On the ground floor of something big?

[NewKilt]

until you can get one at walmart, I would say that kilts are not going to become mainstream any time soon. Far too many men out there are not confident enough in themselves to wear a kilt as a daily garment.

I'll have to agree with the decades projection.

I agree, Kilted. The first thing that would have to happen is that men (in westernized cultures) would have to loose their perception of skirt-like garments being strictly feminine. That, in itself, could take decades. When, and if it does happen, the majority of kilts worn will be inexpensive, non-tradional types in fabrics that can be washed, and require very little if any ironing. I think traditional kilts will also continue to grow, but will be considered more for occasions where there is a need to be more dressed up.

Darrell

[Raphael]

T
Richard Hatch wore his UK on Survivor for the entire world to see, Sting wore a jet black kilt at the Grammy awards for the entire world to see.....the idea of non-Scottish kilts for every ocassion is out there. The "cat is out of the bag" so to speak and there is no way to put the genie back into the bottle now.

Aside from us, Do you think any John Q public remember what they wore in front of the cameras? As far as they concern, those are stage clothes worn by celebrities. They cannot relate to the kilt as day to day clothings.

[bubba]

I doubt that kilts will ever become close to mainstream. For that to happen the public will have to grow up and become much less sheeplike and I don't see that happening any time soon.

[pbpersson]

I doubt that kilts will ever become close to mainstream. .

Never say never - look what happened with women and pants. Thirty-five years ago girls were FORBIDDEN to wear pants in school, I suspect if they did they were sent home to change.

Now it's difficult to see girls in school that aren't wearing pants, based on the ones I see walking to school in the morning.

If they truly are way more comfortable then they WILL catch on eventually, I think.

[Raphael]

Now it's difficult to see girls in school that aren't wearing pants, based on the ones I see walking to school in the morning.

If they truly are way more comfortable then they WILL catch on eventually, I think.

Pants can be more pratical than skirts/kilts, that's why women wear pants as well. There is no worry of accidental exprosure, leg shaving, and freedom of movements.

[pbpersson]

There is no worry of accidental exprosure, leg shaving, and freedom of movements.

If you are not "regimental" then you don't need to worry about exposure, we don't shave our legs and I thought with all those pleats the kilt gave a person complete freedom? :confused:

[Riverkilt]

Even here in the boonies people ask me where to get a kilt from time to time...

I don't think anyone who's paid attention can deny the kilt boom and the incredible potential it has.

From what I can see the core of the growth is based in Utilikilts and in USAKilts - in that USAKilts makes a more affordable kilt in some tartans.

They are in turn supported by the individual and small contemporary kilt companies and the Pakistani kilt importers.

The hand sewn traditional kiltmakers are benefiting from the growing interest in kilts. Many, like myself, started with a contemporary kilt and then grew to own a hand sewn traditional.

Many who only wore hand sewn traditionals for highland games now wear contemporary kilts to knock around in.

Its happening.

Ron

[James]

I'd suggest that possibly due to modern communications and the media, the whole process is moving muh faster than we realise.

I say this because within the last five years I talked about this very subject to a kilted chum, and then we agreed that such a kilted of male dressing would not happen in our life times. However since then we have both changed our minds: why?

Because no longer do people look at one in the street etc as a curiosity-the kilt is accepted as normal.

The fact that here in the UK the kilt is depicted in the media on an almost daily basis: where a few years ago it was an oddity.

The mushrooming of kilt makers, and the makers of the so called kilts, such as Utilikilt.

The multiplicity of blogs and other electronic communications that are kilt related.

All suggestive of a caldera about to erupt.

As with as mentioned above, women and girls not wearing trousers at school/work: that too having long been a background issue, burst upon the scene about thirty years ago.

However we cannot forget the other side of the coin: and that many do associate male skirted garments, with cross dressing and homosexuality: like it or not that is a fact. As a consequence many men are still reluctant to don such garments, for fear of being accused of deviant tendencies. The humerous counterpoint being the urge of many wearers of faux kilts, to dress them up with sporrans etc, and so claim association with the masculine kilt.

James

[Kilted KT]

While I think the wal-mart factor will keep kilts out of the mainstream for a while, I am definitly willing to help those who want to charge forward, bringing the kilt to the unkilted!!!


hmm..can you get federal tax exemption for being a Kilt Evangelist?

[ckelly327]

Personally, outside of festivals, re-enactments, Hibernian functions, parades or my favorite Irish stores I've never run into anyone else wearing a kilt. That's coming from a fairly liberal area of upstate NY. I agree that when UK's are on the rack at Walmart that will be the sign that the kilt has risen to public acceptance.

We had a meeting last week prior to our trip to Boston for the national Hibernians meeting (starting today) and one guy asked, "We're all bringing our kilts, right?" And of course, the answer was a resounding yes. Our district is almost expected to show up in kilts. We have the reputation to uphold. If you see some kilted brethren in Boston this week please stop to say hi.