# Wearing a kilt as a garrison uniform?



## anton (21 Jul 2006)

Hi, I cant seem to find the answer to my question. I've tried contacting the unit im joining (the Cameron Highlanders of ottawa), going through their site, and calling the recruiting centre, and doing a search here but no luck. So here's another try:

To anyone in the CHO, since it's a Highland unit, will i be forced to wear a kilt when I get in? Or are the kilts only for the musicians? No offense to anyone, but I just find kilts uhm...unappealing.


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## FormerHorseGuard (21 Jul 2006)

kilts are part of the highland dress for infrantry soldiers and band , depending on unit might be dress for all members, if you cannot wer a kilt i would not join a highland unit.


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## Kirkhill (21 Jul 2006)

FormerHorseGuard said:
			
		

> ......if you cannot wer a kilt i would not join a highland unit.



+1


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## anton (21 Jul 2006)

I guess I'm going into Cbt Eng then...


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## couchcommander (21 Jul 2006)

I would suggest researching the history of kilts before just jumping to that conclusion. There is nothing feminine about them.


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## hugh19 (21 Jul 2006)

he probably has issues with his sexuality. LOLOLOLOL    I own three kilts. Including a cadpat one.  They are extremely comfortable, and for some reason women seem to love a man in a kilt.


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## the 48th regulator (21 Jul 2006)

couchcommander said:
			
		

> I would suggest researching the history of kilts before just jumping to that conclusion. There is nothing feminine about them.



It's ok, we need savages that enjoy haggis and oatmeal.

dileas

tess


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## ExSarge (21 Jul 2006)

couchcommander said:
			
		

> There is nothing feminine about them.




It’s not the Kilt that’s feminine; it’s the guys that want to wear the frilly knickers that you have to worry about!

Thank god there is an Air Force and Navy, so they have somewhere to congregate!  ;D


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## Trooper Hale (21 Jul 2006)

+ 1 to sledge! How narrow minded are you if you cant wear a kilt? Its in no way gay like you seem to worried about and yes, Chicks will fall over themselves to get with the bloke in a kilt. Wearing it shows that your not worried about what others think AND your proud of the men who've worn it before you. 

I'm pretty sure the Scot's who went over the top wearing them in the first world war werent worried about them being "Unappealing" . You should be proud to get the chance to wear it.


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## Springroll (21 Jul 2006)

If kids in cadets have no issues wearing one, then why should you?

I fought to try be able to wear one in cadets, but never got the opportunity....I was stuck wearing a skilt(a skirt made in the regimental tartan) Parades were fun though....especially if the wind blew. 

WOOHOO  ;D


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## George Wallace (21 Jul 2006)

Well Anton, you have two choices.  You can wear Bare Skin under your kilt, or you can wear Bear Skin on your head.  If you don't like the honour of becoming one of the "Ladies from Hell" then you can become a member of that other Regiment, the GGFG.   ;D


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## The_Falcon (21 Jul 2006)

anton said:
			
		

> Hi, I cant seem to find the answer to my question. I've tried contacting the unit im joining (the Cameron Highlanders of ottawa), going through their site, and calling the recruiting centre, and doing a search here but no luck. So here's another try:
> 
> To anyone in the CHO, since it's a Highland unit, will i be forced to wear a kilt when I get in? Or are the kilts only for the musicians? No offense to anyone, but I just find kilts uhm...unappealing.





			
				anton said:
			
		

> I guess I'm going into Cbt Eng then...



Get over yourself.  If you are basing your decision of which trade/regiment you are joining based on what they wear you should go find something else to do.  Consider your statement, you find kilts unappealing?  Why? A couple of thousand of men before you, have been proud and honoured to wear a kilt in battle for the last 300-400 years or so. It made them no less manly, in fact the Germans in WW1 referred to men in highland/Scottish units from Canada and Britain as "The Ladies from Hell", due in no small part to their ferocity on the battle field.  You spit on the graves of those men who died in battle wearing kilts, with your juvenile apprehension.


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## Trinity (21 Jul 2006)

George Wallace said:
			
		

> Well Anton, you have two choices.  You can wear Bare Skin under your kilt, or you can wear Bear Skin on your head.  If you don't like the honour of becoming one of the "Ladies from Hell" then you can become a member of that other Regiment, the GGFG.   ;D


'
well done George


Ok buddy..  I've been wearing a kilt for almost my entire CF career. 
Best time of my life.  If you are afraid of being gay?? I get MORE women
because of wearing the kilt. 

Me thinks.. you need to grow a pair.. (or maybe that is your problem!   hence you don't want a kilt!)




			
				Hatchet Man said:
			
		

> You spit on the graves of those men who died in battle wearing kilts, with your juvenile apprehension.



Um.. no I don't think he does spit on the graves actually...  Nice enthusiasm.. but a little over dramatic?
Oh wait.. we wear kilts.. that makes you feminine so I can call you a Drama Queen! 


Best line every used by a Commanding officer

LCol Cameron   48th Highlanders on the 48th doing a parade for the Queen in 1997 (same day as gay pride)

LCol - Today.. we will go out and parade for the Queen, dressed like queens, being watched by the queens.


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## The_Falcon (21 Jul 2006)

Trinity said:
			
		

> Um.. no I don't think he does spit on the graves actually...  Nice enthusiasm.. but a little over dramatic?
> Oh wait.. we wear kilts.. that makes you feminine so I can call you a Drama Queen!



Possibly a bit over enthusiastic (I was working out and listening to angry music Rammstein, Pantera, etc), but we both know I am a special case, right Padre


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## Michael Dorosh (21 Jul 2006)

As far as "garrison dress" goes, the kilt is worn maybe three times a year at most in Highland regiments - never for work, always for dress parades. Rememberance Day and one or two regimental parades commemorating significant battles ie St. Julien's Day, Buron Day, Walcheren Causeway, D-Day, etc. each regiment has one or two they commemorate each year.  Funerals and weddings my also call for wear of the kilt, but other than that, they are left in the closet.  

When travelling and ordered to travel in uniform, its possible DEU will be the dress of the day - wearing a kilt on a plane sucks completely but otherwise, CADPAT is what any reservist will spend the majority of their life in, unless they get a callout (after they finish their first year or two of training) to something like a Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre where DEU is worn as dress of the day.

In short - much ado about nothing. 

Incidentally, the kilt has not been battle clothing since it was banned as "unmilitary' in 1939, though some stalwarts of the 51st Highland Division went into action in 1940 in France wearing the kilt due to shortages of Battle Dress. The original plan to issue "Drawers, Highland, Anti-Gas" was seen as an unworkable solution to enhancing the piss poor poison gas resistance of the kilt and bare legs of a Highlander.

As for the "CADPAT kilt", I'd be interested in seeing that.  I know some firms sell "action kilts" or whatever online, of denim with cargo pockets, but if it isn't wool and pleated in the back, sorry fellows, you're wearing a skirt, not a kilt.


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## armyvern (21 Jul 2006)

I can confirm...from the female point of view of course...

that Trinity and Tess are *SMOKIN' HOT * when in their manly kilts.  :cheers:

Dileas
Vern


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## The_Falcon (21 Jul 2006)

You aren't a fan of the utilikilt (www.utilikilt.com), Michael?  Johnathan Davis (Lead singer of Korn) sports a "sport" kilt and sometimes a real kilt on stage.  But he is a rockstar.


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## Kat Stevens (21 Jul 2006)

Be sure to tell the Engineer recruiter exactly why you want to be a Sapper instead of a Highlander. I'm sure he'll bend over backwards to expedite your file (13), I know I would.


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## Michael Dorosh (21 Jul 2006)

Hatchet Man said:
			
		

> You aren't a fan of the utilikilt (www.utilikilt.com), Michael?  Johnathan Davis (Lead singer of Korn) sports a "sport" kilt and sometimes a real kilt on stage.  But he is a rockstar.



Personal opinion is that they look ridiculous, but to each his own. I'm also not a fan of idiots arriving at Highland Games wearing real kilts, with t-shirts and sandals, no belt, no hose, no hat, possibly no sporran. Wear it properly or take it off...IMO. **shrug** I'm becoming in the minority on that, too.


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## Kat Stevens (21 Jul 2006)

You mean like this?  ;D


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## reccecrewman (21 Jul 2006)

Well, the RCD is a far cry from being a Scottish Regiment, but I've always found that the highland Regiments look right sharp when they're dressed to the nines in their best bib & tucker.  It all boils down to personal opinion as MD stated, but to choose a Unit based on what they wear?  :

Regards


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## andpro (21 Jul 2006)

ExSarge said:
			
		

> It’s not the Kilt that’s feminine; it’s the guys that want to wear the frilly knickers that you have to worry about!
> 
> Thank god there is an Air Force and Navy, so they have somewhere to congregate!  ;D


hhhhhhhmmmmmmmm... I was going to give a rebutle to that comment, but thought better of it as I am part of a minority here. 
On the kilt issue I agree with the majority of the people here you should be proud of the kilt ... But just try not to ejoy it too much.


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## Yrys (21 Jul 2006)

From sledge :



> and for some reason women seem to love a man in a kilt



What do you mean, for ''some reasons'' ? There tons of reasons to love
more a man in kilt, the first being our collective duty to conduct a ''kilt check''
to be sure that it is wear properly   .

Trinity and Tess in KILT? (swooning over) I need to see a picture  ;D !

(And I disagree with andpro, Enjoy it very much, PLEASE, shaking head  )


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## big bad john (21 Jul 2006)

What you wear has nothing to do with your sexual orientation!  Just look at the lads from 2Para's Mortar Platoon, straight as the day is long, and they all tend to wearing dresses when they've had a few.  But that's tradition.  But I digress, I have been a Marimes Officer for a few years and I wear a kilt as an Irishman proudly!  It takes a real man to wear a kilt it has been said.

Next thing you'll probably ask is if you'll be "forced" to drink beer in the mess.   Please, where do they come from...LOL


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## Blunt Object (21 Jul 2006)

Let the Kilt speak for it self. The people that do stop you when you're wearing it will only do so to pay you a compliment and going to the "Market" in Ottawa in a kilt is always fun.


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## andpro (21 Jul 2006)

Blunt Object said:
			
		

> going to the "Market" in Ottawa in a kilt is always fun.


  
I have never seen that done, but I could just imagine how that would turn out.


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## FormerHorseGuard (21 Jul 2006)

when I was with the Lanark and Renfrew Scottish on the final parade, there were a lot of tears and a lot of second thought about making the change from kilts to pants, ( any man can wear pants , but it takes a real man to wear a kilt) I was thinking it does not take much to take the kilt off the man, but it takes a lot to take the kilt out of the man.  I hated wearing the normal DEU when I remustered to FIN from R031, it took me years to get my balmoral and glen, special premission from the CO and RSm to wear it on callout. Then when the unit was made arty again I put on my green beret again and I was no longer from a highlander unit. I never felt apart of a unit again till i joined the GGHG and got the black beret. The kilt and all the trimmings set the tone of the unit and made it something to be proud of.

If you cannot wear a kilt, enjoy scotch, haggis, the mighty pipes, more then likely  you will do just fine being ENG if they  will have you when they hear your reasoning for wanting to be one.   :  
 A guy in a kilt gets more women in one day then a guy in pants. they always want to know what is under the kilt.  some even want to personally check.


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## Rice0031 (21 Jul 2006)

Blunt Object said:
			
		

> Let the Kilt speak for it self. The people that do stop you when you're wearing it will only do so to pay you a compliment and going to the "Market" in Ottawa in a kilt is always fun.



Hahaha, I have never seen anyone in the market wearing a kilt, but that'd give me a good chuckle and a few minutes of entertainment!
...Maybe I don't get to the market often enough.


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## Kirkhill (21 Jul 2006)

> they always want to know what is under the kilt.  some even want to personally check.



Flashback to ancient history: loud chorus of girlish screams and giggles from the graduating class of nurses next door at the Palliser after "ease springs" on St. Julien's day dinner and all the junior ranks mysteriously disappeared.

No one thought to investigate the matter as the giggles died down.


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## dglad (21 Jul 2006)

Speaking as someone who's worn a kilt as part of my dress uniform for almost all of my military career, I have no qualms saying to the original poster that you should look at joining the Camerons BECAUSE they wear the kilt.  It's a fine piece of military dressed, steeped in the undeniably proud military heritage of the Scots.  Someone suggested that kilted Regiments tend to wear the kilt about 3 times per year; actually, it's generally more than that--Remembrance Day, Robbie Burns Day, Regimental Birthday, Soldier's Christmas Dinner, other Regimental Days, military funerals, Freedom of the City parades, and similar events can all add up to wearing the kilt almost monthly in some years.  Granted, there is a tendency to do more of this sort of thing in CADPAT in recent years (such as Freedom of the City), and I'm sure some units spend more time in the kilt than others, but a member of a Scottish (or Irish, for our Sudbury, Ontario brethren) should expect to wear the kilt with some frequency.

And, yes, as has been pointed out, the ladies tend to be more than a little intrigued by a man in a kilt.

But it isn't, as far as I know, worn ROUTINELY by any Regiments.  The "Ladies from Hell" notwithstanding, it's not a very practical form of dress for training or ops.  Even ignoring chemical agents, I don't think I'd be all that fond of conducting a section attack across the dry grass, cactus and ant-hills of your typical training area in my kilt.  And as for things like mountaineering and rappelling...well, I have rappelled in a kilt (once), but that's a story best left untold.


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## Danjanou (21 Jul 2006)

Vern what’s this about Tess and the Padre being smoking? I’ll have you know I look better in my Kilt then they ever will.  8)

I was privileged to wear a kilt for about half of my service, and was married wearing my own family Kilt.

As to the original poster,  Laddie you are making the awful big assumption that you’re good enough to serve in a Highlander Regiment in the first place. What makes you think we want you?


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## Kat Stevens (21 Jul 2006)

Pretty much where I was going, Dan, you just took a shortcut.


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## Shamrock (21 Jul 2006)

A lot of this seems to be based on the assumption that the original poster is opposed to wearing a kilt for sexual orientation reasons.  Allow me to jump on that bandwagon.

If you don't have what it takes to join a kilt-wearing regiment, then you sure don't have what it takes to be an engineer.  Infanteers are some of the hardest, toughest, bravest mofo's you'll ever meet... but engineers?  They have balls that clank.

If you're allergic to wool, then maybe you have an excuse for not wanting to wear a kilt.  I've never looked in to it, but you can probably get a slip or something sewn in to your kilt, just be careful of silk rubbing around the neter-regions.


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## Michael OLeary (21 Jul 2006)

Callsign Kenny said:
			
		

> A lot of this seems to be based on the assumption that the original poster is opposed to wearing a kilt for sexual orientation reasons.  Allow me to jump on that bandwagon.
> 
> If you don't have what it takes to join a kilt-wearing regiment, then you sure don't have what it takes to be an engineer.  Infanteers are some of the hardest, toughest, bravest mofo's you'll ever meet... but engineers?  They have balls that clank.
> 
> If you're allergic to wool, then maybe you have an excuse for not wanting to wear a kilt.  I've never looked in to it, but you can probably get a slip or something sewn in to your kilt, just be careful of silk rubbing around the neter-regions.



I suppose this didn't come across like a reference to allergic reactions:



			
				anton said:
			
		

> No offense to anyone, but I just find kilts uhm...unappealing.



Regradless, I suppose anton has seen enough responses to get a feeling for how kilts are viewed within the CF.  It will, perhaps, not be his only preconception to be challenged during his career.


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