Wearing a plain kilt

[Robin]

I would love to get myself a Freedom Kilt for casual and outdoor wear, they look like quality products and I like the way you can select all the features yourself.

I have a tartan traditional kilt (+ another ordered)...this kilt screams "KILT!" so when people say it's a skirt...well they're blind or lack basic education.

I'm not certain about plain kilts though (traditional or contemporary)...a sporran, kiltpin and maybe diced or tartan hoses might help, but I'm just afraid (chicken ) people will not recognise it as a kilt.

I live in a (for Dutch standards :mrgreen: ) big city...when I leave the door I have to face an ignorant mob of approximately 500.000 spectators...a bit scary

Talk me into it please...

[cessna152towser]

I own two tartan kilts and also an all black kilt. When my wife bought me the black kilt three years ago I thought I may only wear it occasionally for attending funerals. Shortly after I got it I had a leg injury which meant I couldn't get into trousers for a few weeks and I wore the black kilt to the office as a suit with black shoes, black rugby socks, white shirt, black tie, and black argyle jacket. It was so well received that I continued to wear it to work occasionally even after I was able to go back to wearing my trousered suits. And have worn it to court a few times (I sit part-time as the legally qualified assessor in a local magistrates court in Scotland). The plain black kilt attracts very little comment (about the same level of attention as my Black Watch tartan Kilt), but my bright red Cunningham tartan kilt draws much more attention and I would only wear it for a special occasion and not for every day wear. So yes I would recommend you go for a plain colour kilt but go for a dark colour.

[herminator]

I have no traditional tartan kilt, one is green, the others are black or a very dark green-black plaid. No-one exept utter idiots mistakes it for a skirt! Even when I wear them without belt or sporran they are recognised as kilts! And here in Wuppertal people are not naturally equipped to encounter such clothing!

Just go ahead, the problem is only in your head - stand straight, wear it proudly!

[James]

There is a long and genuine tradition of plain traditional kilts: from black for clergy, through the tweeds in various muted colours.

Slightly off your question, of late I've been wearing The Highland Granite a lot, which is best described as grey on grey on grey, and appears unless close to be plain grey, and have only had compliments.

So there is every good reason for wearing a plain traditional kilt.

James

[caig]

I live in the NE of England which is a working class area, not renowned for its high culture. I often wear a black or dark grey plan kilt, when I go shopping at weekends, or to the pub at night and I have had no adverse comments at all.

I did decide to say, if I was ever asked, why I was not wearing tartan, that when tartan was banned post Culloden the Highlanders dyed their kilts plain colours, notably brown or black, and that these modern kilts reflect that.

I have also found that the "fear" of wearing a kilt is within our own minds, not in others. Go for it !

[Robin]

Yup! I love the Highland Granite, but it's only available in 16oz Strome.

I like the 100% cotton (I prefer natural fiber) Jalapeno Green Freedom Kilt.



Only need the courage to wear it, before I hit the order button :-D

[RockyR]

I have 2 solid FK's and made myself a solid Semi Trad USAK. I don't get any more or any less "hey nice skirt" comments in the solids than I do my 17 tartan kilts. It's all a matter of how you carry yourself and what YOU let GET TO YOU. If you look... nay... EXUDE confidence, people will respect you and the kilt. If you appear shy and timid, THAT'S when you start to get comments. You need a thick skin, but NO THICKER than you do wearing a TARTAN kilt (keep in mind that these comments are from a TARTAN kiltmaker).

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

Robin,

Just go for it! And a side bonus that has me wearing my modern kilts more than my traditionals is the inclusion of POCKETS! Nothing against sporrans and they do make a traditional kilt look complete, but I constantly forget to grab it before coming downstairs in the morning. Kilts with pockets eliminate the necessity, but I can still wear a sporran if I want.

[Southern Breeze]

Order the kilt and wear it with pride. Just do it! :grin:

[Riverkilt]

Hey Robin,

You'll find solid color kilts show that they're kilts by the pleating and apron. You can enhance the Scottish look with tartan shirts, Scottish themed T-shirts, kilt hose, even a sporran if you want to.

I've a LOT of pics of solid kilts in my gallery if you wanna see all the ways you can wear them...at least out here in the old west...hardly cosmopolitain The Hague. But in an urban area Celtic sweaters work well too.

And, remember, there's a sign on the pocket flap that says its a kilt for those that read English over there.

Ron