For Instant Manliness, Wear a Kilt
by Camilla
My brother-in-law recently contacted me in regards to making a kilt for him. I’ve always been of the opinion that kilts are a garment for only the manliest of men, so naturally I was delighted to be a part of bringing another kilt into the world. Sadly, I’ve never made a kilt before, which lead me to do some research on this wonderful item of clothing.
The kilt as we know it didn’t show up until the late 1600s—previous to that, the great kilt was made by wrapping a large piece of plaid around oneself and holding it in place with a belt. The tailored kilt with sewn pleats is a more modern invention, and was very popular among men of several nationalities through the 17- and 1800s. It was worn as a part of military uniforms, working clothes, and even formal dancewear.
These days, it’s hard to find many American men who wear kilts as an everyday garment. Wearing a kilt is a strong fashion statement for a man to make, which is why kilts are considered more of a costume item now, even among those who take great pride in their Celtic heritage. Kilts are seen the most at Ren Faires, Scottish and Irish dance competitions, and other historically- and culturally-based events.
Fortunately, kilts are coming back, slowly but surely. New modern styles of kilts are creeping their way into men’s wardrobes, like the comfortable and functional Utilikilt. Kilts are also more popular among the alternative styles, like punk and goth, popularized by Celtic rock bands such as Enter the Haggis, Dropkick Murphys, and Flogging Molly.
Wear your kilts with pride, whether you’re going to a festival or just to work.
June 2nd, 2008 at 10:00 am
Capt. Malcolm Reynolds in a kilt: http://tinyurl.com/573h8s
June 2nd, 2008 at 11:29 am
I love the title of this blog
I’m not too sure how I feel about the utilikilt though……
June 3rd, 2008 at 8:29 am
I’m actually wearing that blue denim Utilikilt right now! I’ve been wearing kilts for about 5 years now, but I only recently got into denim. The thing I like about it, is that I can wear anything with it that I wear with a pair of jeans. That’s not so easy with my Wallace tartan, or even the Blackwatch.
If you’re looking for an authentic book on kilt making check out Barbara-Twksbury’s book, the Art of Kilt Making. It’s been a huge help for me as I’ve gotten into making my own kilts. You can find it on Amazon.