PC Kilts

[Jerry]

A couple of times on this board the issue has come up of "what defines a kilt?" No one can agree. And I've even had conversations with poeople both Highland dress academics and in the Highland dress manufacture/retail industry in Scotland on this very question, and it doesn't seem to be a thing you can strictly define. The best that most people are willing to agree to is that they "know one when they see one."

The problem is that the kilt (and here I'm speaking strictly of the kilt as it can be found in the past 400 years of Scottish tradition) has had enough variations in its construction and make-up that it's very hard to set defining criteria that does not eliminate certain styles that all agree are "true kilts."

Speaking only of traditional kilts here, you find them made from tartan, solids, and tweeds of various patterns. You find them knife pleated and box pleated, and sometimes with a combination of the two. You find them made with a great variety of closure methods. You find them containing anywhere from 3 to 8 (more for larger men!) yards of cloth. You find them being made in nearly every country of the world where Scots have left their mark. You can even find old portraits of kilts with pleats all the way around the front!

So you can see why establishing a formal definition for a "kilt" is hard. I tend to avoid the issue by saying there are kilts, and then there are kilts. Just because something is a kilt doesn't mean it is a good kilt. Just like pants, shoes, shirts, jackets, and any other form of clothing, there is a wide variety of quality available on the market, and let the buyer beware.

I know what Fr. Archer means about the Utilikilt, and I see his point. I'm sure he'll correct me if I am misrepresnting his position, but as the Utilikilt was invented independantly of the Scottish tradition, for completely different purposes, it really only resembles a kilt in the fact that it is an unbifurcated garment worn by men. So why call it a kilt? Why not come up with some other kind of name? I can understand why this would seem to many to be an unjustified usurption of part of Highland tradition.

Some wear the kilt every day because they like wearing that style of clothing. Most people wear the kilt precisely because it is a heritage garment, and they wear it to reflect their heritage. (And then you have those who wear it every day as a heritage garment). :-) Obviously these people will have differing opinions as to what makes a good kilt.

Aye,
Matt

Mac, I've never liked the UKs either, and until recently I didn't even care for anything non-tartaned. But I can say now, I'm seriously considering a black wool or poly vis either in the "dark island" tartan or solid black as long as it has the same features as my tartaned ones. (Actually, I'm dropping hints to my wife about Christmas and a kilt from one of our sponsor's sites) As for the UKs, what's wrong with just calling them "Utilikilts". Maybe, through general usage, this will one day wind up in the dictionary as a seperate word for an entirely different type of men's unbifurcated garment.
Concerning kilts made from newer materials such as Polyvis, I think that saying that these are not kilts is akin to saying Tiger Woods' Titanium headed, Graphite shfted driver isn't a golf club because it doesn't have a wooden head and hickory shaft. Things evolve through technology, and some cases thay get better. In the case of kilts, I'm not sure the polyvis is better than the traditional wool, but it has some advantages, such as making these kilts more affordable so more can wear them, and being machine washable.

[Archangel]

My pleasure, Scotus.
What I dislike so intensely about political correctness is that it does not seek to change viewpoints as much as hide them. It doesn't say, "think this way." It says, "pretend you think this way so nobody gets offended."
The politically correct are self righteous guilt peddlers. They claim someone will be offended by any behaviour they don't like. It's just another method others use to control you and get you to act the way THEY think you should act.

I'm still eating my breakfast so, hopefully, I don't say this clumsily.
How's this for a concept: different isn't wrong, it's just....different.

When something is wrong, yes, speak out, act, do something. However, too few people take the time to work out the grays, that's where most of the problems comes in. Life is not always black and white, there's a billion shade of each of those colours. (and for more philosophical fun we could develop the analogy further, those aren't colours.)

They're all skirts, we're not talking about dresses. This type of skirt is called a kilt, we'll talk about them. These ones look like kilts, okay, lets talk about them. Those are sarongs, etc, we're not really going to talk about them. And those, dahlings, are capris and micro minis, we're definitely not going to talk about us guys wearing them. Shop rules, but, happily, there are other forums for those last two.