Looks and why they work.

[Detroitpete]

Here's the lads and I at a recent Motown Kilt Night. Good, lads, good beer and good looking kilt-gear in my view





And well, my favorite 'look' for me. Can ya' tell it's getting to be that time of year again?

[KiltShot]

I found a lady in California that was willing to make custom kilts for me in patterns I could deal with. I have medium weight camo patterned material, and absolutely love them. I hope to have her make one a month for me, and I will be getting rid of all but two of the other kilts.

Yes! That's where I want to go with one of my kilt purchases, maybe in DPM or woodland camo. Do you prefer the cargo pockets or will you be ordering any hidden side pockets in future kilts? What is the composition of the material you're using?

[Faol]

Yes! That's where I want to go with one of my kilt purchases, maybe in DPM or woodland camo. Do you prefer the cargo pockets or will you be ordering any hidden side pockets in future kilts? What is the composition of the material you're using?

I am not familiar with the weight of the fabric, but I will ask the maker. She sent me a swatch of a faded woodland camo she has located, and it looks pretty good. The DPM is a pretty good camo overall, but I kind of like the subdued, non-military look of the Real Tree and Mossy Oak fabrics. I had thought about Multicam, but they really like that stuff and it shows in the price. We buy some of their fabric for a couple of products we carry, and it is cost prohibitive to experiment with...for me anyway.

I had not thought of any hidden pockets, but I prefer belt pouches over pockets, even on my trousers. I honestly have not tried to put anything in these pockets yet. That deerhide pouch is held by a "sporran belt" made from 550 cord, with an eye braided into it. I use that same braided line for my casual kilts, with the nylon Stillwater sporran.

[Matty Ross]

As a 30 year veteran Scouter I enjoy wearing my kilts with my Scout uniform. Enough has been said about BSA policy regarding the Kilt and the Scout uniform. Suffice to say I seem to be very popular in my Uniform and my Kilt

[ForresterModern]

I think "looks", as the word pertains to an overall appearence rather than whether one is "good looking", is a hard thing to dissect oft times, because in general it requires the combination of inanimate objects (those things that we wear and accessories we carry) with the animate "human" and individualist flair and panache (not that guy, although he does have it in spades), and the not to be forgotten environmental effects of the surroundings and background. A "look" can be strictly traditional and many carry it off well with the proper components and comport, or can be the same individualized with just a spot of personal touch, or can be taken all the way down the road with the full out "I wear what I like because I think it looks good and it makes me feel good" approach. Some times what makes a particular look for a person may be something as simple as a pocket square or a walking stick, or an individual's smile or beard, their carriage and stance, and as above their surroundings are often crucial for setting off the best of any "look". Examples of the latter are extremely well seen in nearly all of Ron's canyonland kilted pictures, as his style and attire choices just fit that environment perfectly. Put him in the same attire on a busy urban highrise filled street and I think the same "look" would lose some of its stature. Much of Hamish's style is not just what he chooses to wear, or the exceptional style and pride with which he wears it, but also where he wears it and is photographed (sorry---amateur photographer here). Jim's pictures posted above (The Scot) show how even a change of facial hair or a couple pounds of weight can have an impact on a "look" of any variety (sorry to pick you out Jim but I don't think I have ever seen you without your moustache).

So it is not just what you wear, but how you individualize it to your tastes and personality, how comfortable and stylish you feel when you are wearing it will show with a confident appearence, and finally wearing it where you are comfortable will also set off the "look" with that feeling that it just fits, it is just right because it is, not because of any one piece or part, but the whole together. No one would ever say that the bumper of a Porsche 356B "makes" the look---it is the whole package, and its surroundings (a tyrolean two lane carving turns through the Schwarzwald versus a packed Walmart parking lot, say) can only make that package look even better.

A few of my personal favorite looks (I would not dare to presume to post other folks' photos):



I know, I know, it's a flatcap. But the framing of the porch overlook, posture and pose, and St Andrews golf course in the background make it work.



I know, another flatcap. Sheesh. But framed in the white entryway of my home, and non-standard posture/pose again.



Like the tam better? How many noticed no sporran---getting ready to golf Muirfield in the background.



Finally, a proper balmoral. Sticking out from the crowd, but who would think to wear diced hose and a fairly dressy sporran to a daytime event? It just happened that I was in a men's fashion contest, and it not only worked for that event ($100 prize for second place) but looked fine for the remainder of the day and early evening at the races, and got me on TV too.



Gaelic curse on a black t-shirt? Works when you are heading out for a kilt night with friends and family. And a proper balmoral even (although indoors probably a no-no), while the boy makes a french beret look good simply by locating a gorgeous smile just a bit south of it, despite the ghillie shirt and red Keens.



Dressy outfit for a dressy event, even the boy has on his best Nessie bib and flannel flat cap (me my bal' again, outdoors this time). With the exception of the crowd, who could choose a better venue than Edinburgh Castle?

IMHO the four elements of "the look" in kilt wearing are what you choose to wear (and carry), how you choose to wear it (your individualization of the outfit), your attitude/panache while wearing it, and where you are seen (or photographed) wearing it.

I would say "just my tuppence" but I think you all got about a schilling's worth instead. Sorry for the length.

jeff

[Gryphon noir]

There are a lot of good ideas here.

The thing I struggle with the most is what sort of headgear works best in a coastal rainforest climate? I have a hat very similar to the Wizard's but I rarely wear it with a kilt; for some reason I almost always opt for a very large umbrella. Now that I see the picture, it's easier to imagine wearing that combination.

The most common faux pas I noticed among the photos: those of you with a second buckle on your right side--loosen it off a bit. Your kilt will hang better and you won't have the wrinkles or puckers under the belt line.

[AKScott]

There are a lot of good ideas here.

The thing I struggle with the most is what sort of headgear works best in a coastal rainforest climate?

The trouble I think is water tight to stay dry but also breathable to stay cool.

An umbrella works great because you can still get plenty of air circulation around your noggin so you don't overheat.

My crushable wool felt fedora is watertight enough, but it is hot under there.

Side vents = wet head.

Goretex, really, is just some kind of cloth with beads of urethane on it. With bigger spaces between the beads, the fabric is less watertight but more breathable. With smaller spaces between the beads the fabric becomes more watertight but less breathable. In the right weather any goretex will become a sodden sponge.

To me the variables are ambient temperature and individual temperature extreme tolerance, exposure time, and appearance level.

A bumbershoot is probably the best choice for someone with low temp extreme tolerance walking one city block from parking space to bank office.

A flyfisherman planning to be in drizzle for three hours will have different priorities.

I will say if you try a hat, plan on a raincoat, and recognize you will ocasionally get a brim full of water down the back of your neck. Unless you have a hat like Steve's.

[BruceBC]

Sorel boots, snowshoes, almost 9 yards of 16 oz Marino wool, a woolly jumper and my trusty fleece hat. The essential backpack with survival gear in case the you-know-what hits the fan, and a desire to make it to the peak. Kilts say "outdoors" .. 16 feet of snow on the ground rounds out the look. The modern courier du bois esthetics

[English Bloke]

"I wear my Kilt as clothing and just throw stuff on as I've always done".

I'd like to think that were the case but I am aware the subconsciously there is a voice in my head saying "No John... don't be daft." and I know I also have a tendancy to match leathers although I am trying to fight it. I've seen people wearing contrasting leathers and I think it looks great.

Speaking of what other folks do, I've noticed from photo's on the forum that North Americans tend to wear their kilts higher than your average Brit. I'm a bit of a mid knee man meeself and socks just below the knee. To wear my Kilt higher makes it, in my opinion too short. (No critisism here, just saying what works for me).

About this long actually:

That's as per him on the left, not her in the middle.

I noticed too while up in Dumfries recently that younger scots (there were several out and about for the Scotland Brazil game) tend to wear their kilts even lower to the bottom of the knee (ie. kneecap completely covered).

They were all dressed casually mind so I don't know if this is a trend with all forms of Kilted dress. It does seem to be the modern Scottish way though.

Thoughts on Kilt length anyone?

That's the "Red Hackle" tartan in the photo by the way... Nice isn't it?

[longhuntr74]

Speaking of what other folks do, I've noticed from photo's on the forum that North Americans tend to wear their kilts higher than your average Brit. I'm a bit of a mid knee man meeself and socks just below the knee. To wear my Kilt higher makes it, in my opinion too short. (No critisism here, just saying what works for me).

I noticed too while up in Dumfries recently that younger scots (there were several out and about for the Scotland Brazil game) tend to wear their kilts even lower to the bottom of the knee (ie. kneecap completely covered).

John...I don't know where you base your observations from, but I've observed quite the opposite here in the US. Many guys wear their kilts too long (as has been discussed on multiple threads here about band kilts, etc). I chalk it up to either insecurity about showing a little bit of leg/knee or, more often than not, buying an off the rack kilt that doesn't fit the hips properly and sags down or is too long to start with. Many band members that I've seen have horrible low saggy kilts due to this phenomenon as well.

I won't criticize your preference for mid-knee...perfectly acceptable in my opinion. Below the kneecap is not, though...at least not from my foxhole. I, myself, aim to have my kilts fall at the top of the kneecap. As I understand it, that is the general goal...and if you look at many OLD prints/drawings, it appears that some of the earliest kilts were 2-4" higher than that. I think that's a bit excessive, but I honestly hope we aren't seeing a trend towards "kilt saggerz" that are showing their boxer shorts at the top and have the kilt selvedge at mid-calf level....