The Kilt that started it all.

[John_Carrick]

I always wanted a kilt as a lad, so when I eventually ended up earning money I took a weekend trip to Edinburgh in 1986 to get one, not realising that they were a bespoke garment. Luckily I got a lovely kilt in Modern Gordon, my tartan, form Geoffrey Taylor and this was my sole kilt for a further 22 years, by which time I was much bigger around the middle.
It was only a five yard kilt (I knew no better) but nevertheless a kiltmaker in Belfast was able to remake it for me and I wear to this day.
John

[Riverkilt]

The kilt that started it all for me was worn by someone else. I'd been around kilts all my life but it never occurred to me that I should buy and wear one. Then about ten years ago I was at the Arizona Ren Faire south of Apache Junction and saw a guy wearing a caramel Utilikilts Workman's. I was intrigued and for some reason I wanted one too. Saw the Utilikilts embroidered logo on the back pocket and when I got home found the Utilikilts website. Ordered up three of them. The first to come in was the woodland camo Original.



My 79th kilt, the last to arrive, was my blue leather RKilt....the addiction/disease took me deep....

[WillowEstate]

My first and still my best was part of a legacy, a Military MacKenzie - full story in my Newbie intro.

[Madpiper1130]

My first kilt was an 8 yard 13 oz wool family tartan the I made for my sons wedding. A shout out to Barb T. for that one. At the wedding I was the only one showing any knee. Both mothers of bride and groom were in slacks and the beautiful bride wore a long satin gown.
I have sense added two more family tartans. A 16 oz wool modern red and a 13 oz PV hunting. A new band kilt arived a couple of weeks ago.

[ForresterModern]

The regulars around here have heard this before, as it is the tale of how I got started wearing the kilt altogether. But for those who have not heard it.......

I was invited to present a medical talk at an international meeting of my peers that happened to be in Edinburgh in May 2008. Simultaneously I had been doing my geneology and had by that time discovered my surname to be a derivation of Forrester, and that it was of scottish origin. Found out we had a "clan" tartan, and also found out that our family used to be based out of Corstorphine castle (now destroyed) in what is now a near western suburb ov Edunburgh, barely a couple miles from where I was going to be speaking. Bitten by the bug I was determined to get a kilt made in my own clan tartan (Forrester Modern) and to wear it in Edinburgh when I gave my talk to the symposium. 5 months and several calls to JHiggins later and I had the kilt and a new Argyll and another tweed jacket and waistcoat and all the "clan" kit (way overboard) well ahead of my trip to Scotland. Wore it for the first time to the Phoenix Highland Games and upon entering the grounds turned and my wife commented "hey, that guy has the same kilt" about the first kilted gent we saw that day--son of a gun if the chap wasn't also wearing Forrester Modern and was a distant cousin of a cousin of a cousin who shared my last name. Other than at clan gatherings at Stone Mountain Games I haven't seen another one. Long story short, I wore it at the talk, dedicated it to my forebears in Corstorphine, had bought three other kilts by then and spent 9 out of 10 days in Scotland kilted when out and about. Never looked back.

Picture is of me on left with a friend I made at the meeting who also was obviously kilted as well, for the formal dinner ceremony at the end of the meeting. (for those who care I stopped wearing the white hose shortly after this trip and they remain in mothballed storage since---almost 6 years on this forum and I have at least learned one thing).

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[O'Searcaigh]

My first kilt was a Scottish National wool tank my wife urged me to buy (at considerable discount) at a highlands games in southern California over twenty years ago. At first I only wore it to highlands games but found it so comfortable that I started wearing it more and more anytime I felt I could. That led to my making a couple of heavy cotton 8 yd ones for "casual" wear, then I commissioned another wool tank in the Irish county tartan of the origin of family name, then bought another tank in military box pleat black watch weathered. Oh yes, kilt jackets, waistcoats, hose, sporrans, bonnets, belts, garters, flashes ... custom made Irish whistles, practice chanters, bagpipes, an old Rolls Royce, MG TD, Shetland sheep, a collie -- Oh my gawd, what that first kilt has led to... I was, of course, already married to the Celtic Lass who has encouraged and supported it all. What fun!!! What Luck!!! A kilt is still the most comfortable thing I can think of to wear and my first kilt is still one of my favorites.

[TJ Kelley]

My first is this heavy wool Irish National. Given to me as a Christmas gift from me lovely wife over 13 years ago. Surprised when I unwrapped a package containing a sporran, but dense me never put 2 and 2 together.

[kiltedwolfman]

My first was issued to me when I joined the armed forces and mid way through the first parade I knew it was going to mean an end to trousers for the rest of my days. Right after the parade I went to my grandfather and asked if he would let me wear his old kilt and got the thumbs up, now I had two kilts and 20 more kilts later the story continues.

[Kilted Cole]

My first kilt I ordered from Scottish Lion Import Shop while I was stationed in Kosovo. Farquharson Modern. I figured since I've been over sea's it was time that I "manned" up and got one. I wore the heck out of that thing until it no longer fit me. 19 yrs old and a 29 inch waist when I ordered it. So I gave it to a friend of mine, thus infecting him with the Kilt bug that we all have.

[rondo]

My first was a Celtic Croft Philabeag in Robertson tartan bought for wear at the Colorado Ren Faire. Still have, still wear it to the Faire. Truth be told, it is a really comfortable garment as the pleats aren't sewn down. I sometimes even wear it casually away from the faire.
Rondo