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What and When to Wear and What is a Good Looking Kilt

What and When to Wear

Ceilidh (informal)

➢ Jacobite Shirt and Kilt

 

Daywear

➢ Kilt

➢ Plain style Tweed Jacket (available in Charcoal, Blue or Green Lovat Tweed)

➢ Five Button Waistcoat in matching tweed (optional)

➢ Belt and Buckle if not wearing the waistcoat or cummerbund

➢ Tweed tie, plain wool tie to complement both kilt and jacket or silver-grey silk wedding tie – not tartan

➢ Plain leather sporran

➢ Plain toning kilt hose

➢ Flashes

➢ Plain Brogues

➢ Kilt Pin

➢ Sgian Dubh

➢ Plain Shirt

 

Morning dress

The morning suit version of Highland dress consists of:

➢ Black (or charcoal) semi-formal kilt jacket in superfine wool, tweed or barathea e.g. Argyll/Crail jacket with Braemar-style cuffs.

➢ Five- or six-button waistcoat in black, grey, putty, or tartan

➢ Kilt

➢ White shirt with turndown collar, French cuffs, and cufflinks

➢ Tie in a single colour

➢ Black brogues

➢ Tartan, argyle, diced, or dark hose (white and off-white hose should be avoided)

➢ Flashes or garter ties

➢ Day Dress sporran. These have less intricate designs and are often black leather. However, a full-dress sporran is not considered inappropriate

➢ Day Dress sgian dubh. Again, less intricate than a full dress one, these are typically made of horn or antler.

 

 

Semi-Formalwear (Day or Evening)

➢ Kilt

➢ Argyll Jacket

➢ A Black Barathea five button waistcoat

➢ Belt and Buckle if not wearing the waistcoat or cummerbund

➢ Plain leather or semi-formal Sporran

➢ Silver grey wedding tie or black bow tie for the evening

➢ Plain kilt hose

➢ Flashes

➢ Ghillie Brogues or plain brogues

➢ Kilt Pin

➢ Sgian Dubh

➢ Plain Shirt

 

Wedding (afternoon)

➢ A tweed jacket (dark grey tweed is also correct) or Argyll Jacket.

 

Black Tie Dinner / Ball / Evening Wedding Reception

Kilt jacket (black barathea)

 

▪ Coatee and Vest (often called the Prince Charlie Jacket),

▪ Argyll Jacket,

▪ Regulation Doublet,

▪ Montrose Doublet,

▪ Sheriffmuir Jacket or

▪ Kenmore Jacket

 

There is some contention about whether the Montrose doublet or Sheriffmuir doublet are too formal for black tie; they should be worn with the accompaniments described for white-tie equivalents.

The Coatee and waistcoat or vest is by far the most popular formal jacket for evening wear. Also known as the Prince Charlie, the fabric is usually black barathea but other fabrics such as velvet can certainly be used. Normally the lapels are of silk. The buttons down the front of the Coatee are for decoration only and are not used.

Kilt with kilt pin

Waistcoat: matching, low cut and fastened with three Celtic buttons, can be tartan

Shirt: White with shirt studs, French or barrel cuffs, and a turndown collar (wing collars are reserved for white tie in most locales)

Neckwear: Black bow tie or white lace jabot, silk cravat

Footwear: 

Evening dress brogues:

buckle brogues (tongue-less brogues closed with a strap and decorated with a buckle on the toe of the shoe) are most formal ghillie brogues (tongue-less brogues with long laces that wrap around the lower leg and tie above the ankle) are less formal.

Dress kilt hose (knee-length wool socks):

diced pattern (broad criss-crossing diagonal stripes of two different colors) or tartan patterns (to match kilt) are most formal; note that red diced patterns are for members of the military.

solid-colour hose are less formal.

Silk flashes (a pair of decorative pointed vertical strips of fabric attached to elastic sock garters) or silk garter ties (traditional sock garters made from fabric that ties around the calf)

Dress sporran (decorative pouch worn at the front of the kilt) with silver chain

Sgian dubh black, silver-mounted (a small ornamental knife tucked into the kilt hose)

Dirk optional (an ornamental cut-down sword)

Headwear: Highland bonnet with crest badge (only suitable out of doors).

 

White Tie Dinner

 

Kilt jacket (formal kilt doublet in barathea or velvet):

▪ Regulation Doublet,

▪ Montrose Doublet,

▪ Sheriffmuir Jacket or

▪ Kenmore Jacket

Velvet is considered to be a more formal material. The Prince Charlie (coatee) is considered to be less formal, although when introduced it was to be worn with a White lace jabot. Tartan jackets are also seen.

Kilt with Kilt Pin

Waistcoat: in white marcella, tartan (to match the kilt), or the same material as the (regulation or

Sherrifmuir) doublet. The Sheriffmuir should be paired with a waistcoat that closes with seven Celtic buttons

No waistcoat is worn with the Kenmore doublet (nor, presumably with the Montrose doublet as it is

double-breasted); instead are worn with a belt.

Shirt: white stiff-front shirt with wing collar and white, gold, or silver studs and cufflinks for the regulation

doublet.

White formal shirt and optional lace cuffs for the Montrose, Sheriffmuir, and Kenmore doublets

Neckwear: white lace jabot (a cascade of lace or ruffles on the breast of a garment)

With the regulation doublet, a black silk or white marcella bow tie may be worn in place of the jabot (highland wear often includes a black bow tie even at white tie events).

 

Footwear: Black formal shoes or black buckle brogues

Diced or tartan kilt hose

Studs and links as noted under “shirt” for regulation doublet

Silk Garter flashes or garter ties

Silver-mounted sporran in fur, sealskin, or hair with a silver chain belt

Sgian dubh black, silver-mounted, and jewelled

Fly plaid or short belted plaid Optional (a square piece of cloth in the same tartan as the kilt attached to the left

shoulder of the jacket with a decorative broach)

Dirk optional (an ornamental cut-down sword)

Headwear: Highland bonnet with crest badge (only suitable out of doors)


How do you know what is a good looking kilt, made to last for more than a lifetime?

How can I tell the difference between the different qualities of kilts? How long should my kilt be? Is it too short? Is it sitting too high? What should the back look like? Why does the bottom of the fringe not lie flat? Can I get away with just moving the straps? How do I know if my kilt can be let out?

Are your questions considered below? If not, I shall endeavour to find the answers if I don’t have them already. Further information and different views are very welcome.

Length

This is a matter of preference.  Some prefer to the middle of their knee and others prefer the bottom edge of the kilt to be to the top of the knee. It is important to ensure that there is some bare leg between the top of the kilt hose and bottom of the kilt. However, present day very few ask for the kilt above the knee and Askival of Strathearn prefers the mid knee.

In nearly all the older portraits the lower edge of the kilt invariably shows the knees of the wearer. Apparently, the knees are symbolic of humility and strength and ought to be shown.

To quote Lord Archibald Campbell (1885) “The proper length of the kilt is judged by the wearer kneeling, when the apron of the kilt should the figure being well drawn up not quite touch the ground. The length of wearing the kilt has, however, greatly varied, some of the regiments having at one time notably the 42nd wore the dress very short indeed, from the formation of the regiment down to the days of George IV.”

Lord Campbell suggests that the kilt is better worn short, as it is apt to look ill and give a kick that is very ugly in walking if worn too long. It should hang from the hip, swinging freely to the motion of the body.

Size

The fringe of the apron edge should cover the first pleat on the wearer’s right hand side and the centre back and front focus points are centred. The un-pleated cloth of the under apron should not be exposed.

The back shaping

The kilt should fit snugly into the small of the back and then widens in shape to comfortably cover the buttocks (the seat) at the same time, keeping the apron straight up and down. Therefore the width of the pleats at the waist are narrower that at the seat.

The depth of the pleats’ stitching (the fell) should be about a third of the total length of the kilt. The stitching should stop at the widest part of the seat.

A firm inner canvas and a fine secondary canvas are used in the construction. The inner canvas is hand pad stitched to create maximum shape. This back shaping is moulded by the tailor’s stitches which preserve the stitching of the pleats and the shape.

Shaping at the front

The top of the kilt apron should sit high on the waist and lie smoothly across the abdomen. It is important when the abdomen is large to avoid having the tummy protruding over the top of the apron and still endeavour to wear the kilt above the tummy button. If you wear a tie, you want the tip to be just a bit below the top of the kilt.

The apron is a subtle A-line shape retaining the symmetry of the tartan and a central focal point of the tartan for middle of the apron. The perfect fit is to have the fringe edge of the apron resting on the last pleat of the pleated area at the right side and not allow the edge of the apron of the kilt to project beyond the pleats.

If the apron does not have enough width at the hemline, the apron will not lie flat and the apron edges will kick out. If there is too much width, the apron will not lie flat at the apron edges and bulge out to accommodate the excess cloth. The apron can be reshaped to ensure it lies well.

If the circumference around the thighs is greater than the seat as is common in some sportsmen, the apron size and shaping can accommodate this to reduce the effect on the lie of the apron.

There should be no darts in the apron at the front. All shaping should be done at the edges of the apron where the apron meets the pleats.

The top of the kilt

The top of the kilt will be above the waist depending on the personal preference.

Askival of Strathearns aims to have the top of the kilt at the waist or higher depending on the person’s preference, build, or usage.

When a short jacket is worn or the arms are often raised with the Highland dance the top of the kilt is usually higher.

Excellent craftsmanship

The top quality bespoke kilt is meticulously tailored and every stitch is sewn by hand. Some kilt makers make a concession to machine stitch only the the waistband onto the kilt as it is a straight seam. The traditional master tailors constructed their kilts to the same standard as they tailored other garments e.g. jackets. This enabled them to manipulate the fabric by hand and allow for the small nuances that ultimately give the garment greater flexibility, dimension and match the detail of the tartan with precision.

The kilt is a creation of absolute dedication and skill involving around 30 hours of work.

The less handwork that goes into the kilt, the less character the finished garment has. The less soul, beauty and life it exudes.

What to look for in a top quality kilt

Stitching

The pleats are stitched on the outside of the kilt. The stitches are tiny (9 stitches to the inch) and close together, consistent in distance and tension, and are barely visible. Using a matching thread, the stitch just catches the edge of the pleat.

Matching stripes

The horizontal stripes in the tartan across the pleats must match with precision and no stepping. Misalignment and even a slight step of the horizontal stripes between pleats are not necessary with skilful hand stitching.

Accurate pleating

Uniform width: Each pleat should be of uniform width and taper smoothly from the seat up to the waist. When pleating to the set, there can be slight variation dictated by the pattern of the tartan.

Straight Tartan elements: Stripes and colour boundaries should also be straight with the pleat ensuring the centre of the pleat follows the weft..

Pleated to the “Sett”: When the kilt is pleated to the “Sett”, through careful planning and calculations, the pattern should be reproduced accurately with very slight variation in width to keep within the wearer’s measurement.

Pleated to the “Stripe”: The prominent stripe is situated in the centre of each pleat.

However, Askival of Strathearn uses the pattern of the tartan and pleats to create imagery that pleases the eye.

Number and width of Pleats

In an adult kilt, it is preferable to have between 27 and 34 pleats each with a minimum depth of pleat 7 cm and maximum of 15 cm.

Lifting the pleats

This part of the construction process ensures the pleats are secured close to the bottom of the pleat stitching and keeps the pleats from from having folds of cloth on the inside; prevents stress on the stitching; and ensures that the pleats will never sag over time.

The closing of the pleats add structure to the seat line by the stitching of several layers together creating the typical barrel shape of the tailored kilt.

This stitching takes care and time and to ensure the above “jobs” are carried out. Some kilt makers to reduce the construction time and cost, less and bigger stitching is carried out or missed out entirely.

You can tell if this process has not been carried out in full, if you can stick your finger right up the back of the pleat and often when you lay the kilt out, it lays flat.

Waist Band

The waistband tartan should match the inner and outer apron and there should be symmetry across the back with a centre focus point to match the back pleating area. The waist band is future proofed and should have extra fabric folded within it, at each end of the outer and inner aprons. This will ensure matching between the waistband and the kilt when altered.

Chapes and belt loops

The chapes and belt loops are cut to match the tartan where they are placed. They are neatly stitched onto the pleating area and through the canvasses for strength and not to distort the pleating area. The bar of the buckle should be sitting over the join between the 3rd and 4th pleat on either side. The bar of the 3rd buckle should be over the 2nd and 3rd pleat on the right hand side.

Vent

The vent for the inner strap to come through should open between the 2nd and 3rd pleat. It should have reinforcement within by the inner canvassing reaching to the edge of both sides of the vent and have neat buttonhole/bartack stitching at the top and bottom of the vent.

Canvassing

The pleats and aprons are supported by a rough canvas.

The apron canvas provides structure and reduces creasing across the front of the tummy. It prevents stretching/skewing of the aprons when the straps are tightened. It provides a secure anchor for the straps.

The back canvas is pad-stitched to the inside of the pleats to support and secure the stitching and shape the back. Along with a secondary canvas, the important fitting along the small of the back is determined.

The secondary canvas ensures the cut edges of the pleats are protected and reduces the differential in the change of density of the cloth. Helps to keep pleats at full width at the seat and helps support the weight of the pleats. A secure anchor the the chapes and buckles

Your bespoke tailored kilt

Your bespoke tailored kilt is unique and made to fit you perfectly. It is constructed according to the processes and techniques of the military master tailors and kilt makers which ensure the cloth is protected, it can be altered and continue as a perfect fit. As an heirloom, it can be passed on to someone of a different shape and altered to fit them.