Kilt Discussion Panel

[Panache]

Zardoz,

Here are my three cents

(1) Our culture has pretty rigidly defined ideas about what is masculine and what is feminine. Men who are perceived as effeminate tend to be harassed in our country (sometimes to the point where they are killed). Men in our country wear pants. Women wear skirts. A man in a skirt is therefore effeminate (and yes kilts are a subcategory of skirts.) Kilts are a tough sell to most guys for this reason.

(2) How many X-Markers have heard the “Where are your bagpipes?” Those people out there that recognize kilts tend to see them entirely as a part of Scottish culture. Men who don’t have that in their heritage or background are about as likely to want a kilt as they would a sarong.

(3) Getting a pair of pants is easy. You walk into the store, find your size, buy it, and walk out. If the average guy did suddenly get a bee in his bonnet one morning to go buy a kilt how easy is it for him to do so? Once he finds someplace that will get him a kilt then he has to go through a bit of sticker shock.
Kilt + Accessories = down payment on a car. When I have been asked by people “what made you decide kilt?“ I reply that I have wanted a kilt for a very long time but when I looked into it and found out the price I was discouraged. Until now. The potential kilt wearer out there today can go to Stillwater Kilts spend about $200 and have a kilt, sporran, flashes, hose, and a belt for $200 (and get it pretty darned quickly too.) For $200 a fellow might take a chance on something different. For $1500 a fellow might think that he could get several suits that he knows he will wear instead of a costume he might not.

Cheers