The First Step: The Under Shirt.

Before you do anything else you need to put on your under shirt. The ancient dress (7th through 10th centuries) of the highlander was nothing more than a long piece of material with a hole cut for the neck, tied together around the waist at the back and tucked in under the knot. This was later replaced by a long night shirt called a saffron shirt because of the material it was typically made of, it was developed as a result of refined techniques in sewing. It wasn’t uncommon to see highlanders removing their kilts and fighting in these long shirts for added maneuverability. They had baggy sleeves that had to be tied to keep from getting entangled in the weapons being wielded.

For formal occasions, the breacan feile with a fine shirt and tie is very difficult to beat. I usually wear a nice tuxedo shirt with bow tie and Argyll jacket. I have on occasion used a collarless tuxedo shirt and jacket for a less formal approach. But for the most formal in evening attire a jabot, which has lace around the neck, can be worn but only with the Prince Charlie Coatee and vest.

Step Two: Placing the Belt.

Place your belt underneath the tartan near its final position. Remember, you want the belt to ride over your belly button and the kilt should hang to just above the knee. You can lie down beside the tartan and make a rough measurement. (Hint: remember the number of setts from the bottom for next time). Be sure to leave yourself room so that when you lie down and wrap the kilt you have space for your legs at the bottom of the tartan.

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