Are you man enough to wear a kilt? Actor Ewan McGregor wears one. Mike Meyers, Mel Gibson and Liam Neeson have all acted in them. Flea, of the Red Hot Chili Peppers even wears them. Sir Sean Connery, the manliest of men, wore a kilt when being knighted by Queen Elizabeth.
Kilts are increasing in popularity. While they may never replace a good pair of jeans, they are giving men another option in the new millennium dress code where anything goes. So what makes a guy want to wear a kilt?
They're comfortable, freeing and funky. They're also quite elegant, so they're appearing more and more frequently on grooms.
Kilts originated in Scotland. There's evidence that they've been around since the late 1500s. But kilts gained great popularity when they were used in the mid-1700s by the Highland Army because they served multiple purposes. First, they were easier to produce -- they don't require nearly as much work as tailoring a pair of pants. Second, because the kilt is very warm, it could be used as a cloak or blanket. And third, it dries much more quickly than traditional trousers. When in battle, kilts allowed freedom of movement. And when "complete freedom" was required, they were very easy to discard.
So why the renewed interest in kilts nearly 250 years after the Highland Army made them popular? Part of the reason is Howie Nicholsby. His family has been making kilts for several generations. Nicholsby was tired of the traditional plaid and started making kilts in funky colors and fabrics. Some kilts even have a pocket for cell phones.
Many a Scotsman thinks that Nicholsby is destroying the history, romance and drama of one of the best-known symbols of Scotland. Nicholsby says that's nonsense, "I'm just evolving it."
Besides, Nicholsby says, "girls go crazy" for men in kilts. If that doesn't make a guy want to wear a kilt, then nothing will!
