Quote Originally Posted by English Bloke View Post
Grant. I'm just dipping my toes in the water and I bow to your experience with modern kilts which is considerably greater than mine. I understand that you are committed to one style (traditional Scottish) OR the other (contemporary) rather than a hybrid mash-up, but this is precisely why I think this Kilt is such a breakthrough. It DOES look like a traditional Kilt at first glance. It is great and innovative styling to combine contemporary features with traditional materials. I think it's a superb piece of work though I do appreciate the complexities of production. Unfortunately this probably puts it out of the reach of most Kilt buyers and means it will likely remain unique.

I'll bet Hamish would like one!
Then this exercise in modernizing a traditional kilt is successful. It's certainly generating a lot of buzz. For me the evolution of traditional kilts is Steve Ashton's hidden front slash pockets on a traditional style tartan built kilt. Machine stitching and PV are other important evolutions. The reasons for me liking modern kilts are that (not the machine stitched PV variety) is that they are (to steal the tag from RKilts themselves) based on tradition and built for today. They share visual clues from traditional kilts but the materials used beit hemp, leather or canvas ensure that they're not mistaken as anything but modern. They are rugged, throw on the floor, chuck in the washing machine durable sort've thing. I abuse my kilts, I work in them, live in them. I jam tools and screw in the pockets when working on construction jobs. Crawl under the car? Hell why not, scare the neighbours dog, I don't care ecause the tool I need to tighten my exhaust is right there in my pocket. With the above kilt I wouldn't be straddling joists or dragging my butt across ashphalt because of the very nature of the material. I know Robert's craftsmanship would hold up but not the material itself.

I like the differences between the two styles (or era's if you will). I can wear a modern kilt, with a tee shirt and not worry too much aout getting it dirty or catching a nail. I also like the traditional kilts for which, when I wear it I'll dress apropriately, more traditional, even though as an Englishman I can't be "traditional". So much so that Jock Scot would say "There's a well dressed young man, now fetch my loader I'm going to pretend he's a grouse".

If this gets your gears churning for the foray into "modern" kilts go for it. I'll still share a pint with you down at the local. I can assure you that if you want one it doesn't take too much to twist Robert's arm.