Are kilts only for the rich? rant.

[Larry124]

On one level it’s just a thing that happens.
For example: I know from long experience and for sure that the same thing happens on acoustic guitar forums.
A “real guitar” MUST be all solid wood, and hand-made, and made in the USA. And in one of a few traditional sizes/shapes/styles. Guess what they cost.

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if a similar thing occurs on other types of forums, say for fishing or skiing gear. Other examples?

It doesn’t help that some words and phrases (unavoidable?) are not (can’t be?) neutral, or are relative. Such as: “expensive”, “cheap”, “best”, “value”, “real”.
Even a necessary phrase like “when I want to look nice” can be expressed in a way that may make another think that their different choices are being put down as not looking nice.

A post that can be read as critical (up OR down) and especially as condescending or dismissive may cause a reaction to the contrary and no one should be surprised.

But too much tiptoeing can take the fun and spontaneity out of posting, and might cause otherwise useful advice or opinion to be withheld.

So it’s a balance.

[Ozman1944]

Ah yes Hospitaller; That's why I love Stillwater & Frugal Corner for Tartan, and Amerikilt & Utilikilt for casual. If it weren't for them, I'd never have owned a kilt; let alone 26 of 'em.


Of course a $400.00 plus etc. Kilt would be lovely to own, but not on my budget.

I REALLY love the Newsome Tweed styles too, but not for me, I'm afraid.
But I get great enjoyment out of my (sometimes) much-maligned 'Cheapies', but hey, I'm the only one I have to please when it comes down to it.

[Big Homestead]

I'm champaign on a beer budget, too. But I don't see anyone wanting to exchange words with me over my clothes. If someone has seemed to dawn the idea that they are better then you based on material, they would be a fool. After all, sports cars don't say as much as the guy winning the race driving them. So rock what you got!

But to be honest, who wouldn't want a $1000 kilt, $600 sporran, and all the hose in the world with the best sock knives money can buy? I wouldn't mind it, but I can't, so I rock what I got. Anyone wanting to mince words about the expense to the material may find a formidable argument awaiting them....though I find it very unlikely.

Wish you well brother. Krav Maga rocks.

[Phicong]

Hi Hospitaller,
I kind of agree with you to some degree. But for me, my motivation is much different, I think.
I view much of the dress-up nature of kilt wearing as something I could care less about. I have been a diplomat and all and find dressing up to be just that , dressing up.
There are those who want to follow or emulate their heritage, and that is just fine for them. Others have different reasons; comfort, formal wear, etc and this is fine also.
At first, I bought a SW kilt, sporran, got white hose (socks to me) and was thinking of getting a special kilt length jacket made up. I also bought a kilt in my family tartan (Clarke). At this point I have 4 tartan kilts, inexpensive but they look allright and the wife says they are fine. However, I almost never wear them because I feel foolish in them other then when playing my cello at a local jam session.
I wear kilts every day but only UK Mockers and home-made ones in plain colors.
As you probably can tell, I am an odd ball and have little inclination to be either a leader or follower. Should someone , as some have, feel the urge to be critical of me and my dress style, I ignore them. It is their problem, not mine.
Gordon

[Tattoo Bradley]

Lately I've noticed a trend here.

Let me explain, we all know kilts and everything related to kilts are expensive.

Then again, regular clothes can range from cheap to stupidly expensive.

For instance a typical work outfit for me would cost no more than $60. That includes a $10 shirt, $15 pants, $20 shoes, $5 socks and a $10 tie.

A 'weekend' outfit is even cheaper at about $50, that is a $15 tshirt, $20 jeans/shorts, and maybe $20-25 snickers/running shoes.

I'm sure those who are better off can afford a $500 suit, $100 shirts, $50 ties and $200 shoes.

Not the vast majority though. Yet, we still manage to look as good as those in the fancy outfits, and unless you want to be flautning your clothes' brand, either outfit is almost identical.

Now, kilts.

Well putting the 'wool is the one and only fabric for a kilt!' argument and focusing on cost alone, why is it that lately I'm seeing a few posts and comments that are somewhat looking down on people's only alternative for a kilt, and that is, cheap yet good looking material, such as acrylic and/or PV ?

Believe me, if the less afluent in this world could afford to spent hundreds of dollars for a single kilt, we would.

But we can't, so we don't. And that doesn;t mean we are any less of a kilted man than those of you wearing $1000 worth of fabric in a single outfit!

I am just as proud wearing my $100 entire outfit.

And don't get me going on the $50 kilt pin, or the $60 hose...or the $300 for a sporran?

Jeepers, I am not a leathersmith, and I am not a taylor, but by golly lately I've seen my skills increase by a tenfold by the simple fact of having to buy my own CHEAP fabric to make my own kilts. And going to Tandy to get enough leather to make 5 sporrans for less than theprice of a single store bought sporran. And my sporrans will be all custom made to my own liking!

In short and to finish this 'rant', please, PLEASE let's not succumb to the dark side of 'kilt snobility' and start to look down or make snarky comments at the efforts of those trying to wear a garment that has the same humble origins as the cheap fabric some of us are using to make our own.

slainte tae yall

So, what this all really, in the end, boils down to is that simple question: "Why do you wear a kilt?"

There are as many answers to that as there are versions of the kilt available. You have everything from men wishing to simply wear unbifurcated clothing to the gent wearing the 8 yard, worsted wool, kilt and montrose double once or twice a year as pride of his heritage. Then of course you have absolutely everything in between. I'm neither of those extreme examples, but one of those "in between" the two. I wear my kilt generally on Saturdays, or more often if I'm on holiday. I would like to wear it more often. However, due to my profession, it's simply not an option. I'm not, however, the man who will ever trade in his trousers for kilt exclusivity. I wear my kilt to honor my heritage. That's really the bottom line for me. I don't wear it because it's "more comfortable that pants." I happen to feel completely comfortable and no hotter or uncomfortable in them than I do a kilt. I have a place for both garments in my wardobe.

As far as material goes, I choose wool because I feel it trumps any other cloth available in the arena of a tradtional Scottish kilt. In my not-so-humble opinion there is nothing like it. I have owned tartan kilts in both PV and acrylic and I feel the best of the synthetic world is certainly the PV, by miles(or would that be by yards?) But, I have found it did not meet my requirements or preference in a kilt. The acrylic I found to be completely unsuitable as it is "fuzzy" and very lightweight. It pulls and snags like... well... acrylic cloth. I did not like the "off-the-rack" style of kilt as they were simply ill-fitting. (There are certainly those out there who can wear the off-the-rack sizes. But, there is plenty of photographic evidence that there are plenty who shouldn't.)

Yes, tradtional Highland kilts (and all their accessories) are costly. However, to simply scof and dismiss that as foolish is insulting. The "kilt snob" bit can
work both ways. I happen to be one of those who choose to wear worsted woolen kilts that cost hundreds of dollars. I'm also one of those with a $300 sporran in my closet. I would absoultely rather have 5 custom made, worsted wool kilts in my close than I would 30 acrylic off the rack kilts.

I, in complete honesty, do not look down on those who choose to wear other forms of kilts. The best example, to me, is the contemporary kilt. I have no desire or "need" for this type of kilt. However, like the tradtional kilt, I see well made kilts and those that aren't.

Please keep in mind these are all my own personal opinions on the matter, I do still retain the rite to those. Due to the fact I've chosen to express them I will refrain from moderating this thread from this point on. I'm in this thread as a member only. "Mod hat off."

[ForresterModern]

I started investigating kilts a year ago as part of my desire to trace a bit of my roots back toward Scotland in anticipation of a long planned business/vacation trip which my family and I shared to Edinburgh and the Highlands early this summer. I did it first out of curiosity, then as I learned more about my heritage and that of Scotland (which I continue to learn more about each and every day) it then became a quest to find and to honor my family lines and scottish heritage ,which I have had the pleasure to do and continue to do. Along the way I spent a fair sum for four 8yd wool kilts, three jacket/waistcoat sets, several dress and casual sporrans, innumerable pairs of hose, and all manner of metallic accoutrements and hats, etc...

But in harkening back to those roots I too remember grand mothers and great-grandmothers telling me the same thing, if you are going to buy something buy quality at the best price you can afford, and look as good as you can all the time (well, at least as long as you feel like it). I come from humble West Virginia folk, my father from a coal mining town being the first in the family to ever get a college degree, my mother the firstborn of humble day workers whose home was about the size of my current family room. My mother worked her way through nursing school after graduating at the top of her high school class a year ahead of her class, then helped put my father thru the latter phasses of his college then graduate school, all the while working and starting to raise a family, my brothers and sister and I. I myself skipped a year of college to start medical school early so that my parents would not have to pay for two of us kids to be in college at the same time. I spent several years living in dorms and making do with literally a couple bucks a week to spend on anything. I interviewed for medical school in a v-neck sweater and skinny tie from a used clothing store because I couldn't afford a sportcoat that fit my oversize frame, and did not want to burden my parents with the cost of that perceived "need". In essence I come from hard working frugal budget minded people and will forever wear that stamped on my face and evident in everything I do. Even though I now make a very nice living and own a very nice home and have more than enough money to do what I want and wear what I like, at whatever cost, I still shop aggressively for every piece of highlandwear or furniture or sporting goods, etc..., that I buy, making the best deals I can find for the items and quality I desire. So I have 4 quality "tanks", the most expensive of which cost $450 mostly becasue it is an unusual and specific family tartan, the other three of which are all wool 16 oz 8 yarders each of which cost me less than $300 each, because I shopped for them and waited for the right time and the right deal. I wear them with pride for all the above reasons, and would never consider flaunting my financial status or putting down somebody else becasue of theirs. Nearly 100 posts on this forum and I don't believe I have "dissed" anybody in any single one of them. Remember I was the lonely only guy sitting in that waiting room at the med school interview office 8 different times wearing the sweater and second hand tie and weejuns amongst a lot of folks my age in three piece suits and wonderfully polished dress shoes.

The only folks I feel like ever looking down on are those folks who waste their time and effort looking down on others, and even then I resist that temptation as much as I can. Wear what you want, when you want, and wear it with style and pride for your own reasons, not those of others.

I will now step down from the soapbox, end MY rant, and open the forum for others to comment.

[hospitaller]

Respectfully, Hector, this is a bit of a chestnut.

Probably so. But then again, probably not.

I am by no means wealthy, yet I do value quality garments, including Highland attire.

We're in the same boat. I also value Highland attire. I just can't afford it.

I also like Maseratti cars but I can not afford one, so I drive my trusty Toyota beater.

Are there those who look down their nose at the so-called "cheap" material -- yes, there are. But there are also those who do the same towards those of us who are more "traditional" in terms of our Highland kit. It goes both ways.

Regards,

Todd

Well I am sure there are those who look down on those who buy expensive outfits, I just haven't seen them in this forum. I have seen comments the other way around though.

I guess my point was missed. I do wish I could afford a wool custom made tank, with a full polar bear mask sporran...but I can;t. I just don;t want to be looked down or commented down upo, of all places, in this very forum. Not just 'me', but all of us who do.

That's all.

slainte

[hospitaller]

Reading all the replies I see that the majority agree with the point I was making.

We all wear what we can afford.

A few can't understand it is not a matter of choice, but a matter of fact.

But only a few got the meat of my argument, which is, if I could afford a custom made wool tank in my Clan's tartan, I would. In a heartbeat.

But I can't (And those others like me who can't as well) so my only alternative is either make my own or buy hand me downs, acrylics or PV.

Which I wear proudly and well as I have posted in my pictures.

I just expect the members of this forum to not be critical or make those passive agressive comments regarding those very 'inexpensive' garments.

That's all.

slainte tae yall

[rollerboy_1979]

I don't think it matters how much it costs or what it's made of........it's how it makes you feel that matters most.

Cheers!

RB

[pdcorlis]

To be honest good sir - I think this "rant" is a bit of a straw man. I read this forum daily and have done so for years. I'll admit I may not be observant enough - but I'm not sure I see any sort of trend of "kilt snobs" belittling those that choose to follow a path that includes less expensive kilts.

An expensive "tank" or traditional kilt uses a more expensive material and it is constructed differently than less expensive kilt options. It will - barring moths and maltreatment - last generations. If that - or a love for natural fibers - or a connection to your heritage - or something else makes this sort of kilt choice important to you I say - good for you!

If a less expensive kilt made from modern fibers fits your budget - or your desire to own loads of kilts - or something else makes this sort of kilt choice a good fit I say - good for you!

I say lucky us for living in a time when we have all these options. After all, if it weren't for Stillwater I doubt I'd be a daily kilt wearer today. The fact that I now wear wool kilts is my business. Will I look down on you for wearing something else - never. After all that's why they make Mounds AND Almond Joy

Sometimes you feel like nut - sometimes you don't.