21st Century kilts, or Utilikilts?

[TheVintageLibertine]

Yes, the square shapes on the brown tweed(?) and Lovat green kilts are detachable pockets, fixed in place with buttons. Howie Nicholsby says the pockets aren’t meant to be worn in formal settings.

The pockets are not exactly the most clean look, but I can see the utility for casual settings. In suit or black tie mode, I put my wallet and cellphone in my coat pockets, then use my sporran for miscellaneous items, like keychain, car-key-fob, etc. Personally, in casual modes without a coat, I always struggle fitting everything into my sporran.

[bookish]

I'm not really a fan of the Utilikilt. If I have learned anything from watching Project Runway, designers hate "costume." This is a nebulous term which could be employed to present personal taste as an objective fact. So, when I say that the Utilikilt looks too much like costume, I realize that I'm entering unstable ground for objective defense. Especially when Highland wear already stands out among current fashion trends and conventions, and can appear to other eyes to be costume in and of itself. Perhaps it is better to say that the Utilikilt lacks restraint.

As for 21st century kilts, these kilts are simpler. They seem to have the classic silhouette. To my eye they appear to be worn a little lower on the waist, but that could simply be a matter of style and the effect of the external pockets vs wearing the sporran. I do wonder if it's the "attitude" of the kilt itself.

Honestly, I'd love to see one close-up, and a side-by-side comparison with a more "traditional" kilt.

[OC Richard]

As for 21st century kilts, these kilts are simpler. They seem to have the classic silhouette. To my eye they appear to be worn a little lower on the waist, but that could simply be a matter of style and the effect of the external pockets vs wearing the sporran. I do wonder if it's the "attitude" of the kilt itself.

Honestly, I'd love to see one close-up, and a side-by-side comparison with a more "traditional" kilt.

I read some Nicholsby interviews and he's said things to the effect that his kilts are traditionally made kilts, but made from nontraditional fabrics.

I've got on my soapbox repeatedly about the issue of men wearing their kilts too low at the hips, and then noticing that their knees are covered and having their kilts shortened to compensate.

This results in adult kilts being made in lengths which up until recently would only have been seen in kilts made for youths.

So I was very pleased to hear Nicholsby say that "for a man around six foot a kilt should be 24 or 25 inches" which is in the realm of traditional kilt lengths.

I'm 6 foot 3 and I have my kilts made in a length of 25.5 inches.

[bookish]

I'm 6 foot 3 and I have my kilts made in a length of 25.5 inches.

Same here, actually. Though a nurse told me recently that I wasn't quite 6'3". I'll still round up! My torso is a little shorter relative to my leg length. A 25.5 length kilt sits at mid-knee for me, and looks quite long. I don't yet have a good kilt belt, and I'm sure that would break up that length which I use waiscoats and jackets to do. I wonder what 21st c. kilt pockets would look like on me. I don't think I see much or hear much talking about body proportions when discussing kilt wearing/styling outfits, but that's a topic for another day.

[Canadian Vet]

Same here, actually. Though a nurse told me recently that I wasn't quite 6'3". I'll still round up! My torso is a little shorter relative to my leg length. A 25.5 length kilt sits at mid-knee for me, and looks quite long. I don't yet have a good kilt belt, and I'm sure that would break up that length which I use waiscoats and jackets to do. I wonder what 21st c. kilt pockets would look like on me. I don't think I see much or hear much talking about body proportions when discussing kilt wearing/styling outfits, but that's a topic for another day.

I'm an inch taller but I'm all torso. My kilts are made to 23-1/2 inches (and yes, they fit properly).

[OC Richard]

I'm all torso.

You and a famous 19th century American General.

He was a hair under 6 foot but long in the torso and short in the legs, so that when seated at a meeting, or on horseback, he looked well over 6 feet, and was so described by many who met him.

[OC Richard]

Same here, actually. Though a nurse told me recently that I wasn't quite 6'3". I'll still round up! My torso is a little shorter relative to my leg length. A 25.5 length kilt sits at mid-knee for me, and looks quite long.

I was 6 foot 4 from 8th Grade up until recently, but now in my late 60's I'm shrinking a bit.

Last time I was officially measured I was around 6 foot 3 and a half.

I'm more leg than torso too I think. For me 25.5 is just right, the kilt sitting in the traditional place at top and covering a bit of my kneecap at bottom, which is generally where kilts have been worn for a couple hundred years now.

I was in a pipe band where the only kilt they had for me was 24" and it was just too short. I hated having to have the kilt down around my hips and having a bit of a gap between waistcoat and kilt.

I bought my own band kilt, which I still wear regularly.

[TheVintageLibertine]

I read some Nicholsby interviews and he's said things to the effect that his kilts are traditionally made kilts, but made from nontraditional fabrics.

I've got on my soapbox repeatedly about the issue of men wearing their kilts too low at the hips, and then noticing that their knees are covered and having their kilts shortened to compensate.

This results in adult kilts being made in lengths which up until recently would only have been seen in kilts made for youths.

So I was very pleased to hear Nicholsby say that "for a man around six foot a kilt should be 24 or 25 inches" which is in the realm of traditional kilt lengths.

I'm 6 foot 3 and I have my kilts made in a length of 25.5 inches.

The length of traditional civilian kilts always surprises me. I’m a comparatively short 5’8” but all my kilts are about 24” long, yet sit above my knees. When discussing measurements while having my last kilt made, I realized that’s because I wear kilts unusually high (at the ribcage). My first kilt was a loaner from a pipe and drum band I was in as a teenager. They had an inventory of surplus military kilts that were ludicrously long on my teenage frame’ and ever since I wear kilt higher on my body by habit.

[OC Richard]

In suit or black tie mode, I put my wallet and cellphone in my coat pockets, then use my sporran for miscellaneous items, like keychain, car-key-fob, etc.

Personally, in casual modes without a coat, I always struggle fitting everything into my sporran.

A few years ago I visited the Ohio Scottish Games and discovered that every beer booth had the same three horrid offerings. No outside beverages were allowed.

I had come prepared. In my car was a cooler stocked with superb local IPA, and I entered the grounds with a 16 ounce can tucked in my capacious sporran. (I could carry two 16 ounce cans if I had my wallet and phone in my waistcoat pockets, which I did do later that day.)



(At the West Virginia Highland Games)

[geomick]

A few years ago I visited the Ohio Scottish Games and discovered that every beer booth had the same three horrid offerings. No outside beverages were allowed.

I had come prepared. In my car was a cooler stocked with superb local IPA, and I entered the grounds with a 16 ounce can tucked in my capacious sporran. (I could carry two 16 ounce cans if I had my wallet and phone in my waistcoat pockets, which I did do later that day.)



(At the West Virginia Highland Games)

At two of the local Highland Games, they search sporrans to check for smuggled alcohol (probably expecting flasks instead of cans)