Help me understand utilikilts

[Brasilikilt]

Hey all
A years ago before I knew about Utilikilts, I was unaware of all the kilt options out there! I thought my only choice was that of a hand-made woolen tank for several hundred dollars, which for me was WAY too expensive!
I figured my best bet was to find a woolen plaid tartan-ish blanket at a garage sale or on E-bay and do what I could from there.

When I discovered Utilikilts I was so excited because all of a sudden, a hand made kilt was finally available in my price range! It wasn't wool, or made of tartan fabric, but it was still a kilt and it was made with a clever idea which seemed to represent a character and attitude very prevalent here in the Northwest US.
My kilt was actually made for me by my mother in law in Brasil. I have compared my kilt to actual Utilikilts and her abilities made it as good, if not better than a UK!

[Dreadbelly]

My view on UKs has been changed, largely due to this site.

I see them as a logical starting point for many kilt wearers, and I can see the value in that.

While I think they look skirty, everybody needs a good starting place. And UK does that, at a reasonable price.

Infact, someday, I may even be tempted to buy one, just one, simply to support the kilted cause. Anybody trying to bring men in to the kilted fold deserves my business.

[The Wizard of BC]

Graham,

If I can add a couple of words from my side of the fence. (And in Utilikilts defense)

As I understand it, the Utilikilt was never intended to look like a traditional Kilt. The Original Utilikilt didn't have aprons, it had a zipper fly front closure. It was designed to be worn with a belt, and to be an alternative to jeans and shorts.

The design of the symetrical pleats is a wonderful departure from the Traditional. An Engineers answer to how to get front pockets in a pleated garment.

I don't believe Steve was trying to make his product look anything like a Traditional Kilt. His product does not take it's inspiration from the Traditional. He was going in a totally new and different direction.

As for sizing, Utilikilts are designed and manufatured to be sold "off the rack". They concentrate on what they believe will be the most popular and all around sizes.
With the current fashion of wearing shorts below the knee, a utilikilt worn below the knee is perfect for the customer they are marketing to.

Don't lump Utilikilts in with the other Traditional Kilt and Custom Kilt manufacturers. And don't expect them to look like something they don't purport to be. Apples and Oranges here Graham.

I don't iron my Utilikilt. I never will. I don't want it to look "neat and proper".
It's different and Funky.

My Freedom Kilts are supposed to be modeled on the Traditional. The pleats are supposed to hang straight and true. The aprons are supposed to be wide and tapered. If they don't, then you can paint me with the traditional brush.
But don't look at Utilikilts that way.

Rejoice in the Utilikilt, Macabi, Pringle, Mannerrock, and all the variety. If all we had was one "Traditional" pattern Kilt, just in different colors, the world would be a poorer place.

My two cents worth.

[Archangel]

Just finished up my earlier post, and had to reply to this (not a flame I promise).

As an occasional vendor, I do try and measure each customer accurately, so they know their size. The last step in measuring is putting a kilt on them so they can see what they look like. Many times at festivals we have the right waist size, but only one that is too long or too short. When I get them in front of the miror, I show them, and say that I would go with a different length. Many take my advice and then order from the website. Many decide that they don't care and buy what we have on hand.

There is no comission on sales for any of the workers at a festival. It is out place to try and make customers happy. If making them happy measn walking out with one that is off in length (or waist because the guy thinks he is going to lose the weight), should I really say, "Sorry I can't sell that to you because it doesn't fit right. (BTW UK's are designed to fit on the hips lower than the average pant, so that may be while you didn't think feel they fit right - it takes a litle getting used to - or you can cheat like I do and wear them higher and a little tigher than they are meant to be worn).

As for mail order vs festival sizing. I would get sized at a festival rather than do it youself. If you are wrong with mail order, you get the wrong size kilt. At a festival you know exactly what size you should be when you leave (regardless of what you buy). Measuring is an inexact science, wraping one around you will tell you instantly if you measured right or need to adjust (I have several times measured a guy at say 44" only to find that they really need a 46" when trying on, because of gut/tush size.)


R-kilts are about $25 more (the non leather ones - leather is cheaper than UK). But I'm not knocking them. I hope to have a denim R-kilt in the near future, just noting that they do cost more.

Adam

No offense, I tried to make it clear that this was a very limited exposure to utilikilts. I assumed commission, don't really know why. Of course, the customer is right, and a "bad fit" freely chosen is everybody's right.

(not to argue, but here in Canada R-kilts prices work out better, but I'll double check that. Even so, for that price difference I'd go with Robert's but that's me and it doesn't mean everybody has to follow, really.)

[Rigged]

It depends on what you mean by "bad fit".

What's a bad fit for kilt to wear while working on your car, playing in mud, crawling around on a floor teaching CPR, or sitting in a lawn chair in the middle of the desert watching the impending approach of a 90-mph dust storm?

There are times when neatness doesn't count.

[arrogcow]

No offense, I tried to make it clear that this was a very limited exposure to utilikilts. I assumed commission, don't really know why. Of course, the customer is right, and a "bad fit" freely chosen is everybody's right.

(not to argue, but here in Canada R-kilts prices work out better, but I'll double check that. Even so, for that price difference I'd go with Robert's but that's me and it doesn't mean everybody has to follow, really.)

Definitely no offense. I wasn't trying to get into a shouting match, just clarifying some points.

Didn't know you were in Canada (if peope would put their location in their profile I would know ;) .

But at current exchange rate a UK workmans is still $25 cheaper (I just checked $225 in C Dollars and I used the calculator on R Kilts site) in Canada before any import costs (don't know what they are). However, I do understand wanting an R Kilt. As I said I intend to buy one mostly because I want denim, and UK doesn't make a denim workmans, only duc cloth.

Adam

[PaulS]

My first kilt was a Utilikilt. I had several friends who had one or two, and they like them a great deal. So, I got one, and tried it out.

Turns out, I really, really liked the freedom that a kilt provided. So, I started buying others. I got a Sportkilt (in Black Watch tartan) next, then a Lindsay Tartan Sportkilt (Lindsay is a common middle or first name in my family, due to the amount of Lindsays married into my family, my great-great grandmother was a Lindsay, and it was my great-grandfather's middle name, many of my cousins have it as a first or middle name, and it is my son's first name), and, due to the number of people who had Stillwater kilts on this site and others, a Nightstalker tartan SWK.

Of all of them, I like the Stillwater kilt the best. It's a more traditional kilt cut, although made from alternative materials, and I've found that I like that type of kilt the best (I live in GA, and wool is hot). But I still wear all of my kilts, including my Utilikilt. I'm really grateful to the people I know who had Utilikilts and recommended I get one, because that's what started me on my kilt-wearing journey. But, that's not where it's ended, I'm looking to get a few more Stillwater Kilts right now, and after that, I'll probably save up and get a kilt in MacKinnon Red from a major wool kilt manufacturer, as my grandmother is a MacKinnon (my great-grandfather's name was Angus MacKinnon, you can't get much more Scottish than that).

The point of my ramble is this: if I had never gotten a Utilikilt, I might never have been exposed to how comfortable and awesome kilts are, might not be wearing a kilt right now and planning on replacing most of my casual and formal lower-body wear with kilts, as I am now. There may be other companies out there that offer a more traditional product in solid colors than the Utilikilt people do, but Utilikilts is certainly getting the word out.

[GMan]

Think of a battered well-worn pair of jeans -- without the crotch.

Well said! However this has been an exceptionally warm summer here, and I found that my Utilikilt was rather warm to wear. Of course remembering back to the days I thing that jeans (when I wore them) were also warm.

I have noticed that many people who first try on and wear a Utilikilt also end up in the other types of kilts here, so they do bring people to kilts.

[Iolaus]

My first kilt was a Utilikilt...
...The point of my ramble is this: if I had never gotten a Utilikilt, I might never have been exposed to how comfortable and awesome kilts are, might not be wearing a kilt right now and planning on replacing most of my casual and formal lower-body wear with kilts, as I am now....

So...you're saying UKs are like a gateway drug? ;)

[Archangel]

It depends on what you mean by "bad fit".

What's a bad fit for kilt to wear while working on your car, playing in mud, crawling around on a floor teaching CPR, or sitting in a lawn chair in the middle of the desert watching the impending approach of a 90-mph dust storm?

There are times when neatness doesn't count.

that's why I put it in quotation marks, there's fit for fashion and fit for personal taste.
Today I'm wearing the kilt with the Stones' flaming tongue shirt and sandals, probably upsetting somebody. Outside the supermarket, I went to lift my grandson up and his toe got caught under my kilt. Felt a draft and stopped but not sure how bad it was to anybody else. That kind of thing could happen in any "kilt', nobody guided me for that event.