How Did You Select Your First Kilt?

[OC Richard]

My First Kilt Story is unusual and strange (at least for a non-hillbilly).

I got my first set of pipes in 1975, as a High School Graduation present from my Dad.

While they were on order I knew I wanted a kilt, but I didn't know where to get one, nor had I ever seen a kilt in person.

So in our hillbilly make-do DIY way, I went down to an ordinary fabric shop and bought some plaid wool that looked nice enough, tan with blue, red, black, and white stripes. Then my Grandmother and I looked at whatever kilt photos we could find (no internet in 1975!) and I came up with the pattern and she did the sewing. It really wasn't too bad considering.

Here's that first kilt, sorry the photo is so faded



Then around 1976 I discovered The Scottish Shopper in Seattle, a widely known source in the old days. I ordered some real tartan, 13oz MacDonald Of The Isles Hunting (due to some research suggesting a MacDonald connexion) and my Grandmother made my second kilt.

Here it is, at that time



We didn't know about cutting out the pleats in the back, but I was so skinny it didn't matter much.

It wasn't until 1977, when I joined my first Pipe Band, that I saw, and wore, my first made-in-Scotland genuine kilt, lovely it was, handsewn and heavy weight (in Ancient MacLaren). Over the last 40 years most of the kilts I've worn have been band kilts.