My first kilt, and why i need another one.

[Lord Fnord]

Ok, now that i have the time to type all this out, i can tell you all the story of how i came to be looking at kilts online and, in the process, discovered this forum.

It will probably be a bit of a ramble as there's much to tell that I find intersting and significant, so I'll include a TL, DR at the end if you don't want to go into all that.

It started the summer I was 19 and had discovered the Rennisance Festival ( and many other things not related to the story.) I had attended the Michigan renisance fair dressed in a rather silly outfit i had bought from a SCA camp out (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Society...ve_Anachronism If you havn't heard of them) consisting of blue and yellow tights and a matching "period" shirt. I decided to replace it with a kilt.

Now i had been mulling the idea of buying a kilt for a few years, and i think seeing how cool Axel Rose looked wearing one put me over the top. I HAD to Have one. I had no idea about anything, but a friend of a friend of mine named Jimmy worked at "Kilts and More" wich was what the fair's Kilt Booth was called back then (no idea if it still is.)

So Jimmy walks me though the process, and i have to choose a color so i chose a MacKintosh for a few reasons. First i thought of all plaid (I had no idea the work meant different things on this side of the pond) as being red/green, probably because that was the color of the Scotch Tape dispensers i grew up with Second, the name reminded me of computers and apples, not altogether unpeasant things. Now after haveing read up a bit I see that theres a lot more to higland fasion, but to my young mind the rennasance festival was the authority on what a "real" kilt was and i was happy. Jimmy outfitted me with a one-size-fits-all Jacobite(ish) shirt, flashers, socks (hose?,) a spooran and what not. When all was said and done this became my new ren fest outfit.


Outside renfest i rarely got to where it. I wore it to a small dance club once to see if i would get noticed. I didn't really, but probably more due to my being self concious at the time than anything else. I also did a stint as a Host for a restaurant in Okemos Michigan called "British Isles" as sort of a college job. I just showed up for the interview in the kilt and got hired. This was pretty cool for a week or 2, but i kind of got sick of wearing the same costume every day. (Yes i used the word costume, sorry.) It also really sucked when some (real?) Scotts came in for a party and my outfit just looked plain silly, although in retrospect i think some of those guys had Sport kilts and im pretty sure mine was Wool, but thier acessories were waaaay better.

Years passed. I Met the woman who is now my wife, had a son, and stopped going to renfest altogether. I did get to go with the wife once, and to a Yule party Hosted by my friend from the fair. It was here I discovered that Jimmy (the guy who sold the kilt to me) Is an old freind of my wife's, and that through a bizzare process of blended families and 2nd marrages, my son and his are now related. (He had a son with my wifes aunt whos actually younger than she is back when they were in high school...don't ask.) Jimmy passed away a few years back. I hardly knew him apart from seeing him around the fair, but my wife was very sad.

At some point my wife washed the damn thing after it had gotten dirty in storage, and this is what leads me to suspect it was real wool, it SHRANK LIKE HELL. At this point in my life i had other things to worry about, i had been laid off and had to go on the road (I'm a truck driver), had some personal difficulties i wont go into, so the loss of the Kilt wasn't a big deal to me. But last week, after a long period of unemployment, I finally managed to get a local hourly job with regular day hours.

My son Needed a holloween costume. I'm waiting for my first check, and money is tight, so I worked with what i have. I decided to canabalize the old garment to put something together last minute that would make my son happy, and make me feel proud not embarassed to be seen walking around with him.

So take one water shrunken Kilt, add a nerf Claymore and you have a nice William Wallace/Higlander/Rob Roy costume.


We had a blast, and he got some complements toward the end of the night when there was time to talk at houses and not mobs of children running about.

The thing i DIDN'T anticipate, was the pang of sorrow i felt to see the old thing shrunked, moth eaten, and forgotton. I feel the need to replace it. It wont be soon. I need to catch up on some bills, my son broke his glasses, car needs breaks etc. etc. But by next summer i want my new kilt, and next fall i want to go back to the fair.

Thers a few more things i want to talk about, but this had gone on long enough for one post.


TL,DR : Never let your wife wash your Kilt, or you will have an expensive holloween costume for your kid.

[jgcunningham]

Yet another who discovered the kilt via the RenFest route, as I did.

You'll soon find one won't be enough. You'll soon get the second because you only have the one.

You''ll get the third because, gee, you only have two.

You get the fourth because, well, you already have three, what difference does one more make?

You get the fifth because you need one for variety's sake.

You get the sixth because it's a color combo that would go great with that jacket/hose/sporran.

You get the seventh because then you'll have one for every day of the week.

You get the eighth because (fill in the blank) and pretty soon you'll end up like Hamish and his 100+ kilts.

[Irish Jack O'Brian]

I enjoyed your story, sir. I believe the Fnord family is a sept of the MacDesCordya clan.

[Tobus]

I'm glad you've had a re-awakening, of sorts, with respect to the kilt. And since you're here on this forum, I assume it's because you want to learn more about kilts and how to wear them. Great!

You should know that Renaissance fairs are pretty much the 'fringe' of kilt-wearing. What you see there will mostly be costumes, and absurd ones at that. It can be great fun, of course, to put on a costume for a Ren fair, but I would very much encourage you to look into the more traditional and historical kilts and Highland clothing. If you're going to invest in another kilt, might as well make it an outfit that you can wear somewhere besides Ren fairs and costume parties, right?

The good news is that since you don't plan to buy until next summer, there's plenty of time to hang out here and absorb the excellent advise of our very knowledgeable members.

Welcome aboard!

[auld argonian]

Hey...we don't care how you got the kilt-bug, we're just glad you did and that you're on the forum. As I've said before, the tipping point for me was watching Monarch Of The Glen and seeing how cool Duncan looked in the kilt.

This is the best place to be if you're stalking a new kilt. Get that large jar and put it on your dresser and start tossing your spare change in it every night. When deals come up, somebody here will call them to the forum's attention so keep your eyes open.

Good job on your son's part, too. You might find yourself having to look for two kilts...one for you and one for him.

Best

AA

[Catdad]

As many here will attest about kilts: One is too many and a thousand are not enough. Welcome to the addiction.


BTW... welcome from an expatriate Michigander.

[athensohkiltguy]

Hey, GREAT story--funny, and it's awesome to see your boy having such a good time in his "great kilt".

I have to say my inspiration for even thinking about wanting a kilt came from a young guy in my university town who wears a cool utilikilt most days around town, and while he's working at the Donkey Coffeehouse, one of Athens' most famous hangouts. He was utterly unselfconscious (something I aspire to be at 2.5 times his age). The desperate urge to actually GET a kilt didn't finally hit me until a few months ago, when a bunch of little circumstances and thoughts sorta collided. And, it helps to realize all over again that I don't have to make other people happy by striving to conform to the pants-wearing hordes!

Anyhow, great story. I hail from south Kalamazoo area (my folks still live in Vicksburg in the countryside).

[Chas]

Great story Fnord. I especially like that your kilt was able to be reused and passed down to the next generation.

Your son looks like he was born to wear one. Which is, of course, your problem. The look on his face says "this is MY first kilt".

Does the expression "Like father, like son" ring a bell? I am sure it will be used in the Fnord household often.

Happy kilting to you both!

Regards

Chas

[Lord Fnord]

It can be great fun, of course, to put on a costume for a Ren fair, but I would very much encourage you to look into the more traditional and historical kilts and Highland clothing. If you're going to invest in another kilt, might as well make it an outfit that you can wear somewhere besides Ren fairs and costume parties, right?

I'm still mentally trying to bridge the gap between "costume" and normal clothing. I think part of the big problem is that regardless of what I'm wearing i hardly go anywhere. I fluctuate between working 60+ hours a week and being too tired to go anywhere, to being to unemployed and not going anywhere cause im broke. (I'm hopeing a local job will change this.) I could see wearing a kilt to some festival downtown, but not on a run to Wal Mart to get bread and cereal, ya know? Yea, i've read enough on this board to know there are guys who will wear a kilt to get the mail, but i'm not there yet.

Get that large jar and put it on your dresser and start tossing your spare change in it every night. When deals come up, somebody here will call them to the forum's attention so keep your eyes open.

Whats funny (and may be a sign if you believe in omens) is that when i got home my wife was asking what we should do with this big bottle of cheap wine we never finished and had gone bad, and when i was reading your post she broght it to me washed and with a slot for change cut in the metal cap

I enjoyed your story, sir. I believe the Fnord family is a sept of the MacDesCordya clan.

So where can i find thier tartan? Or do i have to design it myself?

Your son looks like he was born to wear one. Which is, of course, your problem. The look on his face says "this is MY first kilt".

Does the expression "Like father, like son" ring a bell? Chas

Well he said he would wear anything for the candy, but upon further inquirey he said, "yea, but it was pretty comfortable." I will say the girl his age next door (who likes him very much and he has no clue) was looking at him with those big ol' doe eyes that night even more than usual.

[Detroitpete]

Welcome brother and neighbor! Yep--you need a proper kilt---ok maybe a few Poke around here and look at all there is to learn.

I compete in the Highland Games at the Mich. Renn. Faire---come by next time and see us out at the field.

Good to see another local proud son of Michigan finding his way to the kilt

Seems like we should be setting up at kilt night at Dragonmead soon, eh?