History of Contemporary and Non-Traditional Kilts?

[Bugbear]

Just for the record, the ownership of XMTS has changed hands, and the new owner is Steve Ashton,the same person who posts as The Wizard of BC, and owner of Freedom Kilts.

I think this qualifies as part of the history of contemporary and non-traditional kilts; a new chapter of sorts.

[ThistleDown]

I think this thread deserves to stay around as a bit of XMtS history.

What is really new under the sun, after all? Capt Stuart Davidson of the old Scottish Tartans Museum had pockets in his kilts in the 1960s -- and I doubt he was the first to do that. Alfred Mackintosh of Mackintosh didn't like the Mackintosh tartan so always wore tweed kilt suits and that was in the 1920s. He took as his example his father's good friend, my ggg grandfather, who wore just plain wool kilts, as well as tweed and tartan with no respect for a clan sett and that was in the 1860s.

The late Jamie Scarlett, the "grand old man of tartan", wove himself a length of tartan and his wife, Meta, made him a kilt that was so light he wore it but once and then re-made it into a table cloth. Good summer idea though, if he had only doubled the weight to something like 10 oz. He also took another length of unwashed (and still lanolin-rich) plain product of his loom, made a kilt from it and wore that one rain or shine, winter or summer for years. Until it literally disintegrated around his hips. Sure shed water well.

I remember an ancient up Glen Mazeran who added a leather pocket and a slit to the left hip of a kilt he had as the perfect place for his gralloch knife. It was hidden away where none could see it and know what he did of an evening, I suppose. But we all did. I remember his leather leggings and shoes as being all one and very smelly, too -- but that's not for this thread.

Hugh Macpherson, he of the ivory and gold Henderson pipes, had his own shop make him a kilt in blue-coloured denim washed many times so he could wear it aboard ship on his cruises into the tropics. 1950s I think. He took the idea from the old jeans he saw in Colorado, he said. He didn't like it though because it stretched and became baggy in bad places.

"Contemporary" simply means current or modern or of-today. Variations on a theme. Just keep in mind, lads, that with the possible exception of MUGS (?) we're talking of Scottish Highland clothing here. It's all been tried and become part of the history that is what we wear. More ideas yet to come, some to be accepted and some not.

[Tartan Hiker]

Excellent post ThistleDown.

And may I ask what hawk you have on your fist? Looks like a Harris to me, but the photo is mighty small.

[ThistleDown]

Thanks, Bill. Yes, Fidget's a 4 yo Harris. Off subject, this is (so as MOD move it where you will), but these were taken in Glen Isla in August 08. The first is not good, but there she is.



Taken on the same day. Fidget's fine and a fast hunter, but her name suits her well.



Rabbit hunting. 2009 was the year of the rabbit in the Highlands. You could bag enough of a morning to feed the dogs all winter -- or so it seemed.

[prospachis]

I am interested in the history of the contemporary and non-traditional kilt. The history of the Utilakilt is fairly well known, so that's not my focus. They're welcome in the discussion, though. I'm thinking mainly of the non-tartan kilts that would not be accepted as looking traditional.

How long have the non-traditional kilts been around?
From where did they originate?
How has the style evolved?

I really have got a lot of info from you ideas. Thank a lot !! Hope that you will continue with new ideas !

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[RockyR]

I'm sorry but according to Terry Vargas and Rocky Roeger, Bear Kilts preceed the Sport Kilts by at least 13 months.

I agree with most of steve's jist, but not necessarily on the dates.

Sportkilt was 1995 (according to SK's website).
Bear was January 2003 (according to Bear's website)
USAK was June 2003 (OFFICIALLY registering the name "USA Kilts"... Feb - March 2003 unofficially)

I wouldn't classify USA Kilts entry level models as contemporary (or Bear Kilts for that matter), but more along the lines of a 'Casual Kilt' or 'sporty kilt' or 'pub kilt'. They're definitely not contemporary or utility kilts, but they're not traditional.

Other companies to discuss in your history of Solid colored utility / contemproary style kilts:

Pittsburgh Kilts (RIP)
R Kilts
Amerikilt
Celtic Warrior Kilts
Union Kilts
Flamingo Kilts
Alpha Kilts
Bilt Kilt
Neo Kilts
S Kilt
and many others I can't think of right now...

[RockyR]

I think I read that Howie (21st Century Kilts) came up with the idea while hiking. He was climbing a hill and didn't like his kilt at navel height, so he pushed it down. He then thought, "what if I made kilts from Denim or other materials?"

As Steve Ashton said, UK was born as an idea to raise money for Steven Villegas (UK founder) and friends to travel around in a double decker busses. From the UK website:

History
The Utilikilts Company, established April 2000, was originally founded in order to fund a global arts project, involving seven double deck busses that would travel the world, putting on an interactive road show of music, dance, video art, and drama, and leaving change in its wake.

The Utilikilt was one of several designs implemented by Form Follows Function, an original design company, in order to raise money for this Arts project. However, the Utilikilt soon spawned the Utilikilts Company, and right before our eyes, this unique garment began to accomplish the goals that FFF had originally set out to promote, by becoming a growing social phenomenon, inspiring debate, consistently challenging the media, changing lives, and creating a common symbolism among its wearers.

[Canuck]

I agree with most of steve's jist, but not necessarily on the dates.

Sportkilt was 1995 (according to SK's website).
Bear was January 2003 (according to Bear's website)
USAK was June 2003 (OFFICIALLY registering the name "USA Kilts"... Feb - March 2003 unofficially)

I wouldn't classify USA Kilts entry level models as contemporary (or Bear Kilts for that matter), but more along the lines of a 'Casual Kilt' or 'sporty kilt' or 'pub kilt'. They're definitely not contemporary or utility kilts, but they're not traditional.

Other companies to discuss in your history of Solid colored utility / contemproary style kilts:

Pittsburgh Kilts (RIP)
R Kilts
Amerikilt
Celtic Warrior Kilts
Union Kilts
Flamingo Kilts
Alpha Kilts
Bilt Kilt
Neo Kilts
S Kilt
and many others I can't think of right now...

RKilts unofficially started in 2001 and was registered in 2003 with patent applications. Been a going concern since then. There was just a handful of us in operation. A number of companies showed up for the contraversial "Men in Skirts March" back in Feb. 2004...That was a blast!