Contemporary Kilts -- a Visual guide....

[Terry1948]

I have thoroughly enjoyed the Member-written guide to THCD, and wonder if something similar could be done with contemporary kilts. I only have one kilt as of yet, so certainly don't feel like it is a task I would take on, but perhaps one of the members with a background in contemporary kilts could take the lead.

[CMcG]

I would be very interested to read such a guide.

[Alan H]

I've always had kind of a simplistic view on this.

If it's tartan, it's not a contemporary kilt. Ditto for tweed. Polyester Viscose tartan is still tartan. However, I've seen contemporary kilts made which incorporate tartan into their design in various ways. Paul Henry has done this, and done it well. That complicates things.

One thing that I know for sure drives me bonkers, is well-meaning guys who take their strome 16 ounce tartan kilt, wear it with hiking boots, and then announce that this look belongs in the Contemporary Kilt Forum. However, I'm aware that this is just me being dorky.

STILL.....Utilikilts, Gryphon kilts, Freedom (non-tartan) kilts, Amerikilts, R-Kilts, Stumptown kilts, NeoKilt, Tactical kilts...the X-Kilt...to me, these items are "contemporary kilts". Kilts made of tartan, even polyester-viscose, as long as they have sewn-in pleats in the back, close with some sort of buckle, and have a full-width apron belong in the "traditional kilt" forum. This includes those made with internal pockets.

so where does the Sportkilt fit into this?

I know, I know.....arrrgh

[Nathan]

I've always had kind of a simplistic view on this.

If it's tartan, it's not a contemporary kilt. Ditto for tweed. Polyester Viscose tartan is still tartan. However, I've seen contemporary kilts made which incorporate tartan into their design in various ways. Paul Henry has done this, and done it well. That complicates things.

One thing that I know for sure drives me bonkers, is well-meaning guys who take their strome 16 ounce tartan kilt, wear it with hiking boots, and then announce that this look belongs in the Contemporary Kilt Forum. However, I'm aware that this is just me being dorky.

STILL.....Utilikilts, Gryphon kilts, Freedom (non-tartan) kilts, Amerikilts, R-Kilts, Stumptown kilts, NeoKilt, Tactical kilts...the X-Kilt...to me, these items are "contemporary kilts". Kilts made of tartan, even polyester-viscose, as long as they have sewn-in pleats in the back, close with some sort of buckle, and have a full-width apron belong in the "traditional kilt" forum. This includes those made with internal pockets.

so where does the Sportkilt fit into this?

I know, I know.....arrrgh

This is one of the challenges actually. Where does the traditional tartan kilt worn in a nontraditional fashion belong? It's not a traditional outfit but it is a traditional kilt. When I asked, I was told the contemporary forum was the appropriate place for it based on this:

This forum sub-section is for those interested in learning about and discussing Contemporarily made kilts and to discuss and see examples of how kilts can be worn to emulate a contemporary style or fashion.

I should also note that there are lots of tartan utility style kilts being made now with cargo pockets etc...
Andy wears one to most Tartan Tuesday events. These cargo pocket tartan kilts may be tartan but they are certainly made in a new style.

Based on the definition above, we decided to make Tartan Tuesday's theme "contemporary outfits". This is how we dressed:



You can see Andy's cargo tartan kilt on the far right.

That's why I like the proposed approaches to kilt wearing. That way it looks at the overall style the person is going for rather than the nuts and bolts of kilt construction. I can see both perspectives though.

[CMcG]

I've always had kind of a simplistic view on this.

If it's tartan, it's not a contemporary kilt. Ditto for tweed. Polyester Viscose tartan is still tartan. However, I've seen contemporary kilts made which incorporate tartan into their design in various ways. Paul Henry has done this, and done it well. That complicates things.

One thing that I know for sure drives me bonkers, is well-meaning guys who take their strome 16 ounce tartan kilt, wear it with hiking boots, and then announce that this look belongs in the Contemporary Kilt Forum. However, I'm aware that this is just me being dorky.

STILL.....Utilikilts, Gryphon kilts, Freedom (non-tartan) kilts, Amerikilts, R-Kilts, Stumptown kilts, NeoKilt, Tactical kilts...the X-Kilt...to me, these items are "contemporary kilts". Kilts made of tartan, even polyester-viscose, as long as they have sewn-in pleats in the back, close with some sort of buckle, and have a full-width apron belong in the "traditional kilt" forum. This includes those made with internal pockets.

so where does the Sportkilt fit into this?

I know, I know.....arrrgh

I'd like to add some fuel to the semantic fire

@Steve Ashton would probably call ALL his Freedom Kilts—tartan or otherwise—"contemporary."

The Utilikilts webpage refers to their product as either a "modern, casual kilt" or a "Male Unbifurcated Garment (MUG)."

Gryphon Workshop says they make "utility kilts, cargo and modern kilts."

RKilts listing reads "Casual Kilts, Contemporary Kilts, Utility Kilts and Non-Traditional Kilts."

Stumptown calls them either "modern kilts" or "utility kilts."

Neo Kilts actually describes theirs a bit more: "Neo Kilts are a high quality kilt made in a traditional style using modern materials and high quality craftsmanship as a bridge between everyday trousers and the revered highland garment" and "Every day wear kilts made in a traditional style."

And perhaps most interestingly, Amerikilts simply call theirs an "American Kilt." They also list the New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art's useful definition, which I think applies more broadly to the genre of contemporary-modern-casual-utility-cargo kilt: “AmeriKilt emphasizes the masculinity and functionality of the kilt at the expense of most of its other formal qualities.”

As Nathan suggests, the wording of the Contemporary sub-forum seems to welcome both "Contemporarily made kilts" and how kilts (in general) "can be worn to emulate a contemporary style or fashion." If someone were to create a visual guide for contemporary kilts, they might do well to split it into two parts along those lines. Or perhaps just try to cover one of them...

[ShaunMaxwell]

If you're looking for some visual cues, you might check out an old thread started by Panache: http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...ictures-22431/

[sailortats]

@CMcG @ Nathan
The above conversation has come at the perfect time for me. I have just purchased a new belt buckle for my 2 1/4 inch black belt. See pic below, the buckle is just under 4 inches wide.
My question to Colin, Nathan and others is: Does wearing this buckle take me out of THCD and put me into the "contemporary" category even though everything else is my kit would be considered THCD?

[CMcG]

@CMcG @ Nathan
The above conversation has come at the perfect time for me. I have just purchased a new belt buckle for my 2 1/4 inch black belt. See pic below, the buckle is just under 4 inches wide.
My question to Colin, Nathan and others is: Does wearing this buckle take me out of THCD and put me into the "contemporary" category even though everything else is my kit would be considered THCD?

That belt buckle is sweet! I'd say Celtic knotwork, stags, and thistles are pretty traditional motifs and round buckles, while less common the rectangular ones, can still be THCD. Unfortunately, if you want to make your outfit more contemporary, I don't think this buckle is going to help.

[CMcG]

If you're looking for some visual cues, you might check out an old thread started by Panache: http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...ictures-22431/

As ShaunMaxwell wrote, Panache's Xmarkers Casual Kilted Pictures is a good resource. There is also a thread I started for Xmarkers Modern Kilted Pictures. Neither of these are really a guide or article, per se, but they have lots of pics!

[Nathan]

@CMcG @ Nathan
The above conversation has come at the perfect time for me. I have just purchased a new belt buckle for my 2 1/4 inch black belt. See pic below, the buckle is just under 4 inches wide.
My question to Colin, Nathan and others is: Does wearing this buckle take me out of THCD and put me into the "contemporary" category even though everything else is my kit would be considered THCD?

Sweet buckle, Phil. I agree with Colin. I'd say it's personal flare, but still traditional.