RN Mess Dress w/kilt?

[Taffer]

Slightly tenuous link to mil. av. I know, but others have asked for sartorial advice here in the past.........

Can a kilt be worn with RN mess dress (or undress)? I seem to recall a couple of people doing it at BRNC, and also at Burns Night dinners, but not any other occasions.

Does anyone know the official line on this matter - unfortunately I don't have access to the relevant BR at this moment in time, so any info. would be appreciated!

[airborne_artist]

We had a Jockanese would be looker in my flight at BRNC. Gift of the gab, far too many stories for any of them to be believable, and he wore a kilt with Mess Dress, so I can only assume it was kosher.

He was chopped on 750, and then turned up in the RNR with even more stories about his time as a WAFU, I heard.

If you believed him, he'd rescued the whole of the Fastnet (http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/august/14/newsid_3886000/3886877.stm)
on his own, which would have meant being in several a/c at once....

[MReyn24050]

In 1996 Admiral Sir Julian Oswald, a Scot and a former First Sea Lord at the instigation of Commander Hobbs of the Royal navy got Queen Elizabeth II to grant to officers and men of the Royal Navy the right to wear kilts of Scottish, Irish, Welsh, Manx and Cornish origins at mess dinners and certain ceremonial occasions provided they wore the Navy short coat of the uniform. However if they wanted to wear the kilt they had to buy it themselves!

http://www.iol.ie/~irishrts/Sample%20kilt%20pros.htm

[N Arslow]

I understand the new PMs contribution to the military is to be kilts for all and those who want them, can buy there own trousers...

[rab-k]

You are joking, right?

You've more chance of seeing Brown in a Morris Dancer's costume than a kilt! (After all, you would never guess our outgoing PM is a jock, would you?)

Brown already has a voice coach ironing out the brogue - every time he says "want" it comes out as "wunt", a la John Major. :yuk: But at least he's getting it easy - given the school Blair went to he probably had his accent beaten out of him.:E

PS If you don't already have a kilt or even a Clan connection - check out the following:

http://www.erskine.org.uk/tartan.asp

[BEagle]

Kilts in the RN?

I suppose it'd save time when it's your turn in the barrel!

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

How unkind!

[Looker]

Ah Beagle,

Passing on hard won experience from Kinloss by the looks of it. :}

[fawkes]

The Golden Brown is a Lowland scot - they wear trews.

[Mick Strigg]

The simple answer is NO! There was a RNTM or DCI about it a few years ago and it isn't in any of the Rig pubs/posters.

[Wwyvern]

I seem to recall a John Masters book in which a Scottish military officer, when in the toilet, remarked that the kilt was the best garment for fornication and diarrhoea.

[An Teallach]

But by far the worst garment for Mess Rugby. I speak from experience. There's always some Rockape of dubious sexuality who will make you let go of one 'ball' by grabbing 2 others.

[wokkameister]

I have one question regarding this thread. WHY,WHY,WHY?

[vecvechookattack]

Thats three questions.

[wokkameister]

Mr attack.....

I stand corrected. I know when I am beat.

WM

[jockspice]

In answer to the original question, yes you can; I and many others have been doing so at mess events since mid 90s which was around the time the DCI allowing it came out.

Beagle
Thanks for your post - it wouldn't be an RN specific thread without your tired input.