Is that a real kilt?!

[kilted scholar]

Maybe, in the light of another thread, he was wondering whether it was made in Scotland in Scottish mills from the best Scottish wool by Scottish workers, entirely hand woven, with three straps, a proper kilt selvedge, and all the other specifications!!
: )

[Tobus]

My guess would be that they were asking whether that was a wool kilt made in Scotland. I think many, away from this site, would define "a real kilt" as such.

That would be my guess as well. He probably meant "is that an authentic wool kilt in the Scottish tradition?", as opposed to a cheap imitation from a Halloween costume company or a cotton home-made misguided attempt at something vaguely resembling a kilt.

It was an honest question, I would think.

[KiltShot]

This thread reminds me of another active thread:
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...cotsman-62457/

We all know an Instakilt is not a kilt, but what about a Utilikilt?
And then there's the pleated skirt. That's not like a kilt at all, or is it?
How similar can a garment be to a kilt and not be one? A good question, no?

[Nighthawk]

My guess would be that they were asking whether that was a wool kilt made in Scotland. I think many, away from this site, would define "a real kilt" as such.

MacMillan's son, I think you may be thinking into this issue a little more than you need to! It's usually more simple than that. Let me explain why I say this:

When I'm asked that question, people at first think I may be wearing one of these:



They assume at first that it's a piece of garbage costume kilt, and then are often surprised as they get a better look that it's not. It's a question often asked in astonishment- more of a statement of observation phrased as a question. I had a young say to me on Halloween "That kilt is the real deal, isn't it?!?!" The average bar going lady or grocery store clerk isn't going to be looking for the nitpicky little details that we on this forum are. They don't know that it's probably 16 oz wool tartan, 8 or 9 yards long, hand stitched, bespoke- all they know for sure usually is that it doesn't look anything like what they saw at Halloween USA being passed off as a kilt.

So when I get that question, I make sure to educate them just a little, because more often than not, they're very interested. That lady at the Halloween party at the bar I mentioned is a prime example. I'm in a living history group called the Renaissance Scots Living History Association, and was in my Ren Scots garb. I have made the majority of my costuming myself, and what I didn't make, I designed and had made to keep it as close to accurate for the late 1600's as possible. I took time and explained everything to her from boots to bonnet. It turned out that the outfit she was wearing was some manner of Hungarian clothing from the same time period, and was hand made for her by her Hungarian grandmother! So it was a case of very interested ignorance that resulted in a fun exchange of information.

[Zardoz]

I've been asked that a few times before. The first couple of times I asked what they meant, because I thought I might be dealing with the 'kilt police'!
But the questioners I challenged said something along the lines of how they'd seen, or knew somebody that had, a Utilikilt, but mine wasn't one of those right? So now I just say 'Yes it is' and move on.

Like some have said, a lot of citizens have really never seen a kilt in person, they may have seen them on TV etc. but are quite surprised to see you in one.
I have talked to more than a couple of folks who even after explanations; Scotland, Bagpipes, Braveheart, etc.. had no concept of what a kilt was, and had to be assured by their friends that I wasn't making it up!

[MacLowlife]

I don't usually shop kilted, but I was on my way home from a function the other night- one I'd hastily dressed for, so I had no kilt belt or waistcoat and gravity was not my friend at all. Still, at 10 PM, on a monday night, I was the only guy in a kilt at the Bi Lo. (Argyll, bow tie, khaki socks, suede captoes) I grabbed my items and generally kept to myself, but the woman ahead of me was about to go through the line with her milk undiscovered at the bottom of the buggy. So, when I spoke to her, she thanked me and added that her father wears a kilt regularly. I was glad that she was already flustered, because mine was hanging below my knees. It may have been "real" but it was mostly a real mess.

[JerseyLawyer]

I must say, though, that if you're going to wear a plaid, the shotglass bandolier is a good model!

[Kilted Rogue]

Funny the same thing happend to me at the grocery today. But the gent said, "Really a kilt?" and i replied, "Really a kilt."

no one expects the real deal

[O'Callaghan]

Last time I was asked this I said it was polyester and made in California (I was wearing a sport kilt in an Irish tartan at a specifically Irish event).

Mind you, the lady seemed very confused as she asked me if it was wrapped 'round and round', LOL! She didn't seem to understand that so much of the yardage was in the pleats, but seemed to think that the garment wrapped multiple times around the body!

I think the moral is that you never know how much (or more likely how little) the person asking the question actually knows.

[The Monk]

To misquote Frank Zappa: "Is that a real kilt or is that a Sears kilt?"