The Z Report: Dressed To Kilt - A Grand Finale Worth the Ticket Price

As we've done for the past few years, D and I attended DTK last night. We got a late start, missing the pre-party included in our VIP tickets, due to the fact that D was on deadline with a job and the director kept calling her back on the project.

I had squeezed my size 4 figure into a sized two black dress and added a black belt (instead of the customary pin) to hold up my Grandfather's family tartan and decided it would do, when I discovered there was a small tear under the arm. As D waited for the umpteenth call, I quickly changed into a fitted black skirt and sweater and discarding the family tartan, grabbed a silk shantung red and black tartan, wrapped it around my waist and made a very presentable bow.

I went out to flag a taxi while D sent in her final work, and we took off for the event, arriving minutes before the fashion show was ready to start. Luckily this year, with a change of venue, there were VIP seats and we found some in the third row, me holding them while D went to the bar to get a couple of glasses of Glenlivet neat.

The show was lots of fun, as usual, which is more than I can say for the after party, most of which we skipped in favor of going for a late dinner elsewhere. It was a disappointment over the previous few years after parties, which were at separate venues. I am sure the organizers will get an ear full from some of the ticket holders.

I was fine with having paid for VIP tickets and missing both the pre and after parties, because the show itself and the hoopla surrounding it was good fun and worth the price of the tickets, especially for a charitable event. Part of the hoopla was due to the surprise grand finale in the form of cheeky (pun intended) Scottish actor Brian Cox and his Championship Season co-stars Kiefer Sutherland, Jason Patric, Chris Noth and Jim Gaffigan, who marched down the runway in Scottish dress, paused at the end and gave a five man "Scottish salute" to the delight of the audience.

The Champions(hip) Season Co-Stars

As most of you will know (especially if you've followed any irreverent, wily Scots such as Brian Cox himself and his younger counterparts Gerry Butler and Ewan McGregor), a Scottish salute calls for a flipping of the kilt and showing your backside, or as I call it, "putting your best face forward." Some others call it a "kiss my ass" gesture, depending on who the recipients of the gesture are. In this particular case, it could have signaled a little of both, but a great grand finale to the show, depending on how far the participants bent and where the recipients were seated. It was a very revealing look at a another side of some very playful actors.

Beginning the Scottish Salute

Chris Noth, not having enough of it, repeated the maneuver before ducking behind the stage, to additional applause.

All in all, a relaxing and humorous evening. Later over some pasta and salad after midnight, we decided it was the perfect ending to a very stressed beginning.

Next year, dear Dressed to Kilt organizers, put a little more thought into the after party. After all the flowing liquor, being held at a venue where you can get some food, as well as dance, if you are so inclined, really makes it nice. People don't mind paying even more for a VIP ticket if you get treated as a VIP.