CommanDO or DONT

**denmcdough** · 23rd November 10, 06:04 PM

Me either. And to be quite frank, I'm wondering what kind of "issues" guys are having that they'd be soiling their kilts just by wearing them without underpants. Am I some sort of rare individual that doesn't ooze a foul substance onto my clothing on a regular basis or something?

I apparently have a short torso, because all my shirts are long enough that they provide a barrier between me and my kilts anyway. But still, I don't notice any fouling on them!

Soiling a kilt does not have to be visible. Just standing in a kilt, especially on a hot, humid day, can soil it. Bacteria just love to digest your sweat and turn it into bacteria poop! LOL. Anyway, a good steaming would help with that. Ron Macdonald, forum member, swears by steaming, as do I.

**Bill aka Mole** · 23rd November 10, 07:34 PM

To paraphrase an old military response to another sensitive question:

"I can neither confirm nor deny the presence of undergarments underneath this kilt. Any attempt to breach the security of this kilt will result in the use of force, up to and including, deadly force."

**Jerry** · 24th November 10, 05:44 AM

I do a pleat sweep everywhere I sit, but the back of the kilt just isn't quite long enough to cover all the way to the bend of my knees The kilt would have to hang several inches below my knees to do that, and in my opinion would be more of a skirt than a kilt. In the case of the hay or straw bales, there were pieces sticking up which I did not notice before sitting. I also have arthritic knees, so sitting on a low seat is more a matter of reaching a point in bending the knees and doing a controlled fall the rest of the way.

**Riverkilt** · 24th November 10, 06:53 AM

Reminds me of a bad day last summer. Was at the slot canyon tour which takes about an hour. Meantime the vinyl seats rigged up in the pack of the pickup truck that shuttles us tourists a few miles up creek to the canyon were sitting in the sun. I was the last one out and felt I had to rush back to the truck. Climbed up as the truck was pulling out and sat down without sweeping my pleats. Scorched the tea bag and generated an involuntary yelp - which cracked up the truckload of Oriental tourists...they seem to have understood what happened. Have swept pleats without fail every trip since.

**CMcG** · 24th November 10, 07:26 AM

Originally Posted by Riverkilt

Reminds me of a bad day last summer. Was at the slot canyon tour which takes about an hour. Meantime the vinyl seats rigged up in the pack of the pickup truck that shuttles us tourists a few miles up creek to the canyon were sitting in the sun. I was the last one out and felt I had to rush back to the truck. Climbed up as the truck was pulling out and sat down without sweeping my pleats. Scorched the tea bag and generated an involuntary yelp - which cracked up the truckload of Oriental tourists...they seem to have understood what happened. Have swept pleats without fail every trip since.

Ouch! I had a little schadenfreude chuckle though

Good moral to the story: always sweep your pleats!

**JimB** · 24th November 10, 07:43 AM

All I know is that I started a small kilt making outfit some years ago. When I had to do an alteration on a kilt that someone wore commando, I quit.
I realized that I did not want to deal with that and since it was only a side business I didn't have to.
I only make kilts for myself now.

**Tobus** · 24th November 10, 07:45 AM

Originally Posted by denmcdough

Soiling a kilt does not have to be visible. Just standing in a kilt, especially on a hot, humid day, can soil it. Bacteria just love to digest your sweat and turn it into bacteria poop! LOL. Anyway, a good steaming would help with that. Ron Macdonald, forum member, swears by steaming, as do I.

Understood. But let's be honest here... your nether regions aren't the only part of your body that sweat. Regardless of what clothes you're wearing, you're going to get sweat on them (with the subsequent "bacteria poop"). Trousers, shirts, jackets, all manner of clothing will eventually end up with sweat, dead skin cells, and other remnants of having been worn. Yet we don't cry foul about those being unhygienic, do we?

And besides, it's not like kilts can't be cleaned! I think it's totally uncalled-for to say that wearing a kilt regimental style is unhygienic. If a man follows simple rules of personal hygiene and cleans his clothes like a normal person, what's the big deal?

Pleat sweep. No need to plant your nether regions on the seat, simply because you are wearing a kilt. Practice around the house, make it automatic, and not even car seats or restaurant booths will be a problem.

Yup. Make it automatic. Sweep the pleats as you descend to the sitting position with one hand, while punching down the apron with the other (for modesty). Never had a problem with unintended contact of my nether regions with public seats, or with modesty.

**jgcunningham** · 24th November 10, 08:54 AM

I always wear something under my kilt. Not for hygiene but because I chafe easily. I have to wear boxer briefs to prevent my inner upper thighs from getting chafed and sore. I know there is a lubricant (Easy Glide?) that is made for runners that I saw for sale at a few festivals but I have to be careful what ingredients are used due to allergies.

As always, YMMV.

**CDNSushi** · 24th November 10, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by Woodsheal

There is a bit of historic misconception regarding this subject. Highlanders never made some sort of rebellious decision to not wear underwear with their plaids and kilts. In fact, they wore the same kind of underwear that men did elsewhere - long shirt tails!
Historically, a man's shirt was his basic undergarment up until the early 19th century, when separate "under drawers" began to appear. Prior to that, the shirt - which in those days was knee-length - formed one's underwear, with breeches, trousers, or the kilt. The length of the shirt kept a readily washable barrier between the body and the outer garment.
When breeches/trouser-wearing men switched over to using actual under-drawers, the kilted Scots (mostly in the army) clung to the old habit of "shirt tails equals underwear"....

That having been said, (and quoted by many others in this thread), I would disagree that this is therefore carte blanche to go bare underneath... The main problem as I see it, is that virtually NO shirt nowadays (shy of getting one custom made or well within the domain of historic re-enactors) is knee-length.

Find me some knee-length shirts to wear with my kilts, and I'll be happy to "go without" anytime. Until then, I too prefer not to have "bits" soiling my expensive, clean kilts. Arguably, in the absence of long shirts, it could be said that it's less hygienic to go commando now than it was way back when.

FWIW, silk boxers are about the best reasonably available and affordable alternatives to "commando" that I know...