Highland Dress

[Edward]

"jeans of a diffetrent shape" - skirts for me, you mean? lol

Panache - thanks, those resources will be very helpful... I'll spend some time looking through those. With a quality, genuine Scots kilt approaching the price of an A2, it certainly pays to do the homework prior to purchase!

 

[Abyss]

I must say thanks for that information, Panache. In fact, I have shown the X-Kilt design to a friend of mine, and she said that she will sew a kilt or two for me!

Hmm, what colors should I ask for? I already have a straight black one, mind you. Would a khaki/tan kilt would look good?

 

[Joan]

"jeans of a diffetrent shape" - skirts for me, you mean? lol

That's my interpretation. But if a guy wears a "skirt," he's in drag. This is a guy's garment, but it's not a proper kilt, is it? I think someone should come up with a separate name for it.

 

[Panache]

That's my interpretation. But if a guy wears a "skirt," he's in drag. This is a guy's garment, but it's not a proper kilt, is it? I think someone should come up with a separate name for it.

Joan,

You would be amazed at how often this debate come up.

The term "kilt" has been adopted from its original roots in Scotland to come to mean a masculine skirt for men. The Fusinella (sp?) is often referred to as a white Greek kilt. The skirt like garment the ancient Egyptians wore is called a kilt. The Hopi wear a skirt-like garment for certain dances and they choose to have their word for it translated as "kilt".

To me Utilikilts, Freedom Kilts, Union Kilts, Neo Kilts, Amerikilts, and all the rest are modern kilts or contemporary kilts. Traditional Kilts is the term one should use for traditional Highland wear. Though one must be careful, as Great Kilts, phillabegs, boxpleat, and knife pleat kilts are all certainly traditional

Cheers

Jamie

 

[Edward]

I've seen an element of kilt snobbery in my time that distinguishes between traditional kilts and "menskirts." lol My take is that much like trousers, first developed by cultures where horseback riding was a feature (not so in the Scottish Highlands when the kilt was born, I gather), the kilt will change and develop over time. I prefer the traditional look, but I have no problem with the term 'kilt' being adapted as general nomenclature for skirt type garments for men. Within reason, of course - David Beckham's sarong will never be a kilt of any sort in my eyes.

It does intrigue me, though, that by calling an essentially similar garment a kilt, it can suddenly become an acceptable item of clothing for a man, whereas few adopted Jean Paul Gaultier's "Skirts for Men". (I only remember UK television presenter Jonathan Ross sporting one away from the catwalk.) I wonder does that say something about the fragile male ego? lol

 

[Nick D]

That's a good look, Nick! Not often you see the frilly shirt (gah, I'm blanking on the proper name). That's the Highland equivalent of white tie, though it seems nowadays to have been mostly replaced by the black tie with Prince Charlie jacket, even on white tie occasions, I gather.

BTW.... you ever had issues carrying the dirk, or is it just accepted as part of the formal outfit? I'm presuming in Scotland it wouldn't be an issue, but down here among the Sassenachs where they're not so familiar with these things....

Thanks, Edward. The only name I've heard for it is a 'jabot shirt', though that may not be the proper name. I like the PC for black tie occassions (I don't have one myself at the moment), but it's not quite white tie, and I prefer the cut of the Montrose doublet for very formal events.

That picture was taken back home in Michigan, so there was no problem wearing the dirk and sgian dhu (in my right hose top, can't see it in the pic). I believe the dirk and sgian are still allowable in the UK as long as they're part of Highland dress, though an MP was barred from Parliament a few years ago for his sgian dhu.

 

[Panache]

...It does intrigue me, though, that by calling an essentially similar garment a kilt, it can suddenly become an acceptable item of clothing for a man, whereas few adopted Jean Paul Gaultier's "Skirts for Men". (I only remember UK television presenter Jonathan Ross sporting one away from the catwalk.) I wonder does that say something about the fragile male ego? lol

Edward,

I think that what it really says is the image of the kilted gentleman resonates as masculine. The romanticized ideal of the stoic Highlander, the picture of the stalwart Highland Regiments of the British Army, the regal look royal family in tartan, and other such images have become the archtypes for all masculine skirts.

Cheers

Jamie

 

[Edward]

Jamie, I think certainly noone with any sense or taste would ever regard a kilt as effeminate. Certianly not with so much of the classical imagery associated with it.

Thanks, Edward. The only name I've heard for it is a 'jabot shirt', though that may not be the proper name. I like the PC for black tie occassions (I don't have one myself at the moment), but it's not quite white tie, and I prefer the cut of the Montrose doublet for very formal events.

That picture was taken back home in Michigan, so there was no problem wearing the dirk and sgian dhu (in my right hose top, can't see it in the pic). I believe the dirk and sgian are still allowable in the UK as long as they're part of Highland dress, though an MP was barred from Parliament a few years ago for his sgian dhu.

Mostly folks I've seen in Highland dress over here have dispensed with the Dirk, but still sport the sgian dhu. I suppose in part the SD is generally more acceptable over here because most of the ones you see nowadays wouldn't cut paper! The Dirk, well, that might be different. A lot will also depend on location - what you choose to carry at a private event is very different than what you might carry in a public place.

 

[Panache]

White tie Highland Dress

Edward and I have been off again/on again corresponding as he carefully has been acquiring the components of his highland attire.

I had mentioned to him that I had come into possession of a Sheriffmuir doublet to go with my kilt and was awaiting a pair of custom made matching argyll hose to complete the outfit.

He suggested I add the photo to his original thread from last year

So here is me in the Highland equivalent to white tie formal

So Edward and all,

What do you think?



Cheers

Jamie

 

[ThesFlishThngs]

Very dapper, Jamie.

Here are some not-so-formal kilt shots. My fellow used to be in a pipe band before medical school took over his life, but I don't have any online pics of him in that capacity, just these:

His Stuart of Bute family tartan kilt, & a borrowed horsehair sporran. The white face and tailcoat were part of his role as 'ghost piper' for the faery ball. (And that's my collapsible Disney top hat he's holding like a black pancake.)

Fetching beer after a St. Pat's parade:

Embarrassing the instructor in injection class:

 

[Lone_Ranger]

Sort of a historical question for those of you that participate in Pipe and Drum Corps.

Why is Traditional Scottish Highland dress associated with these organizations? Usually they have ties to public safety (police/fire), which historically have a large Irish, not Sottish makeup. Around the turn of the century, Irish-born men made up 11 percent of America's policemen.

 

[Mrs. Merl]

Spectacular Jamie! You wear it very well.

 

[High Pockets]

Kilt length and weight are two very important factors.
A lightweight kilt doesn't hang or move correctly.

A generally accepted rule of thumb for the correct length is when a man is on the floor on his knees the kilt should just touch the floor.

Most men not familiar with the proper wearing of one most often wear it too short.

My band:

Me in the middle. As I am a drummer, (a drunken one most times), my sporran is on my side.

 

[ThesFlishThngs]

I'll second High Pockets on the length issue. A man in a mini kilt is not a delightful sight.

 

[Panache]

Showing the versatility of the kilt

I thought I would share this with my fellow members of the Fedora Lounge

My friend Steve is a kilt maker up in Canada. I was so pleased with the beautiful Isle of Skye tartan kilt he made me that in turn I made him this poster for his shop.

From costume to punk, casual to white tie, the kilt is the most versatile garment I know of.

Cheers

Jamie

 

[Beowulf67]

The IOS is a beautiful tartan isn't it?

 

[Alexi]

question regarding WWI/WWII British Army trews, how would they (say the blackwatch trews sold by wpg) look with a tweed sports coat and a pair of loafers?

 

[Edward]

Edward and I have been off again/on again corresponding as he carefully has been acquiring the components of his highland attire.

I had mentioned to him that I had come into possession of a Sheriffmuir doublet to go with my kilt and was awaiting a pair of custom made matching argyll hose to complete the outfit.

He suggested I add the photo to his original thread from last year

So here is me in the Highland equivalent to white tie formal

So Edward and all,

What do you think?



Cheers

Jamie

Belated response, apologies! Looks great. That's one of those outfits that can be tricky - easy to look "fancy dress" if you don't wear it with the right level of confidence (much like any vintage, I suppose). You really wear it well. Probably be a while before I get so far as to go for one of those (based on the fact I find so few occasions on which white tie is suitable), but definitely looks great.

question regarding WWI/WWII British Army trews, how would they (say the blackwatch trews sold by wpg) look with a tweed sports coat and a pair of loafers?

Naturally, my ancestors as far as I can make out having fought on the side of the Jacobites, I wouldn't be seen dead in a Campbell tartan.... ....but for what it may be worth.... I'd err on the side of caution here. I do like an Argyle jacket worn with trews. It would be harder, to my eye, to carry off a longer length jacket such as a regular sports jacket with tartan trews. I'd quite possibly shy away from tweed and stick with a generic wool in a plain, dark colour - black or charcoal grey, or possibly, depending upon the tartan, a navy. If you're going to wear tartan trews, much like a kilt, I think the rest of the outfit has to be quite subdued in terms of colour palette so that it doesn't end up over the top. Interested to see photos if you experiment with this look - the kilt is the higher priority for me, but I'm also tempted to go for a pair of trews in the family tartan as well.

 

[sproily]

(Tartan: X Marks the Scot)

lol

I love the cape! Where'd you find a treasure like that? That's exactly the sort that is on my list!

 

[PADDY]

Friend's wedding a few weeks ago.

Not a kilt, but my clan tartan trews (just feel I get more wear from them and can wear them with a tux too).