Are You Man Enough To Wear A Skirt?
By Eric Dykstra
Before you Scots hunt me down, I want you to know I’m kidding! I’m half-Scottish myself, and I very much admire the traditional, manly garb of Scotland and other Gaelic cultures — but a traditional kilt with the multiple yards of fabric, pleats, and clan-specific patterns just isn’t for me. However, the Workman model from Utilikilt is a different story. This tough-as-nails garment combines the utility of a tool belt with the freedom of movement that only a kilt can provide.
Utilikilt makes the Workman out of durable, water-resistant 12-oz duck fabric, in your choice of black, brown, caramel, or natural fabric colors. The American-made kilt features a left-side key clasp, two rear pockets, and two multi-chamber, riveted side pockets that will hold all sorts of tools, nails, or personal electronics that you might need on the jobsite.
An adjustable tool loop dubbed “The Grip” will support anything from a claw hammer to a medium-duty cordless driver. And an optional snap-closure modesty flap is included, so you won’t accidentally flash your business to the whole neighborhood while up on a ladder.
All this awesome doesn’t come cheap — the Utilikilt Workman will cost you $215, but being secure enough to wear one to work is priceless.
Utilikilts [Official Site]
The Workman [Utilikilts]
Utilikilts: Freedom [YouTube]
March 13th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
I am not man enough to wear a skirt.
March 13th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Any time I see some jackass wearing a Utilikilt, I have an overwhelming urge to punch them in the face. And I’m Scottish.
Am I alone?
March 13th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
I love my Utilikilt!
Comfortable, and I can store just about every tool I own in the pockets. That, or an entire six pack of beer.
Also, I have convinced the office that it falls under “business casual”.
March 13th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
@gillsans whew! man up a little and get over it. I’m gonna guess you’re not a big Eddie Izzard fan. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp69rg6Hdlo
March 13th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Stupid.
March 13th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
O, aye, some wanker in the receiving room was wearing one of these a few months back. I always knew he was a bit of a prat, but this confirmed it.
March 13th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Freedom!
March 13th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
The utilikilt itself looks interesting, however going into the Utilikilt website is… disheartening. I’ll go with disheartening. I don’t have a use for $300 boots that don’t have a steel toe, and while “a solid metal heel” is highly, highly fashionable its never going to save me a trip to the hospital or help me kick something that desperately needs kicking. The whole thing is coated in the thin veneer of inauthenticity, Hot Topic, and 3dgy.
Besides, I have a vague suspicion it would just be cheaper and more practical to purchase or have someone tailor up a regular man-skirt and just wear my normal tool belt along with it.
March 13th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Wow, i didn’t expect this sort of vitriol!
The high price tag does put me off, however it does appear to be made of quality materials in the US which is cool but generally means higher production costs.
Having not ever worn or owned a kilt all i can say is I think they look cool…especially if you happen to have a broad sword.
Personally I think some of you are just bitter you don’t have the calves to pull it off! Ha!
March 13th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Also if anyone is handy enough with a sewing machine here’s a link to a pdf that shows how to make a “xkilt”. The document claims it takes about 30 dollars worth of materials and about 14 hours of cutting and stitching.
http://www.stanford.edu/~ahebert/X_Kilt_adobe.pdf
March 13th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
I’ve got a Traditional, and I like it. And before you ball up your fist, Gilsans, I can pleat and have worn a feileadh mor. (That’s a great kilt for everyone else.
No, a Utilikilt’s not a proper kilt. So? It’s not all that different than a modern kilt. anyway, save for the cultural history. Yes, it’s more of a younger-guy/club-goer/counterculture thing, but it’s cool and comfortable.
The Workman has a lot of cool features, and I’m sure it’s up for a heck of a lot of abuse. Personally, I like the Survivor one, tho. The price tag keeps me away, tho. Thanks for the link, Eric! That will keep my temptation down. :>
March 13th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Fourteen *hours* of cutting and stitching? Maybe it took this guy that long to lay it out and design it, but I think you could go buy a new sewing machine, bring it home, read the entire instruction manual, make the kilt, and have time left over to watch the entirety of “Braveheart” in 14 hours, unless those pleats are about 10 times more time-consuming and complicated than they seem to be.
I’d rather just buy a big (and cheap) pair of heavy-duty work shorts myself. More practical and you don’t get the ignoramuses questioning your manhood.
cl
March 13th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Oh, boys, settle down a bit. For all you ‘traditionalists’ out there, I suggest you look at the Bretons, or some Polish, Greek, and I’m sure others have all had some sort of ‘pleated’ precursor to trousers. And ‘official’ tartans? Talk to the English woolen mills, and examine the social, economic, and cultural events in an early model of ‘branding.’ And the shoes, that are oh so traditional with your registered family tartan? They became officially traditional in the mid-30s. That’s mid-1930s…
Utilikilts in general are marketing the idea of being hip, counter-cultural, edgy, blah, blah, blah. And I wear one of their Workmans to work. And I climb ladders, crawl under sinks, get the occasional ‘zap’ while doing electrical work, everything that is involved in the maintenance of a hundred-year-old building. All done in a kilt.
Better kilts, though still probably not what some of the insecure set would consider ‘genuine’ come from Freedom Kilts: more money, better fit, less attitude, bespoke. And great service, all from an ex US Marine, in Victoria. Imagine. Hell, he’ll even do a traditional kilt for if you have the calves, or whatever, to wear one.
And remember, boys, I’m not dressing for you. I’m dressing for women. And they love men in kilts.
March 13th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
Just so we’re clear, I’m not opposed to man-skirtery. Still, this is just like the Utilikilt selection of boots: I can pay over $300 for fashion boots designed to look like tanker boots. Or I could buy actual American-Made tanker boots for half the price. For $200 I can grab one of Occidental leather’s tool belts and still have 50 bucks left over to buy the kiltiest looking skirt from the Skirt Mercantariate Emporium. I buy a Utilikilt and I have a $200 item of clothing I would be absolutely terrified of ruining on the worksite.
March 13th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
Wow! I’m suprised the opinions on here are really split pretty evenly. Well I say +1 for the Utilikilts. I bought an Original, my first kilt, a while back off their Scratch and Dent list and even tho its a “seconds” the quality is top notch! I have not regretted it since except to say now I want more! If I could afford a Workman I would gladly get one.
Eric allready indirectly pointed out the forum (XmarkstheScot) I’d recommend to anyone interested in Kilts to check out. I guess bottom line is you either love ‘em or hate ‘em. Like Moxie!
March 13th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
don’t get me started on moxie! It’s only good as an industrial solvent!
March 14th, 2008 at 6:05 am
It’s really interesting to see the “strong” opinions being voiced over this issue. Someone above said it right, Utilikilts are shooting for the counter-culture market, and at $140 for their original design, it’s certainly within reach for many. The boot issue raised above is off the mark, I think. They’re not selling work boots, they’re still shooting for the same hip, edgy, blah-blah-blah market. If you want steel-toed boots, go to a boot store, not a kilt shop…
I own an original black Utilikilt; I got it for a costume party, and I’ve found situations since where it’s appropriate, as well. I’ve actually worn it to a couple of formal, black-tie events with a tuxedo jacket, dress shoes & knee-length socks. Trust me, it’s a big hit, a clear ice-breaker without saying a word, and without a doubt, the chicks dig it. The trick is getting the details right and being confident about the statement it makes, whatever that might be.
It’s certainly not “traditional” but $150 is a far cry from as much as $1K for something closer to “genuine.” We all need to lighten up (some more than others) and understand that making a statement can sometimes yank others’ chains. What I’ve found is that there are places where kilts work, and those where they don’t. Just try to figure it out before showing up and having to explain why you’re a guy wearing a “skirt”…
March 14th, 2008 at 6:57 am
I think it looks good, seems well made and is about 80% cheaper than a traditional kilt. I’d love to have one of these. It looks as practical as any work-belt I’ve seen, only more so because it looks like it offers a bit of extra protection (at least from the knees up).
March 14th, 2008 at 7:30 am
Arrgh, it’s not insecurity about one’s manliness that puts me off. It’s the “look at me, I really want your attention” factor. I’ll leave that for the birds. And if you blokes think these things look good loaded down with tools and the like, keys and crap jangling at your side, you go right ahead, wear them, and try to act like it’s not a silly costume you’re wearing just to be different. Not that there is anything wrong with *that*, it’s just a time and place sort of issue, I suppose. Frankly, all of that flouncy crap around my knees would drive me mad every time I have to bend or kneel.
March 14th, 2008 at 7:52 am
I’m not man enough to wear that. Hell no.
J
March 14th, 2008 at 10:28 am
I’ve got one, and I’ll second what urb antig says: ladies like kilts. There’s other vendors at different price points if you think Utilikilts are too high. Don’t like it? Don’t wear it.
March 14th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
I own 3 Kilts, one is a utilikilt…Also I play drums in a bagpipe band, AND I’m a theatrical carpenter/electrician. Chicks dig the kilt for sure, it takes a certain amount of confidence to pull off. I will say that at least in my size the snaps that are supposed to make it ‘ladder safe’ don’t really work, but I’m a pretty skinny guy.
March 14th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Why has no one mentioned the bare knee thing? I for one am a little too accident prone to go walking around a work site willy-nilly with my bare knees all exposed to every rusty nail and splintering 2 X 4 just waiting to tear my pretty delicate calf skin. No sir, just won’t do it.
March 15th, 2008 at 11:51 am
Wow! Gillsans must be a really tough guy…either that or he is some 90lb weakling with a superman keyboard…either way I would suggest you think twice before getting pummeled by a guy in a “skirt”…
March 15th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
Wow, how’d you like to be the guy footing the ladder your kilt wearing co-worker is ascending. Hope he wore clean drawers
March 15th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
interesting that people keep brining up how expensive the boots the models are wearing and say that it’s a turnoff to the Utilikilt… Utilikilts DOESN’T sell boots… at all… never have…
I’ve seen guys wearing everything from sandals to tennis shoes to authentic combat boots to those $300 New Rock boots (that’s the brand the model is wearing)
March 21st, 2008 at 12:53 pm
Yeah, Utilikilts does sell footwear:
http://www.utilikilts.com/store/index.php?cPath=20
Not work boots, but boots nonetheless…