You can have the nicest kilt in the world that will impress everyone around you, but it would still be incomplete without the right accessories to match.
If you don’t believe that your kilt needs accessories, let me persuade you otherwise. Kilts that are accurately combined with the right accessories can’t be matched in terms of style or respect.
That means that in a room chock-full of people in kilts, you’ll easily stand out.
Now, that only works if you have the right accessories because mismatching can actually have the opposite effect, and you may not stand out in the way that you were hoping.
So, the question then becomes, what type of accessories should I wear with my kilt?
You won’t have to ask that question any longer by the end of this article! All you have to do is sit back for now and then act on our advice soon.
There’s only one correct way to start this article…
What type of event will you wear the kilt to?
This is important mainly for apparent reasons. If you’re going to a formal event, you need to have accessories that complement that. However, if you happen to be attending a casual gathering, we assume that you’d like to not stand out to such a degree.
That said, figure out the dress code of your aimed event, assuming you don’t already know.
After you have a good understanding of what to expect, you can start to put together your outfit accordingly.
Suppose you decided on a formal kilt for the event, great. Or suppose you decided on a casual sports kilt. That’s also great. You just need to know so you can get the right accessories.
Now that you have your pick, we can move on to the actual accessories that you may want to look into.
What to couple with a day kilt.
Let’s start off with assuming that you won’t be attending a formal event. So in the case of a casual affair, there are some excellent options that you could wear. We’ll go with shirts first.
- The first one that we have is a Ghillie shirt. This shirt is also known as a Jacobean or Jacobite. It’s a pretty standard, traditional shirt that is most commonly worn with a kilt. It has a crisscrossed lacing made of leather that gives it the name. The leather lace in the front of the shirt can be tied to keep it secure around your body. But if you can also allow it to hang loose, which could be great for a casual affair.
- If your event is around the corner and you don’t have time to worry about a Ghillie shirt, another great option is to pair your kilt with a standard collared shirt. Simply style it down with a normal straight necktie, and you’ll be good to go with a more casual look.
A quick intermission before we dive into the real accessories, let’s talk about belt and buckle.
They’re almost always wider than your typical one, and you only need to wear one if you decide to not wear a waistcoat, so keep that in mind.
Sporrans.
There are several types of sporrans that you could consider, and the right one can tie a neat bow on your whole ensemble. But for starters, there are three types that you should be looking at.
There are full dress sporrans, semi-dress and day/leather sporrans. If we’re talking about a day kilt, then your answer could be simple.
- Day/leather sporrans are just about as casual as sporrans can become. They come with a simple design that won’t be too overpowering for someone to look at on a normal basis and Scottish symbols proudly displayed on the leather front.
- Then you have the Semi-dress kilts. These could be your alternative in a casual setting. Although, they aren’t nearly as casual as their day sporran brother and can still be worn to an important event. They are made out of leather and feature a fur front. The flap is usually adorned with Scottish symbols or badges.
After sporrans, we have…
Fly plaid and brooch.
A fly plaid is a thing that you see people drape over their left shoulder when wearing a kilt. These are usually meant to match your kilt and can bring another level to the outfit itself. It’s also common to secure it with a brooch.
For that, you can really pick whichever brooch works best with your outfit. We trust your opinion here.
Other accessories.
Aside from a sporran, fly plaid and brooch, there are several accessories that you may want to have on in the right circumstances. However, in a casual environment, there’s one that serves a special purpose beyond looking great.
A kilt pin.
The kilt pin doesn’t only look great and add something special to your outfit. It also keeps your kilt together and prevents that flap from flying open during a strong gust! It may be a casual event, but you definitely don’t want to flash someone.
Flashes.
Speaking of flashes, they’re another type of accessory. They’re meant to be worn on the side of your calf to keep your hose from slipping down. If you’re looking to add a pop of color to your outfit, then they’re your best bet!
Feel it out!
There are other accessories that are worth mentioning. However, we think it’s best to leave those for another time because you certainly have all the information you need to dress your best at any casual event.
So our last bit of advice is to feel it out! You’re not a fool. You know what looks good and what feels good so go with your gut at the end of the day!
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