What brought you to wearing a kilt?

[Declan Rowan]

At the risk of sounding stereotypical, I started wearing a kilt because of the lasses. Well, one in particular. She was interested in kilted men, and I figured it would be a good way to get her attention. Things didn't work out between us (She was an "Old Money" family, I was a kid with "No Money") but the kilt was comfortable and the peripheral attention from other lasses made up for it. Then when I was starting a pub band, it got us some attention as "the band with the guy in a kilt."

[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.

[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

[GMan]

I always admired Kilts. Because of my Celtic background, I just decided to do it. What a great idea.

[Sammac]

I had wanted to get a kilt for 20 some years, but the cost for a Scottish handsewn was always a bit much. Last year my dad passed on and I thought I not getting any younger, so I ordered my first kilt. Following my dads wishes we did not have a funeral, he wanted people to remember him as he was alive. My mom held off having a memorial till spring so the weather was nicer. The first time I wore my kilt was to my dad's memorial, mom said dad would have been proud as he was proud of our Sottish heritage. Now have 2 kilts, another on the way and planning on more in the future.

[robthehiker]

I wore one for the first time at my wedding and was immediately hooked. And I was hooked on kilt-wearing too.