Creating a Kilt Experience for the Masses

[Reiver]

Other than what Steve mentioned should be a piece of cake......

[Tarheel]

The great WIZ of BC debates a perfect case for logistics in your venture. But greater aspirations were not dashed with such details throughout history. Dream big and stay positive to a worthy idea.

[OC Richard]

Good points all, but experienced Kilt Hire Shops already are accustomed to most of these issues.

I know in Scotland large Kilt Hire Shops have a large number of available tartans, but here many such shops only have a couple. One successful local Kilt Hire Shop, for many years, only had one tartan available, I think it was Black Watch. People just want the kilt look for their wedding, there's no expectation of being able to hire specific clan tartans. What usually happens around here is that the Groom will order a bespoke kilt in his own tartan, and the Groomsmen are in whatever tartan the shop has to hand.

Our proposed Games hire booth would only need to rent the kilts, sporrans, hose, and flashes. The customers could wear the shirts and shoes they came in. My idea is for the person to get a taste of kiltwearing, not be fully outfitted as for a wedding.

Perhaps as they walk about the Games they'll purchase a bonnet! Or who knows what all.

Decent Pakistani sporrans can be had for very little, especially if ordered in bulk direct from the maker. I think one place got them for around $20 a piece, and they weren't too bad. Ditto hose and flashes.

About the quantity of stuff required, who can say? But a Hire Shop could show up with their normal stock, and hire it out until they're out of stuff... it would be an experiment for sure. They might need two or three different Kilt Hire shops to have booths to have enough stock. The popularity of such a program is impossible to guess.

[OKSooner]

I thought a kilt experience could be useful after a festival I attended this weekend. So many more trousers than kilts.

[Lady Grey]

Scabd
I'm chiming in rather late here. I hope your event went well?
The problem in Australia is population and lack of resources. We simply don't have many kilt makers or hire shops downunder therefore people don't think of wearing one.
Climate is another issue, day to day weather just doesn't make kilt wearing a concept that many Aussies think of, as they assume kilt = wool + heavy + weight = too bloody hot!
(Yes I know that wool is cool etc but most don't think like that)

I'm a firm believer that the Untility/Casual kilt is perfect for Australian conditions, we just need to educate the masses.
A supplier in Australia would also be wonderful. As would an Australian distributor of Barbs book!
As I live down south I'm lucky I can wear wool kilts in winter..... However all have been made by me from re-purposed wool. I was gob smacked when a gentleman walked up to me and asked about my Anderson Tartan.
Otherwise the comments are "cute kilt" (Aussies do know the difference between a kilt and a skirt)
However when I wear a cotton, denim or linen casual kilt both males & females ask " where can I buy one?"
I always show them Xmarks on my iPad and the Xkilt instructions. I've also made many for friends.

Whilst your idea is great, we just don't have the population to make traditional wool kilt wear an economically viable proposition for any supplier down here.