On the ground floor of something big?

[Ugly Bear]

I have said this many times: The kilt will become acceptable as everyday wear for men in the West sometime between 2010 - 2012.

That doesn't mean that kilts will be available off-the-rack at WalMart, nor that even a majority of men will wear them at any given gathering. It means that a man wearing a kilt casually will be a non-issue. The majority of men will own a kilt, like they own a suit. But the kilt will get more use.

All there needs to be is a tipping point in attitudes. The time will come when enough men will be fed up with inseams, and overcome their fears and hang-ups. Watch for that tipping point between 2010 - 2012.

[arrogcow]

Back in Oct of 2004 I answered this question on the Yahoo UK list.

It depends, around me it is an everyday sight (people see me every day). Having said that, I know that there are at least 50 UK owners in the area (Cincinnati), and I have yet to see anyone else other that at a specific Celtic event (two exceptions, a party at my house and at work once with another guy I convinced to buy one). I think only time will tell how accepted it will become. 20-25 years ago earrings were an extremely rare sight on guys, even 10 years ago, I almost lost a job when I pierced my ear because I was in a play. Today, guys with earrings have become fairly commonplace.

Some of it will be exposure. Ashton Kutcher's picture in People Magazine probably helped more than anyone can imagine. Regardless of the caption, I'm sure many 20 something guys (or their girlfriends) have gone on the web to find a cammo kilt.

Mostly it will take time. The Utilikilt Co. has sold over 27,000 kilts in only 4 1/2 years, and there are 8-10 other casual kilt makers out there today. I think that with in 5 years, most people will see the occasional guy in a kilt (skirt) at least once a month. In ten years people will probably see 1-2 a week, and in 20 years it will not be unusual to see a guy in some kind of MUG. Time will tell if I' being optimistic or pessimistic on my time line.

I'm still sticking by that.

Adam

[Kilted KT]

But did women also not have to deal with the same fears when they adopted pants against strong opposition from men. In addition to all the workplace dress codes men threw at panted women they called them lesbian in sometimes unpolite terms.

We're adopting kilts with the SUPPORT of women and with often more relaxed dress codes and more acceptance of sexual diversity.

Ron

I'm actually seeing a shift in dress codes here at my employer, where women are given full reign to wear most anything, and men are required to wear "business casual" ( collared shirt, slacks, business shoes)...one of these days things will even out, and the kilt will be allowable.

[Colin]

Back in Oct of 1994 I answered this question on the Yahoo UK list.



I'm still sticking by that.

Adam

1994???? I think Ashton Kutcher was 14?!? Was UK even around in 1994?

[bangkok kilt]

It'd be nice if they caught on more, but I don't think that kilts will ever be mainstream. Women wearing pants was part of a larger cause of liberation. Men aren't fighting for liberation on a large front (I know many would disagree, we're fighting trouser tyranny).

Most guys don't want to stick out and be different. They comfortable with what they've got. Most of us on the board wouldn't wear many of the forms of traditional male garments out in public. I personally love my lungi from when I lived in Bangladesh, but I wouldn't wear it out in public in the US. I just don't want to. For the same reason I don't see kilts ever becoming dominant or even rivaling pants. I only hope that they become more accepted within the public conscience.

[arrogcow]

1994???? I think Ashton Kutcher was 14?!? Was UK even around in 1994?

2004, had and old moment.

Adam

[Rex_Tremende]

But did women also not have to deal with the same fears when they adopted pants against strong opposition from men[?] In addition to all the workplace dress codes men threw at panted women they called them lesbian in sometimes unpolite terms.

Today a woman in a man's suit is considered well-dressed and fashionable. A man in women's attire is called a cross-dresser or worse. I'm not arguing for women's wear for men, just pointing out the disparity.

The differences are that 1)women were adopting the costume of the power class, and 2)women began wearing trousers out of practicality, and in some cases safety, when 3) the male workforce was busy fighting a war - employers couldn't be all that picky. Once women entered the workforce, many never went back. They began accumulating more economic power, if not actual power in the workplace to help change the rules.

(When men returned to the workforce after WWII, there was a bit of setback for both women in slacks and women at work. When their children entered the workforce a generation later with a greater sense of entitlement, the rules began to change for good.)

Women are still an underclass, still underpaid, and still underrepresented in government. Until women achieve ascendancy in employment and political power - and do it in skirts - the kilt movement is probably swiming upstream, because most people will still see it as a socially, sexually, and politically backward movement. Even though we all agree here that a kilt is a man's garment, the rest of the world may not be so quick to get that until the other stigmata have fallen away.

We're adopting kilts with the SUPPORT of women and with often more relaxed dress codes and more acceptance of sexual diversity.

These are certainly factors that make it easier, as will persistent kilt wearers the likes of which can be found here. But alone they are not enough. I propose that kiltwearers would be better off, in the long run, by supporting women.

Liberally yours,
Rex in Cincinnati

[Tim Walker]

It'd be nice if they caught on more, but I don't think that kilts will ever be mainstream. Women wearing pants was part of a larger cause of liberation. Men aren't fighting for liberation on a large front (I know many would disagree, we're fighting trouser tyranny).

Most guys don't want to stick out and be different. They comfortable with what they've got. Most of us on the board wouldn't wear many of the forms of traditional male garments out in public. I personally love my lungi from when I lived in Bangladesh, but I wouldn't wear it out in public in the US. I just don't want to. For the same reason I don't see kilts ever becoming dominant or even rivaling pants. I only hope that they become more accepted within the public conscience.

I don't know if kilting will ever be mainstream, but at least here in Seattle it seems to be accepted. Perhaps it will become traditional for a small number of eccentrics to wear kilts. (Did I just contradict myself?).

[KiltedPilot]

Are public statistics available to measure numerically how popular kilts are now?

A while back I recall Utilikilts saying they were selling 1,000 a month. Any idea of the number now? Do USAKilts, Stillwater, etc. give out similar sales numbers?

KP

[Southern Breeze]

Are public statistics available to measure numerically how popular kilts are now?

A while back I recall Utilikilts saying they were selling 1,000 a month. Any idea of the number now? Do USAKilts, Stillwater, etc. give out similar sales numbers?

KP

One has to wonder how many of those are worn on a regular basis, not just a few times a year.