# Kilts... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [March 2, 2000, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kilts/1127 "2000-03-02T19:40:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sholey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac8455/32.png) [@sholey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sholey)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2000, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kilts/1127/1 "2000-03-03T06:59:00Z")
Hi Cecil! Just a quick comment on the question “what do Scotsman wear under their kilts?” I can’t say this is absolute fact, but I heard it straight from a Scotsman during a parade in York, England. In the Royal Scottish army (I think that’s what they call it) the men ARE allowed to wear skivvies under their kilts, as long as they are government-issue. The option to go swingin’ in the breeze is allowed due to the fact that the army issued briefs are made of wool. I think if I had the choice, I’d go with the “all-natural air conditioning” myself. Do you blame them? Sarah-Bowling Green State Univ, Ohio. ---
**Author:** ![JoeyBlades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a87d85/32.png) [@JoeyBlades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeyBlades)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2000, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kilts/1127/2 "2000-03-02T19:40:00Z")
> [@](#): > > The option to go swingin’ in the breeze is allowed due to the fact that the army issued briefs are made of wool. I think if I had the choice, I’d go with the “all-natural air conditioning” myself. Given that it is cold, wet, and windy in Scotland about 90% of the time… you might rethink your choice. Due to the contraction factor, there be no breeze swingin’ _(if you know what I mean)_ ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2000, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kilts/1127/3 "2000-03-03T00:07:00Z")
Cecil’s column is [What do Scotsmen wear under their kilts? (24-Mar-1995)](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_211.html) This page, “[The Complete Equipment of a Highland Chief (of the time of the '45)](http://www.scottish-selection.com/tweb/greatkilt/equipment.htm)”, lists hose and stockings. How high up did the stockings/hose go? I don’t suppose they were shaped like modern-day panty-hose. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2000, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kilts/1127/4 "2000-03-03T03:08:00Z")
The hose are high enough to hold your sgian dubh. ## If you wear something under it, it is a skirt. Dr. Fidelius, Charlatan Associate Curator Anomalous Paleontology, Miskatonic University “You cannot reason a man out of a position he did not reach through reason.” ---
**Author:** ![JoeyBlades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a87d85/32.png) [@JoeyBlades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeyBlades)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2000, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kilts/1127/5 "2000-03-03T14:04:00Z")
> [@](#): > > How high up did the stockings/hose go? Just below the knee. ---
**Author:** ![G.B.H.Hornswoggler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c67d28/32.png) [@G.B.H.Hornswoggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G.B.H.Hornswoggler)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2000, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kilts/1127/6 "2000-03-03T14:56:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by DrFidelius: > **If you wear something under it, it is a skirt.** I know a number of young ladies who would be surprised by your insinuation that they’re actually wearing _kilts_… * * * …but when you get blue, and you’ve lost all your dreams, there’s nothing like a campfire and a can of beans! ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2000, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kilts/1127/7 "2000-03-03T16:53:00Z")
Da Ace, can you introduce me? ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2000, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kilts/1127/8 "2000-03-03T17:45:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by DrFidelius: > The hose are high enough to hold your sgian dubh. And sgian dubh would be… the family jewels? ---
**Author:** ![JoeyBlades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a87d85/32.png) [@JoeyBlades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeyBlades)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2000, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kilts/1127/9 "2000-03-03T19:59:00Z")
> [@](#): > > And sgian dubh would be… the family jewels? Actually it’s Skean Dubh, (pronounced Skeen Doo) which is Gaelic. It’s an ornamental, bone handled knife that tucks into the top of the clansman’s sock. Literal translation: Black Knife ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2000, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kilts/1127/10 "2000-03-04T01:23:00Z")
Joey, I’m afraid I disagree with your correction of the Good Doctor. In _Scotland and Her Tartans_, by Alexander Fulton (Gallery Books, 1991), p. 214, it is spelt \*sgian dubh[i/]. And, the little blurb that came with my knife (mfd. by Art Pewter Silver Ltd., East kilbride, Scotland) also spells it _sgian dubh_. I agree with your pronounciation, though. * * * and the stars o’erhead were dancing heel to toe ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2000, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kilts/1127/11 "2000-03-04T01:25:00Z")
I’m having a bad day with codes today. * * * and the stars o’erhead were dancing heel to toe ---
**Author:** ![JoeyBlades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a87d85/32.png) [@JoeyBlades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeyBlades)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2000, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kilts/1127/12 "2000-03-06T14:10:00Z")
I didn’t mean to correct DrFidelius, though I realize it came out that way. That’s what I get for restructuring sentences on the fly… Both skean and sgian are acceptable. I’ve seen both used in the shops in Edinburgh and they are both listed in my Gaelic Dictionary… Sorry DrFidelius. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2000, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kilts/1127/13 "2000-03-10T05:01:00Z")
It’s worth noting that–at least if one wears a medieval “great kilt”–one has so much wool wrapped around the waist, one is pretty warm from mid-thigh up. I’m not sure sbout modern kilts. Of course, the Lowlanders (in their pantaloons) called Highlanders “redshanks”–the idea being that the lower legs were red with cold. (I learned this from when my uncle dressed in Highland garb when in the Society for Creative Anachronism. I think he did mention drafts, though.) * * * I’m a member of the _Monarchist_ political party. ---
**Author:** ![Danielinthewolvesden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Danielinthewolvesden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danielinthewolvesden)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2000, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kilts/1127/14 "2000-03-19T11:45:00Z")
Well, I’m a long time SCA member, and this topic has been hashed out many times. In the “olden days”, men wore a loonngg linen shirt with the kilt. The “tails” were tucked up in such a way to make a sort of a breech-clout. So, yes- no underwear, but no- they did not have their dingle-dangles a floppin in the breeze. It can be very uncomfortable to wear ones kilt sans everything, as a few young gentlemen have found to their dismay… ---
**Author:** ![Apollyon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apollyon/32/4238_2.png) [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2000, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kilts/1127/15 "2000-03-26T22:17:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Danielinthewolvesden: > **It can be very uncomfortable to wear ones kilt sans everything, as a few young gentlemen have found to their dismay…** Safety tip: When attending a wedding in scottish attire (as the groom’s party and a number of other gentlemen were), do not become involved in energetic dancing after being dared to “go commando” by ones friends. 🙂 Specifcally, do not “Macarena”. (Although this could be considered good advice whatever ones dress). Heading back towards the original topic – I have read that the only times that it is acceptable to wear something beneath the kilt is when marching, dancing, or engaged in highland games, and have used this as an answer when asked what I might (or might not) be wearing beneath my kilt. For one of the definitive works on kilt wearing and scottish attire, see if you can find a copy of “So you’re going to wear the kilt”, by J. Charles Thompson. The book is sadly out of print, but if you happen to find a copy it is well worth reading. Cheers, Martin ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2000, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kilts/1127/16 "2000-03-29T23:06:00Z")
Ah! So the correct answer to “What do ye wear beneath yuir kilt, handsome?” is “A shirt; the wool would scratch me up if I didn’t!” This may be clearer with a great kilt, where both the kilt and shirt are worn from shoulders to thighs, but probably still holds with the modern ones. * * * No, that’s wrong–try this: _Party per bend sinister wavy bendy sinister wavy vert & or, & sable, in fess point a demi-pellet en soleil inverted & bendwise sinister issuant from the party, in sinister base a roundel bendy sinister wavy vert & or._ ---
**Author:** ![Danielinthewolvesden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Danielinthewolvesden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danielinthewolvesden)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2000, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kilts/1127/17 "2000-03-30T02:27:00Z")
fool: right! Ps, are you in a play? ---
**Author:** ![JoeyBlades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a87d85/32.png) [@JoeyBlades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeyBlades)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2000, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kilts/1127/18 "2000-03-30T13:58:00Z")
foolsguinea writes: > [@](#): > > Ah! So the correct answer to “What do ye wear beneath yuir kilt, handsome?” is "A shirt; It depends on who’s doing the asking. If it’s a pretty girl the pat answer is, “Your lipstick, if I’m lucky!” ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2000, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kilts/1127/19 "2000-03-30T22:55:00Z")
fools: Damn your eyes, man. How am I supposed to draw this blazon? _ **a roundel bendy sinister wavy vert & or** _??? Whose arms is this? ---
**Author:** ![scullythevampire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e480ec/32.png) [@scullythevampire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scullythevampire)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2000, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kilts/1127/20 "2000-03-31T00:23:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by DrFidelius: > \*\* > _ **a roundel bendy sinister wavy vert & or** _??? > > Whose arms is this?\*\* LSD and heraldry are a horrible combination, don’t you think? * * * ~stv ¡Voltroñ! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kilts/1127.md?page=2)