Kilts & Porridge
‘While the men are decked out in Braveheart black tie, with traditional sporrans, fly plaids and kilts designed by Siobhan Mackenzie, the women are given nightclub-ready black heels, skirts that can be hemmed to your personal highlands and sporran-shaped purses.’
Damien Woolnough – Australian fashion writer.
Scotland stirred up controversy when their athletes uniforms were revealed just before the Commonwealth Games 2026 began on July 23. This is nothing new – whenever international athletes uniforms are shown to the media, the knives are out. There’s rarely any agreement amongst fashionistas or media folk as to what constitutes good/great design.
However, the Scottish uniforms as mentioned by Damien Woolnough are ceremonial uniforms which an key feature of the opening ceremony & flag bearing occasions. They’re not worn when athletes compete. Ceremonial uniforms are about primarily about national identity and cultural heritage.
Apparently the high heels worn with the shorter female athlete’s kilt bought forth a special rage. There were vitriolic comments about why female athletes shouldn’t be seen wearing heels. Strangely enough, there’s currently a media trend for female sprinters, ballet dancers and athletes to be photographed in athletic gear paired with stiletto heels. But such images don’t usually provoke the anger of the general public.
I really like the kilts worn by both male and female athletes. Scotland is known for its finely woven plaids & tartans and its tailoring of kilts.
As the designer of the uniforms, Siobhan Mackenzie, stated – ‘The outfits are classic and timeless, with the tartan very much the focus. It’s also really important to me that everything is made in Scotland, from the woven cloth to the finished garments and accessories, supporting local textiles and craftsmanship.’
Scotland is renowned for its traditional Highland dress. Kilts evolved as robust outdoor gear – practical hard wearing fabrics essential for warmth and protection from the wet Highland weather. Over the centuries Scottish clans created specific tartan patterns and colours to affirm identity, regions, national pride and specific regions.
Because kilts have no pockets, sporrans were invented. They’re pouches made of leather or fur and were designed to carry everything from food and coins to ammunition. Sporrans are worn on a leather strap or chain and hung in front of the groin.
Some traditional full-dress sporrans have long horse hair attached. The hair can be seen swaying in time with marching bagpipers or Scottish military regiments. The preferred hair is the horse’s tail, because it is longer and coarser than a horse’s mane.
As Finlay Wilson (see photo above) the author of ‘Kilted Yoga, Yoga Laid Bare’ wrote, ‘For me, kilts are a piece of heritage that reaches from the past to the present, and I have taken to wearing them more and more, even having kilts made with pockets to give them a modern and practical feel.’
In the media scrum about kilts and high heels, Scotland’s ‘Porridge Making Championships’ in the small town of Carrbridge in the Highlands has been overlooked. Fortunately a new documentary has recently been released.
Titled ‘The Golden Spurtle’ the move is is essentially about the contestants and was described by writer/comedian Ben Bobjie as – ‘Like a good bowl of porridge, The Golden Spurtle bubbles and boils over with charm …’ What a beautiful thing it is that in a hard, cruel, ruthless world, one can find places like Carrbridge.’
Indeed. And for those with curious minds, a spurtle is the traditional wooden stick used to stir Scottish porridge. Accordingly the name of the prize awarded to the winner of the championships is known as The Golden Spurtle trophy.
Film viewers of ‘The Golden Spurtle’ get to meet prominent citizens of Carrbridge, including a witty chap known as ‘the Porridge Chieftain.’ There’s also Toby Wilson, a cheery Australian taco chef who reveals his tasty creation of porridge tacos with prawns. Having never partaken of this particular dish, I’m in no position to comment.
It has been suggested there might be more fun to be had at Scotland’s ‘Porridge Making Championships’ than the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Although even hardened journalists & social commentators were delighted by the arrival of King Charles and Queen Camilla smiling widely as they exited from a replica of Dr Who’s blue Tardis.
To expand a tad on Ben Bobjie’s quote – What a beautiful thing it is that in our divisive, troublesome Trumpian world one can still be cheered by gentle wit, calmness and subtle British charm.
Simon Buxton photo (above): Finlay Wilson author of Kilted Yoga – Yoga Laid Bare published 2017 by Yellow Kite