All About Kilts

How to Get a Kilt in 2 Weeks

2009-09-10T17:47:00.001-07:00

How to Get a Kilt in 2 Weeks

While out and about on Labor Day weekend, I was asked more often than ususal about my kilt and where I got it from. From what I can gather, the reason for the curious question has everything to do with the upcoming Treasure Valley Highland Games on September 26. Apparently, some people have delayed the kilt purchase until the very last possible minute.

So, I'm offering this post as a Public Service Announcement to help folks find that last minute kilt and to maybe limit the questions I get walking down the street.

The bad news is that hopes of getting a very nice custom fit tartan kilt are pretty much not going to happen in two weeks. It'll have to be off the rack or if there's a degree of customization, it's going to be limited.

It's probably a good idea to check with a Wee Bit O' Scotland on Emerald and see what they have in stock. Last time I was there a few years back, they had some "Great Kilts" in stock, which can look nice if you tie them right.

Here are some of your options in order of cost:

Stillwater Kilts: Stillwater kilts has the least expensive kilt out there I've seen. I actually own one of their Thrifty Kilts, which start at around $24.95 in 9 tartans. This should arrive to you easily within a week. They also are an excellent source for accessories. Length on the kilt is 24" standard, so probably not a good choice if you're short.
Sport Kilt: Sport Kilt is probably the name in Highland Athletics. They're very popular, though I've never had one myself. Pricewise, they have a huge sliding scale based on size. They have a lot of their kilts off the wrack. However, they offer some customizations that are extra. If you fall into their small or medium range and don't need any customization, this isn't a bad deal. They've got a pretty good tartan selection to boot.
The Frugal Corner: They've got an excellent selection of kilts in a variety of tartans for $61, and you can get in-stock Royal Stewart Kilts for $45 on sale. The construction is pretty solid, I own two of these kilts myself. Again, the standard length is 24", so you want to be sure that's not way too long based on your height.
King Kilts: Yes, this is my wife's kilt company, in the interest of full disclosure. These are handmade right here in Boise. She could get probably one more kilt done by the Highland Games. However, unless you have tartan fabric on hand, it's going to have to be more readily available plain colored fabric in a neutral color like Black, Green or Gray. We just don't keep tartan in stock, it's too expensive.
Amerikilts: Nice company out of Pittsburgh, makes kilts in Black, Khaki, Forest Green, and Olive Green. Their kilts run $98 and generally when I've ordered from them, they've had them out in no time flat. What's nice is that there are three options on length, so this could be a very good option for shorter guys.

So these are the main options if you are in a crunch for a kilt and all of them are under $100, so it works for a budget.

The New Sporran

2006-08-09T22:04:00.000-07:00

I wrote yesterday about how to take care of a normal sporran. Basically, a noraml sporran is not made to carry all the junk that a guy who can pack the truck of his car until the lid just barely closes. You should take a minimualist approach to packing your sporran.

What if you want or need more room? Often the option of getting a fanny pack, but never thought it would look. Sports Kilt offers a "Sport Sporran" which is nothing but a fanny pack with their logo on it.

However, in the last few weeks, I found something that was utterly amazing from the folks at Stillwater Kilts, its their Nylon "Night Stalker Sporran". The sporran has the look of a sporran but the convenience of the world's greatest fanny pack. Here's how Stillwater describes it:

This sporran looks good with any contemporary kilt outfit, and its rugged construction will withstand constant use. It is crafted from heavy-duty black ballistic-weave nylon with genuine leather trim.
We naturally kept the classic flap front and three fringed leather tassels (would it be a proper sporran without it?), but now the leather-trimmed flap has an outer zippered compartment for your cash and ID, and it covers a handy front storage pocket that is perfect for your wallet, sunglasses, PDA or passport. Behind that, you will discover a roomy main zippered compartment, with stiff foam padding in the back (so the sporran keeps its shape) and soft foam padding in the front (to protect the contents). The double-pull zipper extends across the top and far down each side, allowing quick and easy access to its contents. No more fishing blindly thru a small top opening! The padded main compartment can hold nearly anything, like a digital camera, or a thick paperback book or portable CD player, or perhaps a good-sized flask, and it's the perfect place to stow your trusty 9-Millimeter!

I bought a Night Stalker and it is just amazing. It's a great way to organize your stuff. The way I've organized mine is that each of the three pocket areas has a purpose.

The flap above the tassels holds small change and my keys. In the front pocket I put commonly used items like ID and my work badge, along with my gas card. In the back compartment, I put all my rarely used credit cards and rarely used discount cards, along with my cell phone if I'm carrying it. I'm holding this sporran and I realize it could carry a lot more. I don't get any kickbacks from Stillwater Kilts for saying this, but I strongly endorse this product. Its a wonderful sporran.

The only real drawback is I think it would have benefited from including a fabric belt with plastic fasteners. The time I tried to wear it with a metal sporran strap was a bit of an ordeal.

Other than that, its a great product. 4 and a half stars on a 5 star scale. By the way, since I'm giving them free advertising anyway, they are also offering a normal leather sporran for $14.95. The sporran is not the greatest looking in the world, but its a nice starter sporran.

Kilts

The Proper Care of Sporrans

2006-08-09T00:02:00.000-07:00

Sporrans are very important if you wear traditional kilts (which for me is all the time except when I'm wearing my Amerikilt) as they don't have pockets. But how do you take care of one?

My second sporrant just fell apart. It lasted quite a bit longer than the last one, but had long since become somewhat of an eyesore in my wardrobe. The beautiful metal celtic knot on the top had fallen off. It was dusty and damged from 2 years of being worn. The final straw was when the leather hook on the back that holds the hooks for the sporran chain came off, the sporran became utterly unwearable.

There are some lessons I've taken from this sporran and my own lessons on how not to care for one. Here are the following tips that will help your sporrans fair better than mine have:

1) Pack the sporran lightly.

One of my great challenges is that I overfilled the sporran. In a sporran at one time, I had a wallet, a checkbook, my car keys, a cell phone, and a camera. Yikes!

A lot of your less expensive sporrans that have tassels on the outside are attached from the inside, so when you overfill the sporran, it causes problems with your tassels. In addition, sporrans were not made to contain 5 pounds of junk. They have a bad habit of malfunctioning when overfull.

Keep your sporran contents simple. The question you should ask yourself when packing it is, "What do I need?" Hint: Most of the things in your wallet aren't on the list.

With my new sporran, I'm travelling light. So what goes in there? Depends on the day of the week. Going to church on Sunday, all I really need is my car keys, debit card (to buy gas after church), one credit card for emergencies, my driver's license, my keys, and my gas discount card. If I'm going somewhere where I might to make a call, I'll pack my cell phone.

If I'm going to work, I need my badge, my driver's license, and my keys. Simplify your life in the sporran and it will last you longer. You can also carry some items inside jacket or shirt pockets.

2) Have a Nice Sporran and a Kick Around Sporran

If you're a full-time kilt wearer, you should have at least 2 sporrans: one for your everyday wearing and one when you want to dress up.

When all I had was one sporran, I looked at the beat-up one I had on and saw how it detracted from the nice shirt, the tie, and a pressed kilt.

You should have one sporran that stays in the closet except when you're really dressing up: meeting someone important, Easter Sunday, etc.

Now, of course, some people have needs that go beyond limited space of traditional sporrans. For them, there's a number of modern kilt options such as Utilikilts. But what if you want to wear a traditional kilt, but don't like the limitations that a traditional sporran could pose.

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A Kilt Coordination Video

2006-07-02T21:56:00.000-07:00

This is a nice video made by huge kilt wearer who shows us some very nice kilts and explains how he picks out a kilt and the accessories to go with it. He seems somewhat sheepish about all the thought he puts into coordinating things referring to it as "metrosexual."

Its non-sense. One thing I will say about wearing a kilt is that it does make you think more about the type of look you want to go for and the clothes you put on in the morning, and given how little thought most of us men give to that, that's not entirely a bad thing.

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The Kilt Isn't For Scots Only, Exhibit #10000

2006-06-24T21:48:00.000-07:00

Switzerland now has its own tartan a reminder that kilts aren't just for Scottish people.

I was thinking about this tonight. So many people think you have to have scottish heritage where the kilt. That's simply not the case. Consider that tartans have been commissioned for every Canadian province, American military units, and 7 US States.

Now, what might this suggest. Hmmm. Maybe you don't have to be Scottish to wear the kilt. If all the websites on the Internet don't convince you then hopefully the fact that so many tartans are made for things not scottish will make the case.

Kilts

King Kilts 2.0

2006-06-18T22:30:00.000-07:00

Wow, we have the King Kilt 2.0 officially out on Ebay, we'll have some more information out on the website tomorrow, but I thought I'd give the patrons of Xmarks, a heads up on the changes.

King Kilts began in January, 2004. Our product line's evolved quite a bit since then. Our focus was more on Fabric Store plaids for first time or curious kilt buyers. We've since moved more towards special order tartans for new kilt wearers and our specialty at this time is multiple kilt orders.

The King Kilt is made as a seamless garment. That differs from some other kiltmakers, who will cut the fabric and then sew the garment together. Because of this to make a 4 yard kilt, it takes 4 yards of fabric. Generally, since the fabric comes as 54 width or 60 width, we've got enough fabric to make a 2nd kilt and we only charge for labor on that.

Here's me in our prototype:

The big change we've made to our kilts over the years involves the closure. We began with a velcro closure as our default. This didn't work as well when you were wanting a nice kilt.

Through a situation where a customer needed buckles and we had a delay in leather straps arriving, we invented a new method of closure using a plain buckle and 1 inch Cotton Belt. This closure works really well and saves the hastle of velcro. Its a nice middle ground for those who like leather buckles, but don't like the cost. The cotton belt also provides a lot of flexability because you can poke the buckle through anywhere on the cotton belt, so there's a lot more flexability as well.

For belt loops, we've introduced those similar to what's on traditional kilts, where you can fold them down and put the belt through without getting in the way of the buckles. These can also be used for hanging the kilt up.

We changed our pleating so that primarily on our kilts, we're doing Deep Pleating, even on the 4 yard kilts as our default. So they'll have larger pleats which can be a lot more comfortable as well as a little easier to care for.

We're offering our first set of kilts on Ebay. You can buy one kilt, get a 2nd for yourself for free, or go in with a friend on it and at $130 per kilt, its a great buy.

Here's the auction

Note: If you're interested in something different than we're offering on ebay like a cotton tartan kilt or a plain kilt, or pockets, then I'd reccomend visiting our website as we offer a lot of customization. If you have any questions, visit the website or e-mail me.

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The Award Winning Kilt

2006-06-08T22:54:00.000-07:00

Cotton Incorporated's Lifestyle Monitor gave an innovation award to 21st Century Kilts for his use of denim. In awarding Howie Nicholsby's company the award, they wrote:

"And while we're not certain about the viability of denim kilts within the borders of the United States, we can certainly applause its derring do."

This is one of those decisions that doesn't make sense. Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking the product, except for one thing. If you view 21st Century Kilts, its clear you're looking at something Avant Garde. Its fashionable and hip. That's what the site full of young hip models sporting these things tells you. The price tag on the Denim Kilt is $460.87 in US Currency and that's before you add pockets. Of course, the most expensive they offer is more than $2300.

Now, that its expensive doesn't mean that its not a good product. Its just not the type of product that's really hit most consumers well. Its priced so high, its not in a consumer's market, so of course, its not going to catch on. Its a fashion item. A normal sized guy can buy 3 Utilikilts in Denim for that price and Utilikilts have been offering those for years, and started around the time of 21st Century Kilts. Now at $148 pop they have a better shot at catching on.

The Best Kilt Accessories

2006-06-04T23:07:00.000-07:00

With kilts, you have a lot of accessories that are offered. Many are quite expensive, some are fairly cheap, but which are actually important? Its this question we'll seek to answer.

Clearly, I'm not putting myself out as an expert on putting together Highland Outfits for formal use at Scottish affairs. Rather, I'm writing from the perspective of someone who has regularly worn the garment for 3 years and has a perspective on what it takes to be able to wear the kilt in normal circumstances.

What you need:

1) Sporran: Unless you're wearing an Amerikilt, Utilikilt, or other pocketed kilt, you need something to carry your belongings in, thus the sporran.

In choosing a sporran, I wear a reasonable looking non-ostentatious number. Generally, a plain black or for special occasion I have a Scottish Flag Sporran using a small amount of goat hair. Maybe, its just a manner of taste, but those that have hair that hangs down to the edge of the kilt are somewhat distasteful, plus hard to manage in real life situations such as getting in and out of cars. In short, keep it simple. That's also one way to have a sporran inexpensively. There are many budget sporrans out there that with a little digging on Ebay, you can find for $25 (sometimes less).

2) Kilt Hose: Unless you have a bad wool reaction, Kilt hose can be one of the most comfortable and useful parts of wearing a kilt. Kilt Hose are good for circulation and keep you warm during the Winter. I'd reccomend kilt hose for winter wear even to those who don't wear kilts.

Its also a nice extra touch for those who are sensitive about the appearance of their legs. With kilt hose, you don't have to worry because all that will be showing is your knee area.

If you're workplace has a more business casual dress code, I think kilt hose go a long way towards making your outfit look professional and smart. There are a couple substitute for kilt hose you can try. You could try over the calf dress socks which can work very well and also improve circulation.

For gentlemen of larger girth, I'd reccomend avoiding Nylon Over the Calf socks and instead getting a Nylon-Lycra blend. The former will not budget and if your leg is too big, you've got at best ankle socks, as they can't comfortably go up your leg. The blend will stretch to fit comfortably.

3) Flashes: These are garters, general made of elastic that hold the socks up. Very important if you opt for kilt hose.

Semi-Important Optional Accessories

1) Kilt Pin

-This can give your kilt a more authentic look as well as help hold the front apron down during a breeze. One big tip is not to skimp on these. You should be able to get a decent kilt pin of decent weight for less than $20. Watch Ebay for these, I got one in my family's clan at a bargain.

2) Jacket

Very important if you're going to wear the kilt formally. From my experience, suit jackets or sport jackets simply don't look right with the kilt. They're far too long. Some options I've heard include trying to find a short tuxedo jacket in your size and use that. What I've done is kept an eye on E-bay and picked up an inexpensive jacket from a respect seller. That's generally going to be your best option.

3) Kilt Belt

This one is actually a pretty nice feature if you have an actual 8 yard kilt. It effectively holds up the kilt where a normal belt won't. It can help on a kilt that weighs 7 pounds like my 8-yarder does. Its probably not necessary if you've got a Bear Kilt or some lighter casual. Then again it may be if you buy an off the rack kilt that's not an exact fit. Generally these are avaialble on Ebay for less than $40.

Nice if You Can Get It

1) Jacobite Shirt

Looks real nice, and generally they aren't that expensive (around $40 and up) but aren't really necessary except at the most formal of Scottish occassion. Still, they look nice.

Only for Scottish Formal Wear:

1) Ghillie Brogues:

Fancy Scottish dress shoes. Most people don't look at your feet, so outside of ethnic occassions, you don't really need them.

2) Sgian Dubh

A dagger you stick in the Kilt Hose. Again, not something you're going to need outside of Scottish formal wear.

The big thing to remember when accessorizing a kilt is that 90 +% of the population has no clue on what its "supposed to look like." So you can follow the rule of just wearing something that fits the occassion and the way everyone else is dressing. For example, if your office is generally business casual, put on a nice collared shirt that matches your kilt and you'll be business casual.

Finally, get what you want. If you like any of the optional stuff or stuff that I don't think is important except for Scottish wear, still go ahead and buy it. Its your kilt, its your outfit, buy the things you'd like. Just don't let a salesman talk into buying accessories you don't need and don't really want.

Getting the First Kilt

2006-05-29T23:25:00.000-07:00

I wrote about buying the first kilt. When you get that first kilt, it can be a great experience.

When I put on my first kilt, I was amazed at its comfort as well as how right the garment felt. Getting the first kilt is also special because rarely is it just something you bought on a whim. Most guys aren't going to spend the type of money you spend on clothing just for the heck of it.

Now, some guys are so confident that they can take that kilt, wrap it around themselves and walk down main street without a thought. Others, as the initial enjoyment wears off, have a mind filled with questions, "What will family members/co-workers think?"

The worst thing to do in a kilt is to venture out scared silly because of your own insecurities. The kilt can be worn most anywhere provided that you have confidence in yourself. Part of that process of building up confidence is mental, but a big part is physical.

Most men have worn pants all their lives. The kilt requires some getting used to, in terms of knowing how to sit, how to kneel, and how to walk. So, if you're nervous give yourself sometime to get used to the kilt. What I'd reccomend is trying the kilt out around the house and getting the feel of it.

Then, try to go hiking in the kilt. I'd reccomend using a quiet but nice park, somewhere you can just relax and enjoy yourself. Get comfortable and step out when you feel like it. Don't feel pressured either way, but build up your confidence.

I'd reccomend trying this, even if you're only planning to wear the kilt to a wedding or the Highland Games. Don't let your big event be the first time you've seriously worn the thing.

The kilt is best worn comfortably and confidently.

The Casual Kilt Buyer's Guide: Buzz Kidder's Canvas Casual Kilts

2006-05-28T18:00:00.000-07:00

Buzz Kidder Canvas Casual Kilts:

Fabric: Canvas
Colors: Olive, Black, Khaki, Forest Green, Navy and Woodland Camo
Standard Length: 22 1/2 Inches (length adjustments are free)
Price: $99.00
Fat Tax: For 46 to 50 Waist Bands the cost is $109, 52 and 54 is $119
Shipping Time: Not Given
Additional Product: Buzz Kidder now offers a rayon-blend custom Casual Black Watch Kilt for $10 more than the Canvas Casual.

Choosing a First Kilt

2006-05-28T17:40:00.000-07:00

There are so many Kilt manufacturers out there, it can be hard to pick a right 1st kilt.

You want to be sure to choose a kilt that fits your needs. If you’re wanting a kilt for a wedding, you’ll want to pay for a nice one. There are many places to get a nice kilt for a wedding, I’ll just throw in a plug for my company. King Kilts has done several wedding kilts in family tartans at reasonable prices. Please check with us if you need more than one kilt for a wedding, because when we get into multiple kilts, you’re able to get every other kilt for $55. If you only intend to wear the kilt at the wedding and never again, a rental may make more sense rather than shelling out hundreds of dollars for something that you’re only going to wear once.

If you’re looking at wearing a kilt to the Highland Games, depending on what you’re doing and the rules of the particular festivity, you’ve got a few options. Some games don’t care what you wear as long as it’s a kilt. So, you can buy anything that catches your fancy, Amerikilt, Stillwater Kilts, King Kilts, Utilikilt, pretty much anything will go including Ebay which always has several good kilts available. Others have very specific regulations. You have to wear a family tartan kilt or tartan kilt of some sort. That will limit your choices. If you’re just walking through exhibits, you should be able to wear whatever you want.

If you’re looking to wear a kilt outside these normal kilt wearing occasions, a couple guidelines in choosing a kilt. First of all, wear something you’re confident in. I’ll discuss getting confident in a future post.

If you plan to wear a kilt to the office, my recommendation for at least the first time is to wear a tartan kilt. That’s going to be more readily accepted and recognized as a kilt. Otherwise, buy what you want, but don’t spend a fortune on it. You’re trying something new and dipping your toe in to see if you like it.

My first kilt was a budget kilt now renamed the economy kilt from Kilts N Stuff. It was fairly simple, light, inexpensive, but still gave that kilt feel. There are countless others that will work that are quite similar.

Kilted High Schooler Goes to Scotland

2006-05-25T10:55:00.000-07:00

I wrote about Nathan Warmack on my main blog back in January. For those who don't remember, Warmack set off a two month international furor when his Missouri Principal ordered him to change out of his kilt, alleging calling him a clown. The School Board came to agreement with him to allow him to wear his kilt at various events including Basketball games. Yesterday, the Scotsman had an update.

Victory was realised in the form of the tall American football-playing student wearing his Scottish jacket, kilt and shoes to school on Tartan Day, 6 April. He then completed his school year by attending the prom a month later, again in his complete attire.

"I think we made a lot of progress," Warmack tells scotsman.com of the school's policy reversal. "Some people liked it (him wearing the kilt) and some thought I was doing it for the attention – which I wasn't. Overall I got a good response."

He adds: "I won't hesitate to come back and help people if there is another situation like mine."

Prom night was particularly satisfying for the young man. When he and his date posed for the traditional prom photo, Warmack painted a picture straight out of a Hollywood premiere.

"It went really well. A lot of people wanted to take my picture. There must have been 50 camera phones taking pictures."

Before he begins his university studies in a few weeks at Benedictine College in Kansas, Warmack has one important trip to complete. He and his family are travelling to Scotland next week for an eight-day adventure that will include visits to castles, cathedrals and a particular loch in search of a certain water monster.

I'm so glad everything turned out well for Nathan and he got a really excellent kilt outfit out of the deal. Hopefully, he'll pave the way for others to enjoy the same privilege.

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Kilts That Aren't

2006-05-21T23:06:00.000-07:00

This is a sensitive topic, but it must be said. Not every item on the market pedalling itself as a kilt really is. Now, I've got a pretty relaxed standard of what a kilt has to be. It doesn't have to be tartan. It can be leather, denim, khaki, or any one of a number of materials. It can be quite a variety of yards.

A kilt is a garment made for men that's about knee length with pleats in the back. Now there are some garments out there that can't meet this requirement, but they call their products kilts. Lets take a look.

Running Kilts

Running Kilts are designed primarily with runners in mind. Instead of wearing the chaff-prone running shorts runners can wear the Running Kilt, which isn't a kilt at all, but rather an unpleated mini-skirt.

Surf Kilts

Not really kilts at all, but some well-designed Sarongs for surfing. Nothing wrong with these, but a Sarong's not a kilt. Its not pleated and the way its worn in the pictures it goes all the way down to the ankles.

Just Change by J'Dez:

This is one where there's so much wrong with the product line of kilts. 3 out of the 4 "kilts" have one pleat in the back and convert into shorts, which offers some convenience on a windy day, but with one pleat its still not a kilt. The fourth design meets my minimum qualifications, but the pleating design doesn't look very well in the picture.

Mountain Kilt

This is a light weight hiking "kilt". The only problem with this one is that its unpleated and therefore not a kilt, thought is the right length.

Now, I'm not slamming all these companies and their products. I've never bought from them so I don't know about the quality of their work, but they should be up front about what their selling. If their selling a skirt or a sarong, say it. Don't call something a kilt for marketing reasons. Call your product what it is, but don't give it a name that clearly doesn't apply.

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Kilts and Health

2006-05-21T22:50:00.000-07:00

From the Jefferson City News Tribune, a story of a man whose life was bettered by kilts.

Two years ago, Lawrence started showing symptoms of automatic nerve damage related to Type 2 diabetes. Last May, he was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy.

“It's called a silent killer,” Lawrence said. “At the point when you start noticing symptoms, a fair amount of damage is already done.”

His condition affects his ability to regulate body temperature and affects his heart. So, Lawrence is more likely to get overheated, which can be disastrous. The disease carries a 50 percent mortality rate within five years of diagnosis.

Kilts take care of that.

Depending on the weather, Lawrence can choose a kilt that will keep him cool down or warm - in summers, lightweight canvas, and in the winter, thick and heavy wool.

“I love to go outside. I worked inside for 40 years,” Lawrence said. “I was totally unaware of the different variations of birds.”

Lawrence got the idea to try wearing a kilt from a friend over the Internet. Lawrence decided to try it out at the grocery store the first time in public. He was nervous.

“I had no idea how people would react,” Lawrence said, “but the only thing the happened was that the woman behind the counter said, ‘I really like your kilt.'”

Great story. It definitely takes courage to do that. Even though, it makes perfect sense as a treatment for the disease, some guys are far too insecure to wear the kilt and would rather risk death. So hats off to you. God speed and enjoy your (kilted) life.

Now, there are a variety of things believe about kilts being able to cure diseases. I've heard some suggest that wearing kilts can increase fertility, but there's no real data that proves it benefits more than saying wearing looser pants.

I do know it has been a benefit to me as I suffer from a tendency towards knock knee. What would happen in pants is that my legs would rub together and they'd do so through two layers of fabric, the under garment and the pants. What this did to the pants was pretty bad. It basically sanded the fabric down. What it did to my thighs was even worse. There were basically permenent blisters on my thighs from the chaffing. Sometimes it bled, sometimes it stung, but for the most part I got used to it. I developed a weird walk which served to protect myself.

When I started wearing the kilt the problem disappeared. I'd become used to it, so I didn't think about it. On a recent trip to Mexico, I bought a pair of swimming trunks to wear under my kilt when I went to Chichen Itza, the Mayan archeological site. I wore them for modesty sake as I figured I was in a strange country and the worst that would happen if a wind blew up is that people would see the same thing as if I was wearing a pair of swimming trunks only.

Well, I got to re-experience the chaffing and ironically there was no wind that day. My wife was shocked and I had some severe discomfort as I resumed my old pain. My wife noted that she'd noticed I'd stopped walking odd, but that after wearing the shorts I'd started again. It goes without saying that I didn't wear the shorts again, nor do I intend to. They're bad for my health, don't you know? :)

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Give Bear a Break

2006-05-19T00:05:00.000-07:00

I won't go into much detail on Bear Kilts for now. The business is currently not taking new orders, but hopefully will in the future and I hope soon. Bear is a great kiltmaker. I've got one of his kilts and it still wears as good as the day I first got it after 3 years. Still, the wait time had gotten pretty long (up to a year). Still, they were worth the wait. In the meantime, Bear does still have some accessories for sale. So check that out anyway.

An Intelligent Question

2006-05-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

You get a lot of interesting questions as a full-time kilt wearer. Well, not really interesting. Unless you consider, "Do you play the bagpipes?" for the thousandth time interesting or someone asking whether you're Scottish/Irish/English.

I walked into Albertson's tonight and a guy asked me, "What's the difference between a Scottish and an Irish kilt?" I explained the Irish kilts were generally either District Tartans or Plain Kilts while the Scottish Kilts preferred Family Plaids. (Clearly, there are exceptions to this.) He then asked whether my kilt was Scottish or Irish. I responded that it was Royal Stewart which was Scottish. The man nodded and walked away. "You learn something every day." Indeed, if you ask the right questions.

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Amerikilt: The Customers Speak

2006-05-17T23:07:00.000-07:00

Here are the reviews I've gotten on the Amerikilt. Click here to read the details on the Amerikilt.

I got my first one a couple weeks ago. A couple of minor problems with the order, but first rate customer service got everything straightened out quickly. The Amerikilt is very well made, but the material in mine is 100% cotton, not cotton/poly. Very soft and comfortable. The pleats all point the same way, which is fine, but I think one or two more on the left and right front would be very nice. The belt loops are too small: they need to accommodate a two or two and a half inch belt. The cloth 'sporran' is a nice touch, though a bit too small for my Springfield .45. The hip pocket is just right. I have a thick wallet (not with money!) and I don't have to dance a jig to get it out. Serged edge is a small minus, a proper hem would be much better. Overall, I think the Amerikilt is a great buy, and I plan to get a couple more.

Star Rating: 4.25

The Amerikilt was my second Kilt and one has to give a round of applause to the Butlers for some awesome customer service. I needed a custom length and it was no problem for them. It arrived in 3 weeks (would have been sooner without the extra length) and it's one of my absolute favorites.

What I Liked:

1) The most comfortable garment I've ever worn. I've even thought about sleeping in it.
2) Durability. My Kilt was the Olive one and it looked like it was made of the same stuff as an army tent. Very tough Cotton/Poly blend.
3) Modesty: Very Easy to sit in, plus the button snaps holding the two aprons together protects against accidental exposure from anything but a hurricane.
4) Sporran. Every Amerikilt comes with a cool cloth sporran that matches the color of the kilt. The Sporran and the accompanying back pocket provide more than enough room for all the stuff I have.

What I Don't Like:

Not much, although I'm not sure how much I'll be able to wear it come winter.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

-Elijah

Likes: It is cheaper alternative to the Utilikilt. It has the Velcro fastener to wear it without a belt. Great customer service.

Dislikes: Inside pleats not sewn down. The belt loops cannot accomodate even a 2 1/4 kilt belt and buckle. When unfastening the kilt, you have to pull the belt forward or be able to slide it through the belt loop that is over the Velcro.

Rating: 4.0 stars binx

I recently purchased my first first kilt from Amerikilts. I've worn it 3 times in as many weeks and am very pleased with the fit, feel and look of this well made garment. Granted that I don't have anything to compare it to I would rate Amerikilts as at least a 4- star company ( service was quite a bit quicker than I expected ) -Jim

I just wanted to say that I just received a kilt from Amerikilts and I
am very pleasantly surprised. I thought it looked good on the web, but the
actual kilt exceeded my expectations. They are great people to work
with and the fit and finish is wonderful. It's my first kilt, but it won't be my
last. I highly recommend Amerikilts as a fantastic casual kilt.-Patrick McGinley

Casual Kilt's Buyer's Guide: Amerikilt

2006-05-17T12:10:00.000-07:00

I wrote the Casual Kilt's Buyer's Guide about 2 years ago. Its now hopelessly out of date. I'm going to update it by doing one manufacturer at a time and then updating it in the template.

So, today's kilt is the Amerikilt:

Fabric: Cotton/Polyester Blend and Corduroy
Colors: Black, Khaki, Forest, Olive, Tan, Denim, Brown
Standard Lengths: 20" in., 22 in., 24 in. (Will do custom lengths)
Price: $98 ($123 for Corduroy)
Fat Tax: none
Shipping Time: 3-4 weeks in the United States

I'll have some revies from Amerikilt wearers tonight.

What You Can Do In a Kilt

2006-05-17T12:05:00.000-07:00

Hey, a lot of people think Kilts are impractical and you can't do anything in them. I caught this little nugget at the bottom of a story on magic, there's this little note:

Benedict and Arcane both returned in the second half, along with headliner Tim Eadie, dressed in a camouflage kilt and bowler hat, who, among other things, swallowed a four-foot long balloon, then carried on the rest of his act without ever appearing to remove it.

So, there's a lot of slight of hand and various actions involved in magic and the kilt's no problem for Tim Eadie and it shouldn't be for anyone else.

Kilts

Pittsburgh Kilts Bites the Dust

2006-05-17T00:05:00.000-07:00

Sad news. A great Kilt Making company has stopped production. Pittsburgh Kilts is done. I'd been planning on getting one eventually, but apparently its just not paying enough. I definitely understand the difficulty there. You can't make a good living unless you're mass-producing them. For a lot of kiltmakers, its a sideline. Sometimes, you've got other things going that are more profitable and you just can't afford to continue them.

Anyway, check out the Pittsburgh Kilts site. He's got a lot of great kilts.

Why I Write This Blog

2006-05-16T23:41:00.000-07:00

I should have noted this in my first post but I spaced it. Oh well, lets give it a 2nd go as this is a slightly less ungodly hour of the night.

I started wearing kilts in 2003. I lived in a world where I'd always worn pants and everyone knew me as wearing pants, so it mainly got used for hiking or a trip to Glacier Park. When I moved to Boise, I figured I'd start right off wearing a kilt, then people wouldn't think I'd went bad. They'd think I was mad and then find out I was more sane as they got to know me.

Well, working in an office in customer service, you really have no need for pants. So, a couple years ago I gave them all to a thrift store. I've not worn a pair of pants since December 28, 2003. :) So, I'm going on 2 1/2 years of pantslessness. So, you gain a lot of practical experience.

I've got a pretty nice dress-up outfit with a Montrose doublet jacket, an 8 yard kilt, kilt pin in family crest, and a kilt belt. However, I don't work for the tartan police, and won't claim that I know everything but all the fancy stuff with kilts. This blog is about day to day stuff. Kilt wearing as more than just a costume, but as a practical garment, though that other stuff can be quite fun. :)

In the interest of full discloure, I'm Customer Resource Manager for King Kilts. I know it sounds like a big title, but my wife's the owner so she promoted me, so it'd look better on my resume. :) But, there are a lot of great kilt makers out there and we'll treat them all fairly.

Reporter Tries a Kilt-Again

2006-05-15T23:32:00.000-07:00

The latest in the long-running series of reporters trying the kilt for a story appeared towards the end of last month in the News Tribune. Other than the normal thing with the reporter's self-consciousness, there was this little tidbit about Utilikilts stores:

Utilikilts has no dressing rooms, he warned, so you have to be prepared to “drop trou” out in the open.

The dressing room thing is definitely disheartening. Kind of raises the question of, "Why bother with a shop?" You can "drop trou" in the middle of a ren faire when they come to your area.

He settled on a Tripp Kilt from Hot Topic for $50. (He must have Scottish ancestry with that cheapness.) The Tripp Kilt requires something to wear it.

Its got a lot of metal on it and a lot of punk stuff. The reporter had to cover up some skull buttons.

The big thing is that the kilt has a standard length of 25". That's a little long, not on me, but on anyone under 6 foot something it is. He wore it a little bit high in the pictures so that it looked right. I guess that instinct is almost automatic.

Hutchens writes of this experience at work:

I was, however, queried about my underwear 419 times before lunch. Co-workers, sheesh. If you walk into an office wearing a kilt, you’d better be prepared for catcalls and cell-phone cameras.

This is what I absolutely hate about these stories. You take 1 male Reporter who thinks wearing a kilt is going to make a great story, throw in a good healthy dose of nervousness and send him out to the world for a day and write about it. It makes for some interesting copy. But Joe Schmo reading it at home goes, "Oh my gosh, I'm not going to wear a kilt, because I'm going to be a spectacle forever."

Might I suggest that if Mr. Hutchens wore a kilt for a month, he'd go to a reaction at work of zero. I know that the first 2 days I wore a kilt to work, I got some reaction. By the end of the week, it was old hat and has been for 2 1/2 years. Most will tell you the same. Its novelty that makes the kilt interesting. If its worn everyday, its just what the person does and who they are.

Kilt

Welcome to All About Kilts

2006-05-15T23:24:00.000-07:00

This is my new blog. I've got a longstanding one here. All About Kilts is going to be different because as the name implies, the focus is on kilts and only kilts. No politics, no nothing else, pretty much just kilts.

Its a growing trend among men, as we seek to reclaim the idea of rugged, masculine comfort through traditional kilts and the newer models such as Utilikilt, Amerikilt, and the like.

What All About Kilts will provide are Kilt Reviews, kilt pictures, analysis of Kilt news stories, links to Kilt Blog postings, and kilt experiences. As far as I know, its a first in its niche, if I can keep it going. Posts won't be every day, but should be several times a week. So, welcome.