A Question of Taste...

**Bugbear** · 21st February 11, 07:27 PM

Originally Posted by MacLowlife

I wonder, as I type this, what effect adding a pipe major to the Village People might have.

**ForresterModern** · 22nd February 11, 07:47 AM

How would you define your taste in kilt attire?

Generally traditional but slightly modernized dressy wear, traditional kilt with modern semi-casual wear (not tweed but no scrunched hose either)---I would coin it modern American traditional wear or traditonal American casual wear (I know there are somei inherent contradictions in those descriptions).

What is/are your main influence(s)? Have they changed over time?
Photos and discussions here. Although I do not follow each and every suggestion or "rule" I do try to utilize them as guidelines to base my own style on. I mean afterall, I am still a member of the Flatcap Confederation, and wear them a lot, with the kilt, and sometimes post photos of such if only to get a small piece of Jock Scot's goat.

How has Xmarks contributed to how you approach the kilt?
Educated me to detail and quality, refined my sense of propriety and situation and dressing appropriately for it.

j

**OC Richard** · 22nd February 11, 12:11 PM

How would I define my tastes in Highland Dress?

My "eye" remains basically influenced by the Highland Dress which evolved in the early part of the 20th century, a dress with distinct categories (Day, Evening, Military) but at the same time I have a love for the pre-modern styles of the mid-to late 19th century.

So here's how I appeared at a recent gig, a Burns Supper. It's basic modern traditional Highland Dress but with an antique c1900 style sporran.

I like everything to be sharp-looking but at the same time simple, comfortable, and practical.
You'll note I have no waistcoat or belt.
That sporran can hold a load of stuff.

**Legba** · 22nd February 11, 12:56 PM

How would you define your taste in kilt attire?
MUG's Kilts and all. Casual and eclectic. Few rules, it's part of my clothes.

What is/are your main influence(s)? Have they changed over time?
I try not to wear sandles and white socks anymore, other than that I'm pretty open.

How has Xmarks contributed to how you approach the kilt?
XMarks has not changed the way I get dressed, but I sure enjoy the knowledge exchange.

**Joshua** · 22nd February 11, 01:09 PM

I would say XMarks has motivated me to wear the kilt more often, in more and more casual surroundings. It also has taught me that casual does not equal sloppy, and considerable thought, even for this old punk rocker, must go into your appearance even when dressing down the kilt. The most rebellious deviations I've made to my own dress have been considerably muted compared to some I've seen.

Originally Posted by robbiethepiper

I find multi-clip hangars ok but IMHO "clamp" hangars ( available for a pittance from KA ) seem to do a far better job...

Seeing as I am a "gentleman of substance" I actually use two hangers, one that is a clamp (approximately 10" or so) for the body of the kilt, then I turn over the ends of the kilt with the two-clip hangars so the ends are not "hanging" off the edges. It also gives me a place to hang belt and sporran without disturbing the pleats.

**Calico** · 22nd February 11, 04:46 PM

I'm only going to answer the last question: How has Xmarks contributed to how you approach the kilt?

Because, although I have now ordered a kilt, I do not have nor have ever worn one. And if it weren't for XMTS I never would have, probably.

It is only because I've found this forum that I feel I've learned enough about the subject to be able to make any decisions about what to get and to wear.

Some here may not like what I come up with

, but at least I will know the opinions of intelligent people while I make up my own mind.

**xman** · 22nd February 11, 07:50 PM

I would describe my kilt taste as I would define my taste in most things, Mostly old fashioned with a foot in the modern world. I prefer a button down shirt and waistcoat, but that doesn't stop me from wearing hiking boots and a sweater or even t-shirts and sandals in the summer.

I'm quite inspired by the Kenneth MacLeay paintings. I find myself leaning toward that ideal. Formerly, I was as ignorant as a man who only viewed 'for hire' photos. Now I have been shown the light by Xmarkers.

Xmarks has contributed almost exclusively to my kilt wearing approach. I dare say that without this forum I would be one of the 'how-not-to' examples which are presented here upon occasion, PC for day wear and the like. I would also almost certainly not own a tweed kilt and now I truly love wearing my tweed. I wear it for practicality first because it's very warm and comfortable, but I've grown to really like the look too, just as much as tartan.

Walking up Main St. in my tweed kilt last week a lady asked me as she passed by if it was an Irish kilt. Since it was Marton Mills' cloth I told her it was an English kilt, but not to tell anyone.

**CMcG** · 22nd February 11, 09:02 PM

Originally Posted by xman

<snip>
Walking up Main St. in my tweed kilt last week a lady asked me as she passed by if it was an Irish kilt. Since it was Marton Mills' cloth I told her it was an English kilt, but not to tell anyone.

Oh the poor un-kilted masses, I'm sure she wasn't ready for that one!

**gary meakin** · 23rd February 11, 05:28 AM

How would you define your taste in kilt attire?
I try to be traditional but I'm sure I fall short of "what's just not done " once in a while.

What is/are your main influence(s)? Have they changed over time?
My influences were Highland Games at the beginning. I have an uncle who wore the kilt as far back as I can remember. The biggest change is probably due to my getting older. When I was younger I wore hiking boots and scrunched down hiking socks, jacobite shirts or clever t-shirts, Rob Roy sporran. I;m in my 50s now and tend to lean more towards tweed jacket, tie, etc.
How has Xmarks contributed to how you approach the kilt?
Xmarks has been a wealth of information in the short time I've been here. I've put my white and cream colored hose away, along with the jacobite shirts. I've also seen quite a bit that has shown me what not to do, whether intentional or not

That's one of the best things about this forum. The exchange of ideas and the vast amount of differences. I've learned so much and I'm sure I have a lot more to learn.