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]