What's wrong with this picture?

**Taskr** · 23rd March 18, 12:43 PM

Yup, its on backwards, and that is probably the basting not yet removed. Is it sitting too low (natural waist kilt worn at jeans waist)? Can't really tell, but maybe. As for the rest, choice of style that the rest of us don't have to agree with. We don't have to agree with him wearing it backwards, either, but would be polite to mention it.

**Me cousin Jack** · 23rd March 18, 01:04 PM

I didn’t want to point this out, but I think he’s leaking.

**Katia** · 23rd March 18, 02:35 PM

Originally Posted by Liam

Fellow Ladies and Gentlemen of Xmarks....

While Jock Scott may have been born wearing a kilt, or wore it shortly there after, most of us have had to learn from someone else or from others of a forum such as this how to properly wear it. Therefore be gentle, and suggest that they have a look at kilt sites such as this.

I encountered a young man at the Calgary Highland Games a couple of years ago who was wearing his kilt "in reverse" and casually suggested that most wear the pleats in the back. Unfortunately I saw him later that day with it still the wrong way about. I concluded that it may have been intentional.

"Just wanted to let you know, dude-- looks like your kilt has twisted around backward. Wasn't sure if you had noticed. Also, it looks like all of your basting stitches haven't come out. And a pair of suspenders is really great to keep it from slipping down too low, but that's one of those things people don't think to tell you*."

YES what I would really mean is "you're clueless but I'm going to try to let you save face by pretending I think you just don't realize you're having a wardrobe malfunction and I promise not to roll my eyes until you're gone."

*No, really, this could be the case. It might be that he's got nothing in back to keep it up. Yes, I know this from experience since my former partner had just this problem. I, um, do not have this problem, so it didn't occur to me to advise suspenders until halfway through his cousin's wedding reception when I looked at him and wondered what shoddy kiltmaker would make him a garment where the pleats started halfway to his knees... then I realized it wasn't a problem of the kilt itself... (being a kind and sympathetic significant other, I immediately began making bets with our friends as to whether it would fall off entirely by the end of the night.)

I wouldn't worry about the rest of it. They may be intentional stylistic decisions. Not necessarily ones you or I would agree with, but that's why he's wearing it and not us.

**tripleblessed** · 24th March 18, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by jose995

I refuse to believe that anyone who spent money for a kilt would not know which is the front and which is the back!

Several members here attended a Kiltcon event in the Atlanta area last year and encountered folk who were new to kilts. A call was made to group up on the stairs outside the bar for a photo. As we were arranging ourselves, I managed to insert myself next to a very nice gentleman
who was wearing his kilt backwards. While conversing, he mentioned he was a little nervous and uncertain, and asked what I thought of his acquisitions. I told him I thought he had chosen well, though were he serious about wearing it, he might wish to turn it around before the photo. He did, was embarrassed, and was relieved to see I wasn't laughing.

Then there's infamous DNA company ad where the guy is wearing a kilt backwards while talking about how grateful he is to have found out
the family story of being German had been resolved. Big oops for a costume person on the shoot. I have been amazed to see that they've
not bothered to reshoot to correct.

More than once I have encountered folk with basting still in place. A quiet, "You might want to remove these to avoid damaging your kilt.'' is appreciated. In all encounters, a gentle suggestion in the vein of "I rise to a point of order" is well received, along with reassurances that we were all new once.

**KiltedSergeant** · 24th March 18, 01:40 PM

Originally Posted by tripleblessed

Several members here attended a Kiltcon event in the Atlanta area last year and encountered folk who were new to kilts. A call was made to group up on the stairs outside the bar for a photo. As we were arranging ourselves, I managed to insert myself next to a very nice gentleman
who was wearing his kilt backwards. While conversing, he mentioned he was a little nervous and uncertain, and asked what I thought of his acquisitions. I told him I thought he had chosen well, though were he serious about wearing it, he might wish to turn it around before the photo. He did, was embarrassed, and was relieved to see I wasn't laughing.

Then there's infamous DNA company ad where the guy is wearing a kilt backwards while talking about how grateful he is to have found out
the family story of being German had been resolved. Big oops for a costume person on the shoot. I have been amazed to see that they've
not bothered to reshoot to correct.

More than once I have encountered folk with basting still in place. A quiet, "You might want to remove these to avoid damaging your kilt.'' is appreciated. In all encounters, a gentle suggestion in the vein of "I rise to a point of order" is well received, along with reassurances that we were all new once.

Very interesting, good advice, and I never noticed that the gentleman who had thought he was German was wearing his kilt backwards! I'll have to check that out.

**BThomHie** · 3rd April 18, 03:35 PM

some twisted his head around backwards so he is facing the pleats

**The TALL TN Scot** · 3rd April 18, 06:38 PM

***UPDATE***

I did reach out to him in a very respectful and private manner and humbled myself by saying that I am no expert. I told him of the discrepancies and even invited him in an indirect manner to join this forum, citing that I have learned much and more about Kilt Etiquette, but he didn't acknowledge any of that, instead saying that I should go to the Scottish Festival this year (which I already am), then went into how much money he has invested in this and how he plans to but a William Wallace Sword (as seen in Brave Heart)... This dude is just a big, dumb animal, but mostly harmless (Douglas Adams reference).

Oh well, if he hasn't learned the proper way to Kilt Up in the years that he's been attending the festival (he claims regular attendance for about 10 years now), I guess there is no hope. Oh well, I know I'll look right!

**Beery** · 4th May 18, 05:59 AM

Originally Posted by Tarheel

I do not get enough information from the photo on the kilt (as it is hidden by the shirt) except that is on backwards. I'll bet it was designed to be worn higher and slipped down to the hips (possibly thinking that is how all clothes are worn).

On close inspection, it looks like he bought a kilt to fit him at the hips. If you look inside his shirt opening, you can just see his belly poking out above the kilt.

I'm guessing this is a fellow who, on a whim and without doing any homework, bought an $800 kilt, following all the standard measurements except the waist. When he got it, he didn't know to remove the basting stitches, or which side is the front, or that it's about 4 inches too long.

Fortunately, not all is lost: all of his errors can be fixed with some hard work to lose that beer belly (and maybe setting the buckles at the kilt's maximum expansion), and by turning the kilt around and removing the basting stitches.