casual kilts, work kilts, and nice kilts

**RockyR** · 17th September 05, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by yoippari

So basicly, what kilts should be worn where? Would you wear a stillwater the same place as a utilikilt, or the same place you would a tailored kilt?

OK Yoippari,

To answer your ORIGINAL question (sorry we sort of highjacked the thread)...

I would wear a casual (any tartan kilt you can buy for $150 or under is a casual kilt) kilt anywhere I would comfortably wear jeans.

I would wear a "more traditional looking" kilt (USAK Semi Trad or 8 yard Wool kilts or even some nice 4 yard wool kilts or a 4 yard box pleated kilt) ANYWHERE... You can wear it with a jacket and tie OR with a t-shirt and boots.

It's easier to DRESS DOWN a "traditional looking" kilt than it is to DRESS UP a casual kilt.

**Alan H** · 17th September 05, 03:24 PM

I've worn both my Stillwater Standard Black Watch and my USA Kilts philabeg....not the "tadtitional", but the philabeg, with ties and a kilt jacket and a semi-dress sporran to the San Francisco Symphony and gotten nice comments. I think that was stretching things a bit for the philabeg, but what the heck.

I wore a Bear Kilt, four yard in his Formal Cut with a kilt jacket and tie that coordinated with the kilt...same semi-formal sporran to a wedding and fit right in with a mess 'o MacFarlanes, many of which who were kilted in tradtional wool kilts.

I've warn my black Stillwater Standard to a few dresier functions, but haven't matched it with a jacket, yet. What I won't do is wear my caramel-colored canvas kilt to a formal function. It's just not the right thing...it's a knockaround.

**yoippari** · 17th September 05, 03:59 PM

The question partially comes from my previous job (temporary help) that included helping the owner of a home (under construction) run electrical wire. The owner is a licesed, navy trained, electrician. After we got done running wire he decided that he wanted a small wine celler in the basement so he had us dig out a 6x6 room. A canvas kilt would be apporpriate for digging in the clay, but would a casual kilt like the above stillwater be appropriate?

So it looks like the box pleated kilt with probably a polo shirt, shoes and I don't know how the socks will be worn, will be the kilt meeting my extended family.

**Graham** · 17th September 05, 04:05 PM

Wow, well I did say this was a good post, and if I may say, it has drawn out some of the best kilt advice I have read yet from two of our most respected kiltmakers.
Thanks Matt and Rocky, great stuff.

**bear** · 17th September 05, 07:57 PM

Originally Posted by Graham

Wow, well I did say this was a good post, and if I may say, it has drawn out some of the best kilt advice I have read yet from two of our most respected kiltmakers.
Thanks Matt and Rocky, great stuff.

Yes, good thread.
I would like to add, in response to:

Originally Posted by RockyR

Would I try to pass off our Casual model (or a Bearkilt or Sportkilt) for a "Kilt to get married in"? No. Are they formal enough to pipe in? No. Can we go to the store in them? Yup... that's what they were designed for.

Bear Kilts has several styles of kilts, so saying a Bear Kilt isn't a kilt "to get married in" is a bit misleading. Our Traditional Cut kilts are made by a professional kiltmaker. They are true traditional kilts, the same as you'd find in any Scottish kiltmaker's shop on the Royal Mile, and suitable for any function, no matter how formal.
I agree there are kilts that should be worn at formal weddings. They are true traditional kilts. There's just no comparing a hand sewn kilt to a machine sewn kilt. A sewing machine just can't tug in all the right places.
I may be well known for the design and popularity of the Classic Cut and Grizzly Cut kilts, but I sell true traditional kilts, too.

**Sir Robert** · 18th September 05, 05:22 AM

To answer your question, as a rule of thumb I would say that:

Canvas kilts in the sub $100 range are the social equal to blue jeans.

Traditional wool heavyweight kilts between $200 and $500 (not even counting accessories) are black tie.

What these guys are saying is that there are a lot of kilts in the $100 to $200 range that could be either (with the right accessories) most of these are "Poly Viscose" or 4 yard medium weight wool.

Now my problem is that I bought a all black polyester kilt specificly to wear as a casual kilt but it is a little too nice for that while being not quite nice enough for formal wear. It will become club wear only I think.

**Graham** · 18th September 05, 06:04 AM

Quote:
Originally Posted by RockyR
Would I try to pass off our Casual model (or a Bearkilt or Sportkilt) for a "Kilt to get married in"? No. Are they formal enough to pipe in? No. Can we go to the store in them? Yup... that's what they were designed for.

"Bear Kilts has several styles of kilts, so saying a Bear Kilt isn't a kilt "to get married in" is a bit misleading. Our Traditional Cut kilts are made by a professional kiltmaker. They are true traditional kilts, the same as you'd find in any Scottish kiltmaker's shop on the Royal Mile, and suitable for any function, no matter how formal."

I'm sure that most of us here would realise that Rocky was comparing his own casuals with the casuals of other kiltmakers, putting them all in the same basket and saying they may not be suitable for getting married in.

USAK also makes a variety of kilts from casual to traditional.

I saw nothing misleading in the post, I thought the meaning was clear.

**RockyR** · 18th September 05, 06:06 AM

Originally Posted by bear@bearkilts.com

Bear Kilts has several styles of kilts, so saying a Bear Kilt isn't a kilt "to get married in" is a bit misleading. Our Traditional Cut kilts are made by a professional kiltmaker. They are true traditional kilts, the same as you'd find in any Scottish kiltmaker's shop on the Royal Mile, and suitable for any function, no matter how formal.

Sorry about that Bear... I hope everyone knows that I was referring to the "Bear 4 yarders", not to the "Traditional Cut". I had a 1 track mind when posting that. Didn't mean it to be misleading.

**Raphael** · 18th September 05, 08:04 AM

I am not going to use yardage, material or design to dictate when and where I am going to wear my kilts. No disrepect to all the kilt makers, but I am going to be the sole person to decide what I am going to wear for the occasion that I am attending.

That being said, I will try to answer your question from my own experience.

Stillwater is a very versatile kilt. You can wear it to the pub for a pint, date with your girlfriend, meeting up with friends and even for some informal gatherings. you can dress it up with a dress shirt or dress down with a t-shirt.

Utilikilts are less dressy with their cargo pockets and I think they are great for go out with friends and family or when you need to dress down to go to the movies or some kind of outdoor activaties. But you can wear one with a oxford collar shirt and you can still look respectable.

I am also a proud owner of 2 Bear Kilts, 1 PV and 1 Wool. I have worn dress shirt, tie and an Argyle Jacket with my PV and I think I look pretty respectable and smart. This winter, I intend to wear my Wool Classic cut in BC Tartan to attend my brother-in-law's wedding. With proper acessories, you can easily wear a 'Casual Kilt' to a semi-formal event.

Remember one thing, clothes don't make a man.

**bear** · 18th September 05, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by RockyR

Sorry about that Bear... I hope everyone knows that I was referring to the "Bear 4 yarders", not to the "Traditional Cut". I had a 1 track mind when posting that. Didn't mean it to be misleading.

No problem, Rocky,
I just didn't want anyone thinking that was the ONLY kind of Bear Kilt.