Has this happened to anyone else? I started off with an original Utilikilt, in olive drab. I wasn't sure if the whole "kilt thing" was for me. What would people say? How would I feel? Would it feel like I was, forgive me, wearing a skirt? I supplemented the UK with a Sportkilt and a couple of Mockers (from UK).

Then . . . then I took the plunge, and ordered a digital MARPAT forest kilt from Pittsburgh Kilts. (That was, as they say, when things got serious.)

The PK led to me ordering a USAK casual. I'll be honest---initially, I thought, "Why this isn't that great!" Little did I know, eh? The USAK casual (Farquharson) is probably my most worn kilt. I got a cigarette burn on the apron at a bar one night, so now I wear it around the house, mostly.

From the USAK I started dabbling in the Stillwater line. I tried out a hunting McLeod, liked it, got a Irish National economy (currently being torn down to make a uber-primitive box pleated kilt) and then tried the heavyweight weathered Lamont.

I liked them, but I could tell the difference in fit between the USAK casual and the SWKs . . . so I called Rocky Roeger and said, "Fix me up, if'n you'd be so kind, with a Ramsay blue semi-traditional . . ." and so he did.

Then I got the itch for a box pleated kilt. It's an itch I've still got---a kilt from Matt Newsome does NOTHING to turn you away from kilts. Charcoal grey Ettrick tweed, and very fine indeed.

Now I've got a USMC Leatherneck tartan on order from USAK, five yards, thirteen ounces. My first real worsted tartan custom kilt.

The way things are going, I'll end up an old fogey traditionalist! I started out easy, with the off the peggers, of non-wool material, and I have noticed myself sliding further and further to the "traditional standard" as I go along. Now, Houston still gets hot enough, and muggy enough, that I probably won't make it a daily practice to wear an eight yard kilt of sixteen ounce wool . . . but I'm a darn sight closer to that than I ever thought I'd be.

I've experimented, I've found that I just LIKE wearing a kilt, that it feels good, that people are generally intrigued, that those folks who don't like the kilt can, in Brother Dread's phrase, go sit on a thistle.

This is FUN!