Tartan kilt questions v. modern kilt questions

[M. A. C. Newsome]

It is simply a fact of life that to most people kilts = tartan and that is that. However, I don't like this juxtposition of traditional kilts vs. solid kilts. That simply is a false division. Who says traditional kilts cannot be solid? I can show you a portrait from the early seventeenth century of a man in a solid colored kilt! I think what separates a traditional kilt from a contemporary/modern kilt is construction, not color.

Aye,
Matt

[davedove]

I think a big part of it is public perception, and a bit of misinformation. When the average person thinks of a kilt, they see a picture of a Scotsman wearing his tartan. As Matt has said, traditional kilts could be solid in color. Likewise, modern kilts can be made from a tartan material. But in general, the public thinks all kilts are made from tartan material.

[James]

This is a knotty one, for it is not just the tartan v solid: it is also the cut and how it is being worn.

Possibly Hamish could comment on this?

For as stated there is a tradition of solid colours, and there are also variants on the so called traditional in recent years-and I've never had a comment about my wearing of either the hillwalker of the 'gentleman's'.

Here to be blunt I have seen chaps wearing a traditional kilt: but my eyes have told me they are wearing a skirt-a major oops that.

Too as a very young sodier I was helping collect the kits of men of an English regiment who'd been posted to a highland one-and I asked how they found the kilt-they said it was fine once they got used to it. Then I was told how when they first paraded with their new kilted unit-there were horrible screams across the parade ground to the effect of 'get those horrible skirted things off my parade': instructions being given that they had to learn to wear the kilt before appearing ever again.


James

[Hamish]

This is a knotty one, for it is not just the tartan v solid: it is also the cut and how it is being worn.

Possibly Hamish could comment on this?

For as stated there is a tradition of solid colours, and there are also variants on the so called traditional in recent years-and I've never had a comment about my wearing of either the hillwalker of the 'gentleman's'.

Here to be blunt I have seen chaps wearing a traditional kilt: but my eyes have told me they are wearing a skirt-a major oops that.

Too as a very young sodier I was helping collect the kits of men of an English regiment who'd been posted to a highland one-and I asked how they found the kilt-they said it was fine once they got used to it. Then I was told how when they first paraded with their new kilted unit-there were horrible screams across the parade ground to the effect of 'get those horrible skirted things off my parade': instructions being given that they had to learn to wear the kilt before appearing ever again.


James

You are absolutely correct there, James. There is indeed a number of variants of the traditional tartan kilt as we know it. My only first hand experience of these is with my four Kinloch Anderson Breacans, my recently acquired tartan BearKilt and my even more recently acquired Welsh cilt. I know that these are not tailored in precisely the same way as our 'traditional' kilts, but I guarantee that 99% of members of the general public would neither know nor care about that. Most people refer to my other kilts (TFCKs, UnionKilts, Utilikilts, R-Kilt, Amerikilts, Albanach kilt, BearKilt, KiltStore kilts, House of Bruar kilt, Savannah Kilt and my brand, spanking new Freedom Kilt) as kilts.* Of course, the TFCKs are virtually identical to traditional kilts - really, only the wide range of fabrics used and the machine stitching are different.

I've not thought of this before, but you have probably hit the nail on the head: it is HOW they are worn that sends out the message. A properly tailored kilt, worn correctly with pride and a swagger, can never seriously be taken for a skirt, no matter whether it is in tartan or a plain fabric, leather or canvas, camouflage or bleached corduroy.*

*Except by my aforementioned neighbour, that is!

[Graham]

I've had several people comments on my plain green USAK 8 yard, all have understood it to be a kilt.

I was inspired by the Irish Pipe Band in Denver with their green kilts, nobody in their right mind would look at that band marching and say they were wearing skirts!

[TitaniumRic]

It is simply a fact of life that to most people kilts = tartan and that is that. However, I don't like this juxtposition of traditional kilts vs. solid kilts. That simply is a false division. Who says traditional kilts cannot be solid? I can show you a portrait from the early seventeenth century of a man in a solid colored kilt! I think what separates a traditional kilt from a contemporary/modern kilt is construction, not color.

Aye,
Matt

Excelent Matt, my comments exactly.....I have been told that's not a kilt...it has no tartan.....I have 3 solid kilts and one plaid , for the most part I get a few snickers/comments as i pass by,, yesterday while getting some groceries, I had an older gentleman ask me if he gets comments on his shorts , that I must get quite a few, I told him that the kilt is warmer and more comfortable that shorts..... he took a step back, and looked , and had to agree.

just one more that has been enlightened to the kilt.


Cheers

[auld argonian]

I think it's a sort of distinction over the material that the kilt is made of. A solid color wool (or poly-viscose) would look more "trad" to me than the canvas variety...bear in mind that I personally lean toward the school of thought that tartan looks better but I certainly won't knock the canvas/modern/utility unbifurcated men's garment school...that's like knocking guys who wear tab collar shirts because I prefer button down collar shirts.

best

AA

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

...that's like knocking guys who wear tab collar shirts because I prefer button down collar shirts...

Auld, nice comparison! I agree