Why the rise in kilt popularity?

[Thebigeman77]

O, I would also agree that cost and availability are the deciding factors of the new insurgence of kilt wearers. I know if I had had to buy a tank to start I wouldn't be on this forum most likely.

[Bugbear]

Well, continuing the thought of my last post in the light of DWFII's post, I am not wearing Scottish kilts if I am honest about it. They are contemperary kilts that look a little bit like a traditional kilt. The tartans aren't really true tartans of Scottish clans.

Perhaps we are talking about the popularity of two or more different kinds of kilts and have lumped them all together... I don't know.

I kind of like the idea that I am wearing a contemperary kilt in a contemperary outfit. It has a little flavor of Scottish kilt, but over all is not trying to be traditional or Scottish.

[DWFII]

Well, continuing the thought of my last post in the light of DWFII's post, I am not wearing Scottish kilts if I am honest about it. They are contemperary kilts that look a little bit like a traditional kilt. The tartans aren't really true tartans of Scottish clans.

Perhaps we are talking about the popularity of two or more different kinds of kilts and have lumped them all together.

Well, the thing is...and the reason I made the distinction about kilt popularity here, in the USA, vs. in Scotland...is that if it were only price, or comfort it raises a question: Are kilts less comfortable in Scotland? Are there no inexpensive kilts in Scotland?

Yet to hear it told by those who are Scottish and presumably in the know...kilts are regarded with something close to universal disdain there. ??

I'm not sure I wonder why but I am sure I wish it were otherwise.

[Bugbear]

I hear you, DWFII.

* Now that I think about it, a lot of this for me is from trying to put together a sharp looking outfit around the couple of contemperary kilts I have. The battle and struggle to improve my kilts from "off the peg," and all the work and learning that goes into that and converting a sport jacket to a kilt jacket. Perhaps the popularity is, in the end, from the challenge of it all... Then after that, to just walk away from it because it isn't worn in Scotland anymore, seems like a waste... *

[Phil]

Well, the thing is...and the reason I made the distinction about kilt popularity here, in the USA, vs. in Scotland...is that if it were only price, or comfort it raises a question: Are kilts less comfortable in Scotland? Are there no inexpensive kilts in Scotland? Yet to hear it told by those who are Scottish and presumably in the know...kilts are regarded with something close to universal disdain there. ?? I'm not sure I wonder why but I am sure I wish it were otherwise.

The majority of kilt-owning Scots have only one kilt and that will invariably be at the more expensive end of the market. The majority of Scots, however, don't actually own a kilt and they will hire one for special occasions when it is expected that they wear one. There are inexpensive kilts in Scotland and not just those foreign-made ones but they would not be usually be bought by locals other than perhaps by those who didn't want their good quality kilt messed up either at a football/rugby match or its inevitable beer-swilling aftermath. As to comfort, the garments are identical. I am not sure that I would agree with "universal disdain" amongst Scots people about kilts, more a dichotomy between those Scots who love them and those who despise them, whereas disdain implies an indifference towards them. Those who love them regard them as a proud assertion of their distinctive nationality (and I am generalising here of course) and those who hate them mainly do so as a reaction to the "Brigadoon"-ish picture which they feel is demeaning and no more than a shallow stereotype. And of course there is a negative reaction also because it is seen as "Balmorality" the phenomenon created by the British royals since Victorian times where they decamp to Scotland and pretend to be Scottish by going "native" wearing kilts. This was quickly emulated by many other wealthy individuals, anxious to join this royal bandwagon, strutting about in kilts on huge tracts of Scotland they bought to entertain themselves and their friends. This and their habit of excluding locals from their lands, flaunting their wealth and demanding obsequiousness from the locals have all contributed to these negative feelings. And, of course, there are a few who genuinely do disdain kilts but this is really only because they just don't like them or would feel uncomfortable to be seen wearing one, probably for much the same reasons as in many other countries.

[Tetley]

As for cheap kilts helping I'm not completely sold on that idea, my reasons are that while there is no doubt they would be comfortable, they just do not look as good and do not last as long and therefore they may indeed be a hindrance. As I see it a traditional hand sewn kilt that looks great, that can be passed down to the next generation, a kilt that can look good with a t-shirt or with a doublet is the most economical way to go.

Whereas, for myself, I would have never decided to wear a kilt if there were not cheap ones to try first. I certainly would not have paid a great deal of money for something that I wasn't certain that I was going to wear.

I had been convinced to try a kilt by a kilted friend, but had the cheap ones not been around, I would have shrugged my shoulders, said "too expensive" and stayed with trousers.

Even now, as I sit here in the office, I'm wearing a cheap kilt. I also wear them when I'm just being around the house or doing maintenance sort of stuff. Going out, even casually, however, I get out a wool kilt.

[Bugbear]

The majority of kilt-owning Scots have only one kilt and that will invariably be at the more expensive end of the market. The majority of Scots, however, don't actually own a kilt and they will hire one for special occasions when it is expected that they wear one. There are inexpensive kilts in Scotland and not just those foreign-made ones but they would not be usually be bought by locals other than perhaps by those who didn't want their good quality kilt messed up either at a football/rugby match or its inevitable beer-swilling aftermath. As to comfort, the garments are identical. I am not sure that I would agree with "universal disdain" amongst Scots people about kilts, more a dichotomy between those Scots who love them and those who despise them, whereas disdain implies an indifference towards them. Those who love them regard them as a proud assertion of their distinctive nationality (and I am generalising here of course) and those who hate them mainly do so as a reaction to the "Brigadoon"-ish picture which they feel is demeaning and no more than a shallow stereotype. And of course there is a negative reaction also because it is seen as "Balmorality" the phenomenon created by the British royals since Victorian times where they decamp to Scotland and pretend to be Scottish by going "native" wearing kilts. This was quickly emulated by many other wealthy individuals, anxious to join this royal bandwagon, strutting about in kilts on huge tracts of Scotland they bought to entertain themselves and their friends. This and their habit of excluding locals from their lands, flaunting their wealth and demanding obsequiousness from the locals have all contributed to these negative feelings. And, of course, there are a few who genuinely do disdain kilts but this is really only because they just don't like them or would feel uncomfortable to be seen wearing one, probably for much the same reasons as in many other countries.

Thanks for clarifying that, Phil.

Over here in the States, we don't have all the personal history and attached feelings tied to a kilt. Perhaps, aware of the things you have stated, but it isn't personal to us; we have our own mess of history and feelings...

I'm also not one of the daily kilt wearers, so I don't exactly see things from that point of view either. The tartan, Scottish looking kilts I own are for dressing up a bit from time to time. However, I'm not exactly trying to stick to the traditional outfits either...

[Howard Clark]

I likely would not have committed to wearing a kilt if it were necessary to start with an 8 yard knife pleated wool kilt. I bought a couple of inexpensive ones from ebay. The tried my hand at making them (should have bought Barb's book first it would have saved a lot of trouble). Then figured out I was better off letting the professionals do it well, and pay them.

I wear the stuff I made in the shop for work clothes, and one of the hand made tartan kilts I now own just about any time I leave the house.

So the inexpensive option allowed me to try it out, and the affliction has worsened ever since.I used to not care what I looked like, or what anyone thought about it. I still mostly don't care what anyone else thinks, but I find it much better to look good, rather than unkempt at this point in my life. And wearing a kilt makes me happy, when few enough things in the world do.

[morrison]

Kilts are more popular than in the past cuz I say so.

So there.

[McClef]

In Scotland a regular kilt wearer is like "a prophet without honour in his own country."

I think that many would secretly like to wear it more often than they do but they don't want to stand out amongst their peers - peer pressure and keeping in with prevailing fashion trends are very powerful influences. I note how many admiring compliments I have received in Scotland from those who feel - dare I say jealous, that someone has had the balls to wear them when they would not normally be worn...

So they only appear for those special occasions, hired if needs be.

So the growth in popularity in Scotland is somewhat difficult to assess. Yet elsewhere it is more visible and this may in time influence attitudes in the land where it all began.