Quote Originally Posted by M. A. C. Newsome
Now, on the other hand, many of the contemporary kilt styles, such as Utilikilts, or kilts made from a non-woolen material, really are *designed* for casual wear, and will look out of place if worn to a formal occasion, especially one in which a traditional kilt is expected.
I agree with most things Matt says, but I don't agree with this completely. There are a few contemporary kilt companies that DO look "traditional enough" to wear to formal events... If you take a FK (inch wide pleats model) and get it without the buttons, it's a sharp "traditional looking" solid kilt. If you take a Poly Viscose kilt and sew it up properly, give it straps and buckles and fringe, it can be (to the untrained eye) pretty darn close to a wool kilt. It's not until you inspect it close up (and touch it) that you know it's not wool. We've had many customers get married in our Semi Traditional model. We've had several pipers buy our Semi Traditional b/c it's cooler and much more cost effective than wool. When they're marching alongside of other pipers in a parade, you can't pick out the PV vs. the wool.

Would I try to pass off our Casual model (or a Bearkilt or Sportkilt) for a "Kilt to get married in"? No. Are they formal enough to pipe in? No. Can we go to the store in them? Yup... that's what they were designed for.

I'm just saying that SOME "alternative material" kilts are found to be dressy enough to wear to weddings and / or pipe in.