Moving kilts from festivals to daily wear

[elijah]

I like it, I'll run it passed Andrea and see what she thinks.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Hamish,

They whole concept of "Highland Games" is vastly different here in the States than back in the UK.

Your average American Games will have (in addition to the actual athletic competitions) an area of "clan tents" where the various clan societies set up to answer questions, give out information, and recruit membership. A vendors area where everything Scottish and/or Celtic under the sun can be purchased. Entertainment ranging from pipe bands, to folk singers, to rock bands -- I even saw a comedian at one event. Perhaps a heritage speaker or two scheduled. And, as I described above, people wearing just about every god-aweful thing they could think of.

I'm not even talking about "costumey" Highland Dress. I swear, I see some people who look as though they are taking the vent for an excuse just to dress strangely. It isn't rare to see people wandering around in quasi-Rennasaince clothing, as if this were a Renn Faire. I still can't get over the one fellow I saw wearing a kilt (a nice, 8 yard, traditional tartan kilt, mind you) with a leather biker's vest, no shirt, about a dozen heavy chains and necklaces on his neck, a Viking helmet with horns that must have been four feet long, and on his feet.... large green furry bedroom slippers that looked like dinosaur feet. And he was carrying a battle axe.

I've never had the good fortune to attend a Highland Games in the UK, but I understand that they are somewhat more rifined, no?

Aye,
Matt

[beerbecue]

You didn't happen to see that at the Stone Mountain games last year, did you, Matt?

Although I wasn't kilted - for shame, for shame, I know - I didn't have one at the time - I would rather have had on jeans than some of the things I saw people wearing......

[Colin]

Hamish,

They whole concept of "Highland Games" is vastly different here in the States than back in the UK.

Your average American Games will have (in addition to the actual athletic competitions) an area of "clan tents" where the various clan societies set up to answer questions, give out information, and recruit membership. A vendors area where everything Scottish and/or Celtic under the sun can be purchased. Entertainment ranging from pipe bands, to folk singers, to rock bands -- I even saw a comedian at one event. Perhaps a heritage speaker or two scheduled. And, as I described above, people wearing just about every god-aweful thing they could think of.


Aye,
Matt

The first little bit sounds like the games we have up here, but instead of rock groups we have pipe band marches, competiitons, etc. As far as I know the whole Renn Faire thing isn't as big in BC. Interms of dress, I think we are more like our British cousins, than our southern neighbors. People wear the full get up, sure, but most wear the kilt for the heavy events, or casually. The amount of Jacobite shirts does sadly seem to be on the rise, but for the use of dirks, etc are present.

Most kilts are sold at festivals which reinforces the idea that they are costumes and not everyday clothing. I woke up in the wee hours wondering how to move kilts from the realm of festivals and parades and into the streets and office towers.

Prior to two years ago, I had not seen any kilt makers at our local highland games. Sure there were a few Scottish shops hawking their wares, but no body that made kilts for you. The number of local kiltmakers (Bear Kilts, Canada Kilts, etc)has since increased.

Funny how Highland games differ so much from one place to another.

[Hamish]

Hamish,

They whole concept of "Highland Games" is vastly different here in the States than back in the UK.

.................................................. ...................................

I've never had the good fortune to attend a Highland Games in the UK, but I understand that they are somewhat more rifined, no?

Aye,
Matt

Your description Matt matches, very closely, the images I have seen of "Highland Games" in the USA - frankly, I am in no rush to attend any of them!

It has been many years since I attended a gathering over here - I know of only two that are held in England on a regular basis, neither of them down here in the South - but, yes, they usually consist of the athletic and traditional Highland events, plus Highland, and sometimes Scottish Country, Dance competitions. Solo piping competitions, together with those for pipe bands, just about complete the scenes. The larger events will have a few trade tents and, I dare say, some Clans will be represented although I do not remember seeing any when I was there. It would be most unusual, I think, to see any 'historical' or alternative kilted clothing being worn - although I do have friends who, as visitors, have worn TFCK kilts to such events in recent years.

[Riverkilt]

Yikes Matt...that was me maybe...

I was just romping around the AZ Ren Faire last month in my UK brown leather kilt, Freelander Sporran, and a horned Viking Helmet. Keep trying to post the pic but no matter how small I shrink it the message still comes back "too large" Go figure, post large pictures with ease...this one, cropped and reduced to nil still is "too large." Wish I understood this stuff.

Anyway, back on topic. Wore my UK olive mocker to work today with a dress white shirt and tartan tie. Also wore green kilt hose, brown wingtips and tartan flashes. For me it was a business look with a kilt instead of slacks. The flashes were an afterthought to sort of "Celt Up" for St. Paddy's Day.

Usual teasing comments from coworkers, a "nice legs" from a burly Navajo guy - in an approving manner. "Aren't your knees cold?" from my 84 year old demented mother when I picked her up for a doctor's appointment. One lady coworker asked very seriously about the what the flashes were, their history, etc.

Best deal came when a brand new lady therapist, who has yet to see me kilted. She's from Mississippi by way of Yuma, AZ. She asked teasingly, "Aren't you cold?" I smiled and said, "I have many responses to that question. They range from anger, to science, to flirtatious. Which would you like?" She just said, "Never mind."

I was working alone after night group and had a couple young cops tapping on my office window. Turned out someone had set the alarm system off in another wing of the office. We dealt with that and all got back to work. They never said anything.

I put in a 12 hour day today. ALL of it sitting in meetings or groups. I was VERY comfortable.

I really like how the UK mocker is a kilt, with the business look. And, business is a place where I really like the many layered narrow apron so the weight keeps the kilt down when I'm sitting...don't have to worry. Also lets me assume more varied sitting postures than a traditional apron. Often have wondered why UK doesn't market "modesty feature" more and why they don't market the mocker as an alternative to slacks in the office.

Finally got some at work photos today...but gotta shoot the roll up to get it developed.

Ron

[Declan Rowan]

I really love reading topics like this because it helps put in perspective my kilt wearing habits. They say that we are inspired by our elders (I'm 23 myself, btw) and I love to see how you all handle situations and then I try and learn from that.
I tend to get a different sort of attention while wearing the kilt, mainly because of my age. Most people think it's "cool, confident, sexy." It has even assisted me in screening potential friends, as those who cannot deal with the kilt, I probably dont want to be friends with anyway.
Of course, I've had to explain what each part is at times, put up getting dirty looks from those more "prim and proper" as well as having to have the quick retort for those who are not blessed with tact. However, I've found that just being completely comfortable in your kilt does more than anything to get people to want to wear a kilt. So far I've gotten about 4-6 of my friends to at least gain interest in being kilted, especially when they see all the positive reactions I get (and out of all the people i talk to, 80% are positive, mainly because I tune out the people who look down at me.) They see the results and want to get in on the "big secret," which of course, I laugh since it's only been around for centuries.
The most important lesson that I've learned is the moment you make it seem like it's not a big deal, that no, its not just for St. Patrick's Day, or a Faire, or a Fest, that yes, I wear this quite frequently, the more people will start changing attitudes.
By the same token, I also tend to reign in my kilt and accessories when in public. I have worn my UK without much fuss at all, or sometimes I'll wear the kilt with bare accessories, just so that I dont give off the "I'm a re-enactor!" vibe. This, combined with formal dress at formal events, is my way of bringing kilts out of the costume trunk and into the wardrobe.

[RockyR]

I think another factor is how the kilts are worn at festivals. I'll give an example.

The typical man you see in a kilt at a festival (and let's for the sake of argument just assume we are talking about a standard traditional kilt here) will have a kilt, a black kilt belt with a nickel plated buckle, a Highland or "Jacobite" shirt, some type of bonnet on his head with a clan badge, maybe a sprig of their plant badge pinned behind. His sporran may run the gambit from a simple day wear to a full mask sporran. I've seen some around here that are made from bear claws, fox masks, skunk tails, and all sorts of things. He may have a dirk, a sgian dubh, and/or a sword. And, of course, hose and some kind of shoes -- possibly those knee-high Indian moccasins that are so popular to wear with kilts.

We do 5 or 6 festivals a year... While I DO see people dressed like that out here (most of our festivals are within a 2 hour radius of Philly), that type of dress is most confined (and heavily worn) at Renn Faire festivals. They're all about getting "dressed up" in costumes. When we go to any non Renn Faire festival, the typical kilt wearer (INCLUDING me) is in:

Scally Cap
Black t-shirt
kilt
regular socks
combat boots
leather day sporran

There ARE people dressed up (pipe bands) and there ARE a few "Renn Faire People" there, but they are by no means the majority.

Also, another reason people don't wear a kilt every day... $$$$$. Would you wear a $500 suit out to the store? Would you wear a $500 suit to mow the lawn? Even at $120, our casual kilts aren't "cheap". That's like 4 or 6 pairs of Men's jeans! If people have to pay more than $50 for something to wear on their waist, they see it as "dressy" or "only to be worn on special occasions".

While I would love to see more people in kilts, I tend to agree with G Koch... people (in general) will do it / it will "become acceptable" when it becomes a fad. It'll become a fad when celebs (GUY celebs) start wearing them to red carpet type events... NOT JUST in a movie.

Until then, we're doomed to be looked at as accentrics. We're going to be "outside the norm". We're not the "run of the mill" type guy. We are alpha males who follow the beat of their own drummer. I say, if people want to follow our path, let them. If they don't, that's fine too... it's not going to stop me.

[Graham]

Well put Rocky, what you say is true, doomed to be eccentrics....and happily so!

I would add that I enjoy proving that it is possible and practical to be able to wear the kilt every day and in 99% of life's circumstances.

I find it affordable, thanks in no small part to you, to do so.

[bubba]

Kilts are not going to become commonplace until they compete in price with Levis a we all know something that cheap we wouldn't allow in the closet. One can only imagine what they'd look like. Personally, I'm quite happy being eccentric and wearing kilts every day.