascinated by the idea of "brands". My Scot friends lumped us into basic catagories: real kilts (Tanks), almost kilts, (Non-wool tartan), and self colour whatever (Utilikilt, Amerikilt, and all other solid colour kilt shaped garments). More discussion was had about the meaning of a tartan, and none about what shop produced the kilt, or what mill wove the fabric.
The "real kilt" got some further refinement. "Real kilt" only needs to be a wool tartan knife pleated work of art. No mention of whether it is a Tewksbury, a Kathy Lare, a Sarah McRae, or a Newsomme. If prodded enough, and the gent new where, he would supply the name of the shop. Colour matching is an American thing. The Scot contingent dressed smartly, without being concerned about the colours.
Only at the tartan dinner, did all the kit come out (black tie). The rest of the time neat was in style.

The kilt is clothing for most of us most of the time. It becomes costume/uniform for some of us that are either in a military unit or a band.

For the gig I am on for the next few weeks, my pipes are the feature, I am not. I am attired in a black kilt with a long sleeved black T-shirt, and charcoal flat cap, black hose with yellow garter ties and a yellow tie belt. Black sporran and black sporran strap. I do not have a feature role in the performance, and as such my costume reflects it. The stage lighting shows off the polish on the pipe's ferrules, and the yellow drone cords. Most of the time I am not visible. I am only visible in a "shadow" role for a brief time.
The director gets a kick out of the fact that of the seven men that perform in the kilt, I am the only one that comes to work kilted. The rest come in jeans and take a lot longer to get ready. For me it is a quick change of a shirt and a kilt, all the rest is already to go.
This is the only time the wearing of the kilt has "rules" for me. The rest of the time, I am happily neatly kilted.

[Inchessi]

You know in the old days most people had a "party piece" they could recite or sing at gatherings.

What a wonderful tradition to try and revive

Cheers

Jamie :ootd:

I still recite the Jabberwocky for my Nieces and Nephews.