The Worst Kilt Outfit We’ve Ever Seen?

[@Evaleastaristev]

I think there's also a difference between the people wearing the outlandish stuff for kicks, and people wearing, say, a purple Utilikilt with a t-shirt and hoodie because that's what they're comfortable in. I have friends that wear utilikilts as their daily wear in place of jeans, and that's a style in its own right.

[@madisennicolekirkpatrick5964]

100% agree. He is so on point. The kilt is a symbol of heritage and honor, not something to mock or to make a fool of. Your ancestors died and bled for those colors. Respect and honor it.

[@Jewelsmith]

Between Ren Faires, Celtic festivals, St Patrick's Day Parades, pub events, etc, I've seen a LOT of kilts, and the only one that really made me go "yikes, what's that all about?" was an entire family (father, mother, children) wearing a bright neon orange and black plaid. Not a soft or natural orange but brighter than a traffic cone. Truly neon, could be seen a mile away. I overheard folks calling them "Clan Caltrans" (what we called the California Department of Transportation out west) or "The Roadwork family."

[@malgremor85]

Seen at a Highland Games in Maine in 1994: Turquoise polyester women's skirt w/ a beige patent leather purse worn as a "sporran", pink polo shirt & a lime green canvas porkpie hat. I didn't see his feet, as I was behind a vending table...

[@NinjaNezumi]

That Watermelon Sock outfit actually looked like it was done in fun and self awareness. I can dig it. I don't think that's a worst category.

[@mrichardsonma2]

Docs'n'Socs Pipe Band, from Vancouver, B.C. Canada. Its their "thing" , the Buchanan Kilt rocks too by the way! Clar Innis!

[@birdiefu]

I like how you try to balance your "you do you" with "respect" here. For many lay people just wandering the world for fashion purposes, I agree that their use of tartan in unconventional ways is perfectly fine to express themselves or just because they like it. But you all probably have more experience with attending social gatherings that are focused more on a traditional wear, and in that case when someone comes in who starts pushing the boundaries of mores, it can become disrespectful and that is what is frowned upon. And yes, the lines are blurry depending on the social setting and the background of the wearer and the perceiver, but I do appreciate how you approached this delicate subject with grace :)

[@propyro85]

I will still unashamedly wear tie-dye with my kilt ... if I wasn't supposed to do it, why do the colours line up so well?

[@jameshoy3530]

That red windowpane vest with your tartan looks awesome!

[@witchdoc5075]

I think the full tartan top and bottom is too much. I couldn't do it.

[@distaff2935]

My kilt is just another piece of clothing. I wore it a few weeks ago with a gaudy silk Hawaiian shirt. Hot day, and I was headed out for a long hike. Both the kilt and the shirt were chosen for comfort, and they preformed well. Probably looked a bit clownish, but didn't care.

[@clarencesturdivant7928]

Glad you guys haven't seen one time I had a black format kilt on that was too big. I lost weight that time. I since threw it away.

[@OutlanderArmory]

Before I learned about enough about kilts I had already purchased on from a Renaissance Fair. I wear it but it has become my farm chores kilt. It definitely isn't near the same quality but actually cost more than your casual kilt. Lesson learned.

[@MarcelGomesPan]

Personally i would combine the kilt with Goth/Punk/Metal clothing when at an appropriate venue. I would combine it with MC jackets, bomber jackets, t-shirts, sweaters, military jackets ( of a waist length ). I am for wearing it casually, with fashion and expressing yourself ( including sub cultures ). I am also very for wearing it in traditional and formal ways when that is more appropriate. However, being ”funny” at someone elses expence or ridiculing their culture is NOT my cup of coffee. That goes for any culture , not ”only” Scottish or Irish. No Halloween cartoony mock versions for me. Besides, i prefer looking good ( or at least decent ) to looking like a schmuck. Having said that: i don’t think going around in a semi panic, affraid of insulting someone at every turn is productive either. Now…where did i put my Chewbacca full mask sporran? 😆

[@m.s.patrick2863]

just spit my Mt. dew all over my key board, and now i want to bag a bigfoot.

[@binaway]

Kunming China. They had what they thought was a British themed Bar. It was a mishmash of the different cultures of the UK . The Chinese security men and door men wore what was supposed to be a kilt. It was tartan/plaid. I would describe it as an old woman's plaid skirt. If a man wore it in Glasgow I think he would be beaten up.

[@kiltedpatriotatheart]

Braveheart. That was downright insulting.

[@webbridges1422]

It's the difference between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation

[@WhistleLad]

A phrase you were likely all searching for in this video response “making a mockery of the culture”.

[@Renegade_Melungeon]

I agree! My outfit is mostly casual/semi casual. The most irreverent I get is pairing the kilt with a t shirt 🤣

[@mercy2351]

I think there's a difference between wearing an orthodox outfit as a means of self-expression (which is fine) and wearing it as a means to ridicule the culture (which is disrespectful). And two people could wear the same outfit with different intentions. For that matter, one could even wear a fully traditional outfit with poor attitude that tries to play up stereotypes. Maybe it is a difference between having fun and making fun. Of course, at first glance, one might not be able to discern a person's attitude, though there are indeed genuine people who just want to be creative who might wear all manner of outfits.

[@kd0r]

It's St Patrick's Day, we're drinking green beer for pete's sake. Some one is cosplaying a leprecon. Seem like it fits the silliness of St Pete's day in the US. NOW, should that outfit show up in a Celtic festival, that's not cool. PS: Enjoyed my stop today. Looking forward to my new kilt getting to me. Sorry I didn't have any Single Malt to share. David

[@timsanders4621]

Don't be the kilt police. There are no lines when it comes to self expression.

[@Chaotic_Pixie]

I think when you're self-aware & on the opposite spectrum from "I don't know what I'm doing" and are in the camp of, "I know what's traditional & I'm purposefully making a statement" it's a whole other thing. To me, that's peacocking amongst the peacocks. I kind of loved the watermelon sock fella. He was clearly self-aware & looked like he was having fun without being disrespectful. A few of those from the K&C FB group come to mind as being very peacock but in a supremely classy way IMHO... but would it be straight down the line traditional, uhhh probably not. I do absolutely agree that folks need to reflect, ESPECIALLY IN THE US, when it comes to cultures as costumes. It's not okay for some cultures to be a costume but somehow it's okay for others... because of... skin color? Like, WTF. I don't think it's cool to make anyone's traditional dress into a costume for mocking purposes, but especially cultures that have a history of being oppressed and/or nearly obliterated. I also find that the folks who wear kilts as a costume conflate Irish & Scottish & somehow mash them together into some weird hybrid which is just disrespectful of both cultures.

[@m.s.patrick2863]

I have an formal event (not a wedding) with my wife and I want my Prince C 3button outfit to be spot on and also a complete surprise to her. It seems with formal Sporran no belt is worn, but the white vs cream vs black hose thing is confounding, also Can standard wingtips be worn? does it really have to be Ghillie brogues, will I lose my Scot 23 and me card if I cheat on the footwear?

[@Cailean_MacCoinnich]

Hard core fashion police will say that you shouldn't wear a belt if you are wearing a PC and vest, which makes sense as the buckle will be partly hidden and just gets in the way. It just looks a bit 'too much'. However it's not a huge faux pas if you choose to wear a belt and buckle with a Prince Charlie and vest. Re socks; tradition (which tradition I'm not sure), but Scots tradition says you should only wear black socks with a kilt when attending a funeral. You should never wear white socks with a kilt EVER, and the norm for evening dress is cream. Grey/green/brown etc are day wear. None of it is written in stone, but if people are going to wear a kilt than they should at least be aware of certain formalities.

[@patrickwilliams3108]

It's not the sporran, it's the waistcoat. When you're wearing a formal waistcoat (as is the current fashion with the Prince Charlie) a kilt belt with a big shiny buckle becomes an obvious distraction to the look (it peeks out under the waistcoat and just looks ... clunky). If you're wearing your PC without the waistcoat (which was fashionable in the 1980s), then wearing a kilt belt with big shiny buckle is fine. Wingtips or just about any kind of dress shoe will work. I never bought a pair of Ghillies as I have formal dress shoes for straight tuxedo that work just fine with the kilt. Hose can be tricky, but for a formal event, you can't go wrong with white. Hoping you find this helpful.

[@m.s.patrick2863]

thank you both for the replies, just trying not to be "that" guy.

[@3pipper]

Where did the kilt come from???

[@mrichardsonma2]

Rocky' rocking the Buchanan!

[@mememachine2681]

I wear my kilt with daily street wear a t shirt/graffic t with my kilt and boots or sneakers or i have my traditional historical shoes and tunic

[@James-dq3jo]

So are we not going to mention the fact that it was an honest to goodness Canadian tuxedo in Canada?

[@Cailean_MacCoinnich]

I don't like utility kilts, but I accept that they are a different and practical take on a traditional kilt. However, as you say, there is a like that shouldn't be crossed. That line is somewhere between original or different interpretation and looking like a disrespectful eejit. A couple of the pictures you showed made me throw up in the back of my throat. The tie dye skirt with the all round pleats, and the green abomination were both far too far over the line.

[@kiltedpatriotatheart]

Totallu agree with you. As far as I'd go is maybe a tartan utility kilt...

[@aomaintenance]

They're called clowns. Personally, I have no desire to go out looking any dumber than I already am. I wouldn't fuss any more than I would if someone was wearing Nike sneakers and an Under Armor polo shirt with their kilt. Most people will clown up on St. Patrick's Day.

[@mrichardsonma2]

David is "The PEACOCK"!

[@Sam-lm8gi]

I thought the worst I had seen was from The Three Stooges short where they're wearing kilts and Larry has a paintbrush-sporran. But man, some of those outfits make the The Three Stooges look like Rob Roy MacGregor!

[@TheFlash-rn2dd]

Finally just got my first kilt from you guys. It's a 5 yard in the Cunningham modern tartan. Hopefully i don't look like an ass wearing it. Lol

[@MrBluesman7]

How about a scary clown wearing a black utility kilt with a Buffalo plaid shirt? 😂

[@vixendoe6943]

I think what is known as the Buffalo plaid here in the U.S is the registered Rob Roy Macgregor in Scotland. But clowns are just plain scary, no matter what they wear.

[@MrBluesman7]

That is true. I was thinking that tartan but orange instead. That's one of the outfits I wear as my haunt character

[@vixendoe6943]

@@MrBluesman7 seems I have seen an orange and black plaid around Samhain

[@sharilewis4533]

Just be cool guys. A lot of people are just trying to have fun. Maybe it's better than the proud boys wearing a utility Kilt and you know what they stand for.

[@paulheitkemper1559]

I think what you're saying is that you should stay away from being the Celtic version of Justin Trudeau in blackface.

[@scottmasson3336]

Wearing a brick red shirt with a clashing grey check waistcoat and matching flat cap. A flat cap is so wrong!.....talk about disrespectful.