Postcard from Dayton

[Rex_Tremende]

My pal, Ken, and I zipped up to Dayton, OH, today for the Celtic Festival. We were there from about noon until 2:00, mostly cruising the vendors. I was on a mission to get another pair of stone kilt hose (accomplished), and to get Ken into a UK (also accomplished),

Ken has admired my kilts and has offered nothing but support and encouragement since I began wearing them. He owns a sulu, picked up once on a trip to Fiji, and though I’ve never seen him wear it, he says he loves it. For a year now, I’ve gently suggested that he’d enjoy wearing a kilt, and would get more use out of it than the sulu.

He never denied that he would, but was never willing to take the plunge without tangible and visible proof that it would work for him. Seeing UtiliKris in sandals at dinner the other day also left a good impression.

So, when Adam “Arrogcow” mentioned there’d be a UK booth at the festival, I called Ken to see if he’d be interested in going up with me. I told him what I had in mind for him, and he gamely went along.

What surprised me when we arrived was that I saw more Utilikilts than traditional tartan kilts. As far as I could tell, the only traditional kilts I saw were on vendors and a group of pipers (in tees), unless you count one very sad Clan MacTablecloth pleated skirt I saw on one young kid. I have to give him credit for getting into the spirit of the occasion, though. Nevertheless, UKs were everywhere! I saw maybe a dozen or more, and there weren’t all that many people in attendance at the time. I also saw one Amerikilt (I think) in gray digital camo, and a family with three young boys who were all sporting homemade UK knock-offs – the youngest was maybe around six or five years old.

(For the record, I wore my new navy FK so as not to offend any tartan police while being the most like a traditional kilt among the casual kilts I own. I popped into one – maybe the only one – kiltmaker’s booth to see the handiwork, and was asked, “So, do you want a real kilt?” I was a little put off by the way she asked her question, but I didn’t care for her work either, so nothing lost there.)

At the UK booth, I showed Ken the Original and the Mocker; he preferred the Mocker. I found one in his favorite color, black, in his size and suggested he try it on. Wow – it fit really nice, and I could see the bottoms of his knees! Sold!

Meanwhile, I noticed that they were stocking the heather gray Mockers. I tried one on a size smaller than I have been ordering in short – a length I’d never been willing to order online – and liked the look of it. Sold! (That’s #10.)

Meanwhile, this chick was trying on an olive Original. Sold!

Ken walked out with the UK on and his shorts in the bag, and once around the corner he went regimental. A few paces later, he said he understood why I like them so much.

Regards,
Rex in Cincinnati

[kilted in kleaveland]

That's fabulous! Another kilt added to the rabble. I hope your friend gets good use out of it and that he wears it proudly. I know the first time I put one on, it was an epiphany. Today is the first day in shorts in two and 1/2 weeks and I couldn't be more uncomfortable. Kilt on!

[pbpersson]

Meanwhile, I noticed that they were stocking the heather gray Mockers. I tried one on a size smaller than I have been ordering in short – a length I’d never been willing to order online – and liked the look of it. Sold!

SO....where does that one hit your knee....or does it totally miss your knee? I'm just curious about how daring you are getting.

Ken walked out with the UK on and his shorts in the bag, and once around the corner he went regimental. A few paces later, he said he understood why I like them so much.

Yes....well....going regimental would have that effect I would think. When I'm regimental it feels like I'm wearing NOTHING and I can't imagine being that way all the time like some of you on here..... My goal is to work up to that someday.

[Rex_Tremende]

SO....where does that one hit your knee....or does it totally miss your knee? I'm just curious about how daring you are getting.

Skims the top. No minis for me.

Regards,
Rex in Cincinnati

[arrogcow]

I'll be there tomorrow. Glad you had a good time. Congrats on the new kilts.

Adam

[Panache]

Well done Rex! And now step two:


"You know Ken now that you are a kilt wearer there is this great online forum you should take a look at. It's called X Marks the Scot..."

Cheers