What pushes your buttons.....?

[Blu (Ontario)]

The kilt is certainly not unique in the world of mens clothing. There are plenty of other non-trouser options available that also have tradition, history, and style. But do they inspire the same passion as the kilt? Would you be inclined to, for example, wear a lava lava to the office? Have you been to a sarong pub night lately? Do you enjoy engaging in endless discussions regarding the meaning of various floral prints? Do you fuss over what boots to wear with your new moo-moo? Would you spend $200 or more on a pair of trousers?

Question: What is it about the kilt the motivates you to open your wallet and part with substantial amounts of your hard earned money? Why does your pulse quicken just a bit when strapping on that new kilt?

In short... What is it about the kilt that "pushes your buttons"?

Cheers to all
:mrgreen:

[Doc Hudson]

Heritage and tradition.

If I were a Polynesian, I'd not hesitate to wear a lava-lava. But I'm not a Pacific Islander, nor any part of Asian descent, so none of the Asian, Pacific fashions of dress appeal to me.

I am of Anglo-Celtic (English, Welsh, Scots, Scotch-Irish, and Irish crossbreeding)descent with a smidgen of American Indian blood. Even my Cherokee and Creeks ancestors wore a form of kilt.

My soul, my blood, and my feet are stirred by the skirl of the pipes. (I'm not quite as moved as a friend told of another friend, Lewis said that his pal told him, "Whenever I hear bagpipes, I want to go kill someone.")

That is why kilts appeal and other unbifurcated garments are just something wrapped around the waist (to me).

[Mike n NC]

First off. It is the most comfortable garment I have ever worn!
Never haveing been too worried about how others see me, I think they look good and I look good when wearing them.
I have always been the "different" one, never in step with the crowd.
It is a connection to history, my family history and my herritage.
I will not deny that I enjoy the attention they attract in general and women in particular.
Last but not least (for now at least), my wife likes me in a kilt more than in a toga.

Mike

[Kiltman]

For the most part I have to agree with Mike n NC. I’m not overly self-conscious. I have to admit I like it when women are interested in me. I like being interesting. At nearly 60 it’s good to hear positive comments about my appearance. And I like being confident enough in my own masculinity to wear a kilt.

[GMan]

First off for me was because of heritage. Then came the comfort and freedom factor. Now it is because it is down right sexy, and people follow me around much more 8)

[eighties]

I'm with GMan on this. For me it also started with heritage but as I continued to wear the kilt I realized how comfortable and practical it really was.

But to answer the main question posed, I think the heritage has a lot to do with the reason we spend so much on at least one good kilt. If there is a clan connection then a tartan can mean something very special to one's self. Therefore, shelling out some cash for an authentic tartan kilt made in Scotland is no big deal because of what it represents to said person. Even if there isn't a clan connection, anyone who has fallen in love with the history and passion associated with Celtic culture, loves what that kilt represents.

Wearing a kilt out for the first time can be nerve racking but we subject outselves to it because what we're doing is saying to the world, "Hey, this is a part of who I am and I'm darn proud of it!"

Then there are the non-traditional kilts. They aren't as expensive but still no chump change. Once again wearing one of these states to the world, "I like comfort, this is different but also very 'cool'".

Summing it up we're telling others something about ourselves. Spending some hard earned money to do it is kind of just par for the course.

Just my humble opinion, of course.

80s

[Jerry]

My first experience with kilts was at the first celtic festival that I attended. I was wearing jeans, and felt totally out of place. Then while doing geneology research, I found that my family from county Tyrone, has a sept connection with The Macneil of Barra clan. After that I had to have a kilt. Then I wound up with 3 and am well on the way to ordering another one.

[Uncle Ricky]

For me it's comfort to start with. No binding and pinching. The breeze is wonderful.
I have heritage on my side if I need a convenient excuse, but that's not the main factor.
Next comes style. They simply look fantastic. The kilt has motivated me to take off a bit of weight.
I walk with more confidence. Maybe that's a self defence mechanism, but it works.
Lastly, I do like a little bit of attention (Must be the child in me). The kilt is a great conversation starter!

Cheers

[macwilkin]

Family heritage is my primary motivation for wearing the kilt, since I have been raised to be aware & proud of my Scottish heritage, but another factor is my interest in military history. The early history of the kilt & Highland dress has a strong connection to the British Army, so that is another motivating factor.

Cheers,

Todd

[Blu (Ontario)]

I've always thought kilts looked pretty darn macho but never gave it much thought until Y2K. Bought my first one that year with family heritage in mind. I never imagined that I would ever wear it casually or often. (The old costume mentality.) The fact that I got attention from the ladies was certainly a bonus. Now it's become like a drug habit. :mrgreen: I can either feed it ... or go into rehab.

I seriously like the look, the weight, the support, the attention I get, and the rush. Another great bonus is getting to meet some great people through this forum.


I was just thinking... In a slightly altered timeline, we might all be discussing fustinellas or *GULP* trousers like this!