Wearing for the first time

[AmateurKiltsmen]

Hello, i recently got everything together for my first kilt, the sporran, kilt, pin &c all of my own choosing, but i do have some questions.

1: Where to put the pin? i understand it only goes through one of the aprons, not both, in the bottom right corner from the wearers perspective, where exactly in the corner? three up three to the left sword point down?

2: My kilt is ever so slightly too big, i don't blame the maker nor myself as i'm an odd shape, thin at the back, big at the front (yea i really should try to get fit) will the sporran chain help with this? i can get my fingers in at the top

3: How to prevent it from blowing open? i will be wearing something underneath but it would still be embarassing if it happened

4: What about the top half? what should i wear up there? i'll post a picture of my latest oufit at the bottom of the post and leave it to you to decide if it would benefit from a kilt

5: How do i safely negotiate lifts and escalators in a kilt without becoming a double amputee?

6: Best way of hanging up a kilt?

I'll appreciate your help, below are pictures (do know the kilt wearing pic is one that was far too big and was sent back, but my current one is the same make and tartan, it's the one in the pic of it on my coat stand)

[ShaunMaxwell]

You might find this thread helpful:

https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/...ad.php?t=85511

Look closely at the photos that are still available.

Cheers,

SM

[AmateurKiltsmen]

You might find this thread helpful:

https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/...ad.php?t=85511

Look closely at the photos that are still available.

Cheers,

SM

Thanks for the link, i looked at that thread when i first signed up and loved the variety of clothes you can wear a kilt with, but there isn’t any sailor outfits there (and yes I know hornpipe outfits are similar if not identical)

[ShaunMaxwell]

I don't recall ever seeing photos of kilted sailors... Seems an unpractical garment for the job.

Here's an old thread that touches on the subject: https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/...sailors-80994/

We'll see what others have to say.

Cheers,

SM

[ShaunMaxwell]

As for hanging a kilt:

I follow Steve Ashton's method described below, which has always worked for me:


"You can use almost any hanger that you already have in your house. All they need is some form of clip. Plastic skirt hangers, metal, even the wooden pants hangers work equally well.

First open the kilt all the way.

Then fold in half bringing the two apron edges together.

Put one hanger on the aprons and one on the pleats.

Finally fold in half again and hang.

The reason that this works is that each clip is going over only two layers of killt.

I owned and ran a kilt shop for just under 20 years. I was hanging and taking down kilts all day long. I tried just about every hanger out there. Yet I was constantly picking 4 lb wool kilts off the floor.
Wide hangers are too wide for most closets and some dedicated kilts hangers are ridiculously expensive.
I stumbled across this method of using two hangers and it worked so well that all the kilts in my shop were hung this way. I taught it to all my customers and have posted it here many times. Kilts hung this way hang wrinkle free and do not fall off.

One additional perk is that when you are packing for a trip simply take the kilt down, remove the hanger and fold in half one additional time."

[AmateurKiltsmen]

I don't recall ever seeing photos of kilted sailors... Seems an unpractical garment for the job.

Here's an old thread that touches on the subject: https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/...sailors-80994/

We'll see what others have to say.

Cheers,

SM

Thanks for the thread, it looks interesting, aside from the obvious i can imagine it being quite a safety hazard around machinery and when aloft, i've only seen yachtsmen go kilted and of course goers on cruise ships.

And that's not the only reason a kilt with a sailor outfit might look out of place, i just don't want to risk looking like an anime girl, or look like some eclectic SM who served in both the Blackwatch and Royal Navy.

While i do wear history bounding clothes my sailor outfit is more a reflection of my love of the sea, and i love how something so simple can be so smart, i mean if it didn't have that collar, it would just be an ordinary jumper, it's also my battlejacket (patch jacket) but i haven't figured out attaching all my patches to it yet.

I'll have to figure something out, maybe highland wear for the week and sea clothes for saturday, i'm a man of eclectic tastes.

[AmateurKiltsmen]

As for hanging a kilt:

I follow Steve Ashton's method described below, which has always worked for me:


"You can use almost any hanger that you already have in your house. All they need is some form of clip. Plastic skirt hangers, metal, even the wooden pants hangers work equally well.

First open the kilt all the way.

Then fold in half bringing the two apron edges together.

Put one hanger on the aprons and one on the pleats.

Finally fold in half again and hang.

The reason that this works is that each clip is going over only two layers of killt.

I owned and ran a kilt shop for just under 20 years. I was hanging and taking down kilts all day long. I tried just about every hanger out there. Yet I was constantly picking 4 lb wool kilts off the floor.
Wide hangers are too wide for most closets and some dedicated kilts hangers are ridiculously expensive.
I stumbled across this method of using two hangers and it worked so well that all the kilts in my shop were hung this way. I taught it to all my customers and have posted it here many times. Kilts hung this way hang wrinkle free and do not fall off.

One additional perk is that when you are packing for a trip simply take the kilt down, remove the hanger and fold in half one additional time."

Thanks for the advice but do have any tips for quickly putting a kilt on? i find it hard by myself and usually need to enlist the help of family.

[ShaunMaxwell]

Thanks for the advice but do have any tips for quickly putting a kilt on? i find it hard by myself and usually need to enlist the help of family.

I'm sure opinions will vary, but once the requisite under wear is donned (boxer briefs and undershirt), I tend to start with the kilt hose, then garter ties and shoes. Then shirt, kilt, then sporran strap and belt (unless wearing a waistcoat) and then necktie, if suitable. Then waistcoat and jacket (depending on the weather and occasion). Bonnet goes on last, if I'm to be outdoors and it's not too hot to wear.

The hardest part for me is getting the foldover on my hose right (as I'm on the shorter side and it's necessary for my hose to be the correct height), and getting my garter ties tied so the ends are even and not too long!

The first few times you do it, it may take a little while, but it gets easier and quicker the more you do it. The only thing (apart from the aforementioned hose) that slows me down is on the rare black tie occasions when I have to tie my bowtie, which I do seldom enough to make remembering how a challenge!

Cheers,

SM

[AmateurKiltsmen]

I'm sure opinions will vary, but once the requisite under wear is donned (boxer briefs and undershirt), I tend to start with the kilt hose, then garter ties and shoes. Then shirt, kilt, then sporran strap and belt (unless wearing a waistcoat) and then necktie, if suitable. Then waistcoat and jacket (depending on the weather and occasion). Bonnet goes on last, if I'm to be outdoors and it's not too hot to wear.

The hardest part for me is getting the foldover on my hose right (as I'm on the shorter side and it's necessary for my hose to be the correct height), and getting my garter ties tied so the ends are even and not too long!



The first few times you do it, it may take a little while, but it gets easier and quicker the more you do it. The only thing (apart from the aforementioned hose) that slows me down is on the rare black tie occasions when I have to tie my bowtie, which I do seldom enough to make remembering how a challenge!

Cheers,

SM

Thanks but what about the kilt itself?

[ShaunMaxwell]

Thanks but what about the kilt itself?

What's confusing you? Hold the right end in your right hand and the left end in your left hand, with the kilt behind you (as if you were about to wrap a towel around your waist after a shower). Then wrap the right end of the kilt across your body to the left (and under the left end of the kilt), run the strap through the hole and and fasten the strap on your left hip. Then wrap the left end of the kilt across your body to the right and fasten the strap(s) to buckle(s) on your right hip.

Easy peasey.

Cheers,

SM