How to wear a kilt

If you are unfamiliar with a kilt, it can seem daunting.. no-one wants to show up with their kilt on backwards !

This easy step by step guide will ease you into looking your best

The process

1.  Start from the feet up : Put on your socks and flashes. The socks should pulled up over your knee, and the flashes clipped in place at the top of the calf, just below the knee, a few inches from the top of the sock. Fold the sock back down over the flashes banding to finish. Then on with the brogues. Lacing can be as complicated or simple as you make it.
In order to stop the laces slipping down all night, we recommend a low bow (at bottom of calf above ankle). A basic lace cross, followed by three twistsof the laces before pulling taught and over the ankle and round behind the calf (as many times as needed to shorten lace length) before tying.

2.  Shirt, tie/bow and cufflinks :  Putting the shirt, tie and links on before the kilt and jacket will ensure no pulling or pushing back in later on. Putting the cufflinks on now will also help stop the shirt sleeves getting caught in your jacket sleeves. (At this point – you may wish to consider fixing your hair if not already done as the outfit may pull if fixing hair at the end)

3.  Time for the kilt : Unbuckle both sides of the kilt. Open it fully taking the 1st and 3rd panels in one hand.

Pass it behind you and with the other hand, take one of the panels. Open the kilt fully behind you (pleats should be in the middle over your bottom) and proceed to cross the right hand panel over your stomach, and pass the belt through the single buckle hole above your left hip and fasten it to a comfortable tightness. Then, pull the remaining panel left to right over your stomach and fix the strap to the buckle above your right hip. Select a tightness that supports the kilts weight, so as not to fall down – but which is also comfortable. Your kilt should be measured to your waist, and should rest just atop your knee once secured in the right place.

4.  Finishing Touches : Belt and sporran. This is personal preference. Belts often worn in the absence of a waistcoat, but can be worn formally also. Both belt and sporran chain should pass through the loops on the back of the kilt. The belt sitting level and high, the sporran dropping below, over the hip sitting an inch or two (as comfortable) below the belt buckle at the front of the kilt. Sgian dubh to be slid into your sock (left or right as per your preference – right handed people would usually wear in right sock). Exposing only the top inch and a half of the sgian dubh, so as to avoid it slipping up and out.

5. Waist coat and jacket. remember that the waistcoat can typically be tightened slightly via the strap on the back. Jacket sleeves should leave room for a little shirt cuff to be exposed (again – personal preference can apply). Buttons on waist coat, belt buckle, sporran and tie should all line up nicely at the front.

6. Enjoy yourself !

Get your kilt styled right

Ready to look the part in your Highland outfit? Speak to our experts or visit our Bathgate studio for help with your perfect kilt look – from sporrans to brogues.

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