Is Kilting a Hobby?

[Sir Didymous]

This thought occurred to me at my straight eight (non-ministerial) job, the other day. Kilting includes the wear and collecting of the kilt, all of it's accessories, and related clothing. Given that, the fact that is has it's own specialized terminology, and large numbers of people dedicated to the making and study of kilts and their history; it is just looking more and more like a hobby. There are even groups whose sole reason for being is the celebration of the kilt both online, and off. So at what point should I be allowed to list kilting as one of my hobbies?

[CDNSushi]

It CAN be, just like anything else, I'd say. Just the same as say, something like scuba diving. For many of us it's indeed a hobby, and for others it's an occupational choice -- or a job.

For me, kilts are mainly a sartorial choice, and I would not count it among my hobbies any more than I would the wearing of trousers... Or button-up shirts. If I absolutely HAD to attach some hobby-ish label to it, I would have to go one broader, and say that one of my hobbies is fashion.

[JohntheBiker]

How about now?!

[Taskr]

Hobby, by one definition - an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation and not as a main occupation.
"Generally speaking, a person who engages in an activity solely for fun is called a 'hobbyist', whereas a 'professional' generally engages in an activity for reward and an 'amateur' (from French for "lover of") does so out of personal interest in an activity. While an amateur may be as skilled as a professional, a professional receives compensation while an amateur generally does not."
So hobby, by definition and convention, appears to be an activity that could be an occupation but isn't. Depending on the depth one is into kilting, might be a hobby for many

[The Q]

I separate kilt wearing from the rest of its attributes.
Wearing for me at the moment is "Sunday best" but that will increase as I get more kilts.
Wearing a kilt or anything else is just a preferred clothing choice as I (We All here?) look smarter.

Hobbies
I am making some sgian dubhs and kilt pins at the moment, but that just joins in with my other creative hobbies of model railways, rebuilding my 18ft sailing boat, rebuilding our 27ft motorboat, modifying my landrover 110, and maintaining our house.
History of the kilt and Scotland is just part of my interest in history in general. For as long as I can remember, including working on archaeological excavations as a schoolboy 45 years ago, I have loved history. I aways like learning about any subject I am interested in, I have few novels, but hundreds of factual books.
My other unrelated hobby is sailing.
So no I don't think that kilt wearing itself is a hobby, but collecting kilts or accessories, and studying kilts /tartans/ history is.

[Tarheel]

Here's the solution to my wife's reaction when people irk her by referencing her art work as a Hobby or folk art. She has committed 48 years to perfecting her talent. I told her to label her work as a "Life-long dedication." She seemed pacified using that as a response.

[A Robertson]

In my case it is not a hobby, it is a disease!
I bought my first kilt and the next thing I knew, my wardrobe was full of them! (including PCs, Argyles, Montroses, Kenmores and all the other associated regalia)
I should sell some of them, but I just can't bring myself to do so.

[Mikilt]

For me it is to an extent a hobby. I enjoy the collecting of accoutrements and learning more and more about the history of the kilt. I get a lot of satisfaction from it.

But it's also fashion choice. 9/10 times if I am attending an event that calls for dressing nicely, I will wear the kilt because I think I look 10X better than I ever did in a suit.

[Couper]

Hobby? Would owning a tuxedo and accessorizing that also be considered a hobby? Neither one seems like a hobby to me. I have one tux and nine kilts. I am wearing an AmeriKilt this evening - not going out, just a rare evening of watching TV and catching up on forum activity with my iPad. My kilts are articles of clothing for casual lounging, local dining/drinking or for dressing up and going out to some "fancy" event - not hobbies. YMMV.

[Reiver]

A hobby with historical roots.
More of a hobby here than in Scotland, it appears, as to lineage Clan etal.
To a real born Scot more so I suspect.