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Give the Kilt a Whirl: Non-Tartan Kilt Options

You have options if you are not of Scottish or Irish heritage and still want to try wearing the kilt.

You could wear a kilt in a universal or general tartan. Not every tartan has a specific tie to a family or organization. Certain tartans are open to everyone!

In some places, such as Ireland, the kilt is tied more to geographic location than to your clan or family. Find out if your city or region has its own tartan and get a kilt with that pattern.

You could also think about getting a utility kilt. Utility kilts, due to their functional nature, do not have decorative patterns. This form can be sturdy black or khaki material that allows for rough day-to-day wear.

Non-Irish and Non-Scottish Kilts

The Irish and the Scottish do not have the market on kilts totally cornered. There are other countries with kilts, and they aren’t even all Celtic.

In the Spanish region of Galicia, which was once inhabited by Celtic tribes, people wear kilts called falda escocesa. In the Asturias region of Spain, they even have a version of bagpipes called the gaita asturiana.

Two other countries which you may be surprised to learn have their own kilt traditions are Germany and Egypt.

In Germany, the Coburg tartan kilt is associated with Queen Victoria’s German husband, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.