Wearing your Kilt Everyday

[Jimmy]

As usual evey summer, I have been kilted every weekend and a times through the week. This summer has thrown up social, family, sporting and numerous events such as highland games which has given me such frequent opportunities to be kilted. Of course I frequently decide randomly at times that today I will wear my kilt.
I suppose like most members on the forum, kilt wearing becomes sort of addictive, you can't wait for the next time you will don the kilt.
This has given me thought about being kilted everyday but I have come to the conclusion that the kilt with regards to myself is not for everyday wear. I would find it too impractical for various tasks that I do every day, the kilt does not adequately replace trousers or shorts for routine everyday tasks.
I know that we have members who wear the kilt everyday and I admire them for that and maybe I am a bit envious of them and how they cope with everyday activity being kilted.

Moving on to an observation that I have made with younger people who wear the kilt frequently is that they wear the kilt low on the hips and well below the knee, sometimes with scrunched down hose and sometimes without any hose. As with most young people they always seem to look good in whatever they wear. I wonder if the kilt would be more mangeable for everyday tasks worn like this well below knee level

[Jock Scot]

I can't answer that from first hand experience Jimmy, but worn lower than the knee? I do remember well many kilts being worn on the farm in the late 40's and 50's almost all , if not all, were MOD kilts.

In passing, I have often wondered if demobilised soldiers of Highland Regiments at that time, were allowed to keep their kilts? Other British demobilised servicemen (WW2) were given suits, so I do wonder?

Anyway it was usual for the kilt to be worn at about top or just above the knee height, but when working(much was done by hand in those days) in the fields the kilt was hitched up by a couple of inches. I could never understand it as the thistles in the sheaves of corn and in the hay must have made life pretty grim.

I do think that the kilt is not, and genuinely not, the best option for general day wear, in some circumstances and at a work place with whirling cogs, spinning shafts, fishing boats at sea, ladders etc., it is just plain stupid to contemplate wearing the kilt at any time.

Is that why we generally keep the kilt for special occasions? It is certainly a contributry factor, I think.

[Pleater]

I have kilted garments which are 27 inches long - that being the maximum length to be got from a 54 inch wide cloth when divided without resorting to adding a yoke about the hips. Unsurprisingly it is a classic length for women of more mature years.

Being 5ft 5in. tall, and wearing these at my natural waistline, I find that the edges of these get dirty when I am working in the garden, when washing windows they trail into the bucket or get caught over the sqeegee - and I usually end up either rolling them around or pulling the waist band up onto my ribs in order to bring the lower edge up to a more normal kilt level.

They are long enough to get caught in the car door, on the arms of furniture, and are definitely more 'ladies of leasure' wear than the standard kilt length.

I suspect that the antipathy of young people for housework is all that ensures that a low slung kilt is not a hindrance to their daily lives.

Is it the kilt itself which hinders you - or would a pair of wee breeks like the competitors at highland games wear make you feel like kilting up more often?

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[Jimmy]

I have kilted garments which are 27 inches long - that being the maximum length to be got from a 54 inch wide cloth when divided without resorting to adding a yoke about the hips. Unsurprisingly it is a classic length for women of more mature years.

Being 5ft 5in. tall, and wearing these at my natural waistline, I find that the edges of these get dirty when I am working in the garden, when washing windows they trail into the bucket or get caught over the sqeegee - and I usually end up either rolling them around or pulling the waist band up onto my ribs in order to bring the lower edge up to a more normal kilt level.

They are long enough to get caught in the car door, on the arms of furniture, and are definitely more 'ladies of leasure' wear than the standard kilt length.

I suspect that the antipathy of young people for housework is all that ensures that a low slung kilt is not a hindrance to their daily lives.

Is it the kilt itself which hinders you - or would a pair of wee breeks like the competitors at highland games wear make you feel like kilting up more often?

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

No Anne, I do not think that the addition of an undergarment would enhance my kilt wearing, if anything it would inhibit it. I think you have highlighted some reasons for non-continual kilting

[Jimmy]

I can't answer that from first hand experience Jimmy, but worn lower than the knee? I do remember well many kilts being worn on the farm in the late 40's and 50's almost all , if not all, were MOD kilts.

In passing, I have often wondered if demobilised soldiers of Highland Regiments at that time, were allowed to keep their kilts? Other British demobilised servicemen (WW2) were given suits, so I do wonder?

Anyway it was usual for the kilt to be worn at about top or just above the knee height, but when working(much was done by hand in those days) in the fields the kilt was hitched up by a couple of inches. I could never understand it as the thistles in the sheaves of corn and in the hay must have made life pretty grim.

I do think that the kilt is not, and genuinely not, the best option for general day wear, in some circumstances and at a work place with whirling cogs, spinning shafts, fishing boats at sea, ladders etc., it is just plain stupid to contemplate wearing the kilt at any time.

Is that why we generally keep the kilt for special occasions? It is certainly a contributry factor, I think.

I agree with you Jock that the kilt is not the best option for general day wear but I disagree that we should only keep it for special occassions. There are so many opportunities to wear the kilt frequently without it becoming awkward to wear

[Jordan]

I've found myself recently to be wearing jeans a bit more than I have previously, and I must say there are something's that it's easier to wear trousers than a kilt. (mowing the grass being one!)

That said when not cleaning house or doing anything too strenuous I do prefer a kilt.

[Nick the DSM]

Hard for me to work on my car in a kilt, especially since it's old, lots of grease and dirt.

Nothing wrong with wearing one everyday, but I have tasks to do that require trousers.

[Dale Seago]

Hard for me to work on my car in a kilt, especially since it's old, lots of grease and dirt.

Nothing wrong with wearing one everyday, but I have tasks to do that require trousers.

Same here. Additionally, my kilt-wearing is not every day (due to work), but every weekend; and weekends are when I get to see my girlfriend. Lately she's been saying, "I really love the kilts. . .But could I please have a little 'pants time' now and then?".

[kiltedwolfman]

I wear a kilt everyday and have had no trouble at all doing all the things I do whilst being dressed so. It only takes a little to get used to the minor details of getting in and out of vehicles, before doing so becomes second nature. Just like doing the "sweep" when getting ready to sit in a chair. I've also had no problems when hiking, camping, fishing, or playing with my kids in the parks while kilted. I think the only time I don't wear the kilt during the year is when I'm in the woods on a hunt. During those days I'm in camo coveralls, or when I'm in the dojo where I wear hakama.

[sevenoaks]

I love wearing a kilt however I can not do that when at work. I do come home, shower and get into a $49.00 kilt and wear it around the house with a T-shirt. If I do go out, to get the milk, bread etc, that I forgot to pick up on the way home, I put on work socks and boots then go get them.
I know some guys who come home and get into "sweats" or blue jeans but I prefer to wear a kilt.
When we go out to eat, theater, walking, opera, art gallery etc. I try to wear my heavy wool kilt.
I see guys walking around looking sloppily dresses and even when the kilt is dressed down it looks better than wonky shorts that hang down to midway between the knees and ankles or blue jeans showing a "Plumbers Crack".
To me it is just more comfortable, relaxing and me.