Kilt Shop Employee Not Allowed to Wear Kilt to Work

[artificer]

I wonder if having the staff kitted out in WELL fitting, WELL made kilts wouldn't be a showcase for their work. It's not too hard to spot a really beautifully made kilt, even if you don't have the knowledge of WHY it is so.

Seems like a lost opportunity to me.

ith:

[davidg]

I wonder if having the staff kitted out in WELL fitting, WELL made kilts wouldn't be a showcase for their work.

That's a well presented argument but there is a flaw in it. How do I KNOW that the kilt was made by THAT kilt maker?

Bank of Scotland staff wear uniforms provided by their employer and I know that any tartan kilts or skirts worn are provided by the employer. In an Edinburgh highland outfitters I don't have the faintest idea who provided the kilts in the same way I don't know who provided their trousers (pants), shirts or shoes because they are not wearing an obvious uniform

I would never judge the quality of the finished kilt just by looking at what the staff selling it were wearing. Apart from the fact the kilt may have been made by another kilt maker it will probably be in a different tartan and may be a completely different type of kilt to what I want. For example, how do I judge the quality of an 8 yard knife pleated kilt if the staff member is wearing a 4 yard casual kilt (or vice versa)? The answer is that samples are available in the shop for me to inspect

I'm not advocating that staff be forbidden from wearing kilts as I think that goes too far but I am suggesting it is not really a missed opportunity either

[artificer]

That's a well presented argument but there is a flaw in it. How do I KNOW that the kilt was made by THAT kilt maker?

Bank of Scotland staff wear uniforms provided by their employer and I know that any tartan kilts or skirts worn are provided by the employer. In an Edinburgh highland outfitters I don't have the faintest idea who provided the kilts in the same way I don't know who provided their trousers (pants), shirts or shoes because they are not wearing an obvious uniform

I would never judge the quality of the finished kilt just by looking at what the staff selling it were wearing. Apart from the fact the kilt may have been made by another kilt maker it will probably be in a different tartan and may be a completely different type of kilt to what I want. For example, how do I judge the quality of an 8 yard knife pleated kilt if the staff member is wearing a 4 yard casual kilt (or vice versa)? The answer is that samples are available in the shop for me to inspect

I'm not advocating that staff be forbidden from wearing kilts as I think that goes too far but I am suggesting it is not really a missed opportunity either

If you were attempting to show of YOUR work, it would make sense to provide the staff with kilts made by your shop. Sort of like:

"Thank you sir, it is a beautiful kilt. Yes it's the (x) tartan, Iain here made it. He's free to make your just at the moment. (pulls out sample book)".

Obviously you'd want the staff wearing what YOU make, otherwise the idea doesn't work.

ith:

[Jock Scot]

The problem comes after the germ of a kilt idea is sown on a person wandering around, Edinburgh, who has no idea about kilts and woke up that morning with no intention of spending money on a kilt. So he spots a kilt being worn--any kilt, good or bad-------likes the idea so off to a shop he goes wanting one NOW. IF he enters a good kiltmakers premises(that will just a matter of pot luck) he will find kilts to buy at far more than he wants to spend on a whim, or he finds that the kilt he wants is not only expensive,but also he will have to wait 12 weeks for it to be made. So off to the tat shops he goes to buy an instant, cheap, and often badly made kilt. That is how it goes and the good kilt maker does not often benefit from his expensive advertising, but the tat shops do! Come on! How many of you recognise that situation?

[artificer]

The problem comes after the germ of a kilt idea is sown on a person wandering around, Edinburgh, who has no idea about kilts and woke up that morning with no intention of spending money on a kilt. So he spots a kilt being worn--any kilt, good or bad-------likes the idea so off to a shop he goes wanting one NOW. IF he enters a good kiltmakers premises he will find kilts to buy at far more than he wants to spend on a whim, or he finds that the kilt he wants is not only expensive,but also he will have to wait 12 weeks for it to be made. So off to the tat shops he goes to buy an instant, cheap, and often badly made kilt. That is how it goes and the good kilt maker does not often benefit from his expensive advertising, but the tat shops do! Come on! How many of you recognise that situation?

No doubt that individual (tourist) will do exactly as you described. They're the same ones buying cheap foreign "leatherboard" sporrans instead of my fairly expensive ones.

They AREN'T the customer of a real kilt-maker though, just as they aren't my customer. Nothing is going to change that ***

You are obviously much closer (both geographically and culturally) to the situation than I am, but the person that's planning to buy a GOOD kilt may still be swayed by seeing it moving around on the staff rather than sitting static on mannequins.

The shop might also get good mileage out of the free advertising of people seeing the staff on morning and evening commutes.

Obviously the shop owner might not want to kilt out the stockboys, or staff that tend to be transitory, but the investment of time/material in steady staff seems wise to me. The shop keeper could also make that a test when hiring new kiltmakers; making a kilt for one of the staff, from measurements to final fitting.

ith:

***Nothing, perhaps, except the experience of wearing the cheap kilt & sporran, loving it, and eventually moving up to a product of better quality.

[Jock Scot]

No doubt that individual (tourist) will do exactly as you described. They're the same ones buying cheap foreign "leatherboard" sporrans instead of my fairly expensive ones.

They AREN'T the customer of a real kilt-maker though, just as they aren't my customer. Nothing is going to change that ***

You are obviously much closer (both geographically and culturally) to the situation than I am, but the person that's planning to buy a GOOD kilt may still be swayed by seeing it moving around on the staff rather than sitting static on mannequins.

The shop might also get good mileage out of the free advertising of people seeing the staff on morning and evening commutes.

Obviously the shop owner might not want to kilt out the stockboys, or staff that tend to be transitory, but the investment of time/material in steady staff seems wise to me. The shop keeper could also make that a test when hiring new kiltmakers; making a kilt for one of the staff, from measurements to final fitting.

ith:

***Nothing, perhaps, except the experience of wearing the cheap kilt & sporran, loving it, and eventually moving up to a product of better quality.

You know as well as I do, probably better than me, that any----most anyway----who are going to buy something out of their comfort zone AND spend A LOT of their hard earned cash on something out of their ordinary ken---a kilt--a sporran------do their research before committing themselves.

We only need to look at the pages of threads, questions, answers, advice on this very website where people are wanting to buy wisely. Sadly there are also more than a few here who have jumped in to the kilt world via the cheap end and wished they hadn't! It is true though, that the cheap route has at least got those that are interested started, however I do wonder how many "whim" kilts are languishing in the tool shed!

Yes I can still see the wisdom in not having my staff equipped with expensive kilts for the benefit of the tat shops. Those potential customers that wait, do their research, wait, save, think, save, research again, will still end up in the better shops anyway!

[thescot]

Deleted--duplicarte post.

[thescot]

I can see Jock's point, and I must say it makes sense. Jock makes sense even if he's wrong. Hahhaahahahaha (I do hope the emoticons sufficiently imply the tongue-in-cheek sarcasm intended.) He is, in fact absolutely correct in his assertions.

However, I think Artificer is right, too. If I go to Brooks Brothers or Hickey Freeman to purchase a suit, I am going there to purchase a good suit, not an off-the-wall one-size-fits-all model from a lesser provider. And I expect to see the sales staff outfitted in good suits, shirts, and ties, and not in suits, shirts, and ties from Wal-Mart. (No offence intended if you purchase your clothing from Wal-Mart; they do, in fact carry some very good clothing, but not Hart Schaffner and Marx suits!)

So, there you are: everyone is correct except me. But then, the last time I was in Glasgow--too many years ago--I entered a well-known outfitter and was pleased to see the salesman in a fine kilt. But then, I didn't by one that day. If I had it to do over, I would!

[McMurdo]

Great point Jock. I've always thought if I were employed somewhere where there was a uniform then I'd better adhere to that uniform or I'd be looking for other employment. It is up to the owner of the shop to determine that uniform.

Some here may think there are reasons for the staff to wear the kilt however I'm sure there are several kilt shops worldwide that do not in fact wear the kilt. I know of several tartan shops local to me, where most of the staff anyway do not wear the kilt. In one shop I frequent quite often the gent is fond of wearing a tartan waistcoat but I've never seen him in a kilt, with another the only time I've seen the owner in a kilt is at an event, never in the shop, it has never made one jot of difference to me.

[brewerpaul]

When I worked/owned an outdoor retail store we always had "pro deals" and discounts to the employees. This not only gave said low paid employee a chance to buy gear but also encouraged them to wear them at work. Pro deals always came from the vendor and were usually at cost items or deeper discounts.

Im sure in the custom and hand made kilt business it is quite different because you arent getting a "label" or "brand" to sell. Yet Im sure there are various qualities or price ranges of kilts and other items. Price point items get people to buy your product and when they are happy they are apt to spend more on your high end products. I have been to some of the many shops in front of the Edinburgh castle and there are quite many tourist shops with low end tourist kilts that will never be worn. Yet to distinguish yourself from the "other shops" I would think an owner creative enough to have some employee/store kilts made that the employee could buy on time at a reasonable price. I know if I could work in a place and wear a kilt I would.