Moving kilts from festivals to daily wear

[Rigged]

Most kilts are sold at festivals which reinforces the idea that they are costumes and not everyday clothing. I woke up in the wee hours wondering how to move kilts from the realm of festivals and parades and into the streets and office towers.

Most of the solutions I came up with were expensive (television and radio advertising, billboards, bumper-stickers, t-shirts).

Finally I realized that the kiltmakers themselves should just remind their buyers that they are buying a piece of clothing and not just a costume. A simple flyer can be inserted into the packaging of each kilt.

I came up with a sample:
http://www.mindstation.com/kilt_flyer.doc

So here you have it. A cheap way to get the point across that kilts are clothing, and a bit of information on how to get started in the kilting life.

It's 3:30am here. I'm going back to bed.

[Aaron]

And I thought I was the only one that woke up in the dead of night thinking about kilts.

I like the idea Rigged, but I don't think the majority of folks will do it on their own. The majority are those that need to be led in the first place, and won't go down the scary paths before they see a lot of people in front lighting the way for them.

Then again, what do I know?

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I think another factor is how the kilts are worn at festivals. I'll give an example.

The typical man you see in a kilt at a festival (and let's for the sake of argument just assume we are talking about a standard traditional kilt here) will have a kilt, a black kilt belt with a nickel plated buckle, a Highland or "Jacobite" shirt, some type of bonnet on his head with a clan badge, maybe a sprig of their plant badge pinned behind. His sporran may run the gambit from a simple day wear to a full mask sporran. I've seen some around here that are made from bear claws, fox masks, skunk tails, and all sorts of things. He may have a dirk, a sgian dubh, and/or a sword. And, of course, hose and some kind of shoes -- possibly those knee-high Indian moccasins that are so popular to wear with kilts.

In other words, just about everything he is wearing screams "this is a costume that I just wear once or twice a year!"

When I wear the kilt in to work, even though I work in a Scottish place and no one would bat an eye if I showed up dressed per above, I typically wear with it:
A simple shirt, either button down or pull-over.
A plain brown leather belt, about 2.25" wide.
A plain brown day sporran.
solid hose with flashes
A simple and unassuming sgian dubh
Sensible shoes.

That's it. I might wear a vest. If it's cold, I'll wear a sweater or a tweed jacket. In other words, I'm just wearing clothing.

The problem arises in that the vast majority of people only see men wearing the kilt at these festivals, and when 9 guysout of 10 are dressed as Number 1 above, this is the "vision" they have of how the kilt is worn.

I'll be the first to confess, that when I go to a festival, though I don't strap on an arsenal of weapons and the like, I do pull out my Jacobite shirt and I'll tend to "costume" up the kilt a bit, just because I see the festivals as venues where these accessories are more appropriate than for usual daily wear.

Aye,
Matt

[Graham]

Rigged, glad to see your head working overtime to help promote the kilt to where it belongs, that's a good idea!

Matt, you are so right, every time we wear a kilt in a casual fashion we proclaim and reclaim the kilt to it's rightful place - everyday wear!

Life is so exciting in a kilt!!

[g koch]

When a young sports star or rap artist of unquestioned masculinity starts wearing kilts they might catch on.

Portly middle-age guys aint gonna do it.

[herminator]

When a young sports star or rap artist of unquestioned masculinity starts wearing kilts they might catch on.

Portly middle-age guys aint gonna do it.

And why not??
I don´t dress like a sports star or a shudder rap "artist"!! There are enough portly middle aged men out there!
And the one man I have got to wear a kilt is slim sportly and just 20!
So there!

AND WHO IS GOING TO QUESTION MY MASKULINITY??
Just try!!

[GMan]

Good thinking at 3:30AM, and great thoughts that came with it!

I also appreciate what the others have said! It will be a long slow process, but it will be a process.

[Pittsburgh Kilts]

I got an email the other day from a fellow wondering if I knew where he could buy a dress kilt, jacket, and waist coat. He didn't want to spend very much money on it, as was only going to "need to wear in once every two years."

I usually try to be very polite in my replies, but I may have failed with this guy. I told him sorry, but he could contact me again if he was interested in a kilt that he'd want to wear every day.

[Hamish]

I think another factor is how the kilts are worn at festivals. I'll give an example.

The typical man you see in a kilt at a festival (and let's for the sake of argument just assume we are talking about a standard traditional kilt here) will have a kilt, a black kilt belt with a nickel plated buckle, a Highland or "Jacobite" shirt, some type of bonnet on his head with a clan badge, maybe a sprig of their plant badge pinned behind. His sporran may run the gambit from a simple day wear to a full mask sporran. I've seen some around here that are made from bear claws, fox masks, skunk tails, and all sorts of things. He may have a dirk, a sgian dubh, and/or a sword. And, of course, hose and some kind of shoes -- possibly those knee-high Indian moccasins that are so popular to wear with kilts.

In other words, just about everything he is wearing screams "this is a costume that I just wear once or twice a year!"

Matt,

That is what it screams to you, and that's what it screams to me.............. but, it additionally screams to me: "....in the USA!"

We just do not dress like that back here in 'the old country' - even at our Highland Gatherings and Highland Games. We do, however, dress as you go on to describe......

A simple shirt, either button down or pull-over.
A plain brown leather belt, about 2.25" wide.
A plain brown day sporran.
solid hose with flashes
A simple and unassuming sgian dubh
Sensible shoes.

That's it. I might wear a vest. If it's cold, I'll wear a sweater or a tweed jacket. In other words, I'm just wearing clothing.

The problem arises in that the vast majority of people only see men wearing the kilt at these festivals, and when 9 guysout of 10 are dressed as Number 1 above, this is the "vision" they have of how the kilt is worn.

I'll be the first to confess, that when I go to a festival, though I don't strap on an arsenal of weapons and the like, I do pull out my Jacobite shirt and I'll tend to "costume" up the kilt a bit, just because I see the festivals as venues where these accessories are more appropriate than for usual daily wear.

Aye,
Matt

I suppose it might be fun to climb into a fancy costume and parade around with others doing much the same, but I think I am happier staying with my boring old everyday kilt wearing 'gear' of the present day - whether it's simple and informal or elaborate and formal.

{{The above is written somewhat with tongue in cheek and is not intended, in any way, as an insult to my American brothers.}}

[Mike n NC]

Thank you Matt and Hamish. I have a full calander of events scheduled for this summer, both festivals and games. I was asked by the wife if I were going to "dress up" and she didn't seem to understand when I declined. After reading your posts to her she now understands why I won't "costume" myself.

Mike