Oh NO! I'm a Kilt Snob

[MacWage]

Maybe there should also be a Union Tartan that complimented the Cofederate one.

Best

AA

I wonder what peole would think if you wore them together????


Aren't Clan MacTablecloth and Clan MacWal(mart) connected :rolleyes: ?

[Chris Webb]

I bought my first kilt at a Ren Fair about 4 years ago, got a cotton 'kilt shirt' and put the outfit on right then and there. I felt great! My wife loved it and all the folks in the kilt tent really got me excited about wearing it. They even helped me adjust the length.

I'm just a little under 5'7" and the kilt was way too long so the fellow fitting me to it rolled the waist over itself and covered it with my belt. It felt wonderfully cool on that hot day hitting my legs just above the knee. All fixed up I couldn't wait to get out into the fair and really enjoy it.

I hadn't gone 5 minutes before three rather heavy gals in period clothing stopped me and gave me trouble over the length of my kilt ... I was expecting a compliment, instead they said, "that's a boy's kilt, not a man's kilt and started laughing." Well, my wife jumped to my defense and asked exactly what they meant. "A Mans kilt goes past his knees, HIS kilt is too short!" My wife said, "The shorter the better!"

Right then and there, before I knew anything about all the 'rules' of proper fitting and types of kilts and meanings of tartans, I decided that I would never be one of those folks who nitpicked other folks' kilts. Whether it's a guy in a pleated table cloth or a piper in his full regalia I just want to go, YEAAAHHHH.

I've found that folks who find out they like to wear kilts will very quickly learn about them and start to save money for a 'real' kilt however we define that. I'm thankful that I didn't let those 3 gals of the kilt police embarrass me out of trying kilts ... and I'm thankful that my wife defended me and made me feel like a total stud the rest of the day.

Any man, young or old, should be encouraged while going about kilted. What's it to any of us if they wade in slowly in a home-made kilt no matter how funny it may look to those of us with 'real' ones. Mark's got it right and it really is important for us not to become kilt snobs. Thanks for this thread, Mark, I'll be a better kiltman for having read it.

Kilt On.

Chris Webb

[Raphael]

At least they are trying.

[GMan]

I wouldn't say snob, just a realist!

[pdcorlis]

I too spotted several "kilt don'ts" at the local Highland Games. I didn't chat with any of them but someday I hope I have the right encouraging words to help someone down the path to the kilted life.

I do see this as a right of passage- at least I know what a good kilt and a well turned out kilted man looks like!

[MacWage]

On a more serious note, and after a 4 hour nap, I'll make useful comments.

If you are in a kilt and it is worn correctly, it shows. Others who have no idea what they are doing, but want to, WILL walk up and ask you questions. By the nature and manner of the questions it is usually quite clear if they are seriously wanting to get and wear a kilt,or if they are just messing with "the guy in a skirt" ! Most of us started with a less than accurate kilt before we figured out what we were doing and fixed our problems.

Those who really want help will seek it, and if we are nice in our presentation to them, and respectful of thier person, we can make a BIG impact on them (and direct them here for more advise). I had (I thought) unconventional views on kilts and thought most of those like you were "blow hards" based on bad experiences early on. Now, I realize that most actually AGREE WITH ME on most kiling aspects. It took me asking and involvement in people having FUN kilted that I realized it.

What cracks me up are those who really aren't interested in actually wearing a kilt, so they make fun of it, showing the depth of ignorance. YET, when they come to me and express interest in real kilting (as opposed to costuming), I leave them more knowledgable and excited. MANY, many times I have had couples where the man says "I never thought of wearing my kilt to something like this . . . " and the wife says, "Well, you should have!"

[munnin]

Well I went out kilted for the first time today at the highland games in Altamont NY. I was wearing a royal Stewart affordable (casual) kilt from kiltmart.

It was purchased for a wedding on the 16th. While a more traditional kilt would have been preferable this was the best the groom could afford. After walking around for a while I felt like I was wearing a table cloth so obvious was the difference in look and feel my kilt had.

So I can understand the snobbish part o it, though my wife did say she liked me wearing the kilt.

[Bob C]

Well I went out kilted for the first time today at the highland games in Altamont NY. I was wearing a royal Stewart affordable (casual) kilt from kiltmart.

It was purchased for a wedding on the 16th. While a more traditional kilt would have been preferable this was the best the groom could afford. After walking around for a while I felt like I was wearing a table cloth so obvious was the difference in look and feel my kilt had.

So I can understand the snobbish part o it, though my wife did say she liked me wearing the kilt.

We skipped Altamont because of the weather and I've been bumming all weekend because of it. Congrats on your first kilted outing.

Regarding Chris Webb's comments above, Ren Faire nerds crack me up. The only thing worse than snobbery is snobbery combined with ignorace. I always laugh (internally) when I see one of those guys at games with his "kilt" halfway down his shins and wearing some big, floppy hat and a drinking horn on his belt. I never say anything, though, because nerds have a right to dress as they please, every bit as much as I do.

[Kilted KT]

I wonder what peole would think if you wore them together????


Aren't Clan MacTablecloth and Clan MacWal(mart) connected :rolleyes: ?

Clan MacWal(mart) is a sept of MacTablecloth...The sept formed some time after the Proscription was repealed, when the english couldn't find any more Tablecloths, and started buying tartan from the MacTablecloth clan weavers. MacWal(mart) grew primarily from MacTablecloth weavers who were drinking too much scotch to get the tartan straight, and were shunned by their clan chief.

Laast I heard, the MacTablecloth clan chief is a greeter at Wal-Mart.

[Tartan Hiker]

I've also noticed that the number of MacTablecloths is inversely proportional to the admission fee.