How were you introduced to kiltdom?

[aikinut]

I now look for reasons to wear it out.

Here are my personal favorite reasons:
It's Monday.
It's Tuesday.
It's Wednesday.
It's Thursday.
It's Friday.
It's Saturday.
It's Sunday.

[Chaz]

I think the first time I came in contact with someone wearing a kilt was when I was about 8 years old. It was at my aunt’s wedding reception.

Like Rob, my first introduction o the kilt came at my aunt's wedding. I was 3 at the time and my great aunt made a kilt for me to wear. Not having much of a sense of tradition at that age, I think you could safely say that I was seriously un-impressed by the idea
As I've grown older (though not really wiser) my appreciation has greatly improved, not least by the knowledge that EVERY woman wants to know if what they say is true

[Mr. Kilt]

I now look for reasons to wear it out.

Here are my personal favorite reasons:
It's Monday.
It's Tuesday.
It's Wednesday.
It's Thursday.
It's Friday.
It's Saturday.
It's Sunday.

And we have a winner!!
Great post!

[pbpersson]

This seems like an interesting thread and since I have only been here for a few weeks I thought I would add my story.

I have ALWAYS been interested in kilts since the time I was a young boy. I thought they looked comfortable and fun but I could never wear one because I don't have a single drop of Scottish blood.

So I was hanging out at Tom's Cafe and later Bravehearts and watching this (very) gradual progression of men interested in kilts and then I went through a divorce and became single again.

I changed careers, turned 50, had more money, and found this forum. One thing lead to another and at the end of June I got on the Utilikilts web site and ordered my first kilt.

I never DREAMED it would be so comfortable! I never imagined that wearing it in public would be such a NON-ISSUE! So....now I own nine kilts with one more ordered and I am hooked.


Phil in Phoenix

[jfellrath]

I grew up in Alma, MI, where there's a big Highland Festival every year. And naturally, since it's pretty much the only thing that ever happened (or possibly HAPPENS, still) in Alma all year long, our family always went to it. So I had an admiration for the kilt and all things Scottish for a long time.

I had always talked about getting my own kilt, but way back when, they were prohibitively expensive for me (especially if I wanted money to do other things, like go to college).

I was dating a girl after college who, as a Christmas gift, got me what she THOUGHT was a kilt but it was really a pleated skirt. Still, she was so proud of it that I didn't have the heart to explain to her that it wasn't a kilt and I couldn't wear it without being a cross-dresser. So I wore it a couple times in places where it wouldn't be seen by people who knew the kilt, but then after we broke up I gave it to Goodwill.

Then, a couple years ago, I got married. We almost did our wedding kilted except it was very expensive to do so - I had recently been in a wedding where the tux rental was $140.00 and it was universally agreed that that was too much, so the $200+ kilt outfit rental was out. Plus my wife's dad said that he wouldn't wear one.

Then, we were at the now-defunct British Isles Fest in Harveysburg, OH, when we saw the band Knocknagael from Cincinnati, wearing these kilt-like things... one was camouflage and one was some sort of Hawaiian shirt pattern. I asked them about it and they told me about this company out in Seattle called Utilikilts. I checked it out online and started pining for one... but my wife was pregnant at the time and she put the kibosh on any of that stuff till the baby was born.

Then, about 10 days before Duncan was born, she surprised me with a gift of a UK - sneaky woman. Since then, she's bought me two tartan kilts, a Clark Ancient and a Black Watch, and I've picked up an Irish American and a UK Workman.

[morrison]

OMG, this is an OLD thread that I had not yet seen! Thanks "pbpersson" for resurrecting it.
I got into a kilt because I found the Bravehearts site that eventually through surfing kiltmaker sites I found UK. It was mid '03 and I was enduring a trauma of sorts. Divide and conquer I'll say euphemistically. Anyway I had some dollars and rather than jump in with a belly flop, I went to UK and got a Mocker. Shortly before that I bought a set of Billy Blanks' TAE BO Discs, good stuff! I've no inclination even now to be any kind of expert on the history of tartan and the lore of the kilt. I simply enjoy wearing my kilt. I knew I would before my first purchase. I've more than a dozen and sarongs too.
Bravehearts was a hugely inspirational movie for me. But, little impact on me concerning wearing a kilt. My primary inspiration for wearing my kilt is in the fact that I'm a rebel with or without a cause. My reasoning is... "I don't need no steenkeen' reesn." Besides, it's nobody's business if I do.
p.s. so it's kilt day, you say. ok, today is a good day to wear my kilt!

[Southern Breeze]

This is indeed an old thread. I had been going to Highland Games and Renn Fairs for several years. My impression was that kilts were expensive until I saw a Utilikilt being worn. I looked them up online and orderd one. Not long after that I found X-Marks and the rest is history.

[Rex_Tremende]

I started wearing kilts because ball gowns are so impractical.

KIDDING!!

As I've stated in other threads, the idea that *I* could wear a kilt began when an acquaintence from my country-western group suggested I'd look good in one. I've always been curious about them, but assumed that I'd only have one for rare special occasions if I ever got one. Once I started researching the options and picked up some trails I left behind some time ago, I realized that people can wear kilts casually and regularly.

Now, since I have a thing for clothes (like Wallis Simpson, I may not be the best looking person, but I'll be the best dressed one if I can afford it), and I've never been afraid to wear something most people won't, I think of my kilts as a further extension of my already extensive and varied wardrobe.

Earlier this week as I was on my way to my car after work, I saw that gal I mentioned above for the first time since her comment to me more than a year ago. She was thrilled to learn that I now have ten kilts in my collection, all started because of her encouragement.

Regards,
Rex in Cincinnati

[Chris Webb]

I suffered from Hydradenitis Superitiva (HS) ever since I was a teen and my doctor simply said to me this: "There is no cure except for avoiding outbreaks. You're Scotch-Irish, right? Maybe it's time to embrace your heritage and do the one thing that might help ... wear a kilt."

It took a long time because of my own fear of being judged for "wearing a skirt" until I finally got an opportunity to wear a kilt for reasons beyond my own medical problems ... I took up kilt wearing publicly as a direct statement regarding personal freedom due to circumstances in politics in my area.

Since wearing kilts full time I've had precious little trouble with my HS ... though my private reason for kilting was medical I have come to realize that my public reason, personal freedom, is not a contradiction or a lie. No, I finally decided I was free to take actions in aid of my own health, thus, without apology I now ............

Kilt On.

Chris Webb

[Ialtog]

Like many others here, I guess the beginning for me is through Celtic music. I do a lot of volunteering with my local Celtic society and we seem to have something fun going on about once a month. Most of the guys wear kilts, but I thought (again like many here) that since I don't have any Scottish links kilts were not for me. So, I was just quietly envious. I was doing some research on my family and came across some records of a Barnell who was a landowner and member of the militia in County Armagh. I then came across the site for the Scottish Tartan Museum and discovered they had a tartan for that same county. One thing led to another and I discovered this group, and through them, USA Kilts and their Ireland's National. So, soon I won't be the only guy in the room wearing lame pants!