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Kilt wearing advice and kilt sources

Started by groomporter, May 17, 2008, 08:34:38 PM

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groomporter

 New to wearing a kilt? Start watching women in short skirts (-well more than you already do...) to study how they move while sitting down to avoid exposing themselves. You can learn some tips by following their example. That sweep of the hands underneath you as you sit can not only prevent embarrassment, but protect you from surprises like cold/hot surfaces not to mention splinters.

Planning on buying/ wearing a great kilt/belted plaid? Don't listen to the people who try to tell you that you need 9 yards of 60" wide material. All you need is 4-6 yards depending on your size and the pattern of the tartan. The idea of 9 yards comes from a misconception
because the cloth for a belted plaid was only around 25" wide, depending on the size of the loom that was used to weave it. A 9 yard length of cloth was cut in half, and then the salvedge (long) edges were stitched together, resulting in a piece fabric only about four
and a half yards long and 50 (or so) inches wide. See this article by Matthew A. C. Newsome (Member of the International Guild of Tartan Scholars, curator of the Scottish Tartans Museum) http://kilts.albanach.org/yardage.html for more discussion of the matter. For the people that tell you that the phrase "The whole nine yards" refers to the belted plaid see this article ( http://tinyurl.com/26valx ) for all the other supposed explanations of that phrase.

Chafing. Yes, there is a certain esprit de corps about being regimental, but on a hot, humid day even us skinny guys can suffer. So if you are out on a hot/humid day you are NOT any less manly a Scot if you save yourself some pain by wearing some bike shorts, or boxers. Briefs can help, but they don't prevent your inner thighs from rubbing. Another option is a little anti-perspirant where your thighs rub together to minimize irritation later in the day. To touch on a more delicate area... some men can get a little irritation depending on... the um... "angle of the dangle"  ::) so if you are going regimental, make sure your have a shirt that is long enough to provide some lining between your friend and the wool.

If your sporran is full/heavy and you need to run or move quickly, move it off-center so it doesn't bounce painfully against delicate parts.

If you are going to wear a sword, especially with a great kilt/belted plaid, use a baldrick that goes over your shoulder rather than hanging the scabbard from a belt at your waist. If you are spending the day at a Renaissance fair or historical reenactment, the combined weight of your plaid, sporran, sword and any other accoutrement all hanging from a belt at your waist can become very uncomfortable on your hips after a couple hours.

Moms, please don't put your young boys into a full-sized great kilt/belted plaid. It can take a while to get used to wearing a great kilt, even for an adult. So if you want your son to enjoy
participating in your hobby, or celebrating your heritage, make sure he is as comfortable as possible -let him start out wearing a cut-down plaid made from a generic tartan as a great kilt that fits his size. Once he grows out of it you can use your son's first kilt as an arasaid, or
shawl. Or he can use it as a "fly plaid" pinned to his shoulder.

"So You're Going to Wear the Kilt" by J. Charles Thompson on Amazon at http://tinyurl.com/5b9wye



Websites with instructions on how to wear a great kilt aka belted plaid
http://www.kalani.net/KiltPleating101.htm

http://www.brotherguido.com/Greatkilt/Default.htm

http://www.theweebsite.com/greatkilt/index.html#puton

http://www.tartanweb.com/shop/pages/wrapping_wearing_great_kilt.html

http://www.historichighlanders.com/belted.htm
When you die can you donate your body to pseudo-science?

groomporter

#1
Casual Kilt Guide a comparison of companies that make casual kilts or non-tartan kilts (similar to http://utilikilts.com/ ):
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/page/casual_kilt_guide.php

Good inexpensive kilts, but a limited range of tartans
http://stillwaterkilts.com

A little more expensive, but a wide range of tartans
http://kilts-n-stuff.com

www.kiltday.com
Just about everything you need to know about kilted life and the best kilt related links page on the net.

www.xmarksthescot.com
The webs largest community of kilt wearers, promoting the kilt as a man's garment, not a costume.

www.jhiggins.net
J. Higgins is a large importer of highland dress in Kansas.

www.sportkilt.com
Affordable sport and "starter" kilts and accessories.

www.usakilts.com
"My kilt maker" USA offers custom tailored kilts in PV and wool at very reasonable prices.  Made in Phoenixville, PA.

www.scottishkilts.net
This Glasgow Scotland based company has some of the best pricing on the "real deal" Scottish made highland dress and accessories.

http://alphakilts.com
Non-tartan neo kilts similar to Utilikilts
When you die can you donate your body to pseudo-science?

NoBill Lurker

What a great guide, Groomporter!!!

If only I had something like this when I first started wearing a kilt and didn't have to learn all this the hard way! ::)

So what are you doing this weekend?
I'm going to BARF!!!
You're going to...wait...WHAT???

groomporter

Talking about the "hard way"... In my old Scottish group ( http://clanntartan.org ) when our guys got severely chafed after marching around in 90-degree, 90 percent humidity weather they developed a certain gait we called the "holy walk"  :'(
When you die can you donate your body to pseudo-science?

NoBill Lurker

That would be funny only if I hadn't came closer to that than I'd like to think about to that condition . :-[

I remember that the ladies here had a discussion on chaffing on the old site and the remedies they had for it, so who remembers what
was some of the cures? 
So what are you doing this weekend?
I'm going to BARF!!!
You're going to...wait...WHAT???

groomporter

I've heard it said that you should only use Gold Bond Medicated to prevent chafing but that after chafing it can be further irritating.
When you die can you donate your body to pseudo-science?

Zardoz

www.kiltday.com
Just about everything you need to know about kilted life and the best kilt related links page on the net.

www.xmarksthescot.com
The webs largest community of kilt wearers, promoting the kilt as a man's garment, not a costume.

www.jhiggins.net
J. Higgins is a large importer of highland dress in Kansas.

www.sportkilt.com
Affordable sport and "starter" kilts and accessories.

www.stillwaterkilts.com
Affordable traditionally styled kilts in acrylic and wool from Minnesota.

www.usakilts.com
"My kilt maker" USA offers custom tailored kilts in PV and wool at very reasonable prices.  Made in Phoenixville, PA.


www.scottishkilts.net
This Glasgow Scotland based company has some of the best pricing on the "real deal" Scottish made highland dress and accessories.
"Pants are for guys with ugly legs"
Member of Clan McLotofus,
IBRSC# 1619,
As seen in Renaissance Magazine

groomporter

I mentioned him in the first post but here's the blog of
Matthew Newsome Member of the International Guild of Tartan Scholars, curator of the Scottish Tartans Museum He has interesting tidbits on kilts and kilt wearing http://kiltmaker.blogspot.com/ as well as a website with relevant articles
http://albanach.org/

Also http://www.reconstructinghistory.com has some very good info on Scottish as well as Irish period attire.
When you die can you donate your body to pseudo-science?

Tipsy Gypsy

Something milord learned from pipers at Scottish festivals- if you're going to be anywhere that sunlight might reflect off of hard ground surfaces- astroturf, cinder track, hard bare ground, concrete- put sunscreen where the sun don't shine... 'cause, it do:o
"It's just water, officer, I swear. And yeast. And a little honey. How the alcohol got in, I have no idea!"

Tipsy Gypsy

Also, "So You're Going to Wear the Kilt" by J. Charles Thompson is a great resource on kilt protocol, and covers subjects from white tie formal affairs to casual wear, day and evening wear, and exceptions to all that. He's very helpful, and a great read.
"It's just water, officer, I swear. And yeast. And a little honey. How the alcohol got in, I have no idea!"

groomporter

Quote from: Tipsy Gypsy on May 17, 2008, 10:52:04 PM
Also, "So You're Going to Wear the Kilt" by J. Charles Thompson is a great resource on kilt protocol, and covers subjects from white tie formal affairs to casual wear, day and evening wear, and exceptions to all that. He's very helpful, and a great read.

I'll second that, it's on Amazon at http://tinyurl.com/5b9wye
When you die can you donate your body to pseudo-science?

Zardoz

Quote from: NoBill Lurker on May 17, 2008, 09:28:16 PM
That would be funny only if I hadn't came closer to that than I'd like to think about to that condition . :-[

I remember that the ladies here had a discussion on chaffing on the old site and the remedies they had for it, so who remembers what
was some of the cures? 

I've never had a big problem in this 'area'  ::)  , I guess since I'm kilted most of the time I'm used to it.  But many folks swear by "Body Glide"  http://www.usakilts.com/other_accessories.php
"Pants are for guys with ugly legs"
Member of Clan McLotofus,
IBRSC# 1619,
As seen in Renaissance Magazine

Scotsman

Awesome thread ... thanks for posting!
Kilted Rogue #1411
Irish Penny BDE - Flattn'
Castleteer
Teer for life
RFC #56
Was that my inside voice?

groomporter

Since I started the thread I took the liberty to copy all the kilt buying source links into the second message just so they are all together in one place. I'll try to continue to do so if we get more additions.
When you die can you donate your body to pseudo-science?

gem

QuoteSo if you are out on a hot/humid day you are NOT any less manly a Scot if you save yourself some pain by wearing some bike shorts, or boxers. Briefs can help, but they don't prevent your inner thighs from rubbing.

Or the option used by Milord: boxer briefs.