Question for Hamish

[Jeremiah]

You seem to be the resident kilt officionado, when did you start wearing kilts and how, if I may ask?

[Hamish]

You seem to be the resident kilt officionado, when did you start wearing kilts and how, if I may ask?

Oh, Jeremiah! I thought you'd never ask!!

I first wore the kilt at the age of fourteen, back in 1950, when my all-boys Grammar School (in Portsmouth on the south coast of England) introduced Scottish Country Dancing as an extra-curricular activity. Girls? Oh, they were imported from the all-girls High School in the city! Some of the boys turned up in kilts and it was not long before I pleaded with my parents to allow me to have one. They couldn't understand why I should need one but a friend of my mother lent me a kilt which her son had outgrown. When it became obvious that I was absolutely hooked on the dancing, and wanted to progress to Highland Dance, my parents invested in a kilt of my own. That kilt later disappeared when I left home to do my National Military Service. The love, and maybe talent, for the dance remained with me throughout my life, and I had another kilt which saw me through dance demonstrations, displays and social dancing for about 18 years. I replaced that one in 1973 with a gorgeous kilt that I still have, still wear and which still looks like new. That was my only kilt until 1998 when I began to wear kilts at times other than when dancing - for walking, hiking, etc. That was when I began to have kilts tailored to suit every occasion, to invest in contemporary and casual kilts (I was one of Utilikilts' first customers back in 2000) and to build my Kilt Kollection. On 15th May 1999, I wore trousers for the very last time and now, with 59 kilts to my name, I don't own any at all!!

The Kilt Kollection, whilst not complete (and it never will be) contains a representative selection including kilts from "21st Century Kilts", Geoffrey (Tailor), KiltStore.net, Albanach.com, UnionKilts, R-Kilts, Utilikilts, Amerikilts, Freedom Kilts, Bear Kilts, Savannah Kilts, Kinloch Anderson, Club Kilts, Wales Tartan Centre, House of Bruar, StreetKilts, etc.

I guess that answers your questions. Thanks for asking.

[pdcorlis]

Thank you Jeremiah for asking the question - and thank you Hamish for the answer! I've wondered the same myself.

Now if only Hamish's photo gallery was up and running - what a help for us new kids on the block. Every time I don my kilt and look in the mirror I think "What would Hamish say?"

[Jeremiah]

Wow, I wish I was bold enough to wear kilts 24/7. Kilts are not exactly common here in Texas, and elements of the population have no cultural exposure to them at all. The biggest problem I have is people assuming I'm trying to draw attention to myself, which is simply not the case. I just want to be comfortable.

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

Jeremiah,

Not to paraphrase Nike, but just do it! If others world view is to narrow to encompass the kilt, it is too narrow and inconsequential for you to take notice of! I spent over 12 years in consulting, where I had to always be concerned about what I wore, and always dress a cut above the client. I now work for the 3rd largest financial institution in the world and decided last year that I wanted to explore my heritage and celebrate it. If I can do that and survive with my co-workers, you can certainly handle some people you don't know seeing you walk around your hometown.

And if not, let us know, we can gather some Xmarkers to come down and show that there is nothing wrong with wearing the kilt and it is not to attract attention to ourselves!

[Jeremiah]

I suppose you are right, but knowing that and acting on it are two seperate things. I shall do my best to advance kilt wearing in this lonely kiltless town.