Virtual Kilt Check

[The Barry]

I actually found myself quite surprised by the results. I had expected one or two categories to far outweigh the rest.

[CDNSushi]

I actually found myself quite surprised by the results. I had expected one or two categories to far outweigh the rest.

I think a big part of that is the mystique that us kilt-wearers exude to the rest of the world... For just that reason I think there is so much resistance by some members to answer the question, even among brethren, for the purpose of education (as opposed to morbid curiosity).

It's like a brotherhood of magicians. Much the same way, if they revealed the secrets behind their slight-of-hand and illusions, all the magic and mystique behind their craft would be gone.

Many months and many forum pages later, I think the conclusion that may be derived from this, is that there truly is no freer form of expression than wearing a kilt, as among those of us who do, there is no prevailing norm or prescribed rule governing what goes underneath.

To those who are new to kilt-wearing, and may hold some concerns about whether they are "normal" if they wear underwear or not, the answer is simply an emphatic "yes."

[OC Richard]

I actually found myself quite surprised by the results. I had expected one or two categories to far outweigh the rest.

Me too. Amongst the pipers and drummers around here, I know of only one who goes "regimental". Of course others might be doing so secretly.

As I mentioned before, when a piper or drummer is playing he doesn't have a free hand to deal with the inquisitive, or the effects of wind.

[xman]

As I mentioned before, when a piper or drummer is playing he doesn't have a free hand to deal with the inquisitive, or the effects of wind.

Once, when I was younger I was at a parade. Actually I was at a few different parades, but this one time ... a lady ran out behind the pipers as they marched by and attempted to lift the pleats of one of the pipers in the rear rank. A few attempts failed because she couldn't get a good purchase on the kilt with her hand and the pleats of an eight yard kilt are ample enough to fall on either side of the lifted pleat and still provide full coverage for the wearer. Well, with several pipers on parade I guess this fellow didn't feel that the loss of his pipe to the band would be noticed so he released one of his hands from his instrument, reached around behind himself and obliged the lady's curiosity in the middle of the street by lifting his own pleats. There was much merriment over the incident and we all learned the answer to 'the question' that day. Yes, it was a military pipe band.

[The Barry]

As I mentioned before, when a piper or drummer is playing he doesn't have a free hand to deal with the inquisitive, or the effects of wind.

That's the high-risk environment that comes with freedom!

[LeeAnne]

Here's an online survey conducted last year by the Sun... seems pretty one-sided!

[freddie]

That's conclusive enough for me!

[Mike_Oettle]

Shame on Jamie Murray for making such an issue of Andy’s underwear!
I chose not to answer the poll for the simple reason that I have not worn a kilt in 33 years.
But when I was in the regiment I never wore underwear with the kilt (but always when dressed bifurcated).
Our regimental sergeant-major had a practice of checking on this point, and offenders were ordered to march up and down in front of the rest of the regiment with the garment in question rammed onto their bayonets.
Despite this, I caught two sergeants wearing briefs as they clambered onto an army lorry following a parade!
As for my new kilt, expected within a week, I hope to wear it regimental style as often as possible.
But I also know that in quite a few instances I run the risk of serious trouble if I do not have underwear on.
It remains to be seen . . .

As to whether this question can be asked at all, I have no qualms about telling fellow X Markers.
But I will be most offended if anyone asks me straight out, especially if it is none of his/her business.
One colleague of mine, on learning that I was getting a kilt, immediately went off on a tirade about people not wanting to wear underwear.
I held my tongue. It simply wasn’t worth debating the matter with him.
Regards,
Mike

[LeeAnne]

Our regimental sergeant-major had a practice of checking on this point, and offenders were ordered to march up and down in front of the rest of the regiment with the garment in question rammed onto their bayonets.

I wonder if this isn't a Scotland vs. the Rest of the World question.

I should come clean: I'm English, but I live in Scotland and my man is a very proud Scot. The idea that he'd wear his kilt any other way but the 'expected' manner is like the idea of him wearing a dress. And that pretty much seems a widespread view in Scotland. But is it true of Irish kilts? Fashion kilts? Kilts worn by non-Scots?

According to my bf, a non-Scot can wear his kilt whatever way he likes. But if a Scot is caught, like your regiment example, 'out of dress', he might have to face the consequences. OK, that might all be BS, but I'm not so sure...

[Mike_Oettle]

Hi, Lee-Anne – this is not a question of Scottish nationality, since my regiment was part of the South African Defence Force.
And we were a very South African mix of soldiers (albeit all white, since this was in the apartheid era). My first commanding officer was Lebanese. One of his successors was from an Afrikaner family. We had English, Welsh, Irish, German, Dutch and French names in the regiment, as well as Scottish.
Most of us were English-speaking, but the SADF did send us a paltry batch of Afrikaans-speaking recruits in an effort to break down our proud Anglo tradition.

However it is certainly a matter of Scottish military tradition, one which is maintained with pride.
I couldn’t tell you with certainty what other regiments maintain the no-underwear tradition, but it’s my guess that all kilted units in Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa do, including the Canadian Irish (the only kilted Irish regiment in the world).
Irish pipe bands in those countries (the South African Irish included) also wear the kilt, and it would surprise me if they had underwear.
Since the US military does not recognise the kilt as an item of uniform, it probably does not apply there (although you could ask the US Air Force pipe band).
I enjoyed being regimental (to use the hackneyed phrase) when I was in my army kilt, and I hope to do the same with my new kilt.
But there are places where my lack of underwear could lead to problems, especially when the wind howls in the city where I live. So I will have to exercise my discretion.
Outside the military one will rarely encounter any enforcement of the tradition, and in fact there are places which quite specifically require underwear with the kilt (participants in Highland games fall under these rules).
But a private individual may do as he pleases.
Regards,
Mike