Howdy, new from Vancouver, BC, Canada.

[Racer96]

Another newbie to the kilted life here.

My wife (girlfriend at the time) had seen a few guys wearing modern kilts to the Vancouver Giants (Western Hockey League team) games, and had said to me that I should get one. I insisted that I couldn't pull it off. (I'm of japanese descent.)

Then this past month, we were down in San Diego for Comic-Con, and during my wanderings, I happened upon the Utilikilts booth. Just for the heck of it, I decided to try one on.

I was pretty much sold when I saw my reflection. What do you know, I could pull it off.

I thought about it overnight, and first thing in the morning, I was back at their booth picking up a black survival. (Which, unfortunately was sized a bit too big for me, 39, when I really should be in a 38.) After wearing it that day and night, I decided I was going to get another one. What the heck, I was on holidays, and that was my big purchase. So I left with an olive original.

Upon getting back into Vancouver, (still wearing a kilt, erm, mug) I just couldn't get over how comfortable it was. And how much fun I was having wearing it. Over the course of the week I started checking out websites (like this one) and mid-week I decided I was going to take a trip down to Seattle to check out the Utilikilts store. I called ahead, and found out they had a tan corduroy (denim style) in my size, but, not knowing what the demand would be like, I pre-paid for it, so that my trip down wouldn't be wasted in case there wasn't anything in my size by that time.

When I got down there, I met Hiroshi, and started chatting with him. He was wearing a Vancouver Giants t-shirt!! I figured he must have been one of the guys that my wife had seen at the games before. That was really kewl. I tried on a bunch of different UK's, and yes, indeed I do fit the 38 the best.

Unfortunately for my bank account, I left the store that day with the 38 tan corduroy (Hiroshi swapped it out for the 39 for me) , a 38 chocolate brown workmans in an extra extra long length (I like the really long length, as it kind of reminds me of a japanese hakama, which ties into my heritage a little better ) , a 37 loose waist caramel brown workmans from the scratch and dent rack, and a 37 black denim.

That wasn't the end of it though. Once I got back, I carried on a bit of an email conversation with Hiroshi the next day, and also called him up, and decided to also pick up a 38 olive mocker as well as a black 38 workmans. As luck would have it, he was coming up to Vancouver, and he was able to bring me the two UK's, as he is QUITE familiar with my neighbourhood!

The two that he brought up to me, I have special plans for. My wife does some screen printing of t-shirts and other garments, and one of her prints, in my opinion, will look really good on the front of the kilt. I'm really looking forward to seeing how that will turn out.

Also in checking out the various modern kilts, I came across freedom kilts' website. They looked really nice, and I loved the fact that they are made right here in BC. I called up Steve and had a wonderful chat for a guy that's supposed to be so grumpy. After humming and hawwing, I had a look at the calendar, and found that there would be a slight chance that I could get one of his kilts made up in time for my birthday. I called him up again, and placed the order. I can't wait to see how that beauty turns out!

I also asked him about the japanese tartan shown here , and he is looking into it for me. My wife says that if I get a tartan kilt, it has to have significance, and that would definitely be it! (She also said I could go with Smith or Snodgrass, as she has that in her lineage.)

And, to round out the contemporary kilts that I was looking at, I'm considering ordering an Amerikilt, as that would be the first that I would get with a sporran. I'm holding off a little bit though, to get some fabric samples, and because of a little something that Mike from Amerikilt told me about.

And there's my story. Near the end of July, I had no kilts. Now I have 8 Utilikilts, and a Freedom Kilt on order, with an Amerikilt waiting to be ordered. Oh, and I'm broke. But what a fun way to go broke.

Thanks for listening to my tale of kilt newbieness.

Mike

[sjrapid]

Welcome from London, England.

Best regards

[MysticMead]

from North Georgia... wow... what a way to get out of pants... congrats on the kilts!!

[Steeplechase]

Welcome!

Oh, once you go tartan there is no turning back.

[Lee]

Welcome, Mike, from Ottawa.

Sounds like the addiction has taken hold.

I know you're gonna love the FreedomKilt.

Lee

[Raphael]

welcome from Burnaby!!! You must come to the next kilts night to show off your kilts and your wife's t-shirt!!!

[JamesA]

from Wyoming! Wow, I have heard of jumping into the deep end, but man you just dove in all the way! Very cool!

James

[McClef]

from South Wales UK!

[BEEDEE]

Mike - that is really jumping in at the deep end!! from coastal North Carolina

Brian

[cessna152towser]

from the Scottish Borders.

You seem to be in deep to the kilt addiction and will soon catch up in kilt quantity with some of us who have been here a lot longer!