Steven Villegas definition of what a UK is

[Freedomlover]

Read the third to last letter on the page for how Villegas defines his product:

http://www.utilikilts.com/newsletter...-11/ukers.html

[Jimmy Carbomb]

The only reason that I have absolutely NO problem with the response is because the garment has never been marketed or intended as a "kilt". It's in the name, but only in the name. Sit down and talk to the man sometime and see his intentions with the garments. They're not Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Celtic, etc.

They are exactly what he sees... afterall, he's the owner.

Maybe I would have worded the response a little differently, but then that's me.

[Riverkilt]

I don't much care what they're called by whom, I just love wearing the things. Own 13 Utilikilts now.

Ron

[Iolaus]

I just explain it as "an American kilt."

... and I deal with the "skirt" issue by saying "yeah, but it's a man's skirt."

[Rigged]

The UK is not a scottish mens traditional skirt-like garment of a wool tartan.

Quite true, as he says. But there are lots of "real" kilts that don't fit into that narrow definition, unless we're going to also argue that Geoffrey Taylor of 21 Century Kilts doesn't make "real" kilts.

Does it matter whether someone calls it a "kilt" or a "skirt"? If your boss or spouse or school principal doesn't want you to wear it because they think you're cross-dressing, then it might be better to call it a "kilt". It's an easier sell. Once they're used to it, it won't matter what anyone calls it.

Some of us are like guys back in the '60s wanting to wear long hair and beards to work because it looked and felt more natural while the wild-eyed radicals wore the style as a rejection of the mainstream.

It took a few years, but long hair, beards, pony-tails, and earrings (and other facial jewelry) are a pretty common sight on guys working in offices nowadays. Most workplaces that demand formal workware have "casual Fridays".

Eventually kilts and even skirts and dresses will be acceptable workwear for men. Right now though, for the wild-eyed radicals out there, wearing a skirt is certainly more rebellious than wearing a kilt.

"FU** YA, IT'S A SKIRT......." - S. Villegas

Gotta love it.

[Riverkilt]

Aye Rigged,

You're exactly right.

I was fired for wearing a beard in New York City in 1969 because ONE customer complained about it. Wore a three piece suit and tie with that beard...which I still have. After being fired kept the beard. Didn't want to work for another company that would have a problem with beards. And haven't.

I was hassled for letting my hair grow long in 1992...compromised on that one by agreeing to wear it in a ponytail when at work. I pushed back by decorating the ponytail with hanging leather, beads, etc. Still have the long hair.

Was hassled about wearing kilts to work in 2005 but it passed in short order and I haven't worn pants since early August - anywhere.

Don't know why Americans struggle with the concept of men having the same fashion freedom as women....

The freedom is worth the fight.

Ron

[furrycelt]

Would a kilt by any other name smell just as sweet?

Well... scratch that... I doubt there are few kilts that smell "sweet".


Anyway... Check out these links that I quickly dug up.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=kilt
http://www.google.com/search?q=define%3Akilt

From: http://www.m-w.com/
1 : a knee-length pleated skirt usually of tartan worn by men in Scotland and by Scottish regiments in the British armies
2 : a garment that resembles a Scottish kilt

Guess what... kilts are a type of skirt. Heck my Gealic-English/English-Gaelic dictionary at home says that the word "kilt" means "skirt". I see no reason why we manly men should be insulted by the term. The word "pants" over time has lost its "gender". Women are still feminine while wearing pants. As we push our cultures to accept the presence of kilts, we will actually be pushing many little ideas along with it -- one of which is the connotative meanings behind the word "skirt".

To echo Ron: yeah, what is with our society's double standards? Women are given the freedom to break all sorts of gender roles. If a little girl plays with trucks her feminity is not questioned, and she will be encouraged to play with trucks to keep up with the boys. Yet, if a little boy wants to play "tea party", we wring our hands and worry about his social future. Well, this is a hot topic for me, so before I derail this thread, I will leave this link behind on my soapbox as I step down:
http://furycelt.freeshell.org/Privy/...ysExcerpts.txt

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

Well, I was going to start a new thread, but this one is right in line with what I would have posted, so I might as well pile on! I was dropping my daughters off to pre-school today (as I do every day), and as I walked up to the school, a woman walked out, looked directly at me and said with a smile "You have some great skirts!" Now, she was entirely sincere, was very friendly about it, and completely non-confrontational. She was sincerely paying me a compliment. I want to make that clear, because some might take offense at being complimented for wearing a kilt. For me, it put a great, big, goofy grin on my face. I had no desire to "correct" her that I was wearing a kilt as opposed to a skirt. She paid me a compliment, and I am comfortable enough in my own self image to accept any labels others want to apply to me, especially in a complimentary way. If they are accurate/truthful then I can't get upset, and if they are inaccurate, then there is nothing to be upset about.

[cjbass]

I actually find more women referring to it as a "skirt". Men seem to know it is a kilt - whether they think it is silly or not.

Anyway, once you realize that "skirt" is just a word and has no meaning beyond what *you* endow it with... well, it ceases to become important whether someone calls your kilt a skirt or a kilt. (Hence Steven's response to that customer letter in the latest Newsletter.)


Oh yeah... and for the original poster, I just wanted to be clear: NOBODY who sells a Utilikilt makes a comission. In the store, over the phone, or at an event, you will always pay the same price, and the only incentive the person has for selling you a kilt is their own enthusiasm for wearing them.


... but no matter what anyone says, I really don't want to wear a traditional women's skirt...
- CJ

[Freedomlover]

...
Oh yeah... and for the original poster, I just wanted to be clear: NOBODY who sells a Utilikilt makes a comission. In the store, over the phone, or at an event, you will always pay the same price, and the only incentive the person has for selling you a kilt is their own enthusiasm for wearing them.

Read a little more carefully. I am the original poster and I made no mention whatever of anything besides the link to Steven's comment. You owe me an apology.