Thread: Kilts!

Well, I'll go ahead and bring this back up since I occasionally wear a kilt. I have one SWK kilt (Irish National tartan) and a couple non-traditional kilts that I made myself. I don't wear the non-trads anymore, though, because fortunately I've lost enough weight that they don't fit. Good to see other kiltwearers at SRP. Being a forum fan, I hang out at two kilt forums: BOTK and the previously mentioned XMarks.

Here's a snapshot of me:



I've since made a casual kilt belt and got a new sporran which is completely awesome:

I've got a few kilts myself, and now that the weather is hot again I find myself wearing them pretty much exclusively outside of work. I've got two Utilikilts and one Bilt Kilt in MacGregor Modern tartan (Lochcarron 13oz worsted).

My only problem is I absolutely loathe wearing pants/kilt/whatever at my waist, so I had my Bilt Kilt made so that I can wear it at jeans level and the bottom will just hit the top of my knees. Oddly enough the woolen Bilt Kilt is cooler than the cotton Utilikilts. I think if it weren't quite so brightly colored and suspiciously resembling a Christmas tablecloth I would probably wear it all the time.

Originally Posted by Uzziel

Finally, something I feel qualified to comment on!

I wear kilts exclusively unless I'm riding my scooter - the aerodynamics of kilts and scooters just don't mix.

I

I am a bagpiper so I am constantly wearing a kilt but there IS a way to ride it on the bike. When you sit down you simply tuck the front end completely under you so that you are sitting on it and move the sporran to one side. I have the bagpipes strapped to the back of my Harley Night Train and I am off (loud pipes on a Harley...get it? ). The long piper's sporran holds it down on one side, the piper's supply pouch holds it down in the back (the weight of my .380 pistol there helps) and the dirk (sword) holds it down on the other side.

Originally Posted by mitchsnider

I am a bagpiper so I am constantly wearing a kilt but there IS a way to ride it on the bike.

This is yet another problem that duct tape solves magnificently. They don't call it 100-mile-per-hour tape for nothing...

Originally Posted by fpessanha

So I bumpped into this thread and I must say to all you kilt wearing dudes... Respect! indeed.

I figure they are confortable and practical at times and, with a bit of attention, you won't be showing your assets all the time or even at all. BUT one question came to mind... I decided to search for kilts on google and a lot came up. Among the results, Utilikilts came up. Cool... nice site, nice kilts, nice philosophy! It is a manly thing, indeed. In fact... I never thought that a kilt would be anything other than manly. Think Braveheart and all that stuff.

BUT... isn't there a heritage issue in the whole thing? I mean... I read through most of the posts and you lot of kilt dudes sound like you have a Scott heeritage or Welsh or Irish or something kilt-culture-related. I mean... you are mostly americans or from the british isles. For the second ones, heritage is there - you are kilt legitimate.

The first group, the americans are... well americans, therefore, from the melting pot of cultural diversity. So I take it that there is also a legitimate heritage going there. You descend from Scotts or other kilt wearing people, right? I suppose that if you were italian-american you wouldn't be wearing kilts...

So, the question is: do you think you need to have some cultural heritage or ancestry to wear a kilt? I guess it 's just a garment - a confortable one - and the Utilikilts site makes you want one and stress out the fact that the sheer existence of the male genitalia and it's very peculiar phisionomy legitimate the kilt. Hey... I want one! But I am Portuguese... sure there were Celts in Portugal. Before the Romans... and after the romans Celtic heritage vanished. So... I guess I wouldn't feel culturaly confortable in a kilt... because I am not a Scott or from Celtic ancestry.

What do you think? Do you have to be scotish/welsh/irish to wear a Kilt?

Get yourself a kilt, my friend, but first look up "Glasgow kiss." Then give it to anyone that gives ya any trouble...be sweet about it, of course. One should always be a gentleman.
Mother is a MacDougall, clan motto is, "Buaidh no bas" and that has seemed to get us through life fairly well. :-)

Mac

Kilts are wonderful!
There's everything at the right place.

Originally Posted by McWolf1969

Get yourself a kilt, my friend, but first look up "Glasgow kiss." Then give it to anyone that gives ya any trouble...be sweet about it, of course. One should always be a gentleman.
Mother is a MacDougall, clan motto is, "Buaidh no bas" and that has seemed to get us through life fairly well. :-)

Mac

No need to be Scots/Irish/Welsh to wear a kilt. If you are interested in wearing a tartan, the Scots have created "National" tartans for most nations. The Celtic nations as a whole are welcoming and are proud to share their culture. Here is an interesting site on Scottish-Italian heritage:
Culture

Once I get back down to my Army weight (200lbs), I will be able to wear my MacGregor kilt and plaid. It will be a joyous day.

Originally Posted by 0livia

Kilts are wonderful!
There's everything at the right place.

And easy access too, right Olivia?

Hhhmmm, now you say it
Actually I was coming from textile engineering, LOL

Seriously I've had one on once (like the first one on top of the wikipedia site) and I was amazed how thoughtful it was made with all those pliers keeping the kidneys warm etc.
Great invention!

Originally Posted by WireBeard

No need to be Scots/Irish/Welsh to wear a kilt. If you are interested in wearing a tartan, the Scots have created "National" tartans for most nations.

I have 2 tartans. The one I nearly always wear is the Irish National Tartan because it has all of the colors of our Florida Sheriff's Office and no more. I also have a Black Watch kilt because I played occasionally with the Florida Police Pipes and Drums.

So if you really want to wear a 'legitimate' earned kilt, join a bagpipe band (we need more members )

Utilikilts are solid color and universal. Go ahead and wear one. I piped for a funeral at sea 6 miles offshore on a large 54' sail boat off Key West a couple of years ago at sunset and everyone (except me as I was in a regulation kilt) was wearing one. It stormed badly after we got out there that I had to lean my back heavy to the forward mast to be able to play. On the way in at dark and the stunning imagery of kilted Viking warriors in the wind and lightening practically made me pee my own kilt it was so scary looking! (not a boat you wanted to meet at the dock on a dark stormy night as all, including me, were armed with dirks).

As far as the 'duck tape' answer to my riding while on a Harley post ... I know this is a Straight Razor forum but my shaving is limited to the face so I immediately started thinking of the pain of tape removal ....