The Kilted One Speaks

I’m loathe to make this post. I’ve been pleased by the resurgence of kilts in America. A lot of companies have cashed in on the trend. My wife’s made a little money on the kilt phenomena. Its been going on for five years, and many companies such as Utilikilts have been successful.

Of course, this hasn’t pleased everyone. Some people are simply insecure. Others think kilts should be 8 yards, wool, worn with Ghillie Brogues, and a sgien dubh in the boot. These people are commonly known as snobs.

I’m fairly open to different innovations in kilts, as long as they adhere to the traditional kilt design (pleated in the back and unpleated in the front), about knee length. If you someone designs something thats midcalf or comes to mid-thigh, unpleated, or pleated all around, you’re not buying a kilt, you’re buying a skirt. Other than that, have fun.

To expect that kilts look exactly the same as they did 400 years ago, particularly as many companies Americanize them is absurd. Time marches on, progress happens to everything. Pants are made of different materials now than they were a few hundreds year ago, why should kilts never change?

As someone with strong Scottish heritage, I welcome any man wearing a kilt. I don’t believe you have to be Scottish to wear a kilt, any more than you have to be Japanese to wear a Komono, or a cowboy to wear blue jeans. Its a tribute to Scottish culture that its being adapted, not disrespect. Its definitely far more comfortable and has some distinct advantages. Kilts are great for walking in, they don’t rip out, and they force you into conversations with strangers.

Having said that, there’s still some rules of good taste and common sense. I went through some threads on Technorati and found this was lacking in some kilt wearers. So, with some experience (and some lessons learned the hard way), I’ll share some tips for those of you new to kilts :

1) Make Adjustments

In a kilt, you learn to do things differently. To avoid discomfort for yourself and others, watch the way you sit and pick things up. Make necessary adjustments. If you’re only wearing it for a wedding or a highlands game, practice sitting and kneeling, so that you find a comfortable and modest posture.

2) Pick a look and stick with it

There’s more than one way to wear a kilt kilt. My tartan kilts can be worn casually, business casual, professionally, or for a more traditional ethnic look.

For anything but the “ethnic look” one of the best approaches is to forget the kilt (except for its basic colors) and add what you’d normally wear:

For a real casual look, you might wear a t-shirt or a sweat shirt that doesn’t clash with the kilt, along with sandals. Business casual, something button down (including a polo shirt) goes well with most kilts, along with socks and a decent pair of shoes. For a more professional look, I will go ahead and wear kilt hose, a dress shirt (and depending on the situation, maybe a tie). Ethnic really needs no explanation.

Obviously, there are some things that won’t work for professional dress or even business casual. For example, some of the cheaper kilts are good for walking about town or maybe walking about the highland games, but nothing else.

Whatever you do, DON’T MIX LOOKS. Don’t try to wear a Dirk casually and be cautious about wearing highland gear with a non-traditional kilt. Don’t try and wear a tie with bare legs. Use common sense.

As always, confidence is your greatest accessory. (Oh my gosh, I’m beginning a fashionista.)

3) Make Substitutions When Appropriate:

Wearing a kilt is pretty expensive. (Part of the reason I haven’t bought a new one in a few years.) Here’s some good substitutions that save money:

1) For Casual dress, a fanny pack can work as well as a Sporran.
2) Try using a Short Tuxedo jacket as a substitute for the more expensive Kilt Jackets.
3) There are any number of good substitutes for expensive Kilt Hose that look nice. Over the Calf Socks work. Some Soccer or Baseball socks look pretty good. One tip is don’t wear striped soccer socks with a plaid kilt. It looks really bad.

So, hope you found these tips helpful and happy kilting.

Kilt

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