Do any of you do casual kilt or full dress?

[McMurdo]

Take a look through the 1 kilt 10 looks thread, Jamie and I go from casual to formal with the same kilt. I wear my kilts however I feel is proper for the event or occasion.

[OC Richard]

The question could mean a number of things, seems to me.

Full Dress, by the way, as used within traditional Highland Dress, has a specific meaning, being one of numerous traditional orders of dress of the Scottish Soldier.

Full Dress was withdrawn in 1914 and hasn't yet been reinstituted, as the uniform of the British Army as an entity. It's seen continued but limited use for Bandsmen etc. since 1914.

About "casual kilt" I suppose that can mean wearing a traditional kilt as part of a casual outfit, though nowadays we have things called "casual kilts", which didn't exist when I started kiltwearing.

I've yet to warm to any of the prefix kilts (sport kilts, utility kilts, casual kilts, etc) and only own (unprefixed) kilts.

The most casual I get while kilted is at a rugby match (USA Sevens, Las Vegas)



I no longer own Full Dress- I'm still in the process of completing my outfit- but I used to wear Full Dress fairly often back in the 1980s (British Columbia tartan)



Neither is how I normally dress kilted.

Here's my normal sort of outfit when I'm at a Highland Games and not playing in a pipe band



But nearly all the time I'm kilted it's because I'm doing a piping gig. Here's my go-to sort of outfit. I'll be wearing it tomorrow, for a funeral.

[Freebooter]

Thanks guys. I wear my kilt, just casual, to a store or something but haven't been out to restaurants yet. But I am going hiking soon on some trails near here and I plan on wearing my kilt. I wore it on my bike a couple of times at night. And an airy experience it was.
FB

[The Q]

Black argyll and waistcoat, ghillies, White shirt, Appropriate tie to a formal dinner.

Tweed jacket, belt, brouges, maybe Tattershall shirt, appropriate tie to less formal / countryside event.

Polo shirt, belt , no tie, Shoes or boat shoes or wellies as appropriate, to a totally informal event.

All Kilted of course!!

In all cases long pulled up socks, as I would also wear with any saxon form of dress.

[OC Richard]

I wore it on my bike a couple of times at night. And an airy experience it was.

It's funny to see movies like Braveheart etc that show people in kilts riding horses- wasn't done AFAIK.

Half the Highlanders in the old days wore kilts, half wore trews, and it would be the trews for horseback.

In the Highland regiments, throughout the period when Officers were on horseback for active service, they wore riding breeches, not kilts, when mounted.

[Angstrom]

I don't own a full-dress ensemble. Most of my kilt wear is "casual". For me that's kilt, day sporran(my only sporran), hose, and a button-down or polo shirt. In cool weather a sweater or sweater vest, and occasionally a tie. Headgear and footwear appropriate to weather and occasion.

For contradancing or hiking I wear athletic hose instead of woolen kilt hose, and omit the sporran.

Essentially, I dress as I would if I were wearing pants -- or maybe one notch nicer, because one does attract attention, and one wants to present the kilt well.

I do think a tartan kilt looks unfinished if worn without some kind of hose, but that's just my opinion.

[NPG]

It's funny to see movies like Braveheart etc that show people in kilts riding horses- wasn't done AFAIK.

Half the Highlanders in the old days wore kilts, half wore trews, and it would be the trews for horseback.

Is it wrong that now all I can think of is Monty Python?

To answer the OPs question though. Given the heat in TX I have been know to wear my kilt with a polo style shirt or short sleeve rugby shirt and Dr. Martens. I think that is as casual as I get for the most part. I tend to prefer to wear the kilt as a dressier item. I try to wear the kilt as more the equivalent to slacks than to jeans. I have been tempted to hike in one, but between the heat and the bugs I've never made it happen. I'm not sure how I would be attired if I did hike in a kilt, probably a little more dressed up than I am on my more casual hikes. So polo or button down shirt instead of t-shirt.

As you'll note as you check out threads in these forums "traditionally" (I use that term loosely) kilts are worn with attire that is more specific to kilts. Jackets worn with kilts are different from those worn with slacks or suits. Belts if worn need to be more substantial. Kilt hose are usually worn as opposed to other sock options. Everyone has their own style, but some of these conventions make the most sense. For instance normal length jackets do not look good with a kilt.

Check out the 1 kilt 10 looks thread, it'll give you some good ideas. At the very least you'll see what others like to do. Then check out some of the threads on how to "properly" wear the kilt and this will give you the "rules". I always believe it is good to know the rules first then you can choose to break them.

[Freebooter]

Thanks. Yep, I might wear mine the next time I stroll or hike. But like you said, it is hot and humid as hell here in south Alabama as well and I am unsure if I want to get all sweaty and dirty in a $500 buck kilt. LOL!
FB

[The Q]

It's funny to see movies like Braveheart etc that show people in kilts riding horses- wasn't done AFAIK.

Half the Highlanders in the old days wore kilts, half wore trews, and it would be the trews for horseback.

In the Highland regiments, throughout the period when Officers were on horseback for active service, they wore riding breeches, not kilts, when mounted.

I would Not be so sure of that , in the areas of the highlands that the Kilt was the way of dress, would you go home to change to trews if you didn't have any? You may have a horse (more likely a pony) to get around if that was your need, but would you wear a different style of dress to everyone else? The wearing of trews in the Army is not relevant to civilian life. After the 45 yes you would wear trousers as travelling on Horse back would put you in danger of meeting those who would not approve of a kilt.
But between 1500 and 1747 only the rich would have had different sets of clothing for horse riding ( and being painted in them)

[OC Richard]

I would Not be so sure of that, in the areas of the highlands that the Kilt was the way of dress

That's the thing: the kilt never was THE way of dress, only A way of dress.

From what little evidence there is, kilts and trews seem to have been equally popular, and not mutually exclusive. That is, the kilt was originally just the "mantle" wrapped around the waist. With trews the same mantle was wrapped around the torso instead.

Trews are arguably the more ancient Celtic costume, dating back to Roman times at least.

Mounted people were usually people with money. The could afford various outfits.