What's All This, Then?

[BoldHighlander]

...from your "neighbor-to-be" just south across the Peace Arch border in Bellingham, WA!

[vanwenger]

Thank you, BoldHighlander. Bellingham is a favorite stop of ours on the way south to visit relatives in Seattle and Eugene. If I catch sight of a kilt in Fairhaven, I'll have a good notion who it might be!

[rmccool]

Welcome to the rabble! I deeply enjoy croquet myself, but only play the informal, American 9 wicket version.

As others have pointed out, a white kilt might work well for croquet, but it would probably have very limited utility elsewhere. It also might look a bit too much like a costume, or at least as if you're trying a bit too hard, especially in Scotland (where tourists quite often purchase kilts without much understanding of Scots traditions or Highland dress). A tartan that has some personal meaning for you might be a better choice and provide a better value.

As has also been previously mentioned, it's quite possible to obtain a handsome, relatively well made kilt in a synthetic fiber (such as polyviscose or acrylic), and often with 3 to 5 yards of material rather than the 8 that has become "traditional" for high end wool kilts, at a very reasonable price. You might be able to find such "off the rack" during your visit to Scotland, but if not, you can certainly find examples offered by some of the businesses that advertise on this forum. I'm personally partial to the PV semi-traditional kilts offered by Rocky and company at USA Kilts, but there are other good options as well. With some care in shopping, and perhaps a bit of patience, you can join the ranks of the kilted without destroying your budget.

Above all... I wish you and your spouse a wonderful visit to Scotland!

[Hawk]

Welcome to Xmarks Pierre. Keep in contact with us here and be sure to take some photos and post of your trip to the Highlands. When you get to this side of the coast, in the Pacific NW, be sure to let us know when your settled in.

good to have you with us here......

Hawk

[McFarkus]

from Chicago

[Father Bill]

Welcome to the "Great Rabble!"

[vanwenger]

Hello, Orionson, and thank you for the croquet review. I, too, was introduced to croquet as a youngster (though I believe I was 12-14 when I first played, and the game was the American backyard version, a far cry from Association). I got involved again when I was about 30, so have been playing for approximately 35 years. At one point my partner and I took the Japan Open Doubles title. Since then, I've won the Oregon State championship a couple of times and been president of the Vancouver Croquet Club in British Columbia. For a while I was ranked in Canada's top ten, but I think my enforced exile to Turkey has made that a position I'll have to work to re-earn.
When my wife (unfortunately not an enthusiast of the game) and I decided to visit Scotland, one of my first moves was to contact the clubs in Glasgow and Edinburgh, and they were very welcoming. I'm looking forward to getting my hands on a mallet for the first time in 11 months and see what happens.
One reason we're able to go to Scotland is that a Vancouver Croquet Club member happens to hail from Glasgow and offered us use of his flat and his car. We're going to make trips as far afield as Islay and Oban, but I'm afraid we're not going to get as far as Skye (a bit of a shame, since our son's name is "Sky", short for "Schuyler"). We're trying to keep within a budget, and we can only bend it so far...
I look forward to further correspondence with you, and thank you again for your warm welcome!

[Peter Crowe]

from a Scots expatriate in Massachusetts.

[Nile]

Hello Pierre, and welcome to X Marks from Delaware, USA.

Although a white kilt might be color appropriate for croquet, it might not be the best choice for a kilt worn in other venus. A colorful (or not) kilt could be dressed with a white shirt, white hose, white shoes and perhaps, a white jacket for croquet (provided the 'Croquet Clothing Police' don't issue you a ticket). I believe that wearing a kilt to play croquet is not traditional anyway so, I wouldn't worry about it's color. Just my opinion, of course.

Good luck and enjoy your Scottish adventure (you might be Dunn but you're not finished)!

Nile

[WillowEstate]

Hi Pierre and welcome from sunny Queensland.

As far as your kilt goes, folks here agree that a quality woollen kilt is best and will last a lifetime and while they are right, it can be a tad expensive! But polyviscose economy or casual kilts can be had for much less (£25 up) from such places as Heritage of Scotland. there are such retail stores in Edinburgh but you need to weed out the "Tourist tat" from the traditional look kilts, typically machine made of cheaper materials.

An economy "white tartan"? Unlikely but you might want to look at some of the dress tartans that have a fair element of white.

You could always take up kiltmaking in your retirement - you'll get all the help and encouragement you need right here!

Another tip, the Braemar Gathering is in the top league of Highland games but, on your travels, if you come across a Games from one of the smaller towns or villages, I'm sure you would enjoy the less formal and friendly atmosphere - I developed my love of the games after a chance encounter of the event at Aboyne in the late 1960s - magic!