Why three kilt straps?

Has anyone ever wondered why there is an extra strap and buckle on most kilts, lower down on the right hip? This topic has come up in several conversations recently, mostly due to the fact that I don't put that third strap on kilts I make (unless the client absolutely has to have one). It serves no purpose, and can even affect the look of the kilt, causing a pull across the front apron, if worn too tight (which it typically is). So why on earth do most kilts have them?

Today, the mystery will be revealed. It's origins lie (like so much of our Highland Dress fashion) in the military. A typical civilian kilt will have about a 2" rise. This means that the top of your kilt will come about 2" above your natural waist. This is where you would wear your belt. A military kilt, however, usually has about a 4" rise. It is a much higher wasited garment.

Back in the good old days before leather straps and buckles were common closures for kilts, men would hold their kilts closed with pins. The true "kilt pin" wasn't that little sword-looking peice of jewelry men typically wear at the bottom of their kilts, but something that looked rather like a lady's hat pin, worn up on the waist to keep the apron closed.

Since military kilts had such a high rise, two pins were often used -- one at the natural wasit, and one up at the top of the rise. When straps and buckles became the norm, they were put in where the pins were usually worn. So the outer apron had two -- again, one at the natural wasit, and one up at the top of the rise.

Well, like I said, a lot of our Highland Dress fashion has been inspired by the military. This look started to be copied in civilian kilts. But since the civilian kilt only has a 2" rise, the upper strap and buckle was at the waist line, and the second one was lower down at the hip level, where it serves absolutely no purpose (except, as I said at first, to create a pull across your apron). I've even had men complain that it was uncomfortable for the to sit when wearing their kilt because of the pull of the lower strap.

Since this lower strap is completely useless and unneccesary, I leave it off. Most people never even notice it is gone. And those that do notice the difference always say they like the fit and feel of the kilt better. I have yet to have even a single person tell me that they want that third strap and buckle put on.

If you decide you don't want yours on your kilt, just take it off! Just a few threads that any sharp knife can take care of, and you'll be liberated from that fashion fioble.

(And by the way, one of the kilts that I have made for myself has no straps and buckles at all. It's just held on with the belt. It doesn't look or feel any different when worn -- I just make extra certain my belt is secure!)

The picture above is a box pleated kilt I made in the weathered Anderson tartan, showing the single strap and buckle on the right hip.

Looking natural in the kilt

Ok, guys, this needs to be said... if you are wearing the kilt, we get it. You are Scottish. Really, the kilt is enough to clue everyone in.

I say that bluntly obvious statement because many people fall prey to the temptation to make every single thing they wear with their kilt "Scottish" or "Celtic" in some respect. The end result is that you either look like you just stepped off of a shortbread tin, or that you have a job as a walking billboard for the Scottish Tourist Board.

I'm thinking of a gentleman I saw one time --not at a festival or other event -- wearing the kilt. Now, the kilt alone clued me in that he was most likely of Scottish heritage. But just in case I didn't get it, he was also wearing a rugby shirt with "Scotland" embroidered on the breast, a ball cap that read "Scotland," and the turn-downs on his white hose were embroidered with little thistles. Of course he was also wearing the standard black kilt belt, nickle plated buckle with celtic knot, semi-formal sporran, dress sgian dubh, and ghillie brouge shoes.

The outfit didn't look bad, it just screamed SCOTLAND like a neon sign. I thought, I get it, I get it! We all know you are Danish!

Many of us fall prey to the same temptation when we dress in what I call "Festival Wear." You know what I mean. You wear your kilt to the Highland Games, and you want to go all out. So you put on the whole "kilt outfit." You wear kilt hose with the kilt, right? And a kilt belt. So why not a "kilt" shirt and "kilt" shoes and a "kilt" hat and a "kilt" jacket and a "kilt" this or that. Before you know it, every little part of your outfit looks like a wardrobe peice from Brigadoon.

Here's a typical outfit. Kilt (with standard clan crest kilt pin, of course), black leather belt with a silver buckle -- maybe that has your clan crest on it, too -- an outrageous sporran that looks like an animal has attacked your whoosits, kilt hose, matching tartan garter flashes, ghillie brogue shoes (that really should be reserved for formal occasion), a Jacobite "kilt" shirt, a historic-themed doublet, a bonnet with your clan crest badge, and perhaps a feather hackle or sprig of heather tucked behind it, and of course a sgian dubh in your hose and a dirk at your side.

Does the above outfit look bad? No, it doesn't. It can look quite striking, actually. You see many men dressed this way at Highland Games in North America. But for every day kilt wear....? It's way over the top. Can you imagine the dapper Scottish gentleman decked out this way at work, at home, or taking his wife out on the town?

So, my advise to all you kilt wearers is to try this -- minimize your outfit. Let the kilt speak for itself. With your kilt, wear the "kilt" accessories that are neccesary and then select everything else from your normal wardrobe. Wear solid color kilt hose in a tone that matched your tartan. Instead of tartan flashes, try solid ones in a color that contrasts with your hose. Wear sensible shoes suited for the occasion. Wear a simple brown or black belt without much ornamentation. Wear a simply brown or black sporran, again without much ornamentation. And then just wear a nice casual or dress-casual shirt like you would with a good pair of kakhi slacks. A polo-shirt, or button down shirt will work just fine. Choose a color that tones well with your kilt. And let that be that!

You'll find that you look good, dignified, feel comfortable, and your kilt, most importantly, will be the shining star of your outfit. And that, my friends, is enough!

Growing Up Kilted

Ok, I'm probably not the only one who has young kids who love their daddy's kilt. But wearing one nearly every day, and spending time making them around the house, my kids are probably more familiar than most.

Every time I start work on a new kilt, my three-year old daughter has to tell me, "That's a very colorful kilt you're making daddy!" (She really liked the Buchanan I did a few months ago). Or she'll tell me to wear my "red kilt" today or my "green kilt." She'll see something tartan and point and say, "That's just like your kilt!"

Today, though, my son got in on the action. I was getting my daughter dressed this morning, and pulled out a little plaid skirt from her drawer. "Do you want to wear this today?" I asked. "No!" she yelled. "Are you sure?" I said, "It looks like a kilt." "Ok!" was her enthusiastic reply, and then she helped me pick a shirt to match (the one with the butterflies as it turns out).

My 17-month old son (pictured here), who was still half asleep in his crib at the time, apparently heard and wanted to get in on the action. When I pulled him out to get him dressed, he started a fuss when I got out his clothes. "What's wrong?" I asked. He scrunched up his little eyes and yelled, "KILT!!!"

"You want to wear a kilt?" I asked. He yelled, "YEAH!!!"

So now I guess my next task is to make a wee kilt for my boy.
(Actually he was baptized in a kilt, as was his younger brother just this past June, but he outgrew that about 5 minutes after the baptism!)

Gotta start those traditions young!

New URL

My handy-dandy brother in law (author of the foodie blog, Never Trust a Skinny Chef) has shown me how to tie in this blog to my domain name. So as of 8/1/05, this blog has been moved to http://blog.albanach.org. Please update your links and bookmarks.

All the old posts should be up and active at the new URL, though I have noticed that some of the pictures I had uploaded didn't survive the transplant. I'll be attempting to fix that problem in the coming days, but until then please bear with me.

Thanks!
MN