Quote Originally Posted by David Woodington
I look forward to the Celtic festival in our neck of the woods every year...

But it is hard to find many who wear the kilt regularly,many I see that arn't competing are really overdressed wearing flying plaids, formal night sporrans and the like. I usually look like i'm out for a hill walk,ie kilt,hiking boots or leather loafer,t-shirt if it's hot or a sweater if cooler.
Hiking boots and T-shirt sounds like how I dress most of the time. If I am taking the family somewhere I wear a nice shirt such as an Oxford or polo or Henley, along with a tweed or leather waistcoat left open, and a day sporran. If the ocassion is particularly nice or requires a bit of formality, I'll pull the socks up and wear flashes, and get out a semi-dress sporran and sometimes the Sgian Dubh and a jacket.

When I went to the mall last week to buy a pair of shoes, I dressed a bit upscale as mentioned above with the intention of coordinating the shoes with the look I was trying to get. I had a good time wearing a traditional kilt around since usually I am in a casual. I returned to the mall yesterday to pick up a jacket that required an alteration, and then stopped by Lazarus/Macy to see about getting another pair of the shoes I had purchased, this time in black. The fellow who had sold me the first pair of shoes was there. He volunteered that after I had left last week, the store was buzzing with talk from folks wanting to know what was up with the guy in the kilt: were the Scottish games in town? was their a festival? etc.

He and I had talked to some length, so he understood my kilt philosophy and relayed it to them. He really made my day when he told me that if I felt any insecurities over dressing as I was, I should put them away because the concensus of the staff at Lazarus/Macy was outstandingly positive. The best part was that my wife was witness to this bit of gushing and will definitely relay it to her mother. It is funny how a bit of outside affirmation of this type can do wonders for helping some folks come to terms with their son-in-law's whacky antics.


Anyway, the vast majority of folks one encounters while at a festival or Highland Games get "dressed up" only a few times per year at best. When most folks buy their kilt outfit, they buy one that is dressy, with coatees and fly plaids and a furry beast of a sporran. It has to be an all occasion thing for them, and based on the expense I totally understand. It might not be proper, and it looks darned warm (!), but at least they are getting some use out of their kilt suits.


One last item. My wife chanced upon a new girl friend who actually appreciates the kilted man. When my wife asked her how often her husband wore his kilt, she responded that he liked to wear it on Halloween. It reminded me of Bear's tag...

Mychael