My First Kilt will be my last!

by Martin Hannah
(Australia)

As a Scotsman I have always wanted to own a kilt of my own instead of hiring the generic tartan ones you often see at weddings.

My problem was that living in Australia, I had emigrated a few years earlier, meant that nipping down to the local kilt shop was a bit difficult.

In 1997 I finally had my chance when my wife and I took a trip back to Scotland and there I discovered there is a lot more to owning a kilt than you would believe.

First of all you have to decide the depth of the kilt pleat...oh woe was me...I had no idea.
secondly as a Ferguson I thought...well get the Ferguson tartan what could be easier....oh no...did I want dress or everyday wear did I want this or that...and also the colours varied...sheesh....there is a lot to this kilt business you know.

Ok hurdles one and two were eventually overcome when hurdle three loomed...what was I going to wear with the kilt and was it going to be day wear or evening wear. Eventually I overcame that and went for the Bonnie Prince Charlie jacket with the trimmings. Now I reckon I am on the home straight when the wee man whom I now considered to be my jockey informed me that the kilt could be lightweight or heavy for the seasons don't you know.

After all this and lightening my wallet by a fair sum, always painful for a Scotsman I was measured and found to be worthy of the kilt which I was told would be sent to Australia as it would take several weeks to make.

You will never believe this but about two months later I had a letter from customs informing me that they had detained my kilt in Brisbane and should I wish it then I had to part with several hundred dollars in duty.

So all in all a very laborious and expensive experience but the day I wore it to an Australian wedding I was cock o' the walk and every hurdle along the way was worth the aggravation and I would do it all again.

I will be submitting a photo just as soon as I can get to grips with scanning into the computer etc.