KWD, I think your friend is spot-on with his comments. Utilikilts, in fact, are very much the "cargo shorts" of kilts. Hence the name. They're utility kilts. Especially their models like the Survival that the OP was wearing.

Of course, they do have some models that are meant to be more dressy, like Dockers equivalent (the Mocker). They even have a tuxedo variant, which I find very odd. But I still don't think the general public will see the Utilikilt as any sort of dress-up attire. Especially when compared to a quality wool tartan kilt with all the traditional accessories.

yojackus, have you work kilts around these people before? Or was this their first hint that you wear a kilt?