Need some advice for a friend

[Ayin McFye]

In my humble opinion I started wearing "the kilt" was a replacement for a pair of blue jeans..
I go casual or dressy depending on the weather and the ocassion.
Among my collection of 16 kilts one is black, one is kelly green and one is saffron.
I don't consider them any less of a kilt than my tartan kilts. So I think your friend need a reality check and some education when it comes to kilts.
Robert "the kilted" Lamb

Just a quick question, that'll probably sound stupid. Just because it's not plaid doesn't mean it's not a tartan right?

I consider the Saffron Kilt a "tartan", and any officially recognized kilt a tartan. I didn't think it had to do with it being plaid.

???

[acstoon]

My view is much more simplistic:

I bought it.
I'm wearing it.
I say it's a kilt.

[Ozman1944]

To my mind, if it has an Apron in front & Pleats in back, then it's a Kilt, no matter what cloth pattern -or lack- it is made from. Both Tartan and modern (UK,AK etc.) are "true" kilts by this definition. (Anyone concur?)

[Archangel]

My response to that, if it has gone on as long as you suggest, is, "Your authority to tell me how to dress is based on... what?"

Usually works.

Of course, the first several times, I would do the whole history correction thing. I even took in the Geoffrey Kiltmaker catalogue, that seemed to work, for my academic friend. It's in hard copy so it must be legit.

[cavscout]

Somewhere on Matt's web site is a bit about the oldest existing kilt in his museum is a solid color kilt. Not sure exactly where that was.

[Ayin McFye]

Somewhere on Matt's web site is a bit about the oldest existing kilt in his museum is a solid color kilt. Not sure exactly where that was.

Without looking i think that's the Saffron Kilt, that was found in Ulster county in Ireland. But I might be wrong.

[gilmore]

I have a friend who says:

1. if it's not made from real tartan, it's not a kilt.. it's a skirt for men
2. never wear kilt hose with anything but dress shoes

I have a leather kilt that wear often with kilt hose and black boots, because it's quite comfortable, but he makes his statements every time I wear it. I'd like to hear your opinions of the above "statements". Is there anything backed by history that I can tell him (he'll listen if it has history backing it)? Animal hides have been worn by men for millions of years.

1. Tell him you have become a transvestite and that you hope he can accept that. If not, it was nice knowing him.

2. Traditionally, solid colored (also known as self-colored) kilt hose are worn during the day and at casual events. Formally, diced or argylle hose in the colors of the tartan are worn. If you want to be excrutiatingly correct, brown ghillie brogues are day wear, and black ones are worn in the evening. However, since few can justify buying more than one pair, many wear black during the day.

[Monkey@Arms]

Just a quick question, that'll probably sound stupid. Just because it's not plaid doesn't mean it's not a tartan right?

I consider the Saffron Kilt a "tartan", and any officially recognized kilt a tartan. I didn't think it had to do with it being plaid.

???

A tartan cloth by definintion has to have a crisscross design, in other words what we call plaid, and as pointed out in this helpful article by Matt, the term does not only describe Scottish clan tartans. http://www.albanach.org/other_tartans.htm

Best regards,

Jake

[sirdaniel1975]

I have a friend who says:

1. if it's not made from real tartan, it's not a kilt.. it's a skirt for men
2. never wear kilt hose with anything but dress shoes

I have a leather kilt that wear often with kilt hose and black boots, because it's quite comfortable, but he makes his statements every time I wear it. I'd like to hear your opinions of the above "statements". Is there anything backed by history that I can tell him (he'll listen if it has history backing it)? Animal hides have been worn by men for millions of years.

1. Solid color feidleh mohrs where worn, so takes care of the first one.

2. Fashion changes all the time, same with kilt accessories. Tartan kilt hose where once much more popular than they are now. Now it's become very fashionable to scrunch down kilt hose whilst wearing boots. And what about all those casual black/brown leather products. ppprrrfffttt.... does this mean that one has to wear black/brown dress shoes with casual wear.

Anyway, your friends statements are a major example of how years of faulty conditioning and old wives tales lead folks into believing misguided incorrect facts.

His statements seem to only support wearing a kilt at formal occasions. Which is what we are not about here. We try to promote the kilt as a garment that can be worn for any occasion. Because the kilt is not a costume, it is a garment.

[majdan]

I have a friend who says:

1. if it's not made from real tartan, it's not a kilt.. it's a skirt for men
2. never wear kilt hose with anything but dress shoes

I have a leather kilt that wear often with kilt hose and black boots, because it's quite comfortable, but he makes his statements every time I wear it. I'd like to hear your opinions of the above "statements". Is there anything backed by history that I can tell him (he'll listen if it has history backing it)? Animal hides have been worn by men for millions of years.

Ask your Buddy just who died and made him the dreeded "Kilt Police"

There are no kilt police.