Kilt Culture

[James MacMillan]

For me it was first family. Then comfort! Now it's all about the comfort!

It is entirely accepted. I have never had a negative response. I think the response that you get from others is wholey dependent on how you wear the kilt, and project yourself. If you wear it traditionally and with respect, as I do, it projects a feeling of confidence and elan that can't be countered or ridiculed.

I am full time kilted, and see no reason for going back!

[bikeolounger]

What brought you to kilting?

While I have a Scots surname, I (perhaps sadly for purpsoses of this forum) am of mostly German descent. Still, I've long felt that a fine tartan kilt made sense for formal wear, if one could afford it.

I tend to be one of those "different drummer" guys. I ride recumbent bicycles (the origin of my screen name), for example. For some time, I have thought it a shame that men didn't have the freedom to wear something unbifurcated in more of our daily activities--why do we only allow women to enjoy the comfort of skirts? Then I found out about casual kilts like Utilikilt and Freedom Kilts. Eventually I'll be able to buy a finer kilt as well.

What are the reactions and feelings from your significant others and your families?

Shortly after I bought my first kilt (a few months ago), I started dating a woman who, as it turns out, plays bagpipes with a local pipe band. Not surprisingly, she is quite happy to see me wearing a kilt. Most of my friends have been accepting of it, with a few asking "the question," others asking if wearing my UK is a "heritage thing (?)," and some wishing they had my self-confidence. My family is fine with it, although being asked "the question" by my mother was a bit awkward.


What do you think makes you accepting of kilting, as it is certainly not the norm, nor does everyone accept it?

I think I've answered this as part of my answer to the first question, but to expand a bit, I figure if I'm to be accepted as something of an oddity among my friends, I have to accept their own eccentricities as well (even if I consider their eagerness to conform to be an odd behavior).

[Rampant Lion]

What brought you to kilting?
Well, ever since I was little I knew that I had Scottish blood in me and that that was something to be proud of, but I not never really thought about it much. I guess the thing that really got me to thinking about my Scottish heritage was the movie Braveheart. I was in my last year of high school at the time so it was never more than a "Whoa! That's cool!" type of thing.

When I moved away to go to college, one of the new friends I made had a kilt and invited me to attend the local Highland Games. Well that sealed the deal; I wanted a kilt. A little more research and I found out that Clan Grant had it's own tartan. It wasn't until a year after I graduated and got a good job in Silicon Valley that I was able to buy my first kilt; a tank in the Modern Grant tartan. It was my first purchase of anything over $500.

What are the reactions and feelings from your significant others and your families?
All of my family really like the kilt. Actually, when I first mentioned I was getting one made they were all quite excited to see it. So on my first trip home for Christmas, that first year, I brought the kilt with me and wore to my grandparents for Christmas supper. It was great!

What do you think makes you accepting of kilting, as it is certainly not the norm, nor does everyone accept it?
I think it's pride in my Scottish heritage. I've always been proud of my heritage -- Scottish, German and Norwegian. When I was a kid I would rarely, but occasionally, wear lederhosen to school.

[ozone]

My wife brought me to kilting. She is of scottish descent and encouraged me to get a kilt after I expressed some interest (as of yet only spottily done) in Scottish Country Dancing. Also, after we visited Scotland in 2003, I had an epiphany of sorts:
1. most scots dont wear kilts on a regular basis if 2 weeks circling Scotland is any indication.

2. This whole tartan thing was largely encouraged by ENGLISH tour promoters AFTER the people who really wear kilts were displaced during the clearances and/or killed. So, I no longer felt any guilt about being a "fake" kilt wearer after that. My wool kilts so far are welsh tartans....also invented to make money and not necessarily having anything to historical accuracy or anything else.

Reaction from my wife was very positive (as expected). Reaction from my mom and dad somewhat more muted. My mom still calls it my skirt despite photographic evidence that she herself participated in scottish country dance when she was a nanny living in GB years ago. Colleagues were somewhat startled/surprised.

I am accepting of the kilt since it is a "man's" garment and it's darn comfy....especially whilst skiiing (although, I have to admit, powder days i'll still wear gortex).


My question to YOU stringthing:
So, Miss "i-dont-want-to-do-my-homework", are you going to turn all these spontaneous responses into a proper paper and/or get a nice undergrad/grad thesis out of this?
DO tell :-)

[CactusJack]

My question to YOU stringthing:
So, Miss "i-dont-want-to-do-my-homework", are you going to turn all these spontaneous responses into a proper paper and/or get a nice undergrad/grad thesis out of this?
DO tell :-)

Now there is a question for her I didn't think of, So tell us String enquiring minds now want to know..

[string]

Hm, that's an interesting Idea for the future, although I don't have anything It work well for at the moment. I think I have my hands full with the 10 page paper due a week from yesterday, I have a page done, but in my sick and medicated haze I've been pretty slow working at it. Perhaps next semester the opportunity will present itself. For now, John Singleton Copley and bronchitis are all I have time for, oh and a French test.

[Joe Gondek]

From String in another post

maybe this is too OT, but what eras?

I didn't want to highjack the tutorial page so I'll reply here

I started doing western fur trade in the 1975
I switched to 18th century in the mid 80's and have been there ever since
I really enjoy the 1750-1780. I've been a member of both F&I and Rev.War groups when I lived in Va.

I have also been invovled with SCA and enjoy the late 1500's and played with the rapier until my knees gave out.

anthropology answers:

What brought you to kilting?

I feel a strong tie to the Scottish side of my family
also wearing the kilt is just a natural out growth of reenacting

What are the reactions and feelings from your significant others and your families?

My wife is very tolerant, both of my sons have my their own kilts and after 36years of buckskins,breech cloths,knee pants and tricorn hats she takes me for who I am.She says that I look better and more natural in historical clothing
than I do in modern clothing.

My youngest son (22)has always liked wearing a kilt,my oldest (26) was not very accecpting until he wore one to a friends wedding,after spending a day wearing it he is now hooked on kilts.

My main core of friends revolve around muzzle loading and the majority are accepting of me wearing a kilt at non events. I've also lived long enough to not care what those that don't like it think.

What do you think makes you accepting of kilting, as it is certainly not the norm, nor does everyone accept it?

I've always liked kilts
It just took me awhile to take it from reenacting to everyday
This board has really helped, It encourged me to know that there are others out there that also wear a kilt on a daily basis

[Jennifer D]

Thanks for the great questions. I'm enjoying reading the replies.

I'm answering for my husband and myself. I've always known that I'm Scottish (and Welsh & Italian with a tiny bit of English). And I've always known that I wanted to marry a man who would wear a kilt at our wedding. He didn't actually have to do it but he had to be willing. I figured that a man who was brave enough to wear a kilt in front of everyone we know was the one for me.

When my husband & I met he believed he was mostly English with a little German & Italian thrown in. We got friendly with a genealogist who discovered that the English was just for a generation or two to supply the last name. The rest was pure Scot. Yippee! (no offense meant to the English)

When we got engaged I asked about a kilted wedding. He thought about it for a day or so and then agreed. We got his first kilt soon after and he loves to wear it. We've amassed quite a collection of accessories including a new arctic fox head sporran that freaks out the dog. And I've ordered him a casual PV kilt for Christmas. As we can afford it he'll probably move toward being kilted most of the time.

The reaction has been wonderful. Even my little Italian grandfather thinks it's great. (I think he saw Scottish soldiers wearing them in WW2). No one has ever said anything derogatory to him and kids LOVE it. My favorite reaction was at the theater last year. We were waiting in line to exit and I noticed a woman starting him up and down. All of a sudden she smiled and started asking a ton of questions. Turns out her partner had decided to go kilted. Being in the construction trade, they had decided on a Utilikit to start but loved the traditional wool my hubby was wearing. It was the best kilt conversation we've had with strangers.

He loves to wear it for the comfort, to celebrate his new-found heritage, and because even though some think it's a skirt the kilt is as manly as it gets. That paradox appeals to both of us.

[thescot]

I'm geeking out over all the replies, I am such an anthropology nerd. . .

I'm glad someone else geeks out over such stuff. I get all fuzzy and warm-feeling about math or history all the time. Sorry you're not well, but I will pray you heal quickly. As to your questions:

What brought you to kilting?
I've always liked and admired the regiments, and I've always prefered the Scots-Irish part of my family more than the German. (Germans are so . . .German, I guess.) And then there is the fact that even my own possibly German-origined surname has roots in Scotland as well. I've always been a lover of things Scotish and Irish, so there's a long-term facination with them to start with. One trip to the Highland Games in Atlanta, and I was joining a clan society and ordering a tank.

I didnt't actually buy a kilt until after both Rob Roy and Braveheart hit the screen. It was timing as much as anything since my kids were grown and I had both the time and the disposable income to spend on such pursuits, and suddenly things Scottish were everywhere. And the tendancy I have to be a little different didn't hurt, either.

What are the reactions and feelings from your significant others and your families?
MY wife is only marginally OK with the whole thing. The rest of my family thinks it's great, so I just wear the kilt anyway.

What do you think makes you accepting of kilting, as it is certainly not the norm, nor does everyone accept it?
After almost 55 years, a short time being clinically dead, and a lot of contemplation about life, I really don't much care about what others think. I am pretty accepting of most things different if they aren't intended to insult or hurt others, show some taste, and are generally pleasing. And I like nothing better than to don a kilt and head out, whether it's to dinner, to the hiking trail, or the a Burns Supper. I just plain enjoy my kilts, and I like the people I come into contact with as a result of being kilted. That's the best part.

[Bugbear]

This thread has got me thinking about all the ways different groups dress, and all the other groups who don't like the way others dress. It's funny how the way you are raised can control the way you see other people. Guess it's best to be nice to others.