Hello from Chile!

[Lore9018]

Hello everyone!
I'm Lorena and I live in Chile, but I was born in Argentina. I don't have any Scottish ancestors (not that I know of), but I do have Celts on my family tree (Gallaecia).
I always loved men in kilts... I don't care who they are, where they are or why are they wearing it, it will be always a thumbs up from me. Besides, I know it's a cultural heritage AND family-related. But I thought that someone without Scottish blood couldn't (or shouldn't) wear it.
But this forum corrected this thought.
Now I'm saving to have my own kilt (or maybe kilted skirt, because I think that pleats on the back wouldn't be nice on me; maybe on one side or on the front), and I even convinced my husband and children to try them!!! My 8 years-old son will look so huggable AND bad-tempered on it!
The sad part is that the 3 tartans that I'd like to use, because they have real connections with me, need to be custom ordered. In the Tartan Weaving Mill, the Argentina tartan (the one in my avatar) costs &700 -sorry, I don't have the sign of pound in my keyboard- for 8 metres, and &80 per additional metre. The same with Gallaecia and Italy tartans. Plus the shipping... it comes pretty much unaffordable for me. But I'm doing my best. I'm even thinking about buying a loom and learning how to use it
I have a question: can you have hidden pockets in your kilt? I really -really- hate taking purses everywere. I always lose them and have to go back to look for them. I don't understand why fashion industry believes that women's clothing shouldn't have pockets, or that pockets should be decorative (that's even worst).
I hope everyone will understand my English. I learned it by watching movies, and TV shows, and reading and listening to music XD
Read you soon!

[Father Bill]

Hello Lorena and welcome to the "Great Rabble" from Canada!

Your English is fine - I used to be an English teacher, so you'll have no problems. Congratulations on learning it so well in such a difficult way.

Yes, kilts can come with pockets, and I highly recommend them. The best kilt-with-pocket designer I know is Steve at Freedom Kilts - just click on the link at the top. He's also very good at walking folks through the selection of a tartan when they don't have an obvious connection, and at finding weavers who make a variety of tartans.

Welcome again, and good luck with it all.

[Impala60]

Hi there Lorena,
Like you I found that getting the tartan I really want is very outside of my budget, so I finally decided to go for a plain black utility kilt. I love mine . Besides the pockets on the outside there are 3 more you can't even see. I chose the ultimate utility kilt from UT kilts to start with, but there are so many options out there, in all price ranges is hard for newbies like us to decide what kilt to start with. This forum should be a great help to you.

[Baeau]

Saludos.................

Welcome, & do not worry about your English. I have family in Benagalbon, Malaga, Spain. The elders do not speak English. When I get e-mails/cards/letters from the younger family, it takes time to understand what they are trying to tell me.

Here on the forum, all you need to do is speak "kilt".

¡Salud!
Steve

[Tarheel]

Welcome Lorena. The other women of our group that wear kilts love them and encourage their men to wear them also. Many members like having pockets in the kilt and I understand why it is a good thing. I hope you find a kilt soon and have the pleasure of wearing a kilt. Glad to have you join us.

[Liam]

Welcome from Western Canada!

[Tobinn]

Greetings from Clearwater, Florida, USA. Your English is better than my Spanish, I promise. I'm barely monolingual!

I'm a newbie and just started wearing the kilt this year and quickly fell in love with it.

I think you'll find this group not only welcoming but just about the best resource out there regarding kilts and all things kilt-related.

Not only a terrific resource but I find this forum a bit of a respite from many other parts of life, both on- and off-line, due to the consideration and civility of the community.

It's a bit like walking into my favourite brew pub here in Clearwater - getting into religion, politics and such are prohibited and only civil, polite discourse permitted! Refreshing.

You'll find all sorts of opinions here on how to approach kilt acquisition ; some folks will only wear their family tartan and nothing else - one kilt will do. Others can't get enough and have dozens. Some recommend waiting and getting the exact kilt your heart desires and only getting the best. Others go for quantity. Some make their own! I don't think there's a wrong way, though.

[Kiltedjohn]

Hello, Lorena, and welcome from a Scotsman living in the English midlands.
The Argentina tartan looks really lovely - I hope you do manage to find an affordable way of getting one.
I wonder why you think your 8-year old son would be "bad-tempered" when kilted - hopefully, you can get him to acquire a liking for it!

[Tomak]

Hello and welcome from Southern California. I think you will find this site to be a wealth of information to help you on your journey. There are a lot of fine people here.