reasons

[Rigged]

On the serious side, I've found that women can be very territorial about things they define as feminine. We men have largely accepted that women can do or wear anything men can do or wear, but many women still react rather strongly (strangely?) to men stepping onto their traditional turf.

Some of the strongest negative reactions I've gotten to wearing kilts has been from women -- ranging from put-downs like, "Oh, what a cute little skirt!" to "What do mean they're made for men! They should make them for women too!"

I don't know of any manufacturers of women's clothing that make the same clothing for "men too."

Yet, we men bend over backwards to be inclusive.

I'm going to stop before this turns into an overheated rant.

[JazzKiltz]

some of the ideas about solid "American" style kilts are really interesting. I have one kilt, a black Utilikilt that I wear WAAY too much (only becaue I haven't another to trade off). Maybe it's living in NYC where people are somewhat used to kilts in general - after all, everytime the police or fire dept. do anything ceremonial the department pipe bands show up - the comment I get most often is, "Nice kilt!" followed by some question about the colour or lack or tartan. Last week, I played a gig at a local club in mine. Just threw on a white linen shirt, a dark blue cashmere sportcoat that my father-in-law left me and my combat boots. The ladies in the audience were enthusiastic in their approval. I do agree about the "tough" or "butch" aspect of the look though.

akaussie, I think your kilt looks great (and I'm not real partial to the Amerikilts - based on the website pics)! Keep at it!

MT

[bikercelt1]

Looks fine to me Andrew. I don't remember, how long have you been wearing the kilt? Maybe she just needs a little more time to come to grips with it. Some people need time and experience in with the public to realise that kilt wearing is not going to be a traumatic, embarassing event. Most of the time when my friends and family expressed concern over the kilt it was because they thought I would be embarassed by some unpleasant public situation. Once they realised that tthe embarassing situations rarely happened, and that I could deal with the few that did happen, they became more comfortable with me in my kilt.

That said, there definitely is a perception in some people that a tartan and all the accouterments make a much more manly apperance.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

Jamie

[Hamish]

Hi Andrew,
Not ever having been married, I cannot offer advice on how to help your wife come to accept your kilt/s, but I see nothing "girly" concerning your Amerikilt. There are two of them in my Kilt Kollection and I can attest to the fact that they are cut to a slight "A" line. You look absolutely fine to me, although I would agree with John that maybe that kilt is just a fraction too long. Could it be that that makes your good lady think the kilt is "girly"? I always think a kilt worn below the knee (not that yours is that long) definitely looks feminine!

.................................................. ....................................
It's been said before that plain kilts appear to be more acceptable in America (Hamish may disagree)

Graham, I am not sure what you mean by this!
Are you saying that plain kilts are considered to be more acceptable in America than tartan ones, or that plain kilts standing alone are readily accepted by Americans? In any case, I really don't know how Americans in the USA react to them as my time over there has been very limited (and most of that time was spent in the company of kilt-wearers). I can say that my kilts (tartan or plain) were not ever referred to as "skirts" whilst I was in the USA last year - the plain ones were also called "kilts" when comments were made - or questions asked!

On the other hand, here in England, my plain kilts are sometimes spoken of as skirts - even those from TFCK. People do expect a kilt to be of tartan fabric, but I simply explain, "Oh, this is an American kilt" or "It is a Scottish kilt. Kilts do not have to be in tartan, you know. In fact plain coloured ones are becoming very popular nowadays". That seems to satisfy everyone.

[akaussie]

G'day guys thanks for the input. With the tapered issue , if i grab the section wher the pleats have been sewn down I can actually hold them out about an inch, that is probably due to the fact that the kilt is about an inch too big in the waist. I will modify it by moving the front right belt clip further over to the right so that I can wrap the kilt around me tighter I think that will solve ther problem. At the moment the kilt gathers at the waist when i put it on. As to the tube look of traditional, I dont think that will happen, I also plan to put quite a feww more pleats in it than the amerikilt has I like the way the stillwater kilts have so many pleats. I love the blackwatch tartan, My mum's side of the family were Lindsay, but not sure wether their tartan would suit me will check it out.
Thanks again Andrew

[akaussie]

Hamish, Thankyou for your input, I dont think the length is the issue, Naomi says she thinks it could be a little longer. I told her that according to Hamish, our "kilt guru" that it is supposed to hang halfway down the knee, When I kneel on the floor it just touches the ground which i thought was correct.
Anyway she probably is just getting used to it as i havent worn it much. will persevere with it, get her used to seeing me in it etc. cheers mate Andrew

[Raphael]

Glad to know that your wife approve of the idea of you wearing a kilt. The length of the kilt can be a personal perference and most people like to show off their knees. I am one of them.

[Rob Wright]

I have ugly knees and don' care who see's them.

Rob Wright

[Graham]

Graham wrote:

It's been said before that plain kilts appear to be more acceptable in America (Hamish may disagree)

Hamish wrote:
Graham, I am not sure what you mean by this!

Hamish, I just meant that while plain kilts seem to be prominent in the USA, you are an exception on account of the many plain kilts you have in the UK.

The notion that plain kilts may be more accepted in the US came from a kiltmaker (not from me), but as I thought about it, it seemed to make sense to me.

I can only say with authority that plain kilts have not caught on in Australia yet.

[Hamish]

Graham wrote:

It's been said before that plain kilts appear to be more acceptable in America (Hamish may disagree)

Hamish wrote:
Graham, I am not sure what you mean by this!

Hamish, I just meant that while plain kilts seem to be prominent in the USA, you are an exception on account of the many plain kilts you have in the UK.

The notion that plain kilts may be more accepted in the US came from a kiltmaker (not from me), but as I thought about it, it seemed to make sense to me.

I can only say with authority that plain kilts have not caught on in Australia yet.

Ah! Thank you for clarifying that Graham. Yes, I suspect that plain kilts are more accepted in the USA than elsewhere because the modern plain kilt, with its variations of design, originated in the USA - they are American kilts. I believe I am correct in stating that Howie Nicholsby, of TFCK, was the first British kiltmaker to come up with a selection of plain woollen, and different fabric, kilts - made in the traditional manner - back in 1999.

Howie and I are very much in agreement that, whilst the traditional tartan kilt should be promoted and worn at every opportunity, it should not be allowed to stagnate and to become a 'costume', which is sadly how many people see it. There is actually little danger of that happening, but that is not to say that the traditionally styled and tailored kilt should be prevented from evolving. One way in which this can occur is for it to move away from tartan (which already prevents many would-be kilt wearers from investing in kilts), and I am more than happy to promote the idea of plain coloured kilts by wearing them myself just as frequently as I wear my
tartan ones.

Only today (Tuesday), I was on duty with The National Trust at Petworth House. It was a comparatively quiet day with some 600 visitors coming through the Stately Home, but every one of them would have seen me wearing my plain blue kilt suit from TFCK. I spoke with many of those visitors, answering their questions about the history of the house, the furnishings and the works of art, but not one commented on my unusual kilt outfit. That's 600 people who will have gone away, perhaps wondering what they had seen standing there in the Red Room (!), but hopefully a few might have thought that I looked rather smart, or 'cool' and some of them might even be considering making enquiries as to where such a suit came from.

Yes, plain kilts are still a comparative rarity, even here where they are produced, but Howie (and now several other Scottish kiltmakers such as KiltStore.net, who sponsor this site) are taking orders for more and more of them, and I am both pleased and proud to think that I may have played some very small part in that step forward.

Oooops! I seem to have 'gone on' rather too much yet again, as I am wont! Sorry.