Scottish pets you love

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Of all the Scottish pets you can’t imagine life without, collies and terriers are two of the favorites.

Collies are highly active working dogs bred with coats made to hold up to regional climates in rough and smooth haired varieties. Full-grown collies weigh 70 to 90 pounds, and vary in shades of golds and browns with white or black accents. Because of their size and physical energy, they require strong discipline to make suitable house pets.

Border collies and bearded collies are also very adept at herding livestock, and while good-natured, require a lot of space in which to roam.

Smaller collie varieties such as the Shetland sheepdog are recommended as better companions for smaller spaces.

Terriers are also excellent working breeds and are well-loved as family pets. One of the most popular terriers, and all around favorite dog for many, is the Scottish terrier. Scotties are most commonly black, but can also be wheat or brindle. The first Scottish terrier appeared in the mid 1800’s and has remained favorite ever since. another favorite, and very popular as show dogs, are the West highland white terrier. Reaching a height of only 11 inches, the Westie makes a wonderful house pet and companion.

Scotland citizens today have caught on to the trend of exotic pets. Growing popularity is seen in keeping more “interesting” animals for companions: skunks, spiders, iguanas, and snakes are among the new choices. For those who prefer the classics, the dog breeds of Scotland are hard to top!

How to wear kilts - what you should know

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So you want to look manly in traditional Scottish garb? Well, now that you’ve found that perfect kilt or tartan, you should learn how to wear it properly. Here are some tips:

• The pleated section of your kilt belongs in the rear, as it is primarily used to provide a nice bit of cushion for sitting on, and a kilt with pleats in the front is a telltale sign of someone who failed to put it on correctly.

• After laying the pleats in the back, pull the under apron from right to left, passing its strap through the hole, and buckle it. The top apron should be loose now, ready for you to wrap it over your right hip from left to right, buckle and line up the top edges together.

• Kilts are worn just under the rib cage and they are designed to hang to the top or middle of the knees, depending on where you want them. The straps allow for easy side-to-side adjustments, and again, remember that the double apron section should always be in front.

• Kilt accessories include the kilt pin, a weighted ornament fastened to a spot about 3″ from the bottom and 2″ to the left of your kilt’s right corner. The sporran, a traditional pouch intended to carry soldier’s rations, should hang about 6″ from the top of the kilt, right below the jacket edge, attached by chain straps through the rear belt loops. Kilt belts and buckles, not required with coats, fit through the rear belt loop as well.

Stereotypes about Scotsmen

Most people, when you ask them what do they know about Scotsmen, would answer that they imagine a tall, strong man with fiery red hair, dressed in kilt, standing on a cliff on a misty morning, playing his bagpipes, possibly with some sheep in the background. To be honest, the truth is not as romantic and in many cases completely different from what the world thinks of them. Here are some myths and stereotypes about Scottish people that are not entirely true:

Scotsmen are miserly and reserved because of the hardship their nation went through.

Nothing less true. What many consider avarice is actually being practical. Even though it is often said that expenses are being cut in various fields, in all actuality the nation is developing at least as well as the rest of Great Britain, in some areas even better. Aside from that, on a more personal level, Scotsmen are very open and don’t hesitate to help others in need. Many immigrants praise the way they were welcomed by the natives when they arrived to Scotland.

[credit: amandabhslater]

Scottish dishes are inedible.

This is probably a myth that origins from the famous haggis, which, for many can be a bit overwhelming. But many well known, delicious dishes come from Scotland. Tattie scones, Dundee cake – which is known for its rich flavour – they all come from Scottish cuisine.

Scottish economy stands on… sheep.

Yes, Scotland is known for its sheep. But in recent years sheep breeding business is shrinking rapidly – it is seven hundred thousand pieces smaller than it was seven years ago. Aside from that Scotland has a good coal mining base, oil extraction on the North Sea shelf, well developed metallurgical, mechanical, chemical and electrical industries.

Men that wear kilts are always cold.

It is actually really difficult to feel cold in a kilt. For one, it is almost 23 feet of thick wool covering the area from waist to knees – that in itself is plenty to keep one warm. Aside from that, there are the woollen socks covering the lower legs – if anything, it can only be too warm. And that actually ties with another stereotype – that Scottish men don’t wear anything under their kilts. It probably depends on a person but sometimes, adding another layer could really be a bit much.

Dressed to kilt - charity show

This April New York City hosted the 8th Annual Dressed to Kilt Charity Fashion Show, an event organized to raise funds for the Wounded Warrior Project, the Paralyzed Veterans of America and the Erskine Hospital in Scotland as a part of the Tartan Week.

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The fashion show has been hosted by Sir Sean Connery (accompanied by his wife Micheline) in effort to help Friends of Scotland charity organization founded by Connery in its mission. Friends of Scotland organize a benefit every year and the theme of this year’s fashion show was “Mad for Scotland”.

Various styles were presented during the runway performance, from the most conservative, worn by Matthew Modine, Alan Cumming or Kyle MacLachlan, to absolutely crazy and abstract pieces like the ones presented by Joan Jett or Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan.

There was a lot of tartan, accompanied by wonderful performance and great humour on both guests and models’ sides. Wonderful clothes created by both young, creative Scottish designers and world’s top designers were displayed in the most entertaining manner by people known and unknown. Celebrities were walking along veterans and even children, all dressed in variations about the Scottish kilt.

Many well known newspapers and magazines like Vanity Fair, Fashion Week Daily or Los Angeles Times praised the event, emphasizing the grandness of the event and its growth. In the beginning, Dressed to Kilt was a simple kilt fashion show but now, after eight years it evolves into an impressive affair, successfully promoting Scottish fashion and culture. Hopefully, next year it will become grander, better – if it is possible, of course.

The Classic Styling of Tweed in Fashion

When choosing pieces to add to your wardrobe, the classic stylings of tweed can add to your collection in a way that will last for many years. Tweed has been used in fashion for decades, but it is interesting to note that its origins are actually very humble.

[photo by: Adam UXB Smith]

Tweed jackets and clothing was worn originally by folks who lived in the countryside and was well suited for jackets to keep the wearer toasty warm in the bleakest of conditions.

Today, tweed is used in high end designer clothing and is making a great comeback on the runways all over the world. The Scottish tweeds that are on the market today offer the classic styling of tweeds with an updated look that is appropriate for business attire or weekends in the country.

To add to your wardrobe, choose items that are classically styled for long lasting items to build a base for your closet. Classic pieces such as tweed jackets never go out of style and will hold up well under a great deal of wear. When you are building a wardrobe, it is important to make sure that you choose pieces that will last for years without going out of style and only use trendy items as seasoning for your attire. Not only will this build a great looking wardrobe, but it will save you money in the long run.

Tweed is a great example of an item that remains in style for decades. Scottish tweed is made from some of the finest materials in the world and is a great addition to any wardrobe.

Tweed clothes are a good match for kilts.

Funny story about what is under the kilt

[found at: Kilt Shop website]

Scottish Weddings – What Does The Groom Wear?

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Prince Charlie Coatee And Vest
This is one of the most formal jackets in the highland-wear armoury. It consists of a jacket and vest (waistcoat) which are usually made from Barathea, a woollen cloth. The jacket is most commonly black but there are several other colours now on the market including purple, blue, mulberry and green. The jacket is cut to just below the “natural waist” at the front and has a flap at the back which extends down to around the top of the buttocks. The vest is also made of Barathea and is often cut with a lapel instead of a straight edge. The jacket and waistcoat are adorned with silver buttons with there being up to 20 buttons on the jacket and three on the vest. The jackets lapels are often made in a satin finish.

There are various theories where this garment came from but there is no doubt that Bonnie Prince Charlie would never have worn one. It would be prudent to believe there was some military background to it.

Winged Collared Shirt
With this formal wear it is traditional to wear a winged-collared shirt. Some people nowadays do wear an ordinary shirt but for the sake of looking better a winged collared shirt is better.

Bow-Tie
It is most common for a black bow-tie to be worn although it is becoming more common for the groom to wear a bow-tie made form the same tartan that his kilt is.

Plaid
There is sometimes a lot of confusion with this garment. The dictionary definitions give it as “fabric woven in a pattern or tartan design”. It is very commonly used in North America as another word for tartan. The definition of the garment is from the Gaelic word “plaide” meaning “blanket”. This is the piece of cloth that you can see hanging over the left shoulder in the picture on the right. In my opinion this is a must as it sets the groom apart from the rest of the male wedding party.

The plaid that you can see is called a fly plaid and generally hangs from around the chest area to just below the kilt. It is a piece of cloth that is generally around 12” x 55” (depending on kilt-maker). You can wear larger plaid (like I did), for instance the pipers plaid (like I did) but this is not recommended personally on a hot July day !!!

Plaid Brooch
This is the metal (usually pewter) brooch that attaches the plaid to the jacket. They come in many shapes and sizes from the very simple to the very ornate with gems, sometimes actual Cairngorms, in the centre.

Heather Button Hole
The groom often wears a heather button hole which is usually placed just to the side of the plaid brooch.

Kilt Belt & Buckle
Traditionally when wearing the Prince Charlie jacket and vest there is no belt and buckle worn as they really can’t be seen. The jacket and vest come lower than the natural waist and therefore cover the belt which is worn at the natural waist. The natural waist is best described as a line through the belly button.

In more modern times people are tending to wear a belt and buckle with the Prince Charlie. My personal opinion for this is so that the jacket and vest can be removed later in the proceedings after all the official ceremony is finished.

Sporran
This comes from the Gaelic word “sporran” meaning “purse”. There are several types of sporran, dress, semi-dress and day/leather sporran. In this case the groom would wear the most formal, that being dress. These are more widely varied than tartans themselves. They are made from an animal skin front (most commonly sealskin) which have ornamental tassels hanging from it. They have a metal top (cantle) designed to tie in with any belt worn. The sporran is hung around the natural waist by means of a metal chain and leather straps with the chain passing through the belt loops at the back of the kilt.

The Kilt
Arguably the most important garment of them all. The kilt is traditionally made of about 8 yards of tartan cloth that why they are so expensive. When you consider that there is only about two yards that actually wrap around you then there is about 6 yards of the cloth that is used fro the pleating at the back.
The kilt is worn around the “natural” waist. This is not where you would wear a pair of trousers (on top of the hips). This is around the belly button, about 2 to three inches higher up than normal trousers. It is worn about ¼” below the top of the knee.
A standard kilt from a good kilt-maker will have belt loops at the back, and come with three straps an buckles which are the means that it is put on. They also come in different weights of cloth. I would tend to choose the heavier ones as they are better wearing but for those in hotter climates the lighter weight may be better.
There are many kilts on the market today with some kilts, commonly known a casual kilts, made from much less cloth. These do not have the same amount or depth of pleats at the back so you do not get the “swing” that the traditional kilts get. There are many kilts that are now made in the Far East. I will keep my opinions to myself but the old adage stands firm. You get what you pay for beware!!
Remember also the tartan you wear may show your allegiances!!!!

Kilt Pin
This is a small pin that is worn on the bottom right of the kilt. It is usually worn about 2 to 3 inches in from the fringe and about 5 inches up from the bottom of the kilt.
There are a huge amount of designs available but my personal favourite is the ones in the shape of a sword (claymore) which was derived from the Gaelic word meaning “great sword”. These also have a clan crest on them.

Kilt Hose
These are the long socks that are worn up to the bottom of the knee. They again come in many designs from plain to very ornate. They are generally made from wool so beware when washing although there are now kilt hose that are made from wool blends that do not shrink.

Kilt Hose Flashes
These are the garters that hold up the kilt hose and are worn below the turn up of the sock. They have a piece of cloth sewn on them which protrude out of the turn up on the sock. This cloth can be of the same tartan as the kilt or they can be self coloured as long as they compliment the tartan of the kilt.

Sgian Dubh
The Scotmans’ dirk. This comes from the Gaelic “black knife” and is worn in the right sock. Again ornamentally they come in many many styles with jewelled tops, with stag antler handles and many more.
Please check the law of the country that you are wearing it in. In Scotland the carrying of knives for no lawful purpose is illegal but gives an exemption for “ceremonial” knives.

Ghillie Brogues
These are the shoes with the long laces. The laces are crossed once over the foot, intertwined three times in front of the leg and tied in a bow over the shin.

Undergarments
The answer to the age old question, “What’s under a Scotsman’s kilt?” Well I guess you’ll have to ask the next Scotsman you see wearing a kilt !!

Well that about does it for a highland formal wedding outfit. Don’t hesitate to contact the author if there is anything that he could help with.

At any rate have a wonderful day at your ceremony!!!

By: Sreve Dickson

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Scottish Kilts from The Tartan Box