why do they make kilts?

[Tartan Hiker]

Well, I'm glad to see that my experience was not typical. That makes me feel much better about the condition of the world.

I was disappointed, however, in that I wasn't asked to pose for a picture even once. I know I'm an old fart, but dang!

Bill

[thescot]

Hiker, I am an old fart, but I have often been asked to pose for a picture.

I suspect they were testing the durability of their cameras. And there was one really nice oriental lady on a cruise ship couldn't speak English, but she pointed at the kilt and said, "Scottish? Picture?" She and her daughter stood real close, hugged me like a date, and smiled big while my wife took the shot.

And then there was that time . . . better leave that one alone.

[Robin]

I live in the Hague, Netherlands...by Dutch standards a big city...475.000

It seems I'm the only one here

I hear all kinds of wild stories of kilt sightings though....

In a shop:
"oh! seen someone else wearing a kilt on the beach last sunday!"
...that was me

[staticsan]

I don't recall seeing any around Sydney, except once for sure several years ago during the Rugby World Cup. I think the lad was Irish...

[Smayniac]

I am as regular a patron as I am able of a coffee bar in Seaside, California with a weekly kilt day. The owner is a highland athlete on the weekend and "Kilt and Quiche Wednesday" is a gathering of the kilted faithful.

Smayniac

[CDNSushi]

I'm a little late with my two bits to the discussion, but I think the rabble has covered it pretty well... From the ACTUAL number of kilt wearers, even the brisk business that Utilikilts does (presumably) worldwide, it still can't account for more than a few, relative to the population of any given area. I do suspect however that the closer one gets to Utilikilts HQ in Seattle, the better the odds are of seeing someone wear their products.

Just a couple of quick notes addressing some of the thread discussions.

1. I HAVE been laughed at by Asian people... (Then again I live in Asia). But it's only certain groups. First of all, they are mainly young (think: high school)... Also, the northern countries, like Japan, Korea, China, etc you are much more likely to get a surprised reaction than from the Thai, Burmese, Malaysians, Sri Lankans, etc... as those cultures are used to MUGs -- they are very fond of their sarongs. I wear sarongs too -- but unlike kilts that at least come with a sporran, sarongs have no pockets, making them a little impractical to wear them out and about (even though I do anyway). When I first was introduced to sarongs by my Burmese friend in Canada (who never set foot outside his own house wearing it), I quickly sewed two of my own and started wearing them out. I got a few looks, but only once was I spotted by two, young Korean women who laughed so hard they doubled over and cried when they saw me... Never deterred me though. I'm not sure if this is REALLY the main reason why you don't see so many people wearing kilts.

2. Because I'm expected to dress a particular way for work, daily kilt-wearing is rather impossible. At least if I want to KEEP my job... hehe So it becomes more of an evening/weekend thing. So if I lived in your neck of the woods, you would likely not see me wearing mine very often. I suspect many are in a similar situation.

3. A lot of men might order a kilt from places like UK, try it and DON'T fall in love with it (weirdos ) so it gets relegated to the far reaches of the closet or sold on e-Bay to someone who knows a good thing when he sees it and probably already owns several.

4. This is also my situation -- as I only own two kilts (so far) and I DO like to change my wardrobe just about daily (I'm not one of those people who you see wearing the same pair of jeans and same t-shirt each time we meet)... I feel awkward always wearing the same clothes, kilt or not... So I vary it up. Some weeks I'll wear shorts, then I might wear my sarong for a day or two, then pants, then my other sarong, then my other kilt... whatever. So again, the chances of actually seeing me in a kilt vary.

5. Finally, this is most likely a topic for another thread altogether, but right now in Kofu, Japan it's as hot as blazes!!! Humid too. There's no way I'm going out in my SWK standard. The Utilikilt is cooler but then, see item 4 above...

[Thebigeman77]

Yes, I was surprised to learn that 2 other guys who went to my high school who are both a year under me (I just graduated this year) own kilts, but one's girlfriend informed me he "never wears it out of the house" and the other told me he had only worn it once to a wedding and wouldn't mind wearing it out and about, only not alone. I did offer to go kilted with him somewhere but he simply has yet to take up the offer.

I must say it is rather disappointing to find that people around you have them, but not the will to go out in them... I on the other hand love wearing my kilt out and about, and I can't wait for my 2nd so that I have 2 for college wear.

Well, I'm off to go see Dark Knight finally, kilted, of course.

[JelicoCat]

Of the 9 guys I hang with that own UK's only 3 of us where our kilts out and about on a regular basis. The three of us also own numerous UK's. The rest of our group where their kilt (kilts) when we have get togethers. I suspect that the vast majority of kilt owners only sport them at festivals, otherwise they don't where them out of the house.

[Makeitstop]

Well, the thing to keep in mind when gaging the progress made by Utilikilts and friends in depantsing the men of the world, is that the battle has only just begun. Utilikilts have only been around for what, 8 years? And in that time, their operation has grown exponentially, but they are still tiny relative to the population and the competition. Last I heard they were selling something like 20,000 a year (I could be off by a bit, I'm not %100 on that) but how many pairs of jeans do you think are sold in the USA alone? Milions. And then there are all the other types of pants, and shorts, each of which most certainly outnumbers all varieties of kilts combined.

The good news is, the kilt industry is growing. From what I hear, demand greatly exceeds supply, and this is leading to a steady expansion. From my own experience, I would also say that as more people wear kilts, more people are exposed to kilts, and as that happens, more people become interested in kilts. Thus increasing demand is fueling supply, and increasing supply is fueling demand. If this continues, kilts will become more common. It's only a matter of time.

Of course, we should be reasonable in our expectations. If we reach a point where 1% of men are wearing kilts at any given time, that would be a major change, but I think it's fairly realistic. 50% isn't. Pants certainly aren't going extinct any time soon. Maybe in 50-100 years, but I wouldn't put money on it.

And speaking of money, that is a major issue. Kilts (particularly the contemporaries) are expensive. If you could pick up a UK at Walmart for $15, I'm sure they'd be a common enough sight, but right now you pretty much have to go out of your way to find them, and then drop $100-$300 or more. Other brands are even more expensive. It's not enough to stop the determined or well funded, but most people will have trouble justifying that kind of expense if they are only a little curious.

[Spc. Scott]

My addiction was started by a student where I work that would wear his UK to class every so often. One day I got a chance to talk to him and ask about where he got his kilt. He emailed me a few links and after some looking around I found this site.

The rest is history as they say.

He graduated this spring and since then I haven't seen another kilt outside of a festival. My wife spotted a gentleman filling his car in Ithaca that was kilted but thats about it.