Sorry I have not been around these parts for a while - pressures of life, y'know!

However, I thought it high-time that I showed you a kilt I received back in May this year - and an interesting addition to the 'Kollection' it is too. Many of you will be aware of the Swedish firm Blåkläder's heavy-duty work kilt (Alex has one, I know). Well, this well-known manufacturer of tough workwear has also brought out a Hi-Viz version of that kilt, and I now have one (not that I'll have many opportunities to wear it, but it is good to have within my Kollection!).

Firstly, the fabric is the bright yellow and highly visible material widely used for clothing worn particularly by those working on our roads and construction sites. In addition there are two broad bands of truly reflective silvery material running around the kilt. The wrap-over garment itself has masses of pockets and loops to accommodate all manner of tools and equipment - hammers, screwdrivers, etc - and loops to take a 2¼" wide belt. The rather shallow pleats are sewn down and the overlapping aprons could do with being a little wider, but this is a comfortable garment with plenty of 'leg-room'. For a garment of this nature, I might have expected some form of modesty snaps, such as those provided on the Workman's Utilikilt, but there are none.

Thus far, I have not seen any of these kilts being worn out-and-about, but the importing wholesalers told me that they have sold over 1,000 in the UK alone. My only conclusion is that they might have been snapped up by young men of the Clubbing fraternity - I imagine they might be quite spectacular under the ultra-violet and laser lighting in such places!

The fabric is very difficult to photograph, so I apologise for the lack of detail in the photographs that follow.

First, the kilt in normal day-light conditions:



and now as seen in the camera's flashlight:



Detail of the front pockets:



and the pleating:



This is not everyone's idea of a wearable kilt, but I can visualise some applications for it - and I will buy a pint for the first genuine worker I see wearing one out there! Coming from me, that is a generous gesture!!!

Take care,
Ham.