My name is Highwayman, a 24-year old resident of the Chicago suburbs who just finished up graduate school and am currently seeking my first real job in the nonprofit field. I am of Polish-American and Irish-American descent, 50-50 split, and had never in my life imagined wearing a kilt. Then, on my birthday last year, some friends brought me to Bristol Renaissance Faire...That's all it took. Earlier this year, I dipped my toe into the lifestyle by picking up a Tactical Duty Kilt from 5.11 because I am a competitive shooter and found it to be a very amusing accessory to wear to tournaments while everyone else had BDU pants and heavy duty vests. I know it's not the real deal, but still have worn it to some semi-formal social events, to the Faire, and to a couple notable parties where it got a few laughs and nods. I ordered a Stillwater cargo sporran for it which will hopefully arrive tomorrow, I'm headed to the Faire again this weekend and my friends tend to have me hold things in the TDK's cargo pockets.

Oddly enough, later that day my step-mother saw my kilt and asked what my tartan was. Explaining we had none, she told me to look into a Oddly enough, later that day my step-mother saw my kilt and asked what my tartan was. Explaining we had none, she told me to look into a Farquharson or a Christie as they were her mother's tartans. Mentioning it later to some friends, I did find one Tartan I have full right to. I am a very active Freemason, and as this forum reports in a few threads there is a tartan from Utah which some members have embraced as our official one.

Wandering the Faire last Saturday on my birthday, I stopped by the kilt maker's booth and a very pretty girl working the counter bluntly told me 'Your kilt is a dirty lie'. I agreed, and asked for an estimate for a Farquharson model in my size. I was then told it would cost me the exact amount I pay for a month's rent, not counting accessories. So much for that, sadly. Looking online, I was unable to find ready-made budget models of either tartan, but I did find an acrylic model of the Freemason tartan. Mentioning it to some Masons, I was quickly and strongly told to go for wool or not bother.

So, here I am to spend a long while researching, reading, and considering my options if I can ever afford a real kilt. Until then, I'll be off in my black nylon abomination.