6 Boots To Wear With Kilts

The right boots make a kilt work, as it is essential to find the right balance between comfort, style and tradition in order to get the perfect look for you.

Much like there is more than one way to wear a kilt, there are a lot of options when it comes to the boots you can wear it with, with some being far more suited to the occasion than others.

Whether you need a sturdy pair of countryside boots to get you to a picturesque part of the 

Highlands or a set of brogues perfect for a traditional dance, here are five types of boots that are perfect to wear with kilts and for which occasions they are most suitable.

Traditional Ghillie Brogues

The traditional choice to accompany a kilt and the only true option in the eyes of some, ghillie brogues are a staple of Highland tradition that dates back over five centuries.

Initially, ghillie brogues were designed to be functional and easy to wear in muddy terrain; they would protect most of your foot, and the long laces that have become the staple of modern ghillies were to ensure your shoes would stay on even if you were stuck in the muddiest peat bogs.

Nowadays, ghillie brogues are primarily worn during particularly traditional events, festivals and important ceremonies such as weddings, paired with knee-high traditional kilt hose, but if you are willing to commit, they can look fantastic for any occasion.

Alternatively, if you would rather have a more protective sole, many brogues are available as conventional shoes or even ankle-height boots, both of which work well for less traditional occasions in either suede or black leather.

If you want to follow tradition, avoid wearing brown brogues.

Highland Boots

If you want a traditional-looking boot which provides a little more protection than traditional ghillies, then highland boots are the ideal option.

Available in ankle-length, half-calf and even knee-high forms, all three are ideal for wearing a kilt when you might expect to be hiking and travelling for much of the day. Highland boots are essential footwear for taking part in the Highland games, for example.

If you want to have a similar look but also want a pair of boots you can wear for other hiking or shooting weekends, opting for a pair of countryside or shooting boots will fit a more robust semi-formal kilt just as well.

The main rules to follow are that both suede and leather are perfectly acceptable fabrics, but keep in mind that leather is far more suitable for muddy conditions if you are planning on a walk in the countryside.

As well as this, avoid wearing brown boots if you can; tradition dictates that Highland dress should never include brown boots, although members of the Royal Family have done exactly this, so you may be able to get away with it.

Chelsea Boots

A far more recent addition to the fashionable shoe oeuvre, Chelsea boots are a perfect mix of style, fashion and comfort, as the elastic sides around the ankles make them easy to put on, comfortable and perfectly fitting around your feet and easy to take off.

They are not exactly a traditional choice, but they work well with dark kilts and more modern interpretations of Highland dress, particularly if you opt for black polished leather, making them well-suited for semi-formal events.

Given that Chelsea boots are always in fashion, they are another choice you can take out of your wardrobe, wear with a kilt and then pair with other outfits later on.

Oxford Shoes

Some Oxford shoes are essentially brogues in all but name, albeit with a closed top and much more straightforward laces, but that does not make them in any way a bad choice, particularly if they match the ruggedness that a traditional utility kilt emblemises.

As with any other formal event, Oxford shoes or boots fit perfectly with any formalwear, including a traditional tartan kilt.

If you are opting for traditional dress shoes, try to choose a patterned brogue look, opt for a sleek and polished black pair, and pair them with a tailored blazer to complete the formal style that is expected from such formal shoes.

Work Boots

Given the interchangeability of a lot of footwear and boot selections, the natural question to ask next is, “Can I wear my steel-toe work boots with a kilt?”

The answer, thankfully, is a resounding yes, although many of the existing rules apply when it comes to colour, fit and form.

Some people prefer hiking boots, for example, as they provide greater comfort, support for insoles and are better for traversing long distances on muddy, uneven terrain.

Some people even want to pair combat boots with their kilts, and they can work very well as long as they match the formality expected of the event you are attending.

They are perfect for any casual outing where practicality matters more, but make sure you opt for black shoes and try them with your kilt before you go out to see if they work for you.

Work boots come in all shapes and sizes, so some will work better with some kilts compared to others.

Finally, if you are hiking across particularly tough terrain, comfort will always take priority, so opt for a pair of black wellington boots or tall hiking boots.

Sneakers

The final wildcard is the sneaker or sneaker boot, which can seem like an unusual choice and would probably be unsuitable for any hiking or countryside pursuits whilst wearing a kilt, but they are not entirely unsuitable as an option.

Much like wearing stylish or outlandish costume boots with a kilt, you can wear sneakers if your goal is not necessarily highland dress but to wear the kilt as a form of fashion, taking the traditional dress and putting your own spin on it.

Sneakers, along with combat boots and lace-up knee-highs, are quite common in modern kilt fashion, although obviously they are very much limited in terms of use to casual wear and informal occasions.