ideas for ameri/utilikilts

[Johnston]

heya--had a thought about my amerikilt the other day when I bought it. I thought it would be neat to still show ones clan tartan while wearing a casual kilt (not sure what classification utilikilts and amerikilts and the like fit into. until someone tells me different!). I thought that, for every day use of the casual kilt, a simple 2 inch stripe of tartan fabric sew from top to bottom a few inches to the right of the front flap would look neat. And for occasions requiring the wearer to be a bit more dressed up, a longer piece which could be tucked into the belt and hang down over the sewn in stripe would look neat. I ordered a bit of my tartan fabric and will experiment, and post pics when done, but right now I'm curious as to the thoughts of others. so...go ahead and thought away!!

[The Wizard of BC]

When a customer asks to show a little Tartan with their solid colored kilt I often sew a piece of Tartan fabric in to the space between the last pleat on the right and the reverse pleat.

Now, Understand that my kilts have most common, uni-dirctional knife pleats, as found on most kilts. With the Reverse Kingussie pleats on a UK this is not possible.

I have also done the insides of box-pleats with Tartan.

Your idea is not unusual.

[Father Bill]

When a customer asks to show a little Tartan with their solid colored kilt I often sew a piece of Tartan fabric in to the space between the last pleat on the right and the reverse pleat.

Now, Understand that my kilts have most common, uni-dirctional knife pleats, as found on most kilts. With the Reverse Kingussie pleats on a UK this is not possible.

I have also done the insides of box-pleats with Tartan.

Your idea is not unusual.

But good!

[SorenMacTavish]

With the Utilikilts "New Standard" kilt (own one and had considered a similar idea to yours Johnston)....the front apron is detatchable and can be used to easily draft a pattern from whether it be the traditional style apron or their "minimalist" one. Given the snap kit they use is pretty much standard snaps, it would be easy to make your own apron if you had one of these. That or, as you mentioned, a strip of tartan along the apron edge would work too...

Just my $0.02 worth

[MikeS]

Regina at Alt.Kilt also will do the tartan in the pleat thing with her kilts too. She probably would do any kind of customization that you can think of thats do-able.

[flyrod6057]

Josh at NeoKilt likewise has been incorporating a tartan "kickpleat" (at the customer's request) in his self-colored kilts for years.

[TheOfficialBren]

I've seen these, too. Built Kilt uses a very similar design. You can order tartan flashing between the pleats, tartan on the outside of the pleats only, and a utility-styled kilt made completwly from tartan.

I believe that the term you are looking for to describe Utilikilts and their ilk are called 'utility kilts' or MUGs (men's unbifurcated garments). Steve at Utilikilt prefers to not label his garments as kilts and seems to prefer to call them MUGs. I may be wrong about that but I believe that I have read that in several places.

[Riverkilt]

What I've done, that worked for me - maybe not you - was to wear a tartan shirt with the solid colored kilt or a tartan necktie (gag!!) with the solid color kilt.

[RyanMac]

When a customer asks to show a little Tartan with their solid colored kilt I often sew a piece of Tartan fabric in to the space between the last pleat on the right and the reverse pleat.

Now, Understand that my kilts have most common, uni-dirctional knife pleats, as found on most kilts. With the Reverse Kingussie pleats on a UK this is not possible.

I have also done the insides of box-pleats with Tartan.

Your idea is not unusual.

I would like to see a picture of this. You know...for posterity.

[Nile]

What I've done, that worked for me - maybe not you - was to wear a tartan shirt with the solid colored kilt or a tartan necktie (gag!!) with the solid color kilt.

AJ, I've done the same as Riverkilt. Since a 'utility kilt' was all I had for a while, I experimented with dressing it up and adding tartan in some way. A tartan tie and tweed jacket worked for me and I even dressed that way to a Burns supper once in my AmeriKilt complete with the AK sporran (the PC crowd didn't seem real accepting but, I had a great time anyway).
Nile in Kilt.jpg
You could also use flashes made from your tartan if your wearing 'Highland style' hose.

Your ideas sound interesting. As far as I know, there are no established traditions regarding the 'utility kilt' so you can pretty much go any direction you want with it. I generally wear my 'utility kilt' more conservatively while others prefer a more flamboyant, personalized approach.

Be forewarned; if you are wearing your tartan kilt, then a tartan tie and tartan flashes are not generally accepted as TCHD.

Nile