Something that Hamish wrote years ago that stuck in my head

[Alan H]

Look, this is an incredible post. Whyso?

1.) Someone wrote some advice about clothes and I REMEMBERED IT.
2. To paraphrase Dori from "Finding Nemo"... "I remembered it AGAIN!"

When you put on a tartan kilt with a lot of other stuff, the focus of your kit should be the kilt and the tartan. That's what Hamish wrote.

This makes perfectly good sense to me. I mean, you spend a bluidy lot of money on that thing, it only makes sense to let people SEE it. Hamish's point was actually about the tartan or solid tie question, but I think the principle carries over. At least, that's how I put the stuff on. I don't adorn myself with a bucketload of gewdygaw "stuff". Let the kilt be what it is, it's plenty "busy" enough as it is. Keep the rest of the outfit simple.


Words of wisdom, IMHO.

Now, I might go a bit overboard on the simplicity theme. Most of the time I don't wear a kilt pin, and while I own two sgian dubhs (won them both at the Games) I *Never* wear them.

[The Wizard of BC]

And it is this same thinking that makes me advise my customers who come into my shop and want to select hose colors to match their kilt. Those who want Tartan flashes and bright silver or chrome accessories. Those who want a fly plaid or a tie or cummerbund in the same Tartan.

To me it is the Tartan that we want to shine. We want our kilt to stand out. Why would you push the Tartan into the background? This is what you are doing when your entire color palette is based around the colors of your kilt.

Does anyone pick sock colors to match their pants? Nope.

The same can be said for all the bright accessories. Especially guys who come in to rent an outfit for a wedding. I tell them about the one - unbreakable - inviolatable rule - when it comes to wearing a kilt at weddings. NEVER, EVER, outshine the bride!


I am a strong believer in the KISS Principal. Keep It Simple Stupid. Sure you can wear bright colors, but they should be small, accent pieces. I dislike hair sporrans for the same reason. The eye is drawn to the sporran and the kilt is just there, in the background, somewhere.
The extreme example of breaking the KISS Principal would be a drum major. I've seen many when you can't see the kilt at all.

When people look at me I want them to notice the kilt and the Tartan.

[Mael Coluim]

When people look at me I want them to notice the kilt and the Tartan.

Well Steve, I think your swagger pushes the kilt and its tartan to the background, friend.........

[The Wizard of BC]

If you've got, flaunt it.

[KiltFitz]

My experience of hiring out kilts is that if the bride is in the shop, she makes the decisions. The kilt then usually becomes secondary to accessories which will match her chosen colour scheme. Most shops (In Scotland anyway) now have several shades of grey fashion tartans and grey jackets available for hire and it has nothing to do with the popularity of a certain racy book.

It allows them to basically offer the same kilt with a defining stripe which will make the groom's party match. The men take no interest as soon as bridezilla and her mum turn up. For the bride, all that matters is what people will say about the wedding later, what will the photos look like, will it be as fashionable as the other weddings happening that year. Brides don't wear kilts so their interest in it as a garment serves one brief and utilitarian purpose.

Talking to couples or men on their own or sometimes parents buying their son a kilt is a completely different story however. That's when the swatch books come out, different jacket styles (sometimes not in black or grey! Gasp!) are shown and discussions of pewter vs silver kilt pins and outrageous versus conservative sporrans are pitched against each other. Highlandwear is losing its colour in the mainstream, doublets are rare, striking colours in tweed even rarer. Everything has to be wishy-washy, don't stand out - some people don't want to. If you don't want to stand out, there are cheaper ways to blend in.

[Alan H]

So for examples..... and I want to point out that this is ME (and possibly Hamish, too, but I can't speak for Hamish of course), this is what I PREFER. I'm not saying "this is wrong and that is right?" OK?

So.

I much prefer this:



and yes, I chose a photograph with white socks, because I LIKE white socks, especially in a more formal setting. However, I wouldn't grouse if the socks were, say, black or charcoal gray or a blue tone that's in the kilt.

over this:



combined with this



and this:



with this:



and this:



I'd throw in pictures of fly plaid pins and sgian dubhs and dagger/knife/fork/spoon sets, too, but I'll defer.

OK, again, I'm not saying that wearing all that kit is WRONG... eh? It's just my taste. I'm just saying that if I employ Hamish's principle and Steve's principle of KISS, then simple is good. Let the tartan and the kilt be what it is and don't drown it in a bazillion bits and bobs.

[KiltFitz]

Yeah, I think a bit of discerning taste is a good thing but some things can seem too far, even for me. For instance I love that Montrose doublet but I hate lace cuffs and jabot. That said, I'd have the doublet in green velvet, thanks.

To explain what I mean, I think that in 20 years time this:



Will be a more striking and better picture than this:



Is one better than the other? Personal choice I suppose but:

In the first one, the chap looks like he put a bit of thought into a really good outfit with colours working well. That will be a great outfit for years.

In the second picture, if you like very closely, blur your eyes out of focus slightly as if you are trying to see beyond the landscape....you will notice that there are some men in the photo too.

[kiltedtom]

Steve,

I like your basic point that simplicity is usually in best taste too. But, to be honest, I do wear socks to match my trousers. I only have three colors in everything: blue, black, brown. LOL. So socks and trousers both are worn in the same colors. I am not good at mixing and matching color schemes. I am a single guy with no one around to give me advice. And I avoid mirrors. (Maybe that is why I am single ) I only have one pair of hose, blue to match the blue in my kilt. Sorry. Does that get me kicked out of the Rabble? LOL.

In the meantime, have a great holiday season.

Tom

[vmac3205]

If you've got, flaunt it.

Oh, please!

[davidlpope]

So for examples..... and I want to point out that this is ME (and possibly Hamish, too, but I can't speak for Hamish of course), this is what I PREFER. I'm not saying "this is wrong and that is right?" OK?

So.

I much prefer this:

Sartorial tastes differ from person to person. What looks "right" to one person's eyes may seem unattractive to another person. I can't help but think, though, that a preference for the look above is strongly influenced (perhaps even subconsciously) by the ubiquity of such kilt-hire outfits.

If this is the way that one prefers to dress, de gustibus, etc. If one desires to consciously emulate the traditions of the Highlands of Scotland, though, one has to be a bit bolder...