What brought you to wearing a kilt?

[KiltedCanuk]

Grew up in a family who embraced thier Scottish and Welsh roots, and developed quite a respect for both sides.

Couldn't afford to buy me own Cilt unitll A finished school and moved out, but by that time A wis working in the Oilfields and couldn't justify the expence with the lack of time A could actually wear one. A decade later, A now have evenings off, as well as Weekends, which is a brilliant change, and have bought 5, with another 2 or 3 on the books once A save up enough.

Ya, A couldn't make this any more interesting... despite holding off on writing it for so long while A played out various drafts in me head.

[Woodsman]

I went from a mountain kilt while hiking to a comfy kilt at home to an Amerikilt at celtic festivals. I'm hooked and and now want to get out more and buy another Sport Kilt, a USA kilt, a utilitkilt, a Freedom Kilt, etc., etc.

[CameronTaylor]

My first kilt came by way of a friend I met at Irish Night in Fullerton, CA who told me about his kilt and where he got it. It took me a while but I made the drive down to Sportkilt and saw this blue kilt. They called it Pacific Blue because it wasn't really a tartan but I wanted it and it didn't matter that it was a little large on me. The deal was made and the first time I wore it (yep, reg.) I met the girls from Celtic Spring at a festival in LA - to this day they've never seen me in anything other than a kilt. Researching my family tree (fortunately my old sister did all the hard work as a high school project) led me to seek the Taylor tartan, sept of Cameron. My search also led me here.
Now I'm a Pittsburgh Steelers cheerleader.

Pacific Blue has since been sold to a taller gent what plays a fiddle.


CT - and hippo hunter

[Jaggy thistle]

Always wanted a kilt so when I started earning I bought an ex army kilt then a new kilt I have worn the kilt ever since over 50 years now daily since retirement nothing to beat it for comfort!!!!

[McMurdo]

An interesting thread, for me there was always a kilt in the house, my dad had his old kilt, he rarely wore it though. I wore my first kilt when my brother was married, it was a rental outfit, at the time I remember asking my brother "Why haven't I done this before?" I really liked it, kilt wearing was then supplanted by the fact that I would not wear on my motorcycle, and so the years passed. At work we had a "Heritage Night" so I decided I would wear a kilt, my dad gave me the old Gunn Modern that was his as a lad and off I went. My co-workers loved it and asked when I'd wear it again, so I started by wearing it 2 or 3 times a week, after that I was given the kilt my twin brother was married in and bought a few of my own, I've been wearing one every day for going on 3 years now.

[cessna152towser]

Wouldn't have been seen dead in a kilt when I was younger and stubbornly refused to ever wear one. When I was about 40 my wife eventually persuaded me to get a kilt for special events and for Scottish Country Dancing. I bought a used one cheaply in a thrift shop, I liked it but it was a poor fit so I donated it back to the shop and ordered a made to measure one. Even then I only wore a kilt as costume for special events until I tore leg ligaments in January 2003 and was on crutches and had no option other than to wear the kilt to work. The kilt was so well received by superiors, staff and customers and was so comfortable that I continued wearing kilts for everyday wear after my leg healed, and now I very very rarely wear trousers, in fact its now been four and a half months since my last time in trousers.

[piperdown]

This is similar to my upbringing. I first wore a kilt when I joined the local kilted reserve regiment, and then bought my first kilt a couple of years later. It's now been almost forty years.

As I've always looked up to my big brother (Macman) I have to say that it was him that got me interested in our heritage.
I wanted to learn about our roots and I thank him for opening my eyes.
It took awhile to actually have the confidence to wear a kilt but I now wear one with pride!!!!
Thanks Brother

[Riverkilt]

For all my grandfather Murdoch Macdonald's interest in things Scottish and stories of the family in Skye and Nova Scotia he never wore a kilt that I knew. For all his interests in tartans he never wore the tartan other than a tam, a scarf, and a bathrobe.

For all the highland games I was taken to as a boy and that I went to as an adult I never even thought about buying or wearing a kilt.

Five years ago I'm at the Arizona Ren Faire and saw a Utilikilt's Workman and had a love at first sight urge to get me one. Bought one, loved it, and the kilt addiction took deep.

Ron

[Darkislander]

Wanted one for many years, but with a fluctuating waistline I wouldn't buy. I decided a couple of years back to stay "plump" and go for it. I ended up with the darkisland tartan as it was the only one available off the peg at the time. I will at some point get a "coloured" kilt I'm sure.

[FreeDon!]

Somehow, a couple of years back I'd seen an article (or just the website) for Utilikilts. I'd grown up in an Irish neighborhood on the south side of Chicago, and have very strong Irish roots on both sides of my family, so I was used to seeing the kilt as a kid, but I didn't personally know anyone who wore one. For some reason, upon my first exposure to Utilikilts, somehow they struck a chord with me, and I thought that they were very cool - looked great, and a "modern" way to pay tribute to my Irish heritage, in a way. Well, the price kept me from doing anything about it until last year (about this time, actually). I'd recently turned 40, my close uncle was dying of cancer, and I decided that 40 years in pants was enough. In other words, I'd decided that life was too short.

I bought my first kilt (a black UK original) after debating with myself for a while (the $ was/is a big issue, unfortunately). I received it one afternoon, tried it on, and was so happy with it that I immediately wore it to my son's after school music program. Got lots of looks & double-takes, a few comments, but nothing bad. I was quite happy with the kilt, and soon began wearing it to teach in (I teach at a university). When the UK scratch-and-dent list came out, I bought a second kilt (UK workmen's), and later, off of the UK sale list, a UK survival (my favorite).

Fast forward a few months, and I purchased a Stillwater nightstalker & sporran, and I now wear a kilt 4 or 5 days a week. Luckily, I'm able to wear the kilt to work, too. I'm happy with being "unconventional", comfortable, and I'm proud to represent my heritage.

Don