# Hey ladies: what do you think about kilts? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 31, 2016, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-ladies-what-do-you-think-about-kilts/744719 "2016-01-31T01:16:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Barrett\_Bonden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5e9695/32.png) [@Barrett\_Bonden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barrett_Bonden)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-ladies-what-do-you-think-about-kilts/744719/61 "2016-02-01T19:20:04Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Depends on the kilt, depends on the guy wearing it. What **Guin** said. Of the men I know who use kilts as formal wear, both are average frame rather than Sam Heughan, but they look just fine. One comes across as distinguished, the other (mildly) nerdy and distinguished. I commend them both. > [@ivylass](#): > > [Ahem.](http://happyeverafter.usatoday.com/2015/04/03/suzanne-enoch-men-in-kilts-outlander/) > > Yes, **Sattua**. I did it. You knew I was going to. Well done. > [@Sattua](#): > > I’d like to note that they skipped the turn-down stocking and slipper look for the show, in favor of a questionably historic but unquestionably more attractive high boot. Slightly OT, I believe costume designer Terry Dresbach is on record somewhere (podcasts, perhaps?) as explaining that Jamie’s boots are remnant of his French mercenary uniform. I’m sure the aesthetics were an influencing factor as well. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-ladies-what-do-you-think-about-kilts/744719/62 "2016-02-01T19:23:35Z")
They did say it’s very difficult to keep continuity with bare feet…dirt changes, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-ladies-what-do-you-think-about-kilts/744719/63 "2016-02-01T19:27:21Z")
You really want to scream “FOR THE LOVE OF GOD LOOK AT MEEEEEEEEE!” forget about kilts. Start rocking a [koteka](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koteka), especially if your family is not originally from the New Guinea highlands. I think I may start marketing a line of them. “Utilikoteka?” “Go-teka?” Ah…that’s what the advertising drones are for. I’m a big picture guy. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-ladies-what-do-you-think-about-kilts/744719/64 "2016-02-01T19:33:02Z")
> [@Barrett\_Bonden](#): > > Slightly OT, I believe costume designer Terry Dresbach is on record somewhere (podcasts, perhaps?) as explaining that Jamie’s boots are remnant of his French mercenary uniform. I’m sure the aesthetics were an influencing factor as well. A quick search suggests a lowly mercenary in the French army circa 1718 would have worn low-cut shoes with stockings or spats, but let’s just acknowledge that I am a picky old grump and that Jamie looks nice in boots, and move on. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-ladies-what-do-you-think-about-kilts/744719/65 "2016-02-01T20:03:00Z")
Jamie would look good in a floral muu-muu. Just so long as I can see those fuzzy knees… ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-ladies-what-do-you-think-about-kilts/744719/66 "2016-02-01T21:05:53Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > [I’d hire them](http://meninkilts.com/wp-content/uploads/freshizer/30599a2e49a7ecff8561686668ac32fe_Calgary-Cropped-1156-577-c.png). In most cases I say _hubba hubba_, but not with the ugly shoes these cuties are wearing. They all look good from the knees up. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-ladies-what-do-you-think-about-kilts/744719/67 "2016-02-01T21:12:18Z")
I have a transman friend who doesn’t really like pants and misses skirts/dresses, but doesn’t want to be misgendered or trigger dysphoria. He’s looking into kilts because of it. I do admit that I kind of roll my eyes when I see a guy just walking around in a kilt, because it strikes me as “trying too hard” and sort of hipsterish. And while it is most of the time, my friend gave me a new perspective on it that may make me less eyeroll-prone in the future. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-ladies-what-do-you-think-about-kilts/744719/68 "2016-02-01T21:23:56Z")
Hetero male here. I have no objection to kilts _per se_, on functional or aesthetic grounds. However, my eye is jaundiced by the fact that every American I’ve known who wore a kilt was annoying to me for three dozen other reasons. It seems to me, anecdotally (and I’ve never been to the British Isles), that kilt-wearing in public is comorbid with such personality flaws as poor hygiene, LARPing, and making sure near-strangers know that you’re a Wiccan. Also, every single kilt wearer I’ve spoken to personally in America was much closer physically to Fat Bastard from the _Austin Powers_ movies than to anything you’d see in the Aberdeen City Fire Department’s Annual Fundraising Calendar™, so that may dampen the hubba-hubba factor a little. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-ladies-what-do-you-think-about-kilts/744719/69 "2016-02-01T21:25:47Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > It doesn’t do anything for me. Outside of contexts where lots of people are wearing kilts, it seems pretty silly. Kind of like a woman wearing fairy wings. > > Really, any ethnic wear you didn’t grow up with is going to be a bit of a stretch. I have a lovely collection of African clothing and Chinese qipaos, but they are strictly for themed events these days. > > That said, I do like the idea of men having more options when it comes to clothing, so I won’t be entirely against them. I have a beautiful sari given to me by one of my husband’s Indian coworkers. At church I teach a lesson on Diwali and get to wear it then, otherwise its folded in the closet. ---
**Author:** ![JcWoman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jcwoman/32/2889_2.png) [@JcWoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JcWoman)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-ladies-what-do-you-think-about-kilts/744719/70 "2016-02-01T21:52:21Z")
I love to see a man’s man who can rock a proper kilt. And for some reason I think Utilikilts look stupid and ugly. I don’t know why. Those kind of fall into the “trying too hard” or the “wannabe” territory for me. I have noticed that men in the most truly masculine cultures around the world tend to wear “skirts” (kilts on Scotsmen, the long gown things on middle eastern men, etc.) Last summer we did a week vacation in Scotland and managed to catch the Highland Games in a small town. Men who can pick up, carry and toss a 20-foot telephone pole can wear whatever the fuck they want. Somehow they did it without showing us all “what a Scot wears under his kilt”, which was also impressive (speaking as a lady who never quite figured out how to get around with my legs clamped tightly shut in skirts so usually wears pants). On that same holiday, we did ask our tour guide about kilts and teased him about not wearing one. He told us that they are very expensive. And if you’re going to spend that money, you might as well get the shoes, socks, belt, dagger, sporran, etc, etc, etc, and then you’re talking close to the Euro equivalent of $10,000. He also said that once you’ve made that investment, you can’t wear it to a wedding (except your own) because the groom’s family wants everybody to wear THEIR tartan… so they end up renting the kit for the wedding while their own stuff gathers dust in the closet. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-ladies-what-do-you-think-about-kilts/744719/71 "2016-02-01T22:33:45Z")
[The only kilt I wear](http://www.511tactical.com/kiltoff) 😃 By all means, watch the video! ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-ladies-what-do-you-think-about-kilts/744719/72 "2016-02-01T22:58:03Z")
> [@BeeGee](#): > > We have a group of guys at work who wear their kilts about once a month or so. Do they work at the head office of Visit Scotland? Because otherwise that’s a bit weird. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-ladies-what-do-you-think-about-kilts/744719/73 "2016-02-01T23:03:03Z")
> [@JcWoman](#): > > On that same holiday, we did ask our tour guide about kilts and teased him about not wearing one. He told us that they are very expensive. And if you’re going to spend that money, you might as well get the shoes, socks, belt, dagger, sporran, etc, etc, etc, and then you’re talking close to the Euro equivalent of $10,000. The UK doesn’t use the Euro, but in any case the cost is closer to $1,000 than $10,000. Still not cheap for an outfit though. > [@](#): > > He also said that once you’ve made that investment, you can’t wear it to a wedding (except your own) because the groom’s family wants everybody to wear THEIR tartan… That’s not true at all, in my experience. ---
**Author:** ![Calla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Calla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calla)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-ladies-what-do-you-think-about-kilts/744719/74 "2016-02-01T23:46:49Z")
Not a fan. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-ladies-what-do-you-think-about-kilts/744719/75 "2016-02-02T00:20:19Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > [I’d hire them](http://meninkilts.com/wp-content/uploads/freshizer/30599a2e49a7ecff8561686668ac32fe_Calgary-Cropped-1156-577-c.png). Honestly, without the whole “kit” they look like they’re wearing the same skirt my sister had to wear to St. Scholastica. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-ladies-what-do-you-think-about-kilts/744719/76 "2016-02-02T02:49:05Z")
OP here. When my dad died 10 years ago, I inherited his kilt. Dad was from Scotland, and I was born there too, although I’m about as Canadian as you can get at this point. At some point I plan on updating the kilt by buying a decent sporran and the rest of the accessories. I plan on wearing this on special occasions like my kids’ wedding, or perhaps weddings of the children and grandchildren of my good friends. Dad was a piper, and the pipe major of his own pipe band right up till he died. I’m gonna wear that sucker proudly as soon as I have the first occasion to do so. So, I was curious what the overall thoughts were regarding this. Sounds like a mixed bag. I’m still going to do it. I might even wear it next Burns’ night. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-ladies-what-do-you-think-about-kilts/744719/77 "2016-02-02T03:08:13Z")
As noted, I think people’s reactions to someone with a link to the culture wearing the full attire to a special event is considerable different than some random yahoo wearing a plaid skirt to a party just to be like “Look at me wearing a kilt!” ---
**Author:** ![Barrett\_Bonden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5e9695/32.png) [@Barrett\_Bonden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barrett_Bonden)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-ladies-what-do-you-think-about-kilts/744719/78 "2016-02-02T16:01:23Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Dad was a piper, and the pipe major of his own pipe band right up till he died. I’m gonna wear that sucker proudly as soon as I have the first occasion to do so. > > So, I was curious what the overall thoughts were regarding this. Sounds like a mixed bag. I’m still going to do it. I might even wear it next Burns’ night. Do it! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-ladies-what-do-you-think-about-kilts/744719/79 "2016-02-02T17:38:02Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > _Hastily changes complete outfit_ Hey it looks good on you. > [@Jophiel](#): > > As noted, I think people’s reactions to someone with a link to the culture wearing the full attire to a special event is considerable different than some random yahoo wearing a plaid skirt to a party just to be like “Look at me wearing a kilt!” That’s exactly right. If you are into such things and want to wear one at a Burns night event or any other appropriate event you won’t look out of place. Otherwise you might as well be walking around wearing lederhosen. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-ladies-what-do-you-think-about-kilts/744719/80 "2016-02-02T19:31:46Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > Nope. Not a good look. Even on a good looking man. My opinion may be colored by knowing a lot of guys who wear kilts and finding it to be sort of an unattractive nerdish affectation for most of them. I’m a guy, but she speaks the truth. Who do you know who’s not a massive doofus\* who actually wears a kilt out in public anywhere but in Scotland as part of some kind of formal occasion? I say this as a guy who actually wore the full formal kilt get-up as part of a wedding in Aberdeen once, complete with Prince Charlie coat, bow tie, sgian dubh; garters w/flashes, ghillie brogues, and a sporran. Neat to do once, but not something I’d bust out here. - to include SCA, LARPers and Ren Faire people, as well as garden variety dweebs, dorks, nerds and geeks. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-ladies-what-do-you-think-about-kilts/744719.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-ladies-what-do-you-think-about-kilts/744719.md?page=5)