Full Time?

[Blu (Ontario)]

I think it's great that some folks in this group have taken the challenge of wearing kilts full time. While some are quietly matter of fact about it, others are enthusiastic promoters of doing so. Either way, it's wonderful that these folks have found it to be a rewarding experience. However, I can understand how a casual visitor to this board might be left with the mistaken impression that this is the goal of all who decide to wear the kilt. It is not. In fact, from my perspective, I would go so far as to suggest that the kilt will never be considered an every-day mainstream fashion option for the general male population.

Questions.......

1. Do you wear kilts full time or have that as a goal?

2. Why?

3. Do you believe promotion of full time kilt wearing is important?

4. Why?

5. Do you believe kilts will ever be considered a mainstream fashion choice for men?

Something to ponder.

blu

[Ugly Bear]

1. Do you wear kilts full time or have that as a goal?

I do not wear full-time, but I would like to have the option of doing so. Right now, it's evenings and weekends.

2. Why?

Because the boys need a break. More choice is better than less choice.

3. Do you believe promotion of full time kilt wearing is important?

Yes ... and no.

4. Why?

I believe that the kilt should be an option for most situations. If a man wants to wear kilts exclusively, he should be able to choose that without hassle or derision. However, I would not support the exclusion of pants. If I were to promote kilt-wearing full-time in the sense that kilts should be the ONLY alternative, then that's the flip-side of trouser tyranny.

5. Do you believe kilts will ever be considered a mainstream fashion choice for men?

Yes, and soon; starting around 2010-2012. That's just my hunch. Mostly non-traditional kilts, for a variety of reasons. After 200 years in trousers, men are ready for another option.

[Iolaus]

Questions.......

1. Do you wear kilts full time or have that as a goal?
No. I see them as a major contribtor to my options, and often wear them casually, but not to the exclusion of all pants.

2. Why?
Because I like being different.

3. Do you believe promotion of full time kilt wearing is important?
No. If the full-timers want to be that way, that's their business; I like options.

4. Why?
Unless there's an over-riding neccessity, I personally see full-timers as being somewhat obsessed, and obsessions are unhealthy. Variety is the spice of life. Part of the fun of kilts, for me anyway, is to be doing something unexpected. If everyone I knew expected me to always be in kilts, part of the fun would be diminished.

5. Do you believe kilts will ever be considered a mainstream fashion choice for men?
I doubt it. They may become a little more common, but I think we will always be somewhere on the periphery of fashion, not the mainstream.

[Riverkilt]

1. Do you wear kilts full time or have that as a goal?
Full time for the past five months. Wore them part time for the year prior.
2. Why?
Wearing kilts part time gave me a solid contrast between wearing pants and wearing kilts. Obviously, I prefer kilts.

3. Do you believe promotion of full time kilt wearing is important?
Like anything else, an individual choice. I seldom promote in person unless someone else initiates a discussion about kilts.

4. Why?
Waste of time to those not interested. Maybe a carry over from the AA policy of not trying to drag drunks off of barstools, just helping folks who ask for it.

5. Do you believe kilts will ever be considered a mainstream fashion choice for men?
Don't know that they'll ever go mainstream. There's obviously a kilt boom going on in the fashion industry right now. The growth of the kilt boards is a good barometer of that. Would be nice if contemporary kilts became an accepted option of dress. Tartan kilts have been, why not plain and camo's too.

Ron

[GMan]

Blu,

You do have a way of bringing out thought provoking comments.

It was never a goal of mine to wear the kilt full time, it just seemed to happen, and I am not sure as to why it became that way outside of pure comfort.

As far as promotion of kilt wearing it seems to be up to the individual whether they want to or not, but I do like seeing other guys wearing the kilt, as it shows me that they are individuals with their own thought patterns of independance and not caving in to what others wear.

As far as mainstream, I really do not think that will happen. Too many guys are so concerned with what others think that they will not be themselves.

[Jerry]

I think it's great that some folks in this group have taken the challenge of wearing kilts full time. While some are quietly matter of fact about it, others are enthusiastic promoters of doing so. Either way, it's wonderful that these folks have found it to be a rewarding experience. However, I can understand how a casual visitor to this board might be left with the mistaken impression that this is the goal of all who decide to wear the kilt. It is not. In fact, from my perspective, I would go so far as to suggest that the kilt will never be considered an every-day mainstream fashion option for the general male population.

Questions.......

1. Do you wear kilts full time or have that as a goal?

2. Why?

3. Do you believe promotion of full time kilt wearing is important?

4. Why?

5. Do you believe kilts will ever be considered a mainstream fashion choice for men?

Something to ponder.

blu

1 I do not wear kilts full time, and in fact, I'm just starting to wear more than just to festivals and such. ( I kind of have to in order to justify buying more kilts to my wife)

2 Why? I think it is more important to have a choice of what I wear when I get up each morning. Women don't wear a dress or skirt every morning (except for some religions) nor do they choose to wear pants every day. I want a similar choice when it comes to my kilts or my other favorite attire, jeans.

3 No,

4 Why? I think it is more important to promote kilts as a modern choice in clothing for males. I also think that it would probably turn some off to kilt wearing if all of us who choose to wear them now started some kind of campaign to get everyone into kilts full time.

5 Yes, I do think that more and more will start wearing kilts every year. Just stand near a UK tent at a festival or highland games event and watch all of the guys ordering them. More importantly, watch all of the ladies "dragging" their man into the tent to try one on. I think it is the ladies who are driving the movement to get men into kilts. Add to that the fact that the Celtic events are growing every year. The Richmond games draw more people every year, and not just those of Celtic decent. I have a friend who is Polish who has started attending. (got to get him into a kilt next) One thing that would help at those events is to get more kilt makers represented at them. Geoffery Taylor had a rep at the Richmond Celtic Christmas show and he was one of the busiest sales reps there. People were looking at both his tartan and the 21st century lines. I don't know for sure how many actually bought a kilt, but the rep seemed to be filling out order forms every time i went by his booth.

[flyv65]

1./2. Do you wear kilts full time, or have that as a goal? And why?

No, but I do wear a kilt in public several times a week as tasks and work permit. I doubt I'd wear them full time if I could, for the same reason I don't wear pants full time.

3./4. Do you believe promotion of full time kilt wearing is important? And why?

No, I believe promotion of the option to wear kilts full time if desired is important: to me it's a question of personal freedom, acceptance, and parity or equality for all.

5./6. Do you believe kilts will ever be considered a mainstream fashion choice for men?

Much tougher question here; I believe its possible within the next 25 to 50 years that kilts may become more of a mainstream article of clothing for men, but I wouldn't bet too much on it happening.

Bryan...sorry Ugly Bear; this is a "sea change" in thinking, and it won't happen as fast as you say (I think)...

[GlassMan]

Questions.......

1. Do you wear kilts full time or have that as a goal?
Yes. I no longer even own pants of any kind (except for the tuxedo pants that now hang forlorn in the back of my closet along with the rest of that $5000 outfit which I wore once before switching to kilts).

2. Why?
For several reason. First, it is simply painful for me to point my left foot enough to get it down a trouser leg (damn injury). Second, I've never been more comfortable in my life as I am in kilts. Third, since my stained glass company has a Scottish name and we are known for having lots of supplies for Celtic themed projects, the kilt is actually a help with the business.

3. Do you believe promotion of full time kilt wearing is important?
I don't think it needs promotion.

4. Why?
I think that getting guys to give kilts a try is what needs promoting. Once they learn the comfort of the kilt I can't imagine anyone wanting to go back to trousers after they have enough kilts to manage daily wear.

5. Do you believe kilts will ever be considered a mainstream fashion choice for men?
I don't think so, at least not in America. Men here are too scared to be outside of the mainstream for the most part. Look in most offices and all the guys look like a cookie cutter images of each other. It would take a major sea-change in attitude for kilts to go mainstream. Personally I'm fine with that. I rather enjoy it that people view me as slightly eccentric.

[Big Dave]

I think it's great that some folks in this group have taken the challenge of wearing kilts full time. While some are quietly matter of fact about it, others are enthusiastic promoters of doing so. Either way, it's wonderful that these folks have found it to be a rewarding experience. However, I can understand how a casual visitor to this board might be left with the mistaken impression that this is the goal of all who decide to wear the kilt. It is not. In fact, from my perspective, I would go so far as to suggest that the kilt will never be considered an every-day mainstream fashion option for the general male population.

Questions.......

1. Do you wear kilts full time or have that as a goal?

2. Why?

3. Do you believe promotion of full time kilt wearing is important?

4. Why?

5. Do you believe kilts will ever be considered a mainstream fashion choice for men?

Something to ponder.

blu

1. Yes I do wear my cilts full time, as of only a month ago.

2. Because I like my Welsh/Irish/Scotish background and am proud of my celtic past. And mostly because it's comfortable.

3/4. I think we all would be happier and nicer if everyone (men) started wearing cilts on a daily bases:grin: .

5. I don't think cilts will ever be mainstream, there are to many fundamentalists out there, that would argue that cilts are a womens thing and men shouldn't wear it. I do think that cilts with be more widely excepted soon:grin: , but not mainstream:-( .

[starbkjrus]

1./2. Do you wear kilts full time, or have that as a goal? And why?

No, but I do wear a kilt in public several times a week as tasks and work permit. I doubt I'd wear them full time if I could, for the same reason I don't wear pants full time.

3./4. Do you believe promotion of full time kilt wearing is important? And why?

No, I believe promotion of the option to wear kilts full time if desired is important: to me it's a question of personal freedom, acceptance, and parity or equality for all.

5./6. Do you believe kilts will ever be considered a mainstream fashion choice for men?

Much tougher question here; I believe its possible within the next 25 to 50 years that kilts may become more of a mainstream article of clothing for men, but I wouldn't bet too much on it happening.

Bryan...sorry Ugly Bear; this is a "sea change" in thinking, and it won't happen as fast as you say (I think)...

I read through this thread and found that of all the replies so far I agree closest with Bryan. (Hey, saves typing so much )

Seriously I do agree until you get to point 5/6. To me growing up in a family thats Scot on one side and Irish on the other in a highly "Scotified" area of the US kilts have always been mainstream - you just didn't see them that often. But weddings, Highland Games (I grew up 60 miles from Grandfather Mountain NC) and the Military are all mainstream aren't they?

Will we see more and more kilts over the next few years? I think so, yes. Will every guy be wearing them full time? I hope not. I like being a little unusual - I'm a Scot not a sheep. :-D