Deciding when and where to garb yourself in the proper kilt can sometimes be a difficult choice. While there are kilts that are formal, made of good wool and usually include a tartan as well, there are also kilts that are meant more for everyday wear. Choosing the right garment for the right occasion is extremely important, even more so with something as unusual as a kilt.
Evaluate the Event
The first thing you'll need to do when deciding what kilt to wear is to decide what sort of apparel will be appropriate. If you're going out to a bar with friends or going out to a club, then the informal kilt should be worn without question. If you're going to a funeral or to a formal gathering such as a march or wedding then you should definitely wear a formal kilt with tartan, likely with a sporran as well. The tartan is the pattern and color of the weave that identifies a certain family or clan and a sporran is a small pouch that hangs from the kilt on two chains that's used to store things since kilts have no pockets. The difficult choices will be in events that could be considered "office casual," like family reunions, office parties and other events where there isn't a formal dress code, but it isn't a come-as-you-are sort of gathering.
Modification
Once you've determined just what sort of event you'll be attending in your kilt, it's time to decide what is the proper look. A kilt, much like a suit jacket, can be made more or less casual depending on how it's worn and what accessories are worn with it. The tartan always makes a kilt more formal, and a kilt without one is better used for casual wear. Wearing a sporran can also make your kilt seem more formal if you have a formal sporran, which is usually made of high quality leather and genuine fur. If you wear a formal shirt with your kilt then it looks more official, but if you wear your kilt with a T-shirt (or in some outdoor events with no shirt) then it becomes more casual. Simply tailor the rest of your outfit to reflect how formal or informal you want your kilt to be perceived as, and you should be fine.
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