The Road to Kiltdom...

[MacWage]

I would say my first was a Sportkilt, but sorry, I don't really see them as being real kilts.

I'm NOT sure I would go QUITE that far . . . (MORE respect for the SKs, which now have good homes)
BUT, I didn't wear mine a Heck of a lot.
(I WISH I had known about USA Kilts or Stillwater BEFORE I bought them).

Then, I learned how to make them (and found THIS site in the process).
Since then, I have ONLY worn hand-sewn ones I made myself.

8 kilts later (7 completed and -of them- 5 worsted wools), I am MUCH happier with my work.

[pakiltedff]

My 1st Kilt was from Amerikilt then I discovered Utilikilt...
I have 5 of those and 1 traditional from USA Kilts.

[Alaskan Kilted Guy]

I suppose technically my first kilt was a costume kilt I had sewn up from a pattern in a local craft store.

That started the addiction. I now have a tan Amerikilt, and am figuring out what kilt to purchase next.


Alaskan Kilt Guy

[escherblacksmith]

technically, my first kilt was a hand pleated great kilt. My first day-to-day was the UK.

[ScottEPooh]

It's hard to say what my first kilt was. After performing in MacBeth in college I had the costumer make me a "great kilt" out of flannel cotton, which I wore only to knock around the house in. I'm not sure I would even call that a kilt, more like a tartan toga. Then I saw Patrick Norton on Screensavers with his UK, and decided I needed one of those, but never had the cash. (Not a complaint on the cost of kilts, more a complaint on my lack of funds) So I looked around the 'net, found Amerikilts, still too pricey for me at the time. My wife, a decent seamstress, took a costume kilt pattern, modified it with ideas from UK and AK pics, and made my first kilt out of lightweight cotton duck. It had the UK snap closure and the detachable AK sporran, and once I got that, I wore it quite a bit. (However, not usually regimental in public, the material is VERY lightweight) Then I found a black UK Workman's on Ebay, in my size even! Being a "gentleman of girth", kilts on Ebay are hard to come by, so I bought that sucker! Then, soon after joining X Marks, I found a SWK Economy, Wallace tartan, on Ebay, and bought it. So, it's really a toss-up between my wife's homebrewed "modern" kilt and the UK Workman's.

[ScottEPooh]

Great thread, btw. Well done again, Panache!

[JRB]

I like the fact that, although the poll is a close race, the traditional "tank" is out in front. I know a lot of folks here start out with lower cost casual kilts and move up to the expensive traditional kilts, but there are obviously a heck of a lot of us for whom the opposite is true. I never would consider getting myself a non-wool casual kilt if I hadn't first gotton my tank and realized how much I like being kilted.

[Hamish]

My tale has been told here many times as well, but for the newcomers:

My first kilt was a gift from my parents when I was 14 (that was 57 years ago!). I had become obsessed with Scottish Country and Highland Dancing and needed a 'costume'!! To be honest, I had no say in what it was - I cannot now remember which tartan, but I do recall that it came from Glasgow. I have no recollection of what happened to it either. Of all my (now 78) kilts, the oldest and the first I chose and ordered myself is Gunn in ancient, muted colours. That tank was tailored for me by Alex Scott of Aberdeen in 1973, was my only kilt until 1998 and is still as good as new. It still gets the occasional wearing. Here is a piccie:



I won't say a word about any of the others.........!!

[herminator]

My first was a machine stitched selfmade in black wool, following instructions I found on the internet:
http://users.tinyonline.co.uk/chegc/kiltsite/kilt.htm




The first I bought was a "kilt" from KingKilts ... no further comments ...

[efer]

My first kilt was a Utilkilt mocker, black. Still one of my favorites to wear.