Evolution of a Kiltie - Changing Tastes

[JerseyLawyer]

Gotta be an inevitable progression...happening at different speeds for different folks....but inevitable. Hand sewn wool kilts are just too beautiful not to covet, lust after, scheme to acquire.....and include in our wills.

For those of us who started with that, though, it doesn't make for much of a progression.

Of course, I'm happy with tanks.

[Freedomlover]

I grew up with the woolie variety because that's all there was back in the day. Somewhere around here I have a picture of me, taken in the late 40's, in a little kilt that must have had every bit of 2 feet of tartan in it. So it follows naturally that every kilt I ever owned (not that many actually since they tend to last basically forever) was a custom made number, without exception from Scotland. I didn't discover contemporary alternatives until Utilikilts opened for business in about 2000. I bought one of their first ones, a zip front model, and was delighted with it. Several others followed, as did one from AK and another from PK (I'd love to get my hands on another PK!). Then here came SWK with perfectly functional and reasonably priced kilts in other than wool. I've got 5 of those: 2 thrifties, (one like new Wallace is for sale: see the "for sale" forum) 1 standard, 1 wool heavyweight, and 1 wool Leatherneck. Just recently I acquired a workman's model from Blaklader and am pleased with it.

The long and the short of it is that I really like the modern variety better than the traditional. The lighter the better says I.

[Mark Keeney]

I also started with the UK's. I still like them and wear them when I don't want to be asked to what event I'm going. I will also wear it when I don't want to be careful about my kilt. I really don't fit the image they want to project in Seattle but I will probably keep wearing my utilikilts in spite of them.

[McMurdo]

I came to wearing the kilt through my Heritage and Family, as such early on they were all wool, most of my kilts are wool, however as a full time kilt wearer I have added PV kilts a Utilikilt and even a denim kilt from Union Kilts, I wear the PV and such in the summer when the wool would be too much, the Utilikilt I wear when I'm lounging around the house. So yes my tastes have changed also, when I came to kilting I thought that the only kilt was the 8 yard knife pleat variety, however now I have 2 4 yard box pleat kilts from Matt Newsome with one more on order with Matt.
My changing tastes have a lot to do with this forum here I have been inspired to try something different, I have learned how to properly wear the kilt, it is here that I learned about the 4 yard box pleated kilt and it's place in history.
I have also been lucky enough to meet some wonderful friends, and some true artists, I hope to meet more of you as this adventure continues.

[Malcolm MacWilliam]

This could be a long tale, but I'll keep it short. My first kilts were wool tartan of 5 yards by 60 inches wide. It started in 1995 with (yes, I'll admit it) the movies Braveheart and Rob Roy. I went to a friend of mine who reenacted 42nd and 77th Highlanders (and I joined the group about a year later, Muskets of the Crown, Inc.) and he put a great kilt on me......pleated on the floor of his living room. I was hooked. For the next year, I did Highland games as a Jacobite, honing my skills at pleating the great kilt. Then the same friend got me to come out to a Rev. War reenactment and I learned to pleat the wee kilt on the ground. I didn't own a kilt with sewn in pleats (in 18th century reenacting we call them cheaters) until about 7 years ago when my daughter and wife made a box pleat, no special tartan (teal, with red, black and yellow stripe....lovely!). Then two years ago I had my daughter sew in pleats (large knife pleats) in a 42nd (Blackwatch) kilt, but ours have a red stripe for Grenadier Co. All my kilts are wool, I have about 8 different plaides for great kilts, about 5 plaides for wee kilts, and three kilts with sewn in pleats...AND I'm in the que for a Matt Newsome!! All my kilts are tartan....at this point, I don't think I could wear anything but wool tartan. So, my journey started with great kilts to wee kilts (all hand pleated) now moving to modern kilts.....AND thanks to this forum for that. I love my great kilts as much as the moderns.....and I'm partial to reds with black striping (my Newsome will be a Red Campbell tartan). I'm clan Gunn, but only own a necktie of that tartan....all my other tartans are of other clans or nondescripts that I like the look of. I'm an elem. principal and when I schedule teacher observations, the teachers are known to wear tartan!!! Ever since 1995, I'm drawn to wool tartan!! Malcolm

[elitekiltedcommando]

Let's see.... Started with a Sportkilt... Bought a second, then got one of their hiking kilts. Then got a USA Kilt Casual... Fell in love with it, and ended up with 2 more. Now waiting on my 7th kilt and first tank.

[ardchoille]

Ron,
I did it in reverse, my first kilt was a tank and I have been wearing them ever since. Recently, however, I have been interested in other typs of kilts and am planning to make some purchases from some of X Marks sponsors. To each his/her own I suppose.. doesn't matter, as long as we end up kilted

[NewKilt]

I'm 61 and have been wearing a kilt daily since August of 2005. I would say my tastes have changed. Started with SportKilts (all tartan). Then moved on to wool and acrylic Stillwater kilts. These included my first solid color kilts - An Irish Saffron and a solid green. I still buy Stillwater kilts when new ones come out - I think they are very nice kilts for the money. However I've also added several 5yd, 16 oz wool kilts made in Scotland.

My taste in kilts is really not focused on wool tartans. I recently added several Amerikilts for summer wear, and I'm waiting on two casual PV kilts (tartans) from Rocky at USA Kilts. I enjoy having a variety of kilts types - traditional, modern, and non-traditional. I don't see that changing anytime in the near future.

Darrell

[kfreeouf]

Well said. Intelligent post!
Semper Fi,
Keith

[Howard Clark]

I started out with an acrylic two-fer from ebay, came with an inexpensive belt. One each Black Watch "8 yd." and Royal Stewart "5 yd.". Then a couple of sportkilts, and then fabric, and waaay too much time trying to make a decent kilt (should have bought the book FIRST). Then I found this place.

Now I have a collection. Three Matt Newsome box pleats, and a Barb Tewksbury 8 yard. I never wear the first ones I got any more, and most of the "kilt like objects" that I made see service only as work wear in the shop.

I'd like to find a work kilt that suited me that I could just buy, rather than make. But I am still looking. I do not want big cargo pockets that can catch hot stuff, nor can synthetic blend fabrics tolerate same. I am thinking one of Robert's hemp R-Kilts might work though $300 for something that is risked near the forge and power hammer seems a bit, well, nervy, somehow.