What is the future of the Kilt?

[staticsan]

... The kilt is recognized and appreciated for what it is. Even if it is Camo fabric...

I can personally attest to the truth of this statement because it was less than 8 hours ago that a good friend of mine saw me wearing my Snow Camo NeoKilt out and about for the very first time. And he instantly recognized it as a kilt.

That said, I am looking forward to when an upmarket chain store (like Esprit perhaps) start stocking kilts. I'm also looking forward to when a more mass-market chain - like Just Jeans, perhaps - start stocking kilts, although that's likely to take a long time. If it evder happens.

Wade.

[staticsan]

...
I think less expensive and easier to wear models in non-traditional fabrics. By fabrics I mean not in tartan but also probably not in camo either. You wouldn't wear camo to an office casual environment. Jackets need to continue to be simplified. ...

Actually, camo *can* be worn to office casual. It just depends on the office. :-)

One reason I chose a Snow Camo as my first kilt was because it didn't have the 'formality' of tartan. Then, too, I wore camo cargo pants to work for a while, partly to see if there was any reaction to camo print. There was none. Even today - first day at work in my camo kilt, comments are either absent or curiousity or puzzlement.

Wade.

[Kilted Archer]

I think now that the topic has come full circle I can ad my 2 cents to this take on it. I don't think garments like the Tripp kilt are going to adversely affect the future of kilts. I think unbifurcated kilted garments are going to continue to exist in one form or another. Some people may never wear tartan kilts and will always gravitate towards the neo-traditional type kilts. I favor a definition that classifies a pleated unbifurcated garment designed for a man to be a kilt - after all the leather strap affair that was part of a Roman soldier's armor was known as a kilt and it doesn't much resemble what we today would call a kilt. Anyway, I digress. I don't see kilts ever becoming mainstream, in fact I kinda hope they don't but perhaps become just common enough that kilt wearers won't always feel like they're the only ones wearing them. Of course I think to a certain extent I relish those "sexy legs!" comments from the ladies and would hate to see that stop because so many guys are wearing kilts that the ladies no longer find them particularly sexy. In my own wardrobe I have a traditional kilt that I sewed myself by hand (no machine) about 10 years ago while the rest of my kilts are all Utilikilts - those are the kilts I wear every day. I hope to take the plunge and start making my own kilts off the X-marks pattern courtesy of Alan H. I'll start with solids but eventually my plan is to create a tartan X-kilt with utility pockets. I think the kilt will be alive and well long into the future because in all our own variations we'll keep it alive, be it tartan traditional or solid-color neo-traditional. Let's just hope they don't become too commonplace.

[Big Mikey]

For better or worse, my big mouth is in gear and ready to sound off on this topic. It would seem that all this cafuffle began with the Tripp kilt. The original thread was posted by a member who wanted to share with us his son's first purchase. This young lad has started down the road to kilt wearing and being young, he chose something that was appropriate for his age. As is true in many cases, his tastes and choices will undoubtly become more refined as he grows. All I can say is lighten up, support the boy and move on.

[gilmore]

<<<Quote:
I'm not trying to be too sarcastic here, but why dont we just get rid of the tagline on this website "a kilted community" and join the rest of the MUG websites out there?

Uh.... because sarongs aren't worn pleated?>>>

Actually, they are, but the pleats are in front and folded into the waistband.

[gilmore]

...Here is how I see it. The traditional kilt has survived for centuries and will continue to survive and be worn be thousands of people. The newer versions of kilts may fall into the class of "kilt", but their future is not tied to the traditional kilt any longer (if it ever was) as they are finding their own niche markets. It's up to the people buying the entry level kilts, the tweaked kilts, the goth kilts, the utility kilts, etc,etc,etc to decide what the future of those kilts ends up being....

.

Actually, it hasn't survived, not in the fashion it was in. Other than in museums. E.g., when was the last time you saw some one wearing a kilt that had a pleated apron (other than a re-enactor)? Dress is constantly evolving. Trends come and go. How we relate to them reflects who we are, or how we define ourselves. There are those who like to be way in front of the herd always, no matter what is being worn conventionally. (Or outside of it) And then there are others who like to blend in, like my blue jeans wearing brother, who wore a sarong in Bali almost constantly, but would never wear one in the US.

I would guess that the kilt as we know it will not be around in a hundred years. After all, it developed only about a hundred years ago. And a hundred years before that it was rather different.

[Alan H]

I don't care.

I just wear mine when I feel like it.

[David Dalglish]

Does the kilt have a future---ABSOLUTELY

[Pour1Malt]

ai hope kilts arr NEVER fashionable arr

available in discoont 'trooser' shops....

kilts in Wallymart, Gap, arr some other sweatyshop place?

NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

[Jerry]

In my opinion, we will never see kilts in Wally World, unless they are on the rack with women's skirts. I think they will show up, sometime in the next 10 years or so, in shops which specialize in men's suits. This will probably be as a few "try on" models for special order items.