Some World War I records hold that the kilt was worn by a select number of Scottish regiments with claims that this offered them a decided advantage in the fields of war.

The claims that the kilt was an advantageous piece of uniform are taken from "The Romantic Story of the Highland Garb and Tartan", by J.G.MacKay. The specific exert relating to World War I comes from an appendix written by colonel Norman MacLeod. The piece revolves around three points relating to the kilt as a items of military uniform.

Firstly, the kilt was reputed health benefits of the garment over the commonly issued trousers. Primarily, the kilt kept the soldier warmer around his mid-section than the trousers would. As this is the location of vital organs, ultimately the kilt kept the soldier in a greater state of comfort. The other health advantage came from the inevitable water that would be found in trenches. The kilt could be raised out of the water line if the need came. Also, as the kilt would be worn with hose-tops there were less cases of trench foot amongst kilt wearing soldiers, compared to the trouser issued men.
The kilt was said to give its wearers a distinct performance advantage. The most obvious benefit would be the ease of leg movement that the kilt would provide. As the kilt was considerably thicker than the standard issued trousers, it would be more effective in protecting its wearer from mustard gas. The movement of the kilt would also be rather effective at dispersing the gas as soldiers stood up.Ultimately though, the kilt was a great morale booster for the Scots troops in the war.

A sgian dubh is a small dagger which plays part of the modern Highland dress set.

In the modern day, a sgian dubh is worn as part of the complete set of accessories accompanying the wearing of a kilt. Generally it is held under the wearer’s hose, with only the handle being visible to an observer. Generally, the visible sections of a modern sgian dubh is black and with a simple design on the handle.

Originally, the sgian dubh was worn as a hidden dagger and as such, its design was somewhat different at the time, since it needed to be more suitable for combat. The sgian dubh stems from the sgian achlais, which was originally worn under the armpit. Inspection of mid 19th century portraits will show hinds of both types of knives on the wearer.

There has been some controversy surrounding the wearing of the sgian dubh as many consider them as weapons. While this is technically true, it can be safely said that the majority of them are used for their decorative purposes. There have even been instances in the past where the wearer of a sgian dubh have faced legal charges for wearing a sgian dubh.

A sporran is the pouch often seen on the front of a kilt.

Originally an item of practicality, the modern day implementation of the sporran sees it as more of a decorative accessory for Highland dress than anything else.

Basically, a sporran could be described as resembling a sort of purse that hangs just below the belt buckle on the front of a kilt. In more details though, it can be seen that there are a number of different types of sporran, each suited to their own situations and times. A “day sporran” are usually the most plain, normally brown or black in color and with little in the way of adornment. A “dress sporran” often is adorned with fur on the front and always with a silver cantle at the top, they can also be fitted with jewels or decorated with various symbols, like Celtic knots or Scottish clan symbols. There are also “military sporrans” which are typically the most elaborate type of sporran, with some going so far as to class them as being flamboyant.

The sporran is meant to be worn just below the belt of the wearer, making the belt buckle visible. As such, much effort is exerted to match the styles and looks of the sporran to the belt and subsequently other kilt accessories, like the Sgian Dubh.

The kilt is one of the most potent and recognizable symbols of Scottish culture.

The kilt is arguably one of the most recognizable symbols in modern clothing, it is unanimously and immediately associated with Scotland. Yet even though it is so widely recognized, it is probably one of the most misunderstood items of clothing that is worn today.

A kilt does not consist merely of a “skirt” worn by men. The wearing of a kilt not only requires the use of a number of clothing items but knowledge of their associated tradition. Typically speaking, the wearing of a kilt can include the wearing of the a number of accessories, including a belt, jacket, sporran, sgian dubh, Ghillie Brogues, Kilt pin and Kilt socks, although it is not limited to these.

Typically, a kilt is tailored to each individual wearing it. It is meant to sit on the person’s natural waist and end at a point just above their knees. Contrary to common belief it is not a mere skirt but a something more akin to a wrap. There are buckles for fastening on either side of the wearer, yet these are set within a certain range of sizes, meaning every kilt is unique to each individual. Typically, a traditional kilt is created out of twill woven worsted wool.