"That's not a real kilt"

[KFCarter]

In my opinion, the only thing that matters here is that now you know what his requirements are, and if he's serious about getting a kilt, you can use the wisdom found here to guide him to a kiltmaker who will satisfy.

Regards,
Rex.

I think Rex's advice is spot on.

As for the definition of "kilt", my own attitude has evolved over time. I started with a very traditional view, became more "open minded" and have come back around to being a bit more "narrow minded". That "narrowness" comes in part from a belief that a word's application can become so broad that it can eventually lose its meaning. This is happening a lot in our language and "Kilt" is certainly not the only word exposed to this sort of "meaning-erosion".

Having said that, I think some of those contemporary garments are great and I think it's appropriate that their name, like "utilikilt" indicates their "kiltish" roots. I'm glad to see these garments appear in wider application and I do think that their presence has had a role in freeing traditional kilts from their "weddings-and-special-occasions-only" prison.

By the way, I'm very glad we have such great kiltmakers on this side of the pond. I've got one in the Wizard's queue and have my sights on a Tewksbury and Kathy Lare. But the two tartan tanks that I'll own, that are connected to my family roots... yes, I wanted them made in Scotland. That may seem silly to some, but it mattered to me so that's what I did.