how to wear a kilt

Whether you choose a casual three or five button waistcoat or decide to go full formal with a Prince Charlie jacket & vest combo, your selection should always complement the colours in your kilt. eg: Left Hand at 11 am, Right Hand at 1 pm. Fasten the garter and flashes just below the knee. If attending a black tie event, you would always wear a Prince Charlie jacket and waistcoat (rather than a tuxedo jacket). wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. If you want to look effortlessly casual, you can always pair the kilt with a plain T-shirt and even sneakers. How to Wear a Kilt. The long laces should be pulled tight. The government announces imprisoned for 6 months whoever wear any highland dress. References Kilt belts are worn through the kilt loops at the rear and fastened on the front, above the sporran. We have our very own Casual Kilt (available here). Wearing a great kilt is very important and it must be understood by every kilt lover. The chain strap should be brought through the kilt loops at the rear so the sporran can be worn at the front. The hem of the kilt should fall at the middle of your knee. I would have liked something about casual kilts and, "This information is helpful to men like me who are formal as necessary. Walk up to the place where you’re going to sit, whether it’s a dining room chair, a stool, or a car. New to kilt wearing? Wear With Shirt or Jacket The normal utility kilt comes with buttons, pockets, belt loops to make it attractive. Your fly plaid will typically match your kilt's tartan and is worn over your left shoulder. Is there something I can use as an alternative? Take the kilt and open it, unbuckling the side straps. Next, move your right arm and wrap the kilt around your front-section. If you're really going for that historical look, a Sgian Dubh is a must. You secure the fly plaid to your jacket using a plaid brooch. I am not legally allowed to carry a knife where I live. A kilt is meant to be worn high on the waist (above your navel), causing it to drop down to the middle of the knee. The jacket is normally kept open to show off the waistcoat's polished buttons. Never forget to tuck your shirt inside your kilt. Last Updated: March 26, 2020 They are more than just a bit of bling for your kilt. A kilt is usually worn around the waist in line with your belly button but some may prefer to wear a kilt on the hips instead. We've been helping billions of people around the world continue to learn, adapt, grow, and thrive for over a decade. You need a leather belt in order to fasten the great kilt. For evening wear, the kilt is worn with a dress sporran, usually silver-topped and made with fur (real or faux) or hide. The original “great” kilt (filleadh mór in Gaelic) was a 6m length of cloth worn around the shoulders and fastened at the waist with a leather belt. We're are all about helping you design and style the kilt outfit you want. While there is much conjecture about what men traditionally wore under kilts, modern manners dictate that men wear underwear, especially at public events. Use your judgment. Finally, adjust your kilt so its centered on your body with the fringed edge along the right side, and draped in an “A” shape. We offer everything from basic Kilt Hose to Scotland-inspired designs, like our luxury Hebridean Kilt Hose. Get down on your knees and the edge of the kilt should be about 1 inch to a half inch off the ground. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. Kilt pins feature clan symbols, national emblems, or native animals and plants. Originating in the Highlands area of northern Scotland, kilts resemble wrap-around skirts with overlapping aprons in the front and pleats in the back. ", https://www.your-kilt.com/How-to-wear-a-kilt.html, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcv72NRFt6g, http://www.tartansauthority.com/highland-dress/modern/how-to-wear-the-kilt, http://www.your-kilt.com/How-to-wear-a-kilt.html, Please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Your kilt should be worn with the pleats to the rear and the fringes on the right hand side. A great way to dress up a cotton kilt is with a classic button-down shirt and rolled up sleeves, that is tucked into the kilt. The fringes should fall to your right-hand side. To wear a kilt, first wrap the kilt around your body with the pleats to the back. Turn around, so that your back is facing the chair. Then, fasten the kilt by pulling the strap on the right apron through to the outside and fastening it to the buckle, as you would a belt. The Braemar and Argyll and are slightly shorter than a normal suit jacket and are specifically designed to work with the shape of a kilt. How to Wear a Kilt If you have never worn a highland outfit before then the prospect can be a daunting one — especially if you are not familiar with each individual accessory. But lets start with the kilt itself Some people think it's okay, but the buckles should be on the left. Our sporran guide will help you figure out whether you're looking for a full dress, semi dress, or day sporran. To learn how to wear a sporran and put on your kilt hose, garters, flashes, and brogues, read on! The top of the handle should stick out from the top of the hose. If you want to wear a traditional tartan kilt, then the plain area of the kilt is on the front side which is also called apron and the area which has pleats on the backside of the body. Your kilt pin shouldn't be used to keep your kilt closed, however, as doing so may damage the kilt and alters the way it hangs. Find out how to wear each aspect of your kilt outfit with MacGregor and MacDuff. To create this article, 25 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. Yes, I’m wearing a kilt.” If the outfit instead reads: “I don’t want to wear pants”, I’ll never find it attractive. 4. Open the kilt, and holding it in both arms, behind you, with pleats falling at your back, wrap it around your middle, not the hips. Please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. The edge of the right should meet up with the left, where there is a small hole in the lining for a strap to go through. They are worn to stop the front apron of the kilt from blowing open in the wind letting those around you know whether you are a true Scotsman or not! While you could put the kilt in the closet and break out a regular pair of pants instead, we believe that you shouldn’t have to sacrifice style because of a little cold. Kilts, kilt variations (utility kilts), man skirts, and other male unbifurcated garments (sarongs and "manly" skirts). The flashes should be off to the outside of the leg. When you stand up the other part of the kilt lay down on the shoulder; The great kilt is not fastening with straps and buckles as it is the unstitched piece of tartan cloth. The tartan traditionally represented a family's lineage or clan, but today men choose tartans that appeal to them. Always ensure that the top of your kilt be available at your waist-level. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. How high or low on or above your hips is up to you, as long as the bottom hem is just above or just below the knee. This article has been viewed 224,214 times. Make sure it's not bunching toward the top or along the buckles. Opt for traditional kilt jackets. To illustrate: It should have a good A shape to it. We like to tie them in a half-hitch (over and under), twist three to four times, and wrap them around the calf twice before tying at the side. The fringes should fall to your right-hand side. Adjust as necessary, making sure that you're comfortable and everything is laying correctly. A decorative item which should not be used to pin the kilt aprons together. Many people are often confused about wearing all those accessories with kilts… I can pinpoint it to this: The subtext of a man wearing a kilt should say, “Yes, I’m a man. If you still have questions, get in touch - we'd be happy to help. When wondering how to wear a kilt pin, just keep in mind it isn’t that complicated. Learn more... A kilt is a knee-length pleated garment typically worn by men. ", else was proper to wear with it! How to wear a Great kilt! To make the process as easy as possible, we would suggest that you … Whichever design or colour you choose, your hose should be worn to the bottom of the knee with the decorative top folded down. Men wearing them he called Bravehearts , in opposition to Freestylers, being men who have no interest in appearing manly or be men at all and who will often wear and prefer every female garment over men’s clothes and shoes. Now I know, even though it is 2.5" below my knees. Well, the popularity of a great kilt comes to an end in 1746. For less formal occasions, the waistcoat is unnecessary. By matching the kilt with sneakers, your outfit will give off an entirely casual, contemporary vibe. Smooth it all out and adjust as necessary, making sure both sets of flashes are displayed at the same angle. That's why we've created this easy-to-use guide so you can rock your kilt with style, no matter the occasion. How to wear a kilt is a subject that many of you would like some further information on. We offer three types of shirts to pair with your kilt: No matter which shirt you choose, it should be neatly tucked into your kilt. The kilt comes next and is worn firmly by the straps and buckles at the waist. To fasten a traditional tartan kilt, you can use leather straps and buckles. In this case, 96% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. If someone from one of those families were to see you wearing their tartan, they may take offense, especially if you’re a stranger and not a Scot or Irishman at all. Even if you've been wearing a kilt since you were a lad, remembering how to wear all the kilt accessories can be a challenge. On Kilt and Jacks, we try to create a healthy community for the kilt wearers for helping them in every aspects. Thank you! Take your right arm and wrap it around your front. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. In addition to being decorative, the kilt pin's weight helps keep the kilt from flapping, preserving your modesty when a breeze whooshes by. Stand before a mirror or get someone to assist you if this is the first time you have worn a kilt. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By doing this, the two aprons will overlap in the front and should easily hang around your knees. It should be worn tucked into your hose, on either leg, at the side of the calf. By using our site, you agree to our. As discussed in our How To Wear: Men's Kilt guide, the Kilt has been around since the 16th Century, then more commonly referred to as a Feileadh Mor or the Great Kilt. If your kilt features a third strap further down the right hip, fasten it to create a smooth fit across the stomach. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/08\/Wear-a-Kilt-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Wear-a-Kilt-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/08\/Wear-a-Kilt-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid1308191-v4-728px-Wear-a-Kilt-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"