Wearing the kilt...

[RossCroft]

i wear a kilt every day. i'm self employed, so it's easier for me, but a kilt is clothing to me not a costume. i have a suggestion for those who would like to wear the kilt as part of their cultural heritage.

learn the historical roots of *why* anything was worn. highlanders weren't really much for "fluff" and if they wore it there was a reason.

the little kilt is an evolution of the great kilt. the great kilt was sleeping bag (and warm it is too!), coat and game bag. it was an incredibly practical item and wearing it was the most practical way to carry it around. it evolved into the little kilt because the highlanders found themselves "in town" and the great kilt was no longer practical. the little kilt was a way of hanging on to the culture but a scotsman was practical above all. i wear the little kilt to work precisely because the great kilt would get in the way when working. at games or while camping i wear the great kilt because there it is much more practical than the little kilt.

where did the sporran come from? the ghillies? the bonnet? the prince charles jacket? if you know the roots of your attire you will probably come closer to what is "traditional" in the modern world.

the kilt is a wonderful item of clothing. when someone comes into my shop and asks questions about it i'm happy to answer them. questions from folks who know nothing are nice. i've seen a ton of people who wear the kilt with no idea what it is or what the "roots" are of it. and in many cases they put out false information because they heard it, read it or just want to look like an expert. there's a lot i don't know, but taking the time to do some research solves most of that. and when i diverge from the "traditional" attire i know it and i know why i'm doing it. i am constantly getting comments from folks about how "authentic" i look. that's because i wear the kilt as a functional item of clothing and not as a costume. the "attitude" is different when i am in costume and when i'm just wearing my clothing.

btw, one of the biggest reasons i choose to wear the kilt and the old fashioned "stuff" is because it's so practical. and comfortable.

anyway, enough of the soapbox. hope to see more of ye around. i enjoyed meeting folks from this board at the livermore games and hope to meet more of ye.

[Dirk Skene]

I am a bit jealous of your being able to wear one all the time. Even though I am always kilted unless I'm at work or church, I work 2 jobs so I don't get lot of "play" time. I guess that's why I play hard

[furrycelt]

I am a bit jealous of your being able to wear one all the time. Even though I am always kilted unless I'm at work or church, I work 2 jobs so I don't get lot of "play" time. I guess that's why I play hard

at the risk of asking something that is none of my business and could potentially get the thread locked.... why not wear your kilt at church?

just curious. i wear mine to my church all the time, and as far as i know, no one has an issue with it.

[Monkey@Arms]

SNIP

the little kilt is an evolution of the great kilt. the great kilt was sleeping bag (and warm it is too!), coat and game bag. it was an incredibly practical item and wearing it was the most practical way to carry it around. it evolved into the little kilt because the highlanders found themselves "in town" and the great kilt was no longer practical. the little kilt was a way of hanging on to the culture but a scotsman was practical above all.

SNIP

anyway, enough of the soapbox. hope to see more of ye around. i enjoyed meeting folks from this board at the livermore games and hope to meet more of ye.

It was great meeting you in Livermore. Your post raises an interesting question, the answer to which I guess is lost in antiquity. If, as I have read, the great kilt developed relatively late in Scottish history, what was it that triggered the inhabitants of the Highlands to change their style of dress from the leine and brat to the kilt?

If it was an improvement, why wasn't it adopted in other areas with similar conditions? (Just to keep the discussion focused, I'm discussing the great kilt in particular, not pleated unbifurcated garments in general.)

Best regards,

Jake

[Arlen]

You know, speaking as someone who wears my kilt for comfort and for family heritage and as someone who has done a lot of study on this, the old highlanders kinda did like fluff. It was a status symbol to have more colourful tartan and shiny buttons etc.
Yes, they did like to be practical and were sensible people, but it doesn't mean they didn't like to dress up because lots of these new 'Traditional' parts of the outfit were invented.

Just my two pence.

[Howard Clark]

I am self employed as well, and the kilt is very practical indeed in the forge shop. I also prefer to think of it as simply clothing, and not costume. I don't need pockets much either, and even before I started wearing kilts I disliked stuff in my pockets, preferring a small pack and waist belt not unlike a sporran, really if you think about it.

Church and church functions are the biggest part of my "out in public" kilt wearing. Being Presbyterian, there is not much anyone can say to denigrate the wearing of a kilt in church, eh ? Of course that presumes they have read some history, which is not always a safe assumption. I guess the way I dress there could be called "costume", but really, it is just the nicest stuff I own.

[Kiltman]

You know, speaking as someone who wears my kilt for comfort and for family heritage and as someone who has done a lot of study on this, the old highlanders kinda did like fluff. It was a status symbol to have more colourful tartan and shiny buttons etc.
Yes, they did like to be practical and were sensible people, but it doesn't mean they didn't like to dress up because lots of these new 'Traditional' parts of the outfit were invented.

Just my two pence.

A very worth-while two pence. My reading of the highlanders is that they did like fluff, but found little opportunity in their world to indulge in it. Certainly they dressed-up to honor certain people and events.

[Dirk Skene]

at the risk of asking something that is none of my business and could potentially get the thread locked.... why not wear your kilt at church?

just curious. i wear mine to my church all the time, and as far as i know, no one has an issue with it.

It is a legit question my friend The way you asked it, it is not against the rules and & will answer in the same vain. I choose not to because I deem it could be distracting from the focus. I am opposed to women & girls showing up in dresses so short they have to pull the hem down as they sit for the same reason. We XMarkers are used to kilts. Most other folks are not & I do not want to be the center of attention while at church.

Of course one could argue that if I started, then after a few weeks it would be seen as normal.

[Splash_4]

You could go about it the way I did. I started showing up a church social functions kilted. Once everyone had the chance to see me kilted and realized it is what I wore every week, it allowed me to show up to church kilted with no other impact.

[Dirk Skene]

You could go about it the way I did. .....

Hey That is an idea. It just so happens my church puts on The Memphis Italian Festival the first weekend of June. It is a big time event. I could start there