The Kilt as Hobby

[Danaidh]

All I know, is that I find myself going in circles (in my mind) as to what kilt to buy next and then getting depressed that I have to wait so long to save money for it. I wonder if there's a medical term for pre-kilt depression? Then there's the "what boots, socks, shirt, etc to wear with it. I'm not what you call fashion-oriented when it comes to clothes. I self-medicate by coming to this forum and learning all I can - as well as learning it's okay, just relax and wear what's comfortable. I tell ya, moving from Utilikilts (which are like wearing jeans and a tee-shirt) to real tartan kilts is driving me mad! Ha! I think I'm my own worst enemy in all of this.

[azwildcat96]

Does anyone else join me in thinking of kilt kollecting as a hobby?

I understand the "addiction" reference. When one of us decides to plunk down a good chunk of cash for a quality kilt, we spend a lot of time researching what we want in terms of tartans, yardage, style, kilt maker, etc. And when we finally make up our minds, we want it now, but it is a custom-made, one-of-a-kind garment, and it takes months until it arrives. Likewise, kilt accessories are not available at the corner store (well, at least for most of us). So again, we do our research on what we like, how the quality is, who has a good price, etc. And again, when we order it, we wait for the postman to bring it to us. In our society of instant gratification, the "jones" is real. Basically, we want it now! But most of the time we can't have it now.

I understand the "collecting". This goes hand-in-hand with the addiction. Once we have our first kilt, we want another. Maybe in a different tartan, or a different style (pleated to the sett vs stripe, or box pleat vs knife pleat), or a different fabric. The same goes for kilt accessories. We have a nice dress sporran, but want a casual one for hiking. And so the "collection" grows.

Maybe a better term to use, that encompasses both addiction and collection, is that what we experience is a "passion" or an "obsession".

However, I'm a bit surprised that no one has jumped in and stated an objection to calling kilting a "hobby". I'm not saying that I am objecting to it, but labeling it as a hobby may, to some, turn the kilt into a costume. An analogy: I like western (cowboy) boots. They are comfortable to wear. I like to wear them with blue jeans. I think they look good, even though not everyone else does. But, I would not consider a few pairs of boots and jeans to be a hobby collection of cowboy attire. Sorry for the reference to p@nts, but I am in Arizona...

[Tartan Tess]

I don't wear them but I love to make them. Talk about how addicting wearing them can be.....in the last 3 years I have gone to kilt making camps 5 times. Twice I have flown to California for a week.
I have bought tartan off ebay because it is a really good deal then save it until someone is looking for that clan etc. I also have my mills shipping me something every few months.
I work my "real job" for seven hours a day and I sew kilts at least 3 hours everyday.
I love the feel of the fabric, especially after you have handled it so much shaping it into a kilt. It is like taming an animal sometimes.I love it!

[CMcG]

<snip>

However, I'm a bit surprised that no one has jumped in and stated an objection to calling kilting a "hobby". I'm not saying that I am objecting to it, but labeling it as a hobby may, to some, turn the kilt into a costume. An analogy: I like western (cowboy) boots. They are comfortable to wear. I like to wear them with blue jeans. I think they look good, even though not everyone else does. But, I would not consider a few pairs of boots and jeans to be a hobby collection of cowboy attire. Sorry for the reference to p@nts, but I am in Arizona...

There are certainly many on this forum who also don't understand thinking of kilting in terms of an addiction. For some people it is a uniform that they wear for piping or parades. For others, it is their formal attire, they only drag it out a couple times a year, and they forget about it the rest of the time. I've definitely read too of some traditionalists shaking their heads at the thought of owning more than one kilt or wearing anything but their clan tartan!

But I hope I haven't offended anyone by my suggestion of the kilt as a hobby... have I?

[Rob, ClanMacMillan, NM]

But I hope I haven't offended anyone by my suggestion of the kilt as a hobby... have I?

Definitely not me. There are people who are referred to as "Clothes horses" because of the greater than average collection of attire. I hope someday to have the wherewithal to be a "clothes horse of the kilting kind".

Rob

[CDNSushi]

But I hope I haven't offended anyone by my suggestion of the kilt as a hobby... have I?

If you have, I would recommend they un-offend themselves right smartly. From the responses thus far I would say that many of the rabble do indeed consider it a hobby. There is nothing wrong with that. If you were to take this to its logical conclusion, I suppose you could say that the very act of hanging out on a forum such as this one, focused on discussing a particular garment (and its history, accessories, uses, and so on...) constitutes a kind of hobby, even if the actual wearing of the kilt for someone may not be.

ith:

[Alan H]

I don't wear them but I love to make them. Talk about how addicting wearing them can be.....in the last 3 years I have gone to kilt making camps 5 times. Twice I have flown to California for a week.
I have bought tartan off ebay because it is a really good deal then save it until someone is looking for that clan etc. I also have my mills shipping me something every few months.
I work my "real job" for seven hours a day and I sew kilts at least 3 hours everyday.
I love the feel of the fabric, especially after you have handled it so much shaping it into a kilt. It is like taming an animal sometimes.I love it!

Wow. And I thought that my kiltmaking hobby was careening out of control a couple of years ago!

(I bet you're getting pretty darned good at it!)

[chrisupyonder]

To me it is more than a hobby. It is a change of lifestyle! I was nevermuch interested in clothes and have teeshirts, polo shirts, dress shirts, trousers and shorts. And looking at them now they seem pretty boring and somehow, much the same colour. How come they are all brown or dark blue? I never felt really smart and to go and buy another pair of trusers, shirt, tie etc. was just to replace the worn out boring stuff I had with more boring stuff.
Then the kilt came along. Found out I was a MacLaren and joined the clan society. Found this wonderful site and it has given me a new interest in life, now I am retired. I love the many variations of jackets, shirts, hose, flashes, sporrrans etc. etc. the list goes on. What else can you do with a business suit? Just change the colour of the tie?. Big deal!
So a hobby? YES. A new interest in life? YES. A change in lifestyle? YES. A big improvement in my self-esteem? YES.
A mere hobby? NO! A lot more than that.
I am commited. I am an addict! How do I join Kiltaholics Anonymous?

[Riverkilt]

There's an old adage that addiction doesn't come without denial. In my worst alcoholism I was a "wine connoisseur" and a "beer can collector."

I guess my kilt addiction could be called a "hobby" or a "collection." No problem folks, I'm a "Kilt Connoisseur."

Now, what about all the sub-addictions....sgian dubhs, kilt hose, sporrans, et.al.

[lukeyrobertson]

As one who has confessed rather playfully on this forum to being a "kiltaholic", I think the notion of hobby works quite well, especially as I reflect what life is like since wearing my kilt for the first time last Fall. I'm learning so much about my heritage and its tradition. I am enjoying the posts from fellow XMarkers as they share their experiences of the kilt. There is something in the whole experience that has changed me and my awareness. Can't really name what that is, yet. But I do notice it's a "gut" thing and it's good. And I can say that I'm calming down about the whole thing, but like an earlier post says, I do find my mind spinning as it tries to solve the puzzle of what to wear with what; of learning about tweeds and tartans; and of course the whole jonesing thing. But when all is said and done, this hobby has opened a doorway to a much deeper appreciation of my ancestors, what they endured so that I can have the quality of life I have in this "new world" and with that in mind, wear a garment of deep significance and wear it with awareness and pride.