I still think they are best

[Graham]

Tonight I thought I would have another look at the websites of those who produce the better known non-traditional kilts.

I apologise in advance to those who love the plain, non-tartan kilts, but personally I just could not see myself in them at all.

They don't seem to hang, swing or flow like a well made tartan kilt. Without the rich colour and meaning of tartan they seem very bland to me, they are a male skirt as far as I see.
I know this will upset some, but from the many photos I went through, my perception (maybe wrong) was that wearers had to accessorise with the most macho gear they could fine as if to prove that they are dressed in a masculine way.
Whereas with a tartan kilt, no such "explanation" needs to be made.

The only kilt I saw that would ever tempt me to put on was a black Utilikilt, I saw a chap wearing it with a black tie, white shirt and black Balmoral, and it looked fairly smart.

The only positive thing I could say it that they are cheapish and make it more affordable for lads to get out of trousers.

Guess I am a hard-core traditionalist, no hope for me

[highlandtide]

Graham

I tend to agree with you for the most part. I am not a proponent of men wearing skirts. That may not sit well with some of our members, but it is how I feel. I do, however, think that the Amerikilts and Utilikilts look pretty boss without all of the macho accessories. I am a die hard Scot but I feel for those who don't have that to identify with but still want to wear the kilt. I also like the idea of wearing kilts to non-traditional settings.

Anyway I do agree that the colors and hang of a tartan kilt are better looking and have more meaning.
I will never have a kilt that I love more than my traditional Hannay tartan.

To each his own though!


...

[Celt]

As soon as I get a kilt in each of the registered tartans, I'll consider a non-traditional. Have about 3,000 to go, I figure......

[Colin]

I agree with you guys (for the most part). As someone with a Scottich and Irish heritage I prefer the tartan kilts. I do appreciate the idea of the Utilikilts, however upon seeing a few I doubt that I would ever consider one.

[Blu (Ontario)]

Here's my spin on the subject. To be fair, we should be objective regarding these garments. We traditional kilt enthusiasts get to take some comfort in the fact that the traditional tartan kilt comes pre-stamped with an established masculine image. Non-traditional kilts have had to stand on their own and establish a masculine image by pure design. However, we should be careful about placing too much significance to the meaning of tartans, given the dubious history they've had. We should also appreciate the fact that the non-trad kilts have never professed to be anything but non-trad kilts. No...they aren't made of 8 - 10 yards of heavyweight worsted wool and they don't sport a colorful linear grid. They do, however, hang and swing surprisingly well despite the lighter construction. (I've seen them in action.) They are far less painful to the wallet as you suggest and you don't worry when you spill coffee or mustard on them. Also, let there be no doubt...the men I've seen wearing Utilikilts etc. looked pretty darn macho. Since I am now the proud owner of a black Savannah Kilt, I guess I must sound like a "not-so-hard-core" traditionalist. (I'll post about it separately.) Maybe there's hope for me yet.Q

[Dakotan]

I posted this elsewhere, but Blu made me realize something about traditional kilts, and exactly how they fit. There’s some pretty fair back support going on there!
I’ve got a rather nasty spinal injury (fractured and dislocated vertebrae at L-5, S-1), and used to wear a MAJOR back-brace. It rode almost exactly where the “upper section” of my new "Traditional" Stillwater Kilt does. NOW I know why it felt so good when I tried it on for the first time!
Here's something my SportKilts never did for me!
For all intents and purposes I’m wearing a lumbar brace that just happens to have a kilt attached to it! Gotta love it!
Just another reason for some of us with less than optimal spinal health to "go traditional"!

[Graham]

Well you are all a fine bunch of lads, I realise that if I said what I said on another site I would be hung, drawn and quartered.

Blu, you know I respect your views and the thoughtfulness you put into you posts, however, I still have a real problem considering a tartan kilt as a skirt.
It may be called a "skirt-like" garment perhaps, I just seem to spend a lot of time fending off comments from people seeing me in a kilt and saying "Why the skirt?", then me replying by saying 'it's NOT a skirt, it's a kilt'.

I guess we are talking about words and their perceived meanings.
Words have differing meanings to differing people in different places, times and cultures.

I've said before that I live in a conservative place and that non-tartan kilts will take a long while to be accepted here as anything but a female garment.

I don't say that they don't look good, or that they don't offer the same health and freedom as a tartan kilt, they obviously do.
I may change my mind in time, heck - a couple of years ago i would have never dreamed that I would wear a kilt every day!

[highlandtide]

I am glad that we all can have disagreeances (is that a word?) but still get along. Graham, I dont know if you have every notticed the page title up in the top left hand corner, but it says |X Marks the Scot| // a Kilted Forum - kilts not skirts...

I agree that a Kilt is not a skirt.

[Jimmy Carbomb]

When discussing this subject with those in the know, I was taught that a kilt is a one-piece of material garment, that is pleated and tucked to make its form.

I know that I make multiple piece garments, and technically they could be considered skirts... tartan or not.

I know that I also make one-piece Philabegs that are absolutely kilts! It seems a bit nuts to have such designations, but that's the way it is in the real world.

That distinction in the construction can't be too correct however, as there would be very few authentic kilts coming from Scotland these days! Belt loops and waistbands are seperate pieces in my book.

[bear]

Tonight I thought I would have another look at the websites of those who produce the better known non-traditional kilts.

I apologise in advance to those who love the plain, non-tartan kilts, but personally I just could not see myself in them at all.

They don't seem to hang, swing or flow like a well made tartan kilt. Without the rich colour and meaning of tartan they seem very bland to me, they are a male skirt as far as I see.
I know this will upset some, but from the many photos I went through, my perception (maybe wrong) was that wearers had to accessorise with the most macho gear they could fine as if to prove that they are dressed in a masculine way.
Whereas with a tartan kilt, no such "explanation" needs to be made.

The only kilt I saw that would ever tempt me to put on was a black Utilikilt, I saw a chap wearing it with a black tie, white shirt and black Balmoral, and it looked fairly smart.

The only positive thing I could say it that they are cheapish and make it more affordable for lads to get out of trousers.

Guess I am a hard-core traditionalist, no hope for me

I think there would be an exception for solid coloured Irish kilts. Yes, there are Irish tartans, but I believe true Irish kilts are solid coloured.

I think American kilts are true kilts. They don't have the tradition behind them of Celtic kilts but give it a hundred years and they will.