kilt

[RuddBaron 10]

I have seen a BSA pipe band wearing the kilt with the uniform. Not official that I know of, but certainly very traditional. I have also seen some Scouters wear the kilt at Jamborees when attending Scottish-related sub-events. One could even make the case to wear the kilt for a Wood Badge ceremony, given the obvious Scottish connections. For appropriate occasions, this certainly goes over very well.

[Fat Old Guy 11]

I know a couple Scouters who wear a kilt in the McLaren tarten on formal occasions. It may not be regulation but it looks neat and looks much better than those who are wearing regulation trousers that are two sizes too small.

[Twocubdad 665]

I've been told that the tartan used on the Woodbadge neckerchief and for some ceremonial uses is the McLauren tartan, in honor of Baden-Powell's mother's clan.

 

I think it would be neat if BSA adopted an official tartan, either McLauren (or whatever the Woodbadge tartan is) or have an official BSA tartan created and registered. That's fairly easy to do. There is probably more interest in this than many folks realize. In our part of the country, there are quite a few highland games and I frequently see Scouts participating. One council over from us has a pipe band Venturing crew. Since they are Venturers, they can legally adopt the kilt as their official crew uniform. They wear their tan Scout shirt with the kilts -- looks really sharp. I'm not sure what tartan they wear, though.

[Marty_Doyle 10]

The clan is Maclaren.

B-P's mother was a Smyth, with no relation to Maclarens.

Maclaren was the Scottish lord(?) who bought the land that is now Gilwell Park and donated it to the British Boy Scouts.

The tartan is used in Wood Badge ceremonies and on the neckerchief to honor his gift.

 

[RuddBaron 10]

There is no BSA tartan that I know of, but one can easily be made. The Scottish Tartans Society in Scotland maintains the list of tartans. All you have to do is submit a design to them and order a bolt of the material. There is a tartan for most branches of the US Armed Forces, as well as for many states. I personally wear my family tartan (I believe this is what the Scottish Scouts do), the hunting version of which is very much like the McLaren.

[RuddBaron 10]

So...if there is interest in a BSA tartan, perhaps a petition can be submitted. This can also be done on a local level, e.g., a troop tartan or a Council tartan. The only problem there is that one can only afford so many kilts....

 

(The Webelos neckerchief is "BSA Plaid," though I'd have to look at it closely to see if it is actually a tartan.)

 

While on the subject of things Scottish, I have "discovered" that the garter flashes worn with the hose (knee socks) that are worn while wearing the kilt work very well and look nice with BSA knee socks. I understand green ones used to be part of the old uniform. I suggest red to match the stripe. Again, not official, but very practical and with historical precedent.

[Bob White 20]

William F de Bois MacLaren to be precise. A Scouting Commissioner who met Baden-Powell at a luncheon. When powell discussed the need for a permanent training site, MacLaren told Powell that if he found it Maclaren would pay for it.

A search committee quickly found Gilwell Park.

 

Bob White

[ASM7 10]

It seems you can actually become a member of Clan MacLaren Society of North America for $10 if you have earned your Woodbadge Beads. Check out this site:

http://members.aol.com/Rapmack/how.htm

 

I've always thought kilts were great looking in a formal setting. I don't know where you can order MacLaren tartan from, but it would be great to start a traditional formal woodbadge kilt uniform.

[ASM7 10]

Sorry,

Here's the home page.

http://members.aol.com/Rapmack/index.htm

Go all the way to the bottom.

[Twocubdad 665]

That's cool, you even get a discount.

 

Kilts are available at lots of places. I bought mine through www.dunedinscottish.com several years ago. A quality kilt is pushing $400 now, although in the past few years I've started to see lesser quality kilts (lighter wool, blends, etc.) for less.

[RuddBaron 10]

Dunedin Scottish is good. J. Higgins does decent work as well. $400 is about the average price as already mentioned. But, it can easily last a lifetime. Additional expenses are the hose, belt, and sporan. Any of the Scout hats would work, though the now-unofficial beret and the campaign hat would probably work the best.

 

It's tough to know if they have a decent kiltmaker when one is new to kilts, so I advise finding someone who is in a pipe band, is a highland dancer, or otherwise knows about the kilt. There's a lot of questionable information out there, and certainly there are a lot of self-appointed authorities on Scottish dress...known as the "Tartan Police."

 

I would say the Wood Badge custom could easily be McLaren OR one's personal family tartan to avoid forcing someone potentially to buy more than one kilt.

[OldGreyEagle 5]

After spending $400 on a kilt, I know what I will be wearing under it, and as far as it lasting a lifetime, once Mrs GreyEagle gets wind of what I paid for it, wearing it once will constitute MY lifetime.

[RuddBaron 10]

Ah yes, but once she sees you in it she will forget about the money. Women seem to love men in kilts...at least in my experience.

[Bob White 20]

The BSA uniform beret is still official, it is simply no longer manufactured for or sold by the BSA.

 

I am tickled by the thought that some scouters who would not wear the complete BSA uniform because it costs almost $80 would be willing to wear kilts at $400.

 

BW

[Marty_Doyle 10]

Kilt with hose, flashes, kilt belt, sporran with chain, kilt pin, and sgian dubh would run closer to $700. A balmoral with clan badge, another $100-$150 - though I guess the red beret could work. (My brother and I were looking into advancing from channters and joining the local pipe band).

And you would still have to buy a BSA shirt with all accoutrements to wear with the kilt, and the rest of the BSA uniform when you weren't wearing the kilt.....no savings, just more cost.

And you would have to decide when one could wear the kilt (Bobbie Burns' birthday, B-P's birthday, St. Patrick's Day, Scout Anniversary week, COH, WB????).

And would we have to have a position patch for Piper, as opposed to Bugler?