Kilting the issue

Going commando with the Scottish kilt has turned into a raging debate and has come under some serious criticism from the Scottish Tartans Authority.

The practice of wearing nothing beneath the Scottish kilt has come under some serious criticism. The Scottish Tartans Authority has said that refusing to put on underwear beneath a kilt is “childish and unhygienic”. The organisation also warned that “going commando” was against decency. “Those who wear the kilt should have the common sense to realise they should wear underwear beneath it,” said Tartans Authority director Brian Wilton. “Just because Highlanders wore nothing in the days before Y-fronts were invented doesn’t mean that we, in the 21st Century, should wear nothing too,” he was quoted as saying.

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He added: “Sending children up chimneys is traditional too, but we don’t do it now and the same should apply to wearing nothing under a kilt. “You have to ask specialists about the problems they have cleaning the kilts. We have heard quite a few hygiene horror stories.” Kilt wearers are not too pleased on the advice to wear underwear. David Coulthard, who is a former F1 racing driver, said: “Kilts are from the past and so is the tradition of not wearing any underwear. I’m proud to be a true Scotsman. It’s a tradition that should be left alone.”

Ian Chisholm, a kilt maker and spokesman for the Scottish Kilt Makers’ Association, said: “The tradition of no underwear being worn was a stipulation of Scottish military regulation. To say it is unhygienic is wrong. The freedom of movement is healthy.”