Kilt Suits...

[McRoy]

Just happened across a photo of a guy in a "Kilt Suit" what looks like a regular suit with the kilt the same color as the jacket and vest? To me this just looks rather odd, kind of like a woman's church dress outfit. I mean really is a pinstriped garment in say a grey pinstripe a kilt, or just a pleated dress?

[MacLowlife]

Contemporary is not my department, but you may want to have a look at Howie Nicholsby's 21st century kilts... http://21stcenturykilts.com/article/34/kilts-kilt-suits They don't show much in the way of pinstripes, but they show plenty that are not tartan- and they specialize in a kilt that sits at the hips. They also did Alan Cummings knighting outfit, frequently cited: http://21stcenturykilts.com/ ( see the photo of the guy with spiky hair and the decoration on his lapel )

[McRoy]

Exactly, is it just me? Or are these things just plain silly looking? To me it looks like a woman's dress outfit. All it needs is a matching hat and it could be worn by Hyacinth on keeping up appearances.

[Stitchwiz]

Exactly, is it just me? Or are these things just plain silly looking? To me it looks like a woman's dress outfit. All it needs is a matching hat and it could be worn by Hyacinth on Keeping Up Appearances.

Emboldening added

Don't need to add a word ...

[Alan H]

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[Alan H]

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[artificer]

At the risk of going all "Rules Lawyery" #9

ith:

[Damion]

I forget the name of the show now, it was an American sitcom starring Billy Connolly. There was an episode where he is wearing this plain coloured kilt (brown I think) and is having a debate with this woman over his "skirt". He claims it's a plain coloured kilt, she claims she has the exact same skirt in her wardrobe.

The thing is, skirts and jackets, the two main items in a skirt suit, were men's attire long before they were women's. It's one of those historical quirks that much of female fashion today is based on men's fashion from earlier time periods. I do wonder if the tartan schoolgirl uniform wasn't based on the highlander the same way that some school uniforms were based on sailors.

I must say that the pinstripe one simply looks like female attire, I do like the all-tartan one except for the weird flaps in the front and the kilt looks too long - then again I like the pre-Culloden/Victorian revival look of a tartan jacket rather than the plain one most wear today.

I think the leather kilt might be uncomfortable, anyone worn one? I'd rather have leather trousers myself.

One last thing, if the difference between a kilt and a skirt is the pattern, then isn't that a rather fine distinction to make?

[CMcG]

Just happened across a photo of a guy in a "Kilt Suit" what looks like a regular suit with the kilt the same color as the jacket and vest? To me this just looks rather odd, kind of like a woman's church dress outfit. I mean really is a pinstriped garment in say a grey pinstripe a kilt, or just a pleated dress?

You're relatively new around here McRoy, so let me help you with some terminology:

A dress, by definition, is a women's unbifurcated garment consisting of a top and bottom in one piece, so no a kilt suit is not a pleated dress.

A kilt, by definition, is a knee-length, wraparound, unbifurcated, lower-body garment with aprons in front and pleats in the back, often (but not always!) in tartan material, as worn by men in Highland attire. The word is now used more broadly to describe similar garments such as utility/cargo MUGs or schoolgirl skirts. Therefore, yes, a grey pinstripe kilt suit is a kilt.

Exactly, is it just me? Or are these things just plain silly looking? To me it looks like a woman's dress outfit. All it needs is a matching hat and it could be worn by Hyacinth on keeping up appearances.

There are probably other people who don't like kilt suits, but I hope it is only you who is silly enough to come onto the Contemporary sub-forum of the world's largest kilt website and start bashing contemporary kilts

On the other hand, solid colour kilts (often tweed or hodden grey) are nothing new in Highland attire. The increasing popularity of the kilt suit and use of materials like pinstripe may be a contemporary phenomenon, but the idea is rather old. For example, John Brown is portrayed in MacLeay's nineteenth century Highlanders of Scotland portraits wearing a kilt suit:

[sailortats]

I, for one, think that is a very smart look. I like the looks of the kilt suit although I must admit to having some slight reservations about a solid color kilt. Although I actually would prefer the solid color suit to an all tartan suit.
The more I think about it I would like to own a solid color kilt suit. Darn it all, a new excuse for another kilt, does it never end?