Why did you start wearing a kilt?

[MacBubba45]

got involved in activities of the Scott clan

I'm surprised! I thought there'd be more people like this. I got my first kilt (also from Geoffrey) to help at the clan tent in 1988. In the mid-90's I was in a small pipe band. We bought our own kilts (my 2nd) through a bargain basement plan and it certainly showed. That kilt is not longer in existance as far as I know. It fit like a set of drapes.

[ziggy]

I haven't posted in awhile! This will be my refresher.

Basically I have had the notuon of wearing a kilt for sometime... always fascinated with scottish history \ culture, and frankly I thought I could pull off a kilt, which turns out is true.

Plus, In the case of an 8 yard wool, it's old world sophisitcation, which i happen to really enjoy. Bascially, you always take a kilted man seriously :P

Ian

[jkane]

I am really just an exhibitionist .

[CSCunningham]

My daughter got tired of going to Highland Games here in the Northeast and not seeing our Clan represented. After looking into the situation both she and I ordered our Kilts (Cunningham) so that we would look proper hosting our Clan Cunningham Tent at the NH Highland Games.

[jrmiller]

OK, here's the harsh truth -- Two years ago I got a notion that guys ought to be able to wear one-legged garments. So, I looked around and found kilts. Much to my delight, there were a variety of contemporary and historical kilts available. I have purchased both Utilikilts and tartan kilts and I like both depending on the situation. I have also made 3 kilts, but the first two where unwearable and the third actually works.

Since that initial interest I have also discovered my Scottish roots and have become interested in the family lore. Our family did not wear kilts to my knowledge, but they were highlanders so they probably did once upon a time.

Bottom line for me is I like one-legged garments and I am tired of plain old jeans and such and kilts are a wonderful replacement!

[St. Amish]

I grew up going to the Scottish Games every year and hearing my father (who was known to exaggerate quite a bit) tell me stories of kings and gallowglasses. I had my first kilt when I was very young, and when I outgrew it, I never had another.

Fast forward 20 years or so. I was attending the Pleasanton Games with my son, then 6 years old. He had never been exposed to Scottish culture. He took a look around when we got to the fairgrounds and asked me, "Dad, what's that?", pointing to a very large kilted man. I told him about kilts and what they mean in Scottish culture. He looked up at me and said, "I'm Scottish, where's mine?" I bought him his first kilt, and couldn't have my son dressed better than his old man, so purchased one for myself as well.

[Ealisaid]

What an interesting thread to peruse.

A good friend I met many years ago had Utilikilts. I thought they were the coolest thing ever, and some months later I got my first. I now have four Utilikilts, all traditional models. I love them! Then I got interested in tartan-- it's so beautiful. I looked at my dad's family tree and found old King Alpin and a lady called Helen MacDonald from the 13th century. These distinguished people, though so far back in time, led me to my favored tartan (MacAlpin, in my avatar) and to an interest in all things Scottish.

Someday I will have a proper handmade kilt in MacAlpin, box-pleated and opening on the left. Perhaps for a major birthday...

[Sammac]

Growing up I was always told we were Scottish. Was in 5th or 6th grade when I realized I have a Scottish last name.Having gone to Highland Games for many years I've wanted one for a long time. However the cost always scared me away. After my dad passed away I reflected on things and thought I'm not getting any younger. So I ordered a 8yd handsewn in my family tartan. Wore it for the first time at my dad's Memorial Service. The first time I wore it to the Games was the first time I felt like I really belonged there. It was AWESOME!!!

[vipermcgee]

I was exploring downtown Hot Springs, AR with my family for the first time when we happened upon a retailer named "Heritage Designs". Seems they specialize in surname historys and related items. After talking with the owner, a Lindsay, I learned more of my family than I was ever able to find before. I went home with this memory and that of Robby's kilt hanging on the wall in the store (no, he didn't wear it, though I have returned to that place kilted). I talked about it and researched the ieda for a while. One day, when I finally had saved enough money, I ignored my wife's protests and placed the order. The rest has been posted on XMarks as it occured!

Robert

[NewGuise]

No Scottish genes, here, but I once married someone of Scottish heritage and have two children who can claim that background. I first wore a kilt in university, in Nova Scotia, in a production of Brigadoon (a story detailed in another thread), by which point I'd seen and admired many (men in) kilts. It was ... liberating.

Borrowing a friend's Utilikilt on a visit to Toronto many years later, made me think that I'd waited many years too long to don a kilt, and I made my first trip to Scotland expecting to buy one there, only to realize that I didn't really feel entitled to wear a clan tartan (which was all I saw at the time), and couldn't afford a tank in any case. But I wanted tartan, not a utilikilt. I work in early Scots literature and culture, after all; I know and respect the history of the kilt, and tartan, and I wanted my eventual garb to reflect that history. So ... history continued. More years passed. I thought about being kilted for my wedding a little over two years ago, but my son objected, vehemently. But that got me thinking, and researching kilt makers...

I'd joked for years about what a Mennonite tartan would look like (all black, or many shades of grey), which I honestly forgot about prior to finally getting up the nerve to order a kilt from Keltoi Gaelic Clothing (due here late next week!) in the all-grey Highland Granite, having dithered a while over the all-black shadow tartans. One never really escapes one's heritage.

Ah, but the jonesing.... Once I'd made up my mind to order a bespoke kilt, I wanted something right away. And I'd discovered this forum. Instant addict, with a community of enablers. So I bought two casual kilts from one member here (one of which I'm wearing now). And ordered a sporran from Thorfinn, straps from Oconee, but also found something on ebay. And then there was this great deal on a Maple Leaf tartan kilt from Burnett's and Struth (which I wore for a formal meeting earlier today, and on Remembrance Day to be patriotic, and so forth).

Last week I put on an old, favorite pair of jeans, and suddenly realized that what once meant comfort now chafed behind my knees. Trouser tyrrany.

Long story, brief lesson: just do it. Get kilted. But get the kilt(s) that you really want, because you may never want to wear anything else ever again.