The better half and I will be vacationing in Ireland the fall, hitting up pretty much all the typical tourist spots (Ring of Kerry, Giant’s Causeway, Skellig Islands, etc). He has a few all-black utilikilts that he would like to bring with him (to wear paired with hiking boots), but we’re concerned about coming across as “those” kinds of American tourists, or getting him punched in the face.
Thus, our question: Are utilikilts wearable, or no?
Bumping for the post-weekend crew; anyone?
He will certainly not be punched in the face, but he will have to put up with a fair amount of pointing and giggling, and a certain amount of curiosity. Generally people will regard him as eccentric.
So, pretty much the same as in the US.
There’ll be an additional layer, which is that people will link his eccentricity with his Americanness. They’ll think that he’s an American who things that kilts are widely used or common in Ireland, and who thinks he can blend in/show respect/express his own ancestral Irishness by wearing a kilt.
I dunno, to me it would be like an Irish person deciding to tour the US while wearing and Uncle Sam outfit. Kinda off.
My question: WHY does he want to do this? Specifically, does he want to draw attention to himself? ISTM that when traveling you want to blend in and not stand out as different. Unless that different way of dressing is an integral part of your identity, like wearing a kippah, headscarf, nun’s habit, sari, etc.
Do people in Ireland ever wear kilts casually to begin with? I was under the impression they were more for special occasions.
I could be wrong, but it seems like someone hiking in a kilt would be like someone hiking in a tux, or in the case of a Utilikilt, someone hiking in a tux that was modified for hiking in.
Also, if it makes any difference I believe Utilikilts are an American invented and made product. I’m not entirely sure wearing a traditional Scottish piece of formal wear with a decidedly American twist on the entire look of it while casually walking around in Irish tourist traps will accomplish whatever he’s trying to accomplish other than not getting punched in the face.
IIRC, kilts are Scottish not Irish. Perhaps it would be more like wearing an Irish person wearing an Uncle Sam outfit in Canada.
Wikipedia tells me that kilts have been adopted by Irish nationalists as a symbol of Gaelic identity.
Bearing that tidbit in mind, I’d strongly consider leaving them at home.
Don’t worry about stupid outfits, but worry about getting on Skillig Michael. If you want to land on the island most tours are already booked now for the rest of the year. So stop reading this and get on Google!!!
In the US, there’s essentially no connection between a tartan kilt and a casual kilt. If you see someone wearing a tartan kilt, they’re specifically celebrating some sort of Celtic heritage or culture. They’re probably carrying a bagpipe, or if they’re not, a viewer’s first assumption would be that they had just set it down, and were on a break between songs. On the other hand, if you see someone wearing a casual kilt, the assumption is that they find them comfortable, or they like to be thought eccentric, or they’re experimenting with gender issues, or some combination of the above.
Why does it matter that his Kilt is black?
I’m not Irish or Scottish, but I’m well travelled and have seen all sorts of clothing choices across the world and I would definitely point and laugh (metaphorically, not actually). It seems like the sort of stereotypical thing that an american tourist would do.
I think the point is that it’s not a plaid tartan.
It would be okay, but only if you wear a Hawaiian shirt with it.
Imagine hiking up the Appalachian trail. Now, envision coming across a man wearing an Abraham Lincoln suit, complete with stovepipe hat, but all in khaki tan. And you further discover that he has a foreign accent and is a visitor. He tries to convince you that his strange outfit is just what he normally wears at home.
Are you more or less afraid of/amused by him when you find out he wears this all the time?
I doubt anybody will want to hit you, and it may even increase the number who want to take selfies with you, but you will have trouble making any actual friends.
I dont think you can compare a Utilikilt to a Uncle Sam or Abe costume. Utilikilts are not costumes, they are comfortable and practical. They are a bit unusual, yes.
So, there will be a few doubletakes and a couple of giggles, but no one will throw potatoes.
Biting insects might well be a problem.
I’ve thought of an American equivalent: wearing a big-ass Stetson hat when you’re not actually on a ranch or riding (as opposed to smaller types of cowboy hats). Sure, some Americans do anyway, but if you’re a foreigner some people might conclude that you are doing so because you think it is standard American dress.