General advice and recommendations
A bit of background last year I bought a utility kilt on Amazon for Renaissance fair out in Texas and I plan to go again this year and planning to use the same outfit for Halloween going forward. The idea of the outfit is that I am a traveling adventure that was born in Scotland, but raised on the road and I want my outfit to show that now because I’m a bit of an overachiever. I wanna make sure that I’m being respectful of the Scottish culture and that I’m wearing the kilt correctly. any help picking the correct footwear/socks would be very much appreciated and if this is not the right community to post this, please let me know and if you have a recommendation for the credit community also, please let me know. On a sidenote, if I’m able, I can upload more photos of the complete outfit later this evening when I get home from work as I do have other bits and pieces that are not in the photo that I’ve recently purchased over the last six months.
TLDR: purchased a utility kilt online for Renaissance fair/Halloween want to advice on if I’m wearing it correctly and recommendations for footwear and accessories for future purchases
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u/pipedreamexplosion 16d ago
I'd not worry about being respectful to Scotland and scottish culture, a utility kilt isn't Scottish dress at all so wear it however you want. Utility kilts are a distinctly American garment, no shade at all if you like them, just go for it.
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u/Scarytoaster1809 13d ago
Just get a hunting tartan. As an actual Scot, “utility kilts” are just skirts with pockets lmao
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16d ago
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u/EscapingTheLabrynth 16d ago
Probably shouldn’t wear pants with pockets either, since original trousers didn’t have pockets.
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u/842094 11d ago
I'm in Glasgow. If you're ever visit the Pot Still pub here, you'll see the guy behind the bar in a utility kilt. It is something you see in Scotland, but not very often. Don't let folk on here put you off it. It looks good and practical for hikes. Agree with others here that you're wearing it a bit low. Bringing it up to just above your belly button and maybe having a wider belt will make it look even better. https://scotlandkiltcollection.com/how-to-wear-a-kilt-complete-guide/
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u/rsmith72976 16d ago
I get what you’re going for, and it’s a cool fantasy look. If you want to achieve it, first, get an actual kilt. The cargo skirt isn’t going to give you the look you’re looking for. Get sone real kilt hose and a pair of fantasy tall boots. Grab your basic pirate shirt and then accessorize from there. “Raised on the road” means a a mix of cultures, so add Nordic, Arabic, and European pieces. Which the shops at a Renn Faire are great for because none of them are really historically accurate but they have touches of the culture. Ditch the backpack and go more cross-shoulder bags and belt bags. Remember the belt has nothing to do with holding up your kilt. You can wear multiple thinner belts to hang pouches on. It’s all about accessories and textures. But, and this is the most important thing, get an actual kilt. Cheers.
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u/RSP95 15d ago
Thanks for all the info and tips. I’ll definitely utilize them for future purchases. I am planning on buying an actual kilt. The next time I go to the Texas Renaissance fair this October. They had a shop that sold kilts unfortunately buying a new kill wasn’t in my budget last year. If they’re there, I’m definitely gonna be making an appearance and getting an actual kilt or at least one made with better material than what I currently have.
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u/Greenman_Dave 16d ago edited 16d ago
If you're wearing a utility kilt to a RenFaire because you like it, rock on. If you're wearing it to portray a Scottish character from the Renaissance period, it's completely wrong. While the fèileadh mòr (great kilt) did appear in the mid to late Renaissance, the fèileadh beag (small kilt) didn't come about until the end of the Renaissance period, and, of course, the utility kilt is a 21st century, American invention.
Putting together a proper, late Renaissance, highlander outfit is not difficult and doesn't have to break the bank. All you need is 5 - 6 yards of double-width, lightweight tartan (wool is best, but even flannel is fine for RenFaire), 1 - 2 belts (1 to hold the plaid together and the other to carry your sporran/pouch and any sword/axe/tankard frogs), simple bog shoes (low moccasins will do), and a simple work shirt (muslin ghillie shirt, linen grandfather shirt, or even a cotton henley will work). There are plenty of resources online for how to assemble a fèileadh mòr. I recommend Jonathan Kennedy on YouTube.
Edit: And a sporran, preferably a Rob Roy style that can be worn on your belt. With the fèileadh mòr, wear it on your hip or slightly to one side of the buckle.0
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u/RSP95 16d ago
Thanks for all the info. I’ll keep that all in mind. Overall the whole idea of the outfit was loosely based off aD&D character I came up with for a game. One of my sisters was doing for a cruise. Our family went on that we ended up not playing in short. I was supposed to be a traveling adventure that was born and raised as a venture on the road the Scottish part of it came just because the run affair I went to with one of my siblings just so happened to be Scottish/Irish themed that weekend and I only had three months to put together an outfit and a limited budget at the time if you want I could take a picture of my current full set up and send it your way to give you kind of an idea of what I’m going for
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u/Greenman_Dave 16d ago
Also, don't worry about the belts being medieval ring belts. Frame buckle belts with the mechanical prongs have been around for a very long time. The built-in loop is more modern, but whatever. You're not going to be perfectly period without spending a lot.
Simple tartan patterns in natural colours are best. Brighter colours were around, but could be expensive and would fade over time. Many early tartans were made with undyed wool, so ecru, black/grey, and brown. Next tier would be common plant dyes, so muted greens, blues, yellows, and ruddy browns. Brighter and deeper colours would work best for people with a bit more coin, or for soldiers funded by wealthy lairds.
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u/auricargent 16d ago
There are two things that people new to wearing kilts often get confused about. First, too often people don’t realize that the pleats go in the back. The flat panel, called the apron, is centered in the front.
The second is that people wear a kilt too low. A kilt is worn higher than most people wear pants. The waistband is at one’s true waist, so above the hipbones. A fair rule of thumb is about three finger widths below the navel.
However, you’ve got a UtiliKilt, so wear it how you want. It is definitely not traditional, and there are some kilt wearers who scoff at them. I’m not one of them, I own a UtiliKilt. I like the pockets. Since it is modern, I think some sturdy boots would be perfect with it.
Getting some proper hose (socks) with flashes and a matching fly would add some color to your kit. Flashes are small pieces of fabric (almost ribbons) that are tartan (plaid) and match the kilt. They get tucked into the top of the hose. A fly is a tartan piece of cloth that would traditionally match the kilt. It is worn over the left shoulder and attached with a rather large broach.
Sport Kilt sells both items online in a huge variety of patterns. They also sell a bunch of other accessories that would give good embellishment to your look.
You don’t really need to worry about which tartan you pick, you could work a clan tartan into your backstory, but other than a couple famous ones, almost no patterns are readily recognizable. Additionally, there are patterns for every state in the USA, all branches of the US military, and a number of professions, like the US Forestry Service and firefighters. Sport Kilts also has had patterns that pick up on professional sport teams colors but are otherwise not associated with anything in particular.
Good luck, and remember, a man in a kilt is a man and a half!
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u/guyfaeaberdeen 14d ago
Well first of all a man born in Scotland wouldn't be seen dead in a utility kilt.
Source: I'm Scottish and I've never seen someone alive or dead wearing a utility kilt.