What is the future of the Kilt?

[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....

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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.

[Colin]

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.

Actually, the little kilt has been around for a couple hundred years (I consider 200 years or so history). It may not be an exact match, but it's not an exact match now from maker to maker. I've got kilts from Bear in PV, I've got a 8 yard wool one from Scotland, and a 5 yard wool one on the way. None of my kilts are the same, but I am going to keep wearing them so I do know their future.

I think people on these forums forget that not all kiltwearers are on these forums and that there are thousands of other people worldwide that wear kilts (of many different varities) that don't take part in the online forums. The fate of the kilt and the road all the models take is not soley in the hands of the online communities.