What would you like to see in a kilt?

[CRussell]

There are well over 8000 unique tartans on record with more being added on a weekly basis now it seems. The great majority of those are not "traditional clan tartans"

Now true, the woolen mills are not going to stock all of these. They are going to stock what sells the most. Introducing more fashion tartans won't change the economics of that.

This is an excellent point. As you point out, what I really meant was that I wish some newer and simpler tartans were both more regularly stocked by the mills and more frequently worn by kilt-wearers. However, I can't blame the mills for not stocking less popular tartans, or kilt-wearers for wearing what they like. Nevertheless, the question was what I would like to see in the kilt market and I would like to see more of the new fashion tartans being regularly stocked and worn, whether that is practical or no.

I'm not quite sure I follow you, as you were just complaining that one reason you don't like traditional tartans is that they all seem to use the same basic colors. But now you are asking for fewer colors.

I apologize for the confusion; I wasn't very clear. What I meant by "fewer colors" is fewer different colors and fewer lines in a single tartan. A good example is the Royal Stewart tartan which includes at least red, black, white, and yellow lines, in several thicknesses, with many individual lines in the repeating pattern. While it's only my taste I'm speaking for, it looks very busy to me. I saw a tartan just today that had only wide black stripes on a field of red with one thin yellow line running up the black (I believe). Versus the Stewart, this tartan has fewer colors included, and a simpler pattern. That's what I was trying to say.

Why do we have to "do away" with these types of accessories (which you agree look fantastic) in order to allow simpler, more modern styles? Can we not have both as an option?

I'm not saying we have to do away with these accessories. The kilt will never cease to be a distinctive piece of Scottish heritage. Even if the entire world took to wearing kilts, it would still be a piece of Scottish culture and history. However, accessories such as sgian dubhs (which admittedly don't make much sense with a kilt outfit that's trying not be particularly Scottish), sporrans, and kilt belt buckles have been difficult to find for me without overt Scottish symbols or references. I would like to see more accessories that are more universal, but as you point out, if there's much more demand for buckles covered in thistles and saltires, then it makes more sense for suppliers to stock those instead.

As for older forms of dress, here again I suppose I am stepping on other people's freedom to choose what they like to wear. As I said, I would really like to see more people view the kilt as something they could wear, and less like ethnic costume for Scots. Whether this is desirable is of course debateable. I would understand Scots wanting to keep the kilt for themselves as it is part of their unique heritage. Personally however, I would be happy to see it gain more universal acceptance, and I feel like wearing the kilt to formal events dressed in Georgian era clothing, no matter how nice looking, makes the kilt look like costume, and thus is likely to decrease the appeal of the kilt to people who would feel uncomfortable in such period garb. For this reason, I would like to see more people wearing kilts with more modern looking clothing or clothing that more closely resembles “Saxon” clothes. For instance, a Prince Charlie that has regular satin-covered or horn buttons, rather than the silver “Celtic” buttons.

Also, while yes, jackets with the modifications I'm advocating are possible now, they are not as readily available. For a PC with horn buttons for example, I would have to either order one off the rack and change the buttons out myself, or have one specially made for me, which is much more expensive.

Well, you can wear a kilt outfit just like that now! What you described in the above paragraph sounds like a very nice outfit to me, and there is nothing mentioned that you could not find available today from any number of reputable Highland dress retailers.

I'm not trying to say that such outfits aren't possible right now. What I mean is that I wish they were more mainstream and a little more readily available. Perhaps I am simply not familiar enough with the marketplace, as you suggest.

Thanks for the reply,
Christopher