Willie Duff and the Modern Kilt-Wearer: The Ramblings of a Still-Fledgeling Kiltie

[Livonian]

May the rambling commence!

While I was still building up to the purchase of the Stillwater Standard that has since given ground to a Stillwater "Heavyweight", I obviously became aware of the MacLeay portraits (as did many of us). Most of it didn't interest me too horribly much , except for a particular gentlemen: Willie Duff. Everyone else in the portraits looks like they made a real effort to press, shine, brush, and starch their clothes for the portrait... except for him. Consequently, he is the only one who a casual observer would never mistake for anything but a man in his daily attire. He does many things "wrong": Mixing formalities (diced hose with otherwise uber-casual attire in the same era when mere solid hose were worn with smart daywear), Jacket "too long" (I have Saxon jackets that are shorter), kilt rumpled and faded, and (most obviously) no sporran. Despite his utterly unremarkable appearance, something still intrigued me about his dress, even though I personally favor a much sharper turnout.

I recently realized: when's the last time you saw someone going out and about with all of their attire looking like they just stepped out of a menswear catalogue? Even at typically dressy events, there is a degree of "sloppiness" to what is, in reality, worn: Shoes duller than they could be, trouser crease not knife-sharp, coat somewhat rumpled, etc, etc. On the rare occasion someone dresses 100% perfectly outside of military/police dress uniforms, it tends to look affected and "uniform-ish". I put two and two together and thought that perhaps the tendency towards great neatness has influenced public perception of Highland Attire.

Today, I set out to test this (albeit not very scientifically). As I donned the kilt after returning home from work, I did not take the usual due diligence to ensure that my attire was in perfect order. The kilt was a bit rumpled, the hose not precisely even, and my overall appearance somewhat less than perfect. For reference, I was wearing a Black Watch SWK Heavyweight, a grey tweed vest, a charcoal Aran cardigan with a wrist-length hem, a white shirt with red tie, bottle green hose, and ghillie brogues with short laces (my other shoes all needed a coat of polish)

The public's reaction?

None. None of the usual comments about being all dressed up (Although the exact same combination of items had garnered this response in the past), not a soul asking about my prowess on the pipes (which I have no desire to play, and would probably have little prowess on), and not so much as a turned head, a pair of pursed lips, or any look other than one of neutrality. Not saying that Willie Duff gave a hoot about how well he was or wasn't dressed or how future kilt-wearers would see him, but his borderline haggard dress may offer us some wisdom on how to change minds about the place of the kilt... just wear the bloody thing! It's not a "special occasions only" item, and not even a "dressed-up only" item... It's perfectly acceptable daily attire, and if that shows in a few rumpled pleats or a slightly wrinkled vest, so be it... as long as you don't make a fool of yourself or dress in a disrespectful manner.