Attire For Class
Appropriate dance attire is tight-fitting athletic clothing and highland ghillies. Hair pulled back out of face. 
Attire For Performances
Dancers are encouraged to wear traditional highland attire. This can include kilts, vests/jackets, blouses, knee socks, and ghillies. Some suppliers (both local and online) are listed below. There are also an abundance of facebook groups and swap meets at dance competitions, for those seeking lower prices for second-hand items. Potential dancers should not be discouraged due to lack of formal attire. We are a family, and we can help you get outfitted!Attire For Competition
• Highland dances require a kilt, a vest or jacket, knee socks, a white blouse, and black panties or shorts.• National dances require a white dress with a tartan throw or an aboyne. Both must be worn with white panties or shorts.
• For jig and hornpipe dances, separate outfits are required. The jig also requires separate shoes and must be worn with white shorts or panties.
For official rules regarding competition clothing, see Scottish Official Board Highland Dancing Dress Code.
Where to buy Highland Clothing
Used items are occasionally available from other families in our dance studio. Join our private facebook page (Highwood Highland Dance Society) to see what people have posted.
New and used items can also be purchased from:
- Carrie On The Prairie (Highland hose in High River)
- Body Things (ghillies - Calgary)
- Creative Designs
- Highland Dance Gear on Facebook
- Highland Hub
- Karen’s Kilts
- Tartantown
- MacIsaac Kiltmakers
- The Scottish Shoppe (Calgary)
Highland Dance Steps
Here is a website that is a treasure trove of dance steps! It shows all the optional steps, including multiple examples from various dancers, if you scroll down on each page. This is a great resources for practicing at home!
