I think the creators Fandabi Dozi and Andy the Highlander both deserve serious credit for the recent uptake in great kilt popularity. Their videos inspired me to buy my first, which eventually led to me finding USA Kilts. They would be great folks to consider sponsoring!
Agree. To me the appeal of a great kilt has nothing to do with fashion, Victorians, rules, tartans, clans, traditions or accessories. The appeal to me is that it is primal Scottish wear and _not_ associated with a lot of other historical baggage. It is a utility blanket that can be worn. I also got hooked on the idea by the Fandabi Dozi videos, so yes, USA Kilts and Fandabi Dozi could mutually benefit one another. I went to Scotland recently. I'm supposedly of Scottish decent but if so it goes back to the early years of the Ulster plantation....so no immediate links. So no interest in tartans for me (although my college has a Tartan and a highly respected pipe band). We stopped at the Islay woolen mill and I bought 5 yards of tweed. Would a tweed be traditional for a great kilt? Probably not. But who knows. Chances are they used what they had and what they had was probably dyed with what they had locally. The tweed that I bought will make excellent camo for where I live and hunt. I've worn it a couple of times (cut down to 4 yards) at home. The next cold weekend we have I will wear it hunting just to say that I've done it. I might not ever wear it again or I might wear it all the time out on my property. Who knows? Fandabi Dozi makes it clear that they are bulky and impractical as outdoor wear compared to modern outdoor wear but as a sole garment it is highly versatile. I have no delusions about practicality. I'm doing it for fun. If worse comes to worse I'll have a nice tweed blanket for the couch. But I do think USA kilts should take advantage of the buzz about great kilts. I know they sell them but you guys could surely feed the buzz and sell some more cloth.
@@bencompson I couldn't agree more! More practical clothing definitely exist, my daily outdoor wear is Fjallraven pants, but the joy of wearing a great kilt cannot be beaten.
My Uncle Howard wore a great kilt for hunting, hiking, hanging out with the guys. His great kilts were for when he wanted to carry stuff, protect himself, and . . . be comfortable. He was seven feet tall and he could fire a 200lb bow and drag back a stag on a travois . Nobody criticized him for wearing a kilt. He was an amazing leather worker and made all sorts of horse tack, harnesses, and leather items. For his great kilt he wore a 2 times round belt that he made himself. For him, the great kilt was a comfortable workhorse garment. The great kilt is a billowy adaptable garment, not a "business casual" sort of look or dressed up look at all. For hunting he wore a shirt and a vest with all sorts of pockets, for hiking, usually a jumper (sweater).
I think the great kilt could have an AMAZING haute couture moment if you stepped away from styling it with traditional pieces. Fashion evolves. A great kilt, collarless dress shirt (which are having a renaissance), collarless, buttonfront waistcoat/vest, & a cropped blazer would look absolutely amazing! Swap the cropped blazer for a longer one with double vents & it feels more casual. The vest with the dress shirt along feels super formal for modern audiences. Okay, so it's not black tie much less white tie, but it's certainly fantasy enough for church, holiday parties, and I'd even say weddings. If you swap out the collarless shirt for one with a collar but rounded points, you can add a tie... ramping up the dressy scale. Honestly, there are just a lot of really hot guys in the world these days rocking great kilts... be it in every day or for their job. Sam Heughan & Graham McTavish in great kilts could be a good reason why ppl want great kilts. Also, when you google men in great kilts, half the hits in images it feels like are for USA kilts... so there's that too.
Yeah I’m there with the great kilt not mixing with modern formal dress. I do think that it lends itself nicely to punk, metal, and other alternative styles. I think the ruggedness of the great kilt can be pulled off with that more rough-around-the-edges look. Band t-shirts, leather jackets, combat boots, all that. Been trying to find a balance in that territory lately.
Yes!!!! My first Kilt is my family tartan and is a great kilt. I love to wear it anytime I can. Would not change the feeling and looks I get. Get a great kilt and you will change how you feel about them.
@whiskeyvictor5703 i was thinking great kilt for awhile, so i was excited to discover fandabi. I love coalcracker bushcraft as well ☺️ I know I wasn't the only one thinking of great kilt for bushcrafting. Natural Jump from blanket
I wore my great kilt for the first time this weekend. I was hunting on my own property so no one would see me in it except my wife. Still pretty self conscious about it. Anyway, it was cold. About 25 degrees F. So I cheated and wore long johns under the kilt. I had on a hunting sweater/shirt (that I also bought in Scotland). The lack of pockets presented a problem and I don't have a sporran so I also wore a thick course wool vest over that and it worked out well in regard to pockets. I thought it might not look right but it looked quite good in my opinion. I had hunting boots on with fitted knee high gaiters (from New Zealand). Certainly not a traditional outfit by any means but I liked the look over all. Practical. No frills. What surprised me was that I liked wearing it. It was comfortable and warm. Easy to wear. And for this time of year, on my place, the camo aspect of it was far better than anypurpose made hunting camo I own. I think it would be terrible in thick brush and briars but for general woodland walking it was great. The pleated apron in the back also provides some cushion and warmth while seated. I'm pretty sure I'll wear it again.
I find that great kilts have a good amount more utility than a typical, “modern” kilt. The extra material above the kilt works well for carrying things, and in some cases, for helping to stay warm. For modern wear, having the pleats sewn in helps with the neat-ness. With that, the pleats stay in-place if rearranging the top, which involves lots of tucking and pulling, which could otherwise mess up non-sewn pleats. If USA Kilts were to offer sewn-in pleats on a great kilt, that would be awesome.
I think Outlander is partially to blame. Also it’s a bit more traditional and to me looks a bit more rugged. I have had a walking kilt for 20 years and just recently got the fabric for my great kilt. One of the things I like about the great kilt is that it’s forgiving if you’re waist line is prone to frequent changes.
For me, it's about embracing the heritage, without the English influence. I couldn't agree more about the looser form v.s. modern formal wear, not a great mix! When I want to dress up my great kilt, I wear nice loafers, a good linen shirt, a nice wool vest and/or jacket, and a bonnet I knitted myself.
That's the vision that came into my head when picturing a modern way of fancying up a great kilt that doesn't involve a stalk or looking like you're visiting King Louis's court at Versailles. I honestly think the great kilt could have a haute couture moment. It's currently the only draped, menswear garment in popular consciousness in Western media (there have to be others from other cultures, but I don't know them). And draped clothing is so much more forgiving... it's fit to your body rather than the modern concept of altering your body to fit off the peg items.
@@Chaotic_Pixie I love that take! It's both a utilitarian and a very fashionable garment that breaks gender norms in fashion. Hopefully the momentum continues and it has its moment.
I don't have a great kilt yet, but I've always viewed them as more of the rugged utilitarian style. I'm thinking more of hiking, camping, and outdoorsy stuff. I was thinking about getting one this year and depending on tests using it on my backpacking trip next summer.
I have a few great kilts, which I agree with you are more suitable for a casual look or if you like using them like Fandabi Dozi in his channel or for renfaires. I'm thinking of converting at least one plaid into a ruana. I bought a herring bone with overcheck tweed ruana from Ireland and it's a highly practical coat for windy and cold weather or if the jacket isn't warm enough. Keeps rain away astonishingly well too and has almost a similar look like an Inverness cape. So it looks good with a kilt and modern flat cap and british country style outfit. Was wearing my ruana for walks in the country side almost every day during last rather long winter on top of my winter jacket.
Just ordered a great kilt! 5 yard PV. I’m a huge fan of the utility options, the very casual aspect, and I can wash it at home. Already have a couple 8 yards, a 5 yard in wool and a semi trad and casual in PV, so might as well round out the collection. Also, started watching outlander with the gf and they just look BA.
I find by taking my fly plaid (when I wear one, and only with formal attire) that if I take the loose hanging end, and bring it to the opposite hip from where it is shoulder pinned, and tuck it under the jacket into the kilt waistband that I get the same effect.. I agree with reserving this for a Kenmore, Montrose, Sheriffmuir or other throwback/regimental style jacket. Not with a 'modern' style (PC, Crail or Argyle)
For me I am interested in wearing a Great Kilt due to I attend renaissance festivals and I see tons of kilts but hardly ever see a Great Kilt. It kind of sets you off from what you would normally see.
I have a Feileadh Mòr that I enjoy wearing in cooler weather, since it is too warm for me to wear in warmer weather. It is really comfortable and I like the utility of being able to reconfigure it for head and shoulders when it gets cold. It’s nice for wearing in the campsite. Paired with a wool fisherman-knit sweater one can be quite comfortable even in winter. I see no reason to modernize it other than with a turtleneck and hiking boots. I wear it with a wool Scottish bonnet.
I think this an interesting question & a relevant one at that and... it opens up further avenues of the unfolding journey & evolution of Kilt wear. If your customer are looking for more Great Kilts, " we a getting a lot of orders etc.." then theres a GAP in the market for accompanying wear. In my own (& completely personal) opinion the Great Kilt, as the original of all kilts, is the ultimate Dress & therefore as formal as it gets from an Authentic standpoint. From this point of view it really outshines the later Walking or half Kilt which as you have pointed out may have been a Victorian creation. On engravings of earlier Highland regiments post 1745. Though dressed in Red Coats, of a shorter cut & with short coat-tails. The great kilt is visible, ( & appears the be a lighter weave) worn over a waistcoat, sometimes gathered at the waist. Thanks again & Well done on another interesting episode!!
Well, maybe dressy casual. Semi-traditional celtic leine shirt [ moderate gather sleeves, not huge long ones. Oval or v.-neck opening ], a celtic Torc neck-ring or choker, smooth leather chukka to oxford shoe, no need for vest if wearing the plaid pinned at shoulder, and maybe a tam o'shanter. Maybe a short vest if leaving kilt down, but a jacket seems too much.
The great kilt "thing" really depends. If I'm at an event for days, a week, or longer- a great kilt becomes a sort of "all in one" thing. Best way ever to carry all your layers with you. In regular life? it's sort of a way of maintaining that outdoorsy vibe, I guess. Depends on what and how much you do. If you drive to work to sit at work to drive home to sit and watch hulu.... maybe it's not such a great thing.
I’m wondering: are there are jackets made as short as a proper waistcoat is? Because I feel like a waist length jacket would look really good with a great kilt
As much as an unnamed anatomical feature puckers when one mentions Outlander series, Sam & Graham looked pretty good with 'modern' for mid 18th century attire. Not really formal, but like business day attire/military like wear. Cheers/Pyrsk!
i wear a great kilt for day wear with just a tee shirt or a sweateror something but id not wear it with a suit jacket or anything real formal just get a tailored kilt for that
The problem is that the Philemore just looks messy. It is much easier to look good in a kilt. The Fillmore was perfect for living out in the wild as a fantastic survival outfit, but the kilt is simply better for everything else.
That might work OK. Know anyone with great kilt who would briefly let you try the two together. Otherwise use a pic of self in clerical shirt, and get a pic of great kilt online, and do some photoshop magic to see how they look.
I often wear a shirt with a mandarin collar with my great kilt and it looks great, so why not! As long as you feel good in it, that's all that matters.
+USAKiltsOfficial *Thanks for the stylist perspective.* Personally, the _feiladh mór_ is an ideal re-enactor's bottom; recommend a coordinate with your Chieftain's Vest over a flaxen _Leine,_ Lewis hose, and ankle-height Ghillie brogues such as @NicoleRudolph crafts on custom order.
![SAFEPLANET - ดาวเคราะห์ [ THE PLANET ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/4X1XL3I_k3c/mqdefault.jpg)
I think the creators Fandabi Dozi and Andy the Highlander both deserve serious credit for the recent uptake in great kilt popularity. Their videos inspired me to buy my first, which eventually led to me finding USA Kilts. They would be great folks to consider sponsoring!
Agree. To me the appeal of a great kilt has nothing to do with fashion, Victorians, rules, tartans, clans, traditions or accessories. The appeal to me is that it is primal Scottish wear and _not_ associated with a lot of other historical baggage. It is a utility blanket that can be worn. I also got hooked on the idea by the Fandabi Dozi videos, so yes, USA Kilts and Fandabi Dozi could mutually benefit one another.
I went to Scotland recently. I'm supposedly of Scottish decent but if so it goes back to the early years of the Ulster plantation....so no immediate links. So no interest in tartans for me (although my college has a Tartan and a highly respected pipe band). We stopped at the Islay woolen mill and I bought 5 yards of tweed. Would a tweed be traditional for a great kilt? Probably not. But who knows. Chances are they used what they had and what they had was probably dyed with what they had locally.
The tweed that I bought will make excellent camo for where I live and hunt. I've worn it a couple of times (cut down to 4 yards) at home.
The next cold weekend we have I will wear it hunting just to say that I've done it. I might not ever wear it again or I might wear it all the time out on my property. Who knows?
Fandabi Dozi makes it clear that they are bulky and impractical as outdoor wear compared to modern outdoor wear but as a sole garment it is highly versatile. I have no delusions about practicality. I'm doing it for fun. If worse comes to worse I'll have a nice tweed blanket for the couch.
But I do think USA kilts should take advantage of the buzz about great kilts. I know they sell them but you guys could surely feed the buzz and sell some more cloth.
@@bencompson I couldn't agree more! More practical clothing definitely exist, my daily outdoor wear is Fjallraven pants, but the joy of wearing a great kilt cannot be beaten.
I'm currently using a great kilt as a pillow and blanket on the floor of the Seattle airport. They're the best
"I'm not a Great Kilt guy" he walked right into that one. Even held the door open 😂
My Uncle Howard wore a great kilt for hunting, hiking, hanging out with the guys. His great kilts were for when he wanted to carry stuff, protect himself, and . . . be comfortable. He was seven feet tall and he could fire a 200lb bow and drag back a stag on a travois . Nobody criticized him for wearing a kilt. He was an amazing leather worker and made all sorts of horse tack, harnesses, and leather items. For his great kilt he wore a 2 times round belt that he made himself. For him, the great kilt was a comfortable workhorse garment.
The great kilt is a billowy adaptable garment, not a "business casual" sort of look or dressed up look at all. For hunting he wore a shirt and a vest with all sorts of pockets, for hiking, usually a jumper (sweater).
Yes. I wore a great kilt with a sheriffmuir jacket, and it works. The look was solid.
Thanks. I thought they might be onto something there so appreciate the feedback!
Rocky, remember, you guys are going to wear great kilts next K and C episode! 😁
Now I’m picturing Max Headroom in a kilt
Great job!
I think the great kilt could have an AMAZING haute couture moment if you stepped away from styling it with traditional pieces. Fashion evolves. A great kilt, collarless dress shirt (which are having a renaissance), collarless, buttonfront waistcoat/vest, & a cropped blazer would look absolutely amazing! Swap the cropped blazer for a longer one with double vents & it feels more casual. The vest with the dress shirt along feels super formal for modern audiences. Okay, so it's not black tie much less white tie, but it's certainly fantasy enough for church, holiday parties, and I'd even say weddings. If you swap out the collarless shirt for one with a collar but rounded points, you can add a tie... ramping up the dressy scale. Honestly, there are just a lot of really hot guys in the world these days rocking great kilts... be it in every day or for their job. Sam Heughan & Graham McTavish in great kilts could be a good reason why ppl want great kilts. Also, when you google men in great kilts, half the hits in images it feels like are for USA kilts... so there's that too.
Yeah I’m there with the great kilt not mixing with modern formal dress. I do think that it lends itself nicely to punk, metal, and other alternative styles. I think the ruggedness of the great kilt can be pulled off with that more rough-around-the-edges look. Band t-shirts, leather jackets, combat boots, all that. Been trying to find a balance in that territory lately.
Yes!!!! My first Kilt is my family tartan and is a great kilt. I love to wear it anytime I can. Would not change the feeling and looks I get. Get a great kilt and you will change how you feel about them.
I tend to wear my fèileadh mòr more often than my modern ones since none of my tailored kilts fit anymore after losing weight.
Great kilt for Camping/ bushcrafting/ hiking😅
Fandabi Dozi should do a crossover episode with Coalcracker Bushcraft. 👍
@whiskeyvictor5703 i was thinking great kilt for awhile, so i was excited to discover fandabi. I love coalcracker bushcraft as well ☺️ I know I wasn't the only one thinking of great kilt for bushcrafting. Natural Jump from blanket
I wore my great kilt for the first time this weekend. I was hunting on my own property so no one would see me in it except my wife. Still pretty self conscious about it. Anyway, it was cold. About 25 degrees F. So I cheated and wore long johns under the kilt. I had on a hunting sweater/shirt (that I also bought in Scotland). The lack of pockets presented a problem and I don't have a sporran so I also wore a thick course wool vest over that and it worked out well in regard to pockets. I thought it might not look right but it looked quite good in my opinion. I had hunting boots on with fitted knee high gaiters (from New Zealand). Certainly not a traditional outfit by any means but I liked the look over all. Practical. No frills.
What surprised me was that I liked wearing it. It was comfortable and warm. Easy to wear. And for this time of year, on my place, the camo aspect of it was far better than anypurpose made hunting camo I own. I think it would be terrible in thick brush and briars but for general woodland walking it was great. The pleated apron in the back also provides some cushion and warmth while seated. I'm pretty sure I'll wear it again.
I find that great kilts have a good amount more utility than a typical, “modern” kilt. The extra material above the kilt works well for carrying things, and in some cases, for helping to stay warm.
For modern wear, having the pleats sewn in helps with the neat-ness. With that, the pleats stay in-place if rearranging the top, which involves lots of tucking and pulling, which could otherwise mess up non-sewn pleats.
If USA Kilts were to offer sewn-in pleats on a great kilt, that would be awesome.
I think Outlander is partially to blame. Also it’s a bit more traditional and to me looks a bit more rugged. I have had a walking kilt for 20 years and just recently got the fabric for my great kilt. One of the things I like about the great kilt is that it’s forgiving if you’re waist line is prone to frequent changes.
For me, it's about embracing the heritage, without the English influence. I couldn't agree more about the looser form v.s. modern formal wear, not a great mix! When I want to dress up my great kilt, I wear nice loafers, a good linen shirt, a nice wool vest and/or jacket, and a bonnet I knitted myself.
That's the vision that came into my head when picturing a modern way of fancying up a great kilt that doesn't involve a stalk or looking like you're visiting King Louis's court at Versailles. I honestly think the great kilt could have a haute couture moment. It's currently the only draped, menswear garment in popular consciousness in Western media (there have to be others from other cultures, but I don't know them). And draped clothing is so much more forgiving... it's fit to your body rather than the modern concept of altering your body to fit off the peg items.
@@Chaotic_Pixie I love that take! It's both a utilitarian and a very fashionable garment that breaks gender norms in fashion. Hopefully the momentum continues and it has its moment.
I don't have a great kilt yet, but I've always viewed them as more of the rugged utilitarian style. I'm thinking more of hiking, camping, and outdoorsy stuff. I was thinking about getting one this year and depending on tests using it on my backpacking trip next summer.
I have a few great kilts, which I agree with you are more suitable for a casual look or if you like using them like Fandabi Dozi in his channel or for renfaires. I'm thinking of converting at least one plaid into a ruana. I bought a herring bone with overcheck tweed ruana from Ireland and it's a highly practical coat for windy and cold weather or if the jacket isn't warm enough. Keeps rain away astonishingly well too and has almost a similar look like an Inverness cape. So it looks good with a kilt and modern flat cap and british country style outfit. Was wearing my ruana for walks in the country side almost every day during last rather long winter on top of my winter jacket.
Just ordered a great kilt! 5 yard PV. I’m a huge fan of the utility options, the very casual aspect, and I can wash it at home. Already have a couple 8 yards, a 5 yard in wool and a semi trad and casual in PV, so might as well round out the collection. Also, started watching outlander with the gf and they just look BA.
I find by taking my fly plaid (when I wear one, and only with formal attire) that if I take the loose hanging end, and bring it to the opposite hip from where it is shoulder pinned, and tuck it under the jacket into the kilt waistband that I get the same effect.. I agree with reserving this for a Kenmore, Montrose, Sheriffmuir or other throwback/regimental style jacket. Not with a 'modern' style (PC, Crail or Argyle)
For me I am interested in wearing a Great Kilt due to I attend renaissance festivals and I see tons of kilts but hardly ever see a Great Kilt. It kind of sets you off from what you would normally see.
I have a Feileadh Mòr that I enjoy wearing in cooler weather, since it is too warm for me to wear in warmer weather. It is really comfortable and I like the utility of being able to reconfigure it for head and shoulders when it gets cold. It’s nice for wearing in the campsite. Paired with a wool fisherman-knit sweater one can be quite comfortable even in winter. I see no reason to modernize it other than with a turtleneck and hiking boots. I wear it with a wool Scottish bonnet.
I think this an interesting question & a relevant one at that and... it opens up further avenues of the unfolding journey & evolution of Kilt wear. If your customer are looking for more Great Kilts, " we a getting a lot of orders etc.." then theres a GAP in the market for accompanying wear. In my own (& completely personal) opinion the Great Kilt, as the original of all kilts, is the ultimate Dress & therefore as formal as it gets from an Authentic standpoint. From this point of view it really outshines the later Walking or half Kilt which as you have pointed out may have been a Victorian creation.
On engravings of earlier Highland regiments post 1745. Though dressed in Red Coats, of a shorter cut & with short coat-tails. The great kilt is visible, ( & appears the be a lighter weave) worn over a waistcoat, sometimes gathered at the waist. Thanks again & Well done on another interesting episode!!
Well, maybe dressy casual. Semi-traditional celtic leine shirt [ moderate gather sleeves, not huge long ones. Oval or v.-neck opening ], a celtic Torc neck-ring or choker, smooth leather chukka to oxford shoe, no need for vest if wearing the plaid pinned at shoulder, and maybe a tam o'shanter. Maybe a short vest if leaving kilt down, but a jacket seems too much.
The great kilt "thing" really depends. If I'm at an event for days, a week, or longer- a great kilt becomes a sort of "all in one" thing.
Best way ever to carry all your layers with you.
In regular life? it's sort of a way of maintaining that outdoorsy vibe, I guess. Depends on what and how much you do. If you drive to work to sit at work to drive home to sit and watch hulu.... maybe it's not such a great thing.
I’m wondering: are there are jackets made as short as a proper waistcoat is? Because I feel like a waist length jacket would look really good with a great kilt
As much as an unnamed anatomical feature puckers when one mentions Outlander series, Sam & Graham looked pretty good with 'modern' for mid 18th century attire. Not really formal, but like business day attire/military like wear. Cheers/Pyrsk!
i wear a great kilt for day wear with just a tee shirt or a sweateror something but id not wear it with a suit jacket or anything real formal just get a tailored kilt for that
The problem is that the Philemore just looks messy. It is much easier to look good in a kilt. The Fillmore was perfect for living out in the wild as a fantastic survival outfit, but the kilt is simply better for everything else.
What is the typical weight of the fabric used in a great kilt? My formal modern kilt is about 18oz
18oz?! For a great kilt?! 😦 It would weigh less to just duct tape a whole sheep onto one's back.
@@whiskeyvictor5703 Sorry, I meant my own modern kilt is very heavy! I don't have a great kilt (yet)
@@Molach101 Ten four.
Hi,I don't see a problem with a Great Kilt with modern jackets etc,as the current Highland wear was made up.
I will ask a question for the group; do you object to a great kilt worn with a clerical shirt? I am not wearing formally but casually.
That might work OK. Know anyone with great kilt who would briefly let you try the two together. Otherwise use a pic of self in clerical shirt, and get a pic of great kilt online, and do some photoshop magic to see how they look.
I often wear a shirt with a mandarin collar with my great kilt and it looks great, so why not! As long as you feel good in it, that's all that matters.
I’d be more interested in wearing a great kilt while hiking than going to a black tie affair.
A great kilt with a t-shirt probly grunt style or something patriotic, soccer socks and converse shoes
+USAKiltsOfficial *Thanks for the stylist perspective.* Personally, the _feiladh mór_ is an ideal re-enactor's bottom; recommend a coordinate with your Chieftain's Vest over a flaxen _Leine,_ Lewis hose, and ankle-height Ghillie brogues such as @NicoleRudolph crafts on custom order.
NO
Hold my dram.