The Ghillie Shirt

[Pleater]

One of the basic problems with wearing the kilt is that it is a garment from a northern climate, and from a time when a shirt was something worn to go to bed, and then covered over by the layers put on over it to keep warm. The shirt might be revealed on a hot day when stripping off to do manual labour - or perhaps if intending to fight a duel or larger battle, but the garment called a ghillie shirt is something more in the style of the 1960s, and it is worn in the style of that decade.

Personally, I think that the kilt is clothing, and should be worn as it deemed appropriate by the wearer. It is not an anachronism but a garment well suited to the changing climate of today, and as fit to be worn casually in high summer, for work, or whatever else as with more formal clothes for weddings or funerals, warm hose and jersey, even a plaid for cooler days.

I have made a fair amount of costume over the years - I was a camp follower of John Lilburn's regiment of musket and pike, did a few things for amateur dramatics and adverts, the last things were a jedi robe, a pink cosy for a phone box outside BBC broadcasting house to advertise the Clangers, and some waistcoats for morris dancers - the basis of the design of all of them is that they need to be apt for the situation. The apricot bloomers for Widow Twankie have to be comical, the Jedi robe has to be huge and loose fitting but stay on without a fastening until the moment it is discarded.

Trying to confer upon the kilt a rigid set of rules as to what is the correct manner of dressing - well - you might as well try to herd cats. Yes there are distinct styles and conventions for some places and situations, but a man in a kilt and pair of sandals is adequately dressed for some and in full fig with dirk and feather bonnet might not be quite correct without some small change or addition for others.