Thoughts on Kilts After the Games

[Riverkilt]

Flagstaff, Arizona is a college town with a population of about 60,000. Flagstaff is a kilt friendly city with a bagpipe shop, a bookstore full of books Celtic, and a couple of Irish pubs. Its over 7,000 feet altitude in the high woodlands of Arizona. Sits on top of a hopefully inactive volcano.

They hold their annual Celtic Festival (sponsored by the Norther Arizona Celtic Heritage Society) every July. Its over a two hour drive from Page and the same for Phoenix, but they draw folks from around the area. No clue how many showed up this year but it was busy and the food lines were long and the booze tent was full. The games went from one day to two days a couple years ago.

Three (or was it four?) years ago Utilikilts had a booth there right across from Kathy Lare's booth. Both were always busy. Since, neither Kathy or Utilikilts has been back (I don't think...UK may have come one more year).

The only kilts that seemed to be present in quantity this year were STACKS of acrylic kilts in about 8 basic tartans. All with the "Designed in Scotland' tag hanging from them.

The folks from Coronado had a good booth and they had Strathmore and House of Edgar's swatch books out - but no one was looking at them. I'm used to seeing people pouring through the swatch books and having to wait my turn to do the same.

So sadly, a man wanting to buy his first kilt had little choice but the stacks of acrylics. And there were a lot of folks going through those stacks. I think the "Designed in Scotland" still has its desired effect of fooling folks into thinking the kilts were, in fact, made in Scotland. I think there were a few contemporary kilts at a Buzz Kidder outlet booth.

As for the kilted folks I saw during the short time I was there - sadly, no kilted police officers this year. The most common tartan was the Leatherneck worn by the military society guys. And, of course a lot of Black Watch tartan kilts. There was a good variety of clan tartan kilts and plenty of band tartan kilts. If there were any district tartan kilts I didn't recognize them. Not even an Isle of Skye. There was one very nice saffron kilt.

If I saw a SportKilt I didn't notice it as such. I did see a few Utilikilts. What struck me more was that I saw a LOT of solid color kilts that weren't Utilikilts. No clue the brands, but they were contemporary kilts for sure. Have the new contemporary kilt makers cut into Utilikilts once dominate place in the market? That was perhaps the biggest surprise for me.

And, sadly, some of the wool kilts I saw looked poorly cared for. Like they were just drug out of the closet for the first time since last year's games.

Many in wool kilts wore full turnout despite the heat. Braver than I was in sandals.

But bottom line, just for one morning of this particular gathering I came away with three observations.

Its hard for someone who may want to buy a wool kilt to know where to go to do that.

The folks selling "Designed in Scotland" acrylic kilts are doing a booming business.

The companies following Utilikilts into the solid color contemporary kilt market are many.

I also have come to believe in the value of participation on this board. The kilted X Markers I met were all well turned out. I believe because of the knowledge they gain here. And there was one unkilted X Marker but he was en route to a gig where he needed the pants...no problem.

Of course none of this means anything but for that slice of time and place. Your milage may vary in other venues.

Ron