Quote Originally Posted by hospitaller View Post
Lately I've noticed a trend here.

Let me explain, we all know kilts and everything related to kilts are expensive.

Then again, regular clothes can range from cheap to stupidly expensive.

For instance a typical work outfit for me would cost no more than $60. That includes a $10 shirt, $15 pants, $20 shoes, $5 socks and a $10 tie.

A 'weekend' outfit is even cheaper at about $50, that is a $15 tshirt, $20 jeans/shorts, and maybe $20-25 snickers/running shoes.

I'm sure those who are better off can afford a $500 suit, $100 shirts, $50 ties and $200 shoes.

Not the vast majority though. Yet, we still manage to look as good as those in the fancy outfits, and unless you want to be flautning your clothes' brand, either outfit is almost identical.

Now, kilts.

Well putting the 'wool is the one and only fabric for a kilt!' argument and focusing on cost alone, why is it that lately I'm seeing a few posts and comments that are somewhat looking down on people's only alternative for a kilt, and that is, cheap yet good looking material, such as acrylic and/or PV ?

Believe me, if the less afluent in this world could afford to spent hundreds of dollars for a single kilt, we would.

But we can't, so we don't. And that doesn;t mean we are any less of a kilted man than those of you wearing $1000 worth of fabric in a single outfit!

I am just as proud wearing my $100 entire outfit.

And don't get me going on the $50 kilt pin, or the $60 hose...or the $300 for a sporran?

Jeepers, I am not a leathersmith, and I am not a taylor, but by golly lately I've seen my skills increase by a tenfold by the simple fact of having to buy my own CHEAP fabric to make my own kilts. And going to Tandy to get enough leather to make 5 sporrans for less than theprice of a single store bought sporran. And my sporrans will be all custom made to my own liking!

In short and to finish this 'rant', please, PLEASE let's not succumb to the dark side of 'kilt snobility' and start to look down or make snarky comments at the efforts of those trying to wear a garment that has the same humble origins as the cheap fabric some of us are using to make our own.

slainte tae yall
So, what this all really, in the end, boils down to is that simple question: "Why do you wear a kilt?"

There are as many answers to that as there are versions of the kilt available. You have everything from men wishing to simply wear unbifurcated clothing to the gent wearing the 8 yard, worsted wool, kilt and montrose double once or twice a year as pride of his heritage. Then of course you have absolutely everything in between. I'm neither of those extreme examples, but one of those "in between" the two. I wear my kilt generally on Saturdays, or more often if I'm on holiday. I would like to wear it more often. However, due to my profession, it's simply not an option. I'm not, however, the man who will ever trade in his trousers for kilt exclusivity. I wear my kilt to honor my heritage. That's really the bottom line for me. I don't wear it because it's "more comfortable that pants." I happen to feel completely comfortable and no hotter or uncomfortable in them than I do a kilt. I have a place for both garments in my wardobe.

As far as material goes, I choose wool because I feel it trumps any other cloth available in the arena of a tradtional Scottish kilt. In my not-so-humble opinion there is nothing like it. I have owned tartan kilts in both PV and acrylic and I feel the best of the synthetic world is certainly the PV, by miles(or would that be by yards?) But, I have found it did not meet my requirements or preference in a kilt. The acrylic I found to be completely unsuitable as it is "fuzzy" and very lightweight. It pulls and snags like... well... acrylic cloth. I did not like the "off-the-rack" style of kilt as they were simply ill-fitting. (There are certainly those out there who can wear the off-the-rack sizes. But, there is plenty of photographic evidence that there are plenty who shouldn't.)

Yes, tradtional Highland kilts (and all their accessories) are costly. However, to simply scof and dismiss that as foolish is insulting. The "kilt snob" bit can
work both ways. I happen to be one of those who choose to wear worsted woolen kilts that cost hundreds of dollars. I'm also one of those with a $300 sporran in my closet. I would absoultely rather have 5 custom made, worsted wool kilts in my close than I would 30 acrylic off the rack kilts.

I, in complete honesty, do not look down on those who choose to wear other forms of kilts. The best example, to me, is the contemporary kilt. I have no desire or "need" for this type of kilt. However, like the tradtional kilt, I see well made kilts and those that aren't.

Please keep in mind these are all my own personal opinions on the matter, I do still retain the rite to those. Due to the fact I've chosen to express them I will refrain from moderating this thread from this point on. I'm in this thread as a member only. "Mod hat off."