Getting dressed in your kilt outfit can be quite overwhelming: where do you begin and how do you know if you have put everything on correctly? Once you are aware of the basics, it is actually very simple. By following this step by step guide, you can be assured that you will look your absolute best before your event!
Surprisingly, the kilt is not the first garment to put on – it is important that these steps are completed first, as it will become increasingly more difficult to put these initial accessories on once you are already wearing your kilt. The first thing to do is put on your shirt and socks. Ensure that your socks aren’t twisted, and put your flashes on the side of each calf. Fold your socks down to cover the garter of your flashes, the socks should be sitting around three fingers below your knee. Place your sgian dubh in the top of the left or right sock; whichever is your dominant hand.
The dreaded ghillie laces are next! If possible, it can be easier if someone else ties your laces for you, but if not – don’t panic - just ensure that you do the laces before putting your kilt on. There are several different variations of tying ghillie laces, but this technique has always been a success for us. Begin by twisting the laces together around 5 or 6 times, then wrap behind the leg, bring back to the front and do a small tie, and then tie them like a normal shoe lace at either the back or the side. Your laces should sit below your calf muscle, this way they shouldn’t fall down!
Next step is the kilt - you should have your kilt pin fastened before putting on. Pick out a prominent line in the tartan on your right-hand side, and follow this down. Kilt pins are a decorative feature, and should not be used to fasten the aprons together: fix the pin to the very top layer of the cloth. The kilt should be wrapped around your body, with the pleats at the back and aprons overlapping at the front. A kilt sits a lot higher than your trousers, and should be around your naval or an inch above. The length of the kilt should then just be overlapping the top of your kneecap and sit in the crease of the back of your knee.
Put on your tie. The sporran will follow; it should be worn at the front of your kilt and should sit centre to your waistcoat. Put the sporran on before the waistcoat; you can always adjust it once you have your waistcoat on. The chain straps should always sit on top of the belt buckles to ensure the sporran does not fall down! Finally put on your jacket and waistcoat, making sure that the buttons are lining up with the centre line of the kilt.
That is you fully dressed in your kilt outfit! If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact our communication team on: info@macgregorandmacduff.co.uk
