Is that a real kilt?!

[Tiny]

The other day while in line at the grocer one of the clerks asked me if my kilt was a real kilt. I looked at him funny for a moment then asked him what he said? He repeated himself "Is that a real kilt?"

I couldn't really understand how it couldn't be a real kilt. so I replied "Nope its all done with smoke and mirrors."

After he looked at me confused for a moment I told him it was a real kilt to which he smiled and went back to work.

Still not sure what the defining factor would have been to make my kilt real or just another dream.

[Bill aka Mole]

Okay, just what does a non-real kilt look like? I consider my 2 PV kilts as real as my woolen one. Interesting question.

[Maclachlan]

Maybe he was still thinking Halloween when he asked....

[Jock Scot]

Now that is a good question and I await the replies with interest.

[The Thing]

I guess lots of people have never seen a real kilt or kilt wearer in the flesh and are abit awe taken by them. I mean just think when we see another kilty just going about their business how excited it makes us, now multiply that feeling by x amount for a non kilty.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Ha! I love your answer.

I have found that often when people in situations like that (at the grocery store, etc.) ask me if I'm wearing a "real kilt" they mean to ask whether I'm wearing anything underneath it.

[Schiehallion]

I think it may show their ignorance as they come to see a 'real kilt' for the first time. There are so many different renditions of a kilt these days.

[MacMillans son]

My guess would be that they were asking whether that was a wool kilt made in Scotland. I think many, away from this site, would define "a real kilt" as such.

[Tobus]

My guess would be that they were asking whether that was a wool kilt made in Scotland. I think many, away from this site, would define "a real kilt" as such.

That would be my guess as well. He probably meant "is that an authentic wool kilt in the Scottish tradition?", as opposed to a cheap imitation from a Halloween costume company or a cotton home-made misguided attempt at something vaguely resembling a kilt.

It was an honest question, I would think.

[Nighthawk]

My guess would be that they were asking whether that was a wool kilt made in Scotland. I think many, away from this site, would define "a real kilt" as such.

MacMillan's son, I think you may be thinking into this issue a little more than you need to! It's usually more simple than that. Let me explain why I say this:

When I'm asked that question, people at first think I may be wearing one of these:



They assume at first that it's a piece of garbage costume kilt, and then are often surprised as they get a better look that it's not. It's a question often asked in astonishment- more of a statement of observation phrased as a question. I had a young say to me on Halloween "That kilt is the real deal, isn't it?!?!" The average bar going lady or grocery store clerk isn't going to be looking for the nitpicky little details that we on this forum are. They don't know that it's probably 16 oz wool tartan, 8 or 9 yards long, hand stitched, bespoke- all they know for sure usually is that it doesn't look anything like what they saw at Halloween USA being passed off as a kilt.

So when I get that question, I make sure to educate them just a little, because more often than not, they're very interested. That lady at the Halloween party at the bar I mentioned is a prime example. I'm in a living history group called the Renaissance Scots Living History Association, and was in my Ren Scots garb. I have made the majority of my costuming myself, and what I didn't make, I designed and had made to keep it as close to accurate for the late 1600's as possible. I took time and explained everything to her from boots to bonnet. It turned out that the outfit she was wearing was some manner of Hungarian clothing from the same time period, and was hand made for her by her Hungarian grandmother! So it was a case of very interested ignorance that resulted in a fun exchange of information.