Warm in winter

**Trey** · 13th December 10, 09:36 PM

Friends,

A crisis has arisen in cadet land. As many of you know it gets rather nippy in New York and as it looks like there are not any plans to move the United States Military Academy to Palm Beach it has fallen to me to come up with a solid plan to prevent us from freezing solid.
First is the topic of overcoats.

Below is a photo of one of our drummers wearing the cadet short overcoat. This is what we wore to the Army/Navy game this weekend.

If the above photo doesnt work then look on our facebook page linked below

Below is a photo of the cadet long overcoat [more similar to a british great coat]. We dont have a uniform plate with this as most members of the band think it would look very "flasher-ish" to wear a long coat with simply the spats showing.

Please fill up this thread with helpful advice or at least humorous retorts.
Also please join the band’s facebook group to keep informed on our goings on. Link is posted below.
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/...id=48334632733

**Chas** · 14th December 10, 04:22 AM

Hi Trey,

An Inverness Cape is traditional and so designed for pipers to wear and pipe at the same time. Ultra cheap models can be bought for well under $50. They, of course, provide no warmth. But you could purchase one for demonstration purposes to show other members how it would look.

Regards

Chas

**McFarkus** · 14th December 10, 07:09 AM

You can get Inverness Capes that are primarily for rain, but there are also wool capes available.

**fluter** · 14th December 10, 11:56 AM

I think you would be fine with the long coats. The spats won't look any different than tall boots. My coat is longer, but I wear it as needed:

gckilt by arcturus1997, on Flickr

**Canuck of NI** · 14th December 10, 12:24 PM

Can't see photo #1 and can't access Facebook, so I may be missing the point here. However... I've seen lots of reports from kiltwearers that have no problem with wearing them in winter- but most of them are indeed resident south of you. Where I am, in Ontario, I really wouldn't dream of doing so from now until March 1, or at least haven't so far- except on Burns Night but that only involves a 30 foot walk to the car. The coats in the second photo look pretty good to me, but in an Ontario I would have long johns on underneath trousers, not a kilt. But it should be possible to pull off the long johns WITH a kilt if you choose a flesh toned colour, pull your hose up and your kilt down (a lot of woolen undergarments, I recommend Stanfields from Nova Scotia (advt), are almost invisible, at least on Caucasians). There is nothing in law to say that bare leg must be seen. Of course if you're in a military dress code situation the only thing to do may be to suffer, and grow in the suffering.

**Woot22** · 14th December 10, 12:52 PM

I do not have any photos or links to help but I know one of the forum members named Ancienne Alliance has posted some good pics of wearing the kilt in extreme cold weather. He was wearing a short coat the does not cover the kilt at all. He looked pretty comfortable in the photos as an 8yard kilt is warm by itself. Hope he reads this and can give you some good options. I don't like the Inverness Cape either as it defeats the purpose of wearing a kilt if you can't see it. It is very practical for sure but if you are on parade at West Point you want people to be able to see the kilt. Just my two cents anyway.

**cavscout** · 14th December 10, 06:09 PM

First of all the band looks great as is. I think the short coat looks fine but over time I'd fear the damage the coat would do to the horse hair sporrans or even if it wasn't damaged, just the extra maintenance it would take to straighten it back out.

A nice touch would be a short coat with a sporran cut-away, a-la http://www.glengarryhats.com/cutaway_cef.php but double breasted.

Add a pipers plaid to it and you will strike a very impressive image.

**Woot22** · 14th December 10, 06:15 PM

Originally Posted by cavscout

First of all the band looks great as is. I think the short coat looks fins but over time I'd fear the damage it would do to the horse hair sporrans or even if it wasn't damaged, just the extra maintenance it would take to straighten it back out.

A nice touch would be a short coat with a sporran cut-away, a-la http://www.glengarryhats.com/cutaway_cef.php

Great idea, would look sharp and should be warm enough if it is wool. Would be nice if they could have it made in gray.

**BroosterB1** · 14th December 10, 07:24 PM

Having looked at your uniforms with the short coat, as well as the alternatives offered here...my recommendation is .....BUCK UP CADET!

There I said it. You guys look great IMHO, why over think it? Beside as you are more than likely aware 90% of heat loss is through the head and feet.

Looks like you have the head covered pretty well, if you need some additional help with the feet, silk or nylon sock liners work really well.

Another basic is LAYERS! the more layers you have to trap air the better off you are.

Don't matter what your wearing if it is too damn cold to pipe.

**Riverkilt** · 14th December 10, 08:44 PM

Guessing the Army doesn't offer the equivalent of the Navy bridgecoat.

I keep toasty warm with a replica U.S. Cavalry Civil War era greatcoat

Also have had good luck with surplus greatcoats - this British

And this Sweedish

Imagine having the proper color is also an issue. But can assure you that the combination of a well crafted wool kilt and a wool greatcoat will keep you toasty warm.