I found this site a couple of months ago and lurked around at bit before signing up. It certainly looks a very friendly place.

I first bought a kilt about 7-8 years ago as a spontaneous purchase when I walked by a wedding suit hire shop that was selling off some of their kilts at a very cheap price. Although I intended it just for a couple of Christmas and New Year parties, I soon realised it was a really comfortable and fun garment that was equally practical as casual and formal wear. A couple of years ago I splashed out on a beautiful new hand-made cilt (with all the trimmings - including a hairy sporran) from the Welsh Tartan Centre.

At first I was apprehensive about wearing it out without a specific purpose but rapidly appreciated how quickly it breaks down the British reserve and causes complete strangers to start conversations. I've never felt threatened, any loud mouthed drunks are usually in good humour but the questions can get a bit repetitious.

Last Autumn I went on a kilted quest with a couple of friends to search for evidence of Count Dracula in Transylvania/Romania. We travelled from the UK and throughout eastern Europe by train and had great fun dispite being unsuccessful in our aim (it depends how you define 'Count Dracula'). A kilt certain turns heads in those parts starting many interesting conversations and great hospitality with local people. However, on one occasion we only just climbed on the train as it moved off after a woman with a sausage stand wanted her photo taken with us.

I wish I had found this site a couple of years ago when I was researching C16th kilts for a living history re-enactment involving Mary Queen of Scots. While I found period references of her requiring Scottish nobility to wear 'highland attire' at court I could not find a description of what that meant. That re-enactment took place without such attire as it could not (then) be authenticated but the research gave me the understanding that the development of the current 'traditional' kilt and allocation of specific tartans to clans was very late and thus there was no reason at all for anyone not to have a go.

Sorry, I,m getting carried away; so I'll end my introduction from a beautiful part of the country (although you will have to take my word for that at present, enveloped as it is in mists and torrential rain).

Tom