Kilt Discussion Panel

[Rex_Tremende]

Homophobia and misogyny, though Panache and Blu put it much more diplomatically - I just don't know why that's never put on the table as is (I'm feeling blunt today). Blu's list seems pretty complete to me.

R.

[David Dalglish]

I think that a lot of men do own kilts, but only wear them for special ocassions, due to the cost. Most men in Scotland like to buy the best kilt they can afford & will not use them on a day to day basis on the chance they will be ruined. The cheap kilts you buy on E-bay are used only for football or Rugby matches, It is not everyone that can afford to buy a selection of kilts

[Scottish Chi]

Panache and Blu seemed to have covered all the bases. I would place cost, insecurity of ones own sexuality (particularly in the US), and lack of popularity as my top guesses.

About six years ago while attending the Games in Antigonish my wife strongly encouraged me to buy a kilt. When we checked the cost it immediately put the brakes on that idea. It wasn't until five years later that I found a relatively inexpensive kilt in my family tartan that I made the leap. Even then it was not part of the budget plan. Now, two more inexpensive kilts later, I'm finally getting a 16 oz 8 yd. kilt made although it's still difficult to make such a large purchase.

Cheers! Bill

[mbhandy]

I would say cost was my big factor but once I got my first Kilt I then started looking about and found this forum and more inexpensive Kilts and got the bug. I had been looking for a Kilt since I was in the Air Force back in the 60's.
5 Kilts later and making More.

MrBill

[RockyR]

I agree with most of what's been said. What I'm adding isn't different, but it's not been specifically mentioned...

1. Fear of "being different" and along with that... being made fun of. Most people I meet are heavily influenced by peer pressure. Think about it... how many times do you hear this EXACT comment from a stranger:

"Man, I wish I had the b@lls to wear that" or "you've got more guts than ME"

2. Cost. Yes, the cost has come down DRASTICALLY since the making of casual kilts in non wool fabric. Yes, you can get a kilt for $75 (or a decent one for $100 or so) now instead of $500, but it's STILL not a pair of $20 jeans.

No matter what anyone says, I don't think there will be any "real looking" kilts in the "under $40 retail price range". There's simply too much fabric and labor involved. The only way that would EVER happen is after YEARS (20+) of kilts being mainstream and even then they would probably end up looking more like skirts than kilts.

[timber]

1. Fear of "being different" and along with that... being made fun of. Most people I meet are heavily influenced by peer pressure. Think about it... how many times do you hear this EXACT comment from a stranger:

"Man, I wish I had the b@lls to wear that" or "you've got more guts than ME"

I hear this sort of thing from friends and coworkers all the time. I keep telling them that most people don't care what you are wearing, and those that do are very positive. The only times I have been made fun of were at family get togethers. Family being what it is, I expect that sort of thing from them and laugh along.

[Colin]

Really good thread, guys. I have enjoyed this read very much. I would love to add something, but Blu really nailed it for me.

[binx]

Three years and 30+ kilts later, I've decided that most guys think it has to be in your heritage to wear one, so there's not the motivation if not in the genes. Women ask if I'm Irish, guys ask if Scottish, or I play bagpipes, or what's the occasion/special event i.e. where's the games/faire? It happened to culminate today at an eatery, after a day at work in my green AK, when an older doctor guy tells me "nice kilt", and then about William Wallace the lowlander, Robert the Bruce, and how many of his friends play bagpipes and have the entire outfit. The first time a guy asked me if I was truly "traditionally" kilted, even though knowing it was not a tartan kilt. He seemed surprised that there were so many US kiltmakers.

binx

[Zardoz]

Well, I just got home from the Sci-Fi con, I had not been online all weekend but I see this thread had a lot of reponses.

The con in general was great, and there where at least 8 or 10 guys there who where kilted full time. Mostly in UK's but a couple of traditionals too. I was wearing my USA Caledonia or SWK Nightstalker most of the time, casual, but with appropriate accessories, etc. The fellow who MC'd the show and awards was wearing a UK during the day and then that night for the show had on his family tartan and a full-on Prince Charley rig, a real crowd pleaser!

I constantly heard "There sure are a lot of guys in kilts at this deal" as I would pass by hallways and rooms, and my favorite; women asking their mate:"why don't you get one of those?" All reactions I got where 100% positive, everyone at the con, other guests at the hotel, the maids in the halls, all ages and sexes, all very complimentary! Honestly, if I wasn't married my 'dance card' could have been full!

The Kilt panel went well too, all the panelists were kilted in UKs except me in my USA and one guy in pants! We had a good turnout too, about 40 or 45 people in the audience, almost a full house! Several guys in kilts in that crowd too, but our audience was about 70% female! In the end we concluded that based in part on the crowd at the con, kilts must be making headway, but apparently mostly UKs. Most of the UK owners present got their first one at celtic or rennie festivals or even other Sci-Fi conventions, and most owned at least a couple, one fellow had 10. I gotta hand it to UK, they are marketing outside the box, and it shows. If they had a booth at our deal, their sales would have been worth the trip! I bet any store with off the rack tradional style kilts would do well too. These Sci-Fi crowds range from 7 to 70, and they have money, we had an art auction were folks bid up to a couple hundred bucks for original works.

There was so much UK talk, I sort of went into salesman mode for USA and Stillwater! Quite a few of the kilted folk at the panel were unaware of reasonably priced 'traditional' kilts, they are now! I handed out a bunch of fliers I made with info and some links to various online kilt sources. I think I may have got Rocky at least a couple of customers. So while I still think there is a long way to go, I left the con feeling pretty good about the future of kilt wearing!

[smaughazard]

Sounds like an interesting con! Should we be on the lookout for a bunch of newcomers with names like "TexasDorsai"? (I'm assuming your fliers included XMarks info!)