What would you say is the best reasonably reputable priced kilt maker in the UK?

[CBH]

I am very curious about the comments, apparently from residents in the Old World, that us in the New World have stricter rules about kilts.

Did I read that correctly ?

I always grin when reading anything about wearing a kilt "correctly". As part of a Scottish costume - sure - there would naturally be rules and traditions.

Kilts are the only similar type of masculine clothing I'm aware of in modern Western culture, and of course they're from Scotland. But I believe that while many of are appreciative of the Scotts for popularizing such a great garment, we simply wear them for comfort.

Is that "OK" ?

[Jock Scot]

Costume? COSTUME? Kilt attire when worn outwith the theatre, or, film set is NOT a costume! The term is, please: "kilt attire":

In the "Old World" as you put it, there are with civilian kilt attire, traditions, conventions, accepted practice, experience and the elusive and the almost indefinable term of "good taste" , to follow and to consider, but, there are NO RULES to guide us. I should add that many of us over here do wear the kilt for comfort too. The military have things much better organised with their Dress Regulations, but not so for civilians. I think this is what confuses those of you outwith the Highlands of Scotland. I have to also add that the "Kilt Hire Company Look", with their myriad of unhelpful internet pictures, even within Scotland, does add to the confusion too!

[CBH]

Costume? COSTUME? Kilt attire when worn outwith the theatre, or, film set is NOT a costume! The term is, please: "kilt attire":

That's what I meant - as a Scot, living in Scotland, it's genuinely authentic. Here in America, we don't really have that option. Hence my reference to "costume".

I imagine others also consider how much of the overall traditional Scottish look that would normally go with a kilt in Scotland is applicable elsewhere.

[Jock Scot]

That's what I meant - as a Scot, living in Scotland, it's genuinely authentic. Here in America, we don't really have that option. Hence my reference to "costume".

I imagine others also consider how much of the overall traditional Scottish look that would normally go with a kilt in Scotland is applicable elsewhere.

Well, if we go with what more than some of your countrymen say on this website, there are some members here who are extremely knowledgeable about kilt attire and some----- quite a large number actually-----are very engaged in Scottish attire and their connections with Scotland. Personally I find it difficult to process their need, but then I am not looking at the situation from where they stand. However, much of their overall kilt attire is very much as we would wear here in Scotland, but the detail is not understood by them.

Some of their attire is influenced by your Continent's more extreme weather, some are influenced by enthusiastic ignorance, some are influenced by mis-understanding, some are extremely knowledgeable about Scottish history and their connection to Scotland, there are some with very fanciful notions about Scottish attire and Scottish history too! But -------BUT------there is no denying the interest in kilt attire in all its forms from your countrymen and others world wide on this website and some are just interested in the kilt and are not too bothered about Scotland at all.

Given enough time on here you will see many combinations of interest

[Troglodyte]

...there are some with very fanciful notions about Scottish attire and Scottish history too! But -------BUT------there is no denying the interest in kilt attire in all its forms from your countrymen and others world wide on this website and some are just interested in the kilt and are not too bothered about Scotland at all.

Spot on here, Jock.

Highland dress, with all the how, why and when it is worn in its homeland seems to be an unitelligble concept to some, it would seem.

And 'kilt Kulture' has become little more than fancy-dress for many, and the likes of Highland Games are regarded as costume events to show off the latest acquisitions.

Personally, I can make no claims to being an expert on Highland dress (and nor would I anyway) but it's both amusing and exacerbating to be told we do it 'wrong' here in Scotland. Like many most people, I grew up with the kilt from a young age, and was guided in style, tradition and convention by older generations and peers whose experience and style I respected - as with other forms of clothing.

To us, it's not dressing-up costume, but a form of clothing that we wear naturally in various ways according to circumstances. Expectations there may be, but rules there are none, I woud say.

I recently had the delighful experience of going to see a certain gentleman of a paticular clan (in which he ranks near the top, and is known by the name of his estate) whose base is in Newtonmore (any guesses who that might be?) and found him going about his usual business dressed in a faded Rugby jersey from his youth, a dreadfully mis-shapen kilt with no sporran, and plastic Croc shoes.

What he was doing made his attire clearly logical to me, and no surprise, but I have wondered since what effect his outfit would have had on certain overseas visitors.

To me, it was just another form of 'traditional' Highland dress - the kilt being worn in its historic homeland in its simplest way for everyday chores, and the other garments met immediate practical need. But the style is a far cry from the 1930s catalogue ideal that seems to have become the benchmark look.

He worried me just the same - I felt he was taking risks by not wearing a protective vet-style apron.

[CBH]

plastic Croc shoes.

Now that's unacceptable with any attire anywhere on earth.

[AustinDiver]

I had a pair that were uncomfotable even at water park. One of my yorkies got a hold of one and decided that it would make a good chew toy.
After that I got some decent water shoes/socks.

[OC Richard]

About the word "costume", it appears to have undergone a fairly recent semantic shift.

Seems that nowadays it's sort of the equivalent of what's called "fancy dress" in Britain.

But throughout the 19th century and much of the 20th century it simply meant "outfits in a particular style of clothing".

I have a collection of vintage Highland Dress catalogues from around 1900 up to around 1960 and they routinely call Highland Dress "Highland costume". The well-known 19th century history of Highland Dress is called "Costume of the Clans".



By the way the same catalogues, all from Scottish firms and all printed in Scotland, routinely use the word "vest" rather than "waistcoat". Seems that "vest" has also undergone a fairly recent (post-WWII) semantic shift in Britain.

[OC Richard]

Aye - that's one of the greatest problems here if not THE greatest. To fit in, one dresses incorrectly - usually overdressed.

However I do have an anecdote concerning the shoe being on the other foot.

At one of our local (California) Highland Games there was a gent watching the Pipe Band contest dressed in a Prince Charlie, bow tie, etc.

I do believe he was the only one so dressed.

He was Scottish.

[Jock Scot]

However I do have an anecdote concerning the shoe being on the other foot.

At one of our local (California) Highland Games there was a gent watching the Pipe Band contest dressed in a Prince Charlie, bow tie, etc.

I do believe he was the only one so dressed.

He was Scottish.

Oh dear OCR, you are making a huge mistake in assuming that ALL Scots know how to dress in kilt attire and know precisely what to wear and when. THEY DON’T!

You are also making a huge mistake in thinking that Scots kilt attire was bought from catalogues, the local tailor was the first and only port of call. I am about to venture into tricky territory here that those outwith the UK will have difficulty understanding, but it would help if you tried!

It comes down to the dreadful term of “ social standing” and how it worked. Anyone who was anyone would never buy from a catalogue, even if they knew they existed!I don't think I ever saw a kilt attire catalogue until well into my fourth decade. One just went to one’s tailor and had one’s kilt attire made and the accessories , if needed, were acquired from the same source. It sounds in this day and age rather dreadful, but actually it was the only way to acquire new one’s attire without the then, not inconsiderable inconvenience of heading to a big city , which in those days required a major effort and unnecessary expense. I should add the not inconsiderable expense of new kilt attire in those days made kilt attire out of reach for many. I should also add, kilt attire was expected to last at least one lifetime, and a couple of following generations too, so fashions and the then unknown phenominum of tartan collecting in kilt form rarely happened and ill-fitting kilt attire was rarely criticised as it was a normal fact of kilt attire wearing life for many. Ill-fitting hand-me-down kilt attire was common place and was an unremarkable fact of our kilted life. Actually, it still is!

So the catalogue terminology was never used, so it would not be altogether correct to use such terminology as being in general use.