Kilt suitable for a funeral. ....

[Angstrom]

Don't dress for yourself or for the others present. Dress for the person you are honoring. If you let that be your guide, you'll have no regrets.

This.

The closest experience I can offer was a friend's funeral for which I chose one of my brightest ties over the more somber options because she was anything but a somber person. Her mother thought it was very appropriate.

My condolences on your loss.

[tpa]

Very sorry to hear about your Dad, I trust he is not suffering. From what you have said I would say your kilt is ideal. I would wear it with a tweed Argyle, white shirt, black tie, black sporran and black shoes..

[Ayrkiltie]

Really sorry to hear about your Dad.
I was in the same position when my Mum was in her last few months which was a few years ago now, but she did specifically ask me to remember and wear my kilt for her funeral and to wear it as I had always done. I first wore a kilt in 1953 when I was 5 and it was my Mum who wanted me to do so as it was the 'done thing'in Scotland then for boys to have kilts and to wear them for special occasions and to church and sometimes as in my case as I got older, to school.
I always wore my kilt when I visited her and I wore it as she requested at her funeral.
I wore it as TPA suggests above with the exception of the tie. I wore a white shirt with blue self wool tie as she did not want black at her funeral.

[O'Callaghan]

Thank you all for the kind words, they are much appreciated. ..in answer to the questions asked by kiltedchef:
yes everyone I know knows I'm a kilt wearer,
most everyone thinks its really cool that I do especially dad,
and he does indeed have a favorite tartan..the Strathearn District Muted.... .this is dads favorite tartan because it reminds him so much of the Autumn colors, Autumn being his (and mine as well) favorite time of year.

Johnnie.

Then that's what you wear.

[Nile]

Johnnie,

I'm sorry to hear about your father; our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. The last days and the eventual passing of a loved one is an especilly sad event in our lives. It's just difficult to know that someone close is about to leave us. For many of us, that situation creates a heightened awareness of their latter day needs and, of course, our own need to cope with those emotions that well up inside of us.

Though all of that is separate from the fact that we may or may not wear kilts, I believe that it's perfectly acceptable to wear your kilt (tartan or not) to the funeral. That fulfills your own need and shows no disrespect. In fact it displays a great deal of respect when you do something special in honor of your dad's spirit and memory.

My father died this past April after a short illness and we knew it was coming. Though both of his parents (my paternal grandparents) were of Scottish ancestry, he never wore kilts. However, that didn't stop me from wearing my (our Fraser clan tartan) kilt to the Funeral and wake. I wear kilts, it was my prerogative and believe it honored our ancestral heritage (plus, it was my need to wear it).

I have a good friend who's father passed (after a prolonged illness) just a few months before my father passed. Though my friend doesn't and never did wear kilts, his father did on special occasions and had expressed as his dyeing wish to be buried in his kilt (it was his need to wear it to the grave) so, the family honored that wish (and yes it was an heirloom wool kilt made in Scotland).

Nile