Why you don't see Scots wearing their kilts often

[CMcG]

Given that there is such a wide range of prices available in the kilt market, if people aren't wearing them everyday we can assume that there are other reasons...

Personally, I prefer to reserve the kilt for special occasions. Not because I'm trying to preserve an investment (my kilts are inexpensive ) but because I see it as a powerful social signifier that designates an event as beyond the everyday. I do, however, wear an acrylic kilt around the house sometimes, just for comfort.

That being said, if someone wants to kilt up everyday, then more power to them.

[seanachie]

My thoughts on this are... If kilts are to be seen as trouser substitutes then there should be a range of prices available and kilts makers would sell more in the end. You would not wear a £200 pair of trousers to dig the garden. You would have several kilts for various uses and a good quality made to measure for best, same as you do for suits and trousers. I want to see the day when you have complete choice of kilt or trousers in all price bands then we might see more men wearing them on a daily basis. I am sure you all have views on this. We have to set a trend here and get the kiltmakers to supply what the customer wants yeh!

Well with some customers all they want is the 8 yard knife pleat wool kilt and to reserve it for special occassions. I enjoy the kilt and wearing and both my budget and circumstances make my definition more adaptive. My weekends tend to be a lot of activity, chores and playing with my dogs. Not a chance I would be wearing a good wool kilt for that. So I have my PV kilts from SHO which are pretty resilient, as well as my "modern" kilts from AltKilt. You also see some members less than appreciative of box pleated wool kilts. Well that has been what my budget has allowed and I have received tons of positive commentary on my Keltoi kilts, which are my only 2 woolies.

For the realization you desire there would need to be a lot more inertia to be kilted regularly from lots of people. I wear p@nts to work and that is about it, otherwise I am kilted. Not to prove a point or make a statement but because it is what I enjoy.

[Jaggy thistle]

As one of the oddities that wears the kilt everyday I have 7 kilts varying in age from 1 to 50 years old including the one I am now wearing a Lidl 5 yd kilt that has worn well and I have never had any adverse comments on it at £25 there is no excuse for not wearing the kilt I think the problem is that people do not want to be seen as different. Wearing the kilt everywhere does not upset people people look and make good comments but you are generally ignored

[chrisupyonder]

As one of the oddities that wears the kilt everyday I have 7 kilts varying in age from 1 to 50 years old including the one I am now wearing a Lidl 5 yd kilt that has worn well and I have never had any adverse comments on it at £25 there is no excuse for not wearing the kilt I think the problem is that people do not want to be seen as different. Wearing the kilt everywhere does not upset people people look and make good comments but you are generally ignored

I have strarted wearing mine every weekend and not had any adverse comments. Some of the older folk wear their kilts for Sunday church. Lidl doubled their stock (hundreds) this year around Burns night and sold out in 2 weeks so someone is buying them and it aint tourists this time of year. The local retailers are complaining so proves there is a market. But in 2009, the population of Caithness and Sutherland was only 38,113 and its 3 hours drive to Inverness, the nearest city. Just found out that our local Highland Dress store will make a made to measure 8 yarder from Pure Scottish wool for £250. I will save up. A response to Lidl maybe? I would prefer to support local retailers if possible otherwise they are gone never to come back.

[Calico]

This is kind of funny "kilts are already available in a number of price points". True in its own isolated context - but not in a financially realistic world.

I own four pairs of pants in my daily rotation. They cost $14.95 to $19.95 at Ross. That's about $75.00 for two years worth of pants.

I have one kilt, an 8yd wool tank that cost $630. Four of those would be $2,500! It would take me three years to save that much for a discretionary purchase.

Saying I could buy four $25 el cheapos (thus $100 vs. $75) may be true, but I would still be paying a little more to have lower quality clothing. Just not going to happen.

[Redshank]

As one of the oddities that wears the kilt everyday I have 7 kilts varying in age from 1 to 50 years old including the one I am now wearing a Lidl 5 yd kilt that has worn well and I have never had any adverse comments on it at £25 there is no excuse for not wearing the kilt I think the problem is that people do not want to be seen as different. Wearing the kilt everywhere does not upset people people look and make good comments but you are generally ignored

And when we met Tam you where wearing a quality kilt, and wearing it well,
I wear the kilt almost everyday, all of my 6 kilts are quality hand crafted 8 yard knife pleated in variety of weights from heavyweight Harris Tweed to House of Edgar Old and Rare that is fairly light weight, all where made to measure for me by my local kiltmaker, all where expensive, my attitude towards money and kilts is you can't take it or them with you so enjoy them both to the full in the short time your here, and I do.

[SoSelkirk]

Don't forget that you can reduce the total cost of wearing a kilt by removing the underwear from the equation... ;-)

[Redshank]

Don't forget that you can reduce the total cost of wearing a kilt by removing the underwear from the equation... ;-)

Stupid Boy, you obviously haven't met the dreaded West Coast Midge

[seanachie]

my attitude towards money and kilts is you can't take it or them with you so enjoy them both to the full in the short time your here, and I do.

Hey Chris, can you share that opinion with my wife?
In all seriousness ther is a lot to be said for that thinking.
I know not what ails Steve Jobs but he is a billionaire and appears
quite ill. I wouldn't want to be in that position and full of regret for working to make the next million and not having had a little more fun. There is pragmatism, but one must enjoy life as well.

[GG]

and he said he would love to wear his kilt more often but at 3 to 400 UK pounds it was not for daily use in the shop. He said you can buy a good quality pair of trousers for 30 or 40 pounds. We then got onto the Lidl kilts. He said they were not bad for the price but not enough choice of tartans.

Exactly how I see the problem.

He said most Scotsmen have a kilt, usually the one they got married in or for some other special occasion and are too expensive to wear except for very special occasions, so hang in the wardrobe most of the year.

YES

My thoughts on this are... If kilts are to be seen as trouser substitutes then there should be a range of prices available and kilts makers would sell more in the end. You would not wear a £200 pair of trousers to dig the garden. You would have several kilts for various uses and a good quality made to measure for best, same as you do for suits and trousers. I want to see the day when you have complete choice of kilt or trousers in all price bands then we might see more men wearing them on a daily basis... We have to set a trend here and get the kiltmakers to supply what the customer wants yeh!

YES