Damn Near Kilt 'EmMen's Greenhorn Utility Kilt

I give Damn Near Kilt 'Em a lot of credit for bringing kilts to the masses. Utilikilts are great, but who has 200 bucks to spend on a bum cover? I've never spent nearly that much on a pair of pants - and never intend to.DNKE broke the $60 barrier allowing folks to own not just one but MANY kilts. I own 9 kilts - it is part of my life goal to wear pants only as a necessary and occasional evil. Thanks to DKNE, I'm much closer to my goal. I have 3 of DKNE's kilts and imagine I'll be buying many more.I've been a kilt-wearer for manys the year and I've spent all my money on whiskey and beer. 15 years ago I started throwing rocks and trees in the Highland Games where you are required to wear a kilt and I've never looked back.I used to scoff at non-tartan kilts but as the years wore on I found that my tartans didn't always match up with my other wardrobe choices. So I bought my first solid color utility kilt. Then another. And so on. Besides, I'm Irish and our tartan choices are slim anyway.If you're a man and you've never worn a kilt I feel bad for you. As a species we started off not wearing pants and frankly we got it right the first time. Pants are a bad idea. Kilts are the height of fashion and comfort for any man, no matter how you're built. Freedom, William Wallace? Freedom indeed.Not to mention that every time I wear a kilt in public I get many compliments from bold lasses and winsome glances from the bashful ones.Do you need any other reason to wear a kilt? You know, besides the freedom, comfort, psychological boost and the appearance of virility? How about because you can finally afford one?Enter DKNE.DKNE Pros:1. Sturdy fabric and construction.2. Big pockets. Leave your sporran at home if you like.3. Snaps AND straps for your best fit.4. Versatility. I've worn them around the town with a t-shirt. They are my standard uniform in my Irish band. I've worn them with a dress shirt and vest to a wedding. They're ideal for any situation.5. Affordability. Order several.6. Comfort. I've been a weightlifter and bodybuilder for 20+ years. Pants aren't made for the likes of me. If you squat and deadlift, you'll love a DKNE kilt. Free your big legs and bum! Be loud, stand proud!7. Colors. Branch out. Try a brown kilt. Or khaki. You need at least one black kilt as it goes with everything but variety is the spice of life. Mix it up.DKNE Cons:If I find one I'll let you know.DKNE notes:1. Order a little bigger than you think you might want. I wear size 32 or 34 pants and order the Medium DKNE Kilt. The buckles will help the fit. Plus I like them to sit a little lower on my waist and the extra room gives me that option.2. They are made in Pakistan. So are a lot of your clothes. If you want to support US made kilts, save your dough and buy a Utilikilt. Wear it on special occasions to protect your investment. Then buy a bunch of DKNE kilts for your day-to-day.3. Oh the ironing! Yes, you have to learn to iron. Suck it up. With a little practice you can whip through it in just a few minutes. A standard iron works great. Or if you prefer, get a spray bottle and a flat-iron (normally used for hair). Hang your kilt then spray with water/starch and flat-iron the pleats. It takes longer but it is easier than the standard way.4. Washing / care. I wash mine in cold water, dry them a bit in the machine then hang dry them before ironing. If they don't have any dirt/dust on them I'll use Dryell clothes-dryer 'dry-cleaning' stuff. Then iron them. Notice a pattern? The fabric wrinkles. You're sitting on pleats. It happens. You can minimize wrinkling if you wear your kilt a bit lower - you'll be sitting on less of the pleat. Learn to iron anyway. It's the 20-teens. Be a modern man.5. Length. I believe they are all 24". A traditional kilt should fall just at the bottom of your knees. These are modern kilts. Wear them as you like. I'm short - 5'6". These go past my knees. No big deal. They still look great. And a longer length means you feel safer going 'freedom style' underneath (commando).6. Winter. If you get too cold in a kilt, wear athletic tights/leggings underneath. Now your kilt is a year-round garment.7. Accessorize. For the styles that don't have the decorative snaps on the apron/flap, I feel wearing a belt and sporran - or at least a belt with a big buckle - looks better. Especially on colors other than black.8. A kilt-pin will go a long way in preserving your modesty. Especially if you wear your kilt freedom-style. Let the wind blow high and the wind blow low, a kilt-pin helps you not to show. I'm sure you're proud of your assets, but leave something to the imagination. You don't want a cold day to disappoint your fans either. If you've a hot date, don't show them your first-prize ribbon until the last minute. You get the idea. Keep your Loch Ness monster mysterious. Etc.9. I feel I should address those still fearful or embarrassed of wearing a kilt. Or even those who feel a skirt would make them less manly. Put it this way: the Scots used to follow the pipes into battle, roaring down from the highlands in their kilts, facing their enemies with their great claymores. I don't think there is anything that can trump that for manliness. There was nary a pair of trousers to be found among those highlanders. So what was your argument again?To sum up: DKNE kilts. Yes, have some. 5 stars. Learn to iron. Free yourself from the tyranny of pants.

Do not hesitate to buy this Kilt. I did, for years, and I regret not making the purchase.Reasons I put it off: First, I have a beer belly. And I've wanted to get in better shape for a very long time. The last few years I've done just that, however, because of having a new baby, and a job change, and whatever other excuses I can come up with, I've put some weight back on. Buying a kilt was always meant to be my reward for losing the weight. Why would I get a kilt, then loose weight, then not be able to wear it because it's too big, right? Also, I didn't want to look foolish, a man with a big belly trying to wear a kilt, right? Well... these are stupid reasons, especially when considering this kilt specifically.Reasons I'm glad I stopped putting it off: First, all reasons I had made up in my mind why I should wait were totally wrong. Second, This particular kilt solved all my fears and misconceptions about wearing a kilt all together.So what did I find out when I opened the package and put it on the very first time? It fit like a glove... Mostly because I did what I was supposed to do. I measured my waste, around the navel area, which was uncomfortable and shocking when I saw the number. But it was the truth, and I needed to see it. What I found was that when I ordered that size, and tried it on, it fit well, but was at the largest adjustment size. I was super excited to find this out. It meant I could still take a few inches off the waste and still wear the same kilt. There are three adjustment sizes just around the belt area alone. But beyond that, there are two buckled strap adjustments below the belt area that give even more customized adjustments. That means, no matter what your waste shape, for me it was bigger at the navel, but smaller at the waste where I normally wear pants, the kilt can be adjusted in a contouring way to fit your shape. I was ecstatic! Now I know for sure that as I take the belly off, and my shape changes, the kilt will change with me.So, some things you should know... First, it does have two pockets which aren't amazing, but still useful. Around the house, they are great for dropping your phone or reading glasses in, but not sure I would use them for my wallet and keys and other things I might need when leaving the house, but that's a personal thing. They certainly could work for that since they are deeper and wider than normal jeans pockets that most people use for such things. Personally, I've carried what I call a man bag for a few years now. I do so because I like having a pocket knife, a multi-tool, a few band-aides, zip ties, etc... as well as phone wallet and keys, and I really don't like the feeling of full pockets. And not to offend anyone, but I don't consider myself a hipster or a feminist, even though I support anyone who defines themselves that way... and even though my son says dad has a purse. In fact, if I weren't secure in my masculinity, and proud of it, I wouldn't consider carrying a man bag, or wear a kilt for that matter. Sorry, off topic, the pockets are handy around the house.The biggest thing to get used to is where the kilt is worn. I've worn jeans or pants my whole life, that ride on the hips. I wasn't use to wearing something at navel level. So it did feel odd for a short time. And I can't speak or all men who wear kilts, but wearing something with a very wide or thick waste line, by that I mean the area from the top of the kilt, where the snaps are, to the bottom of where the lower buckled strap is adjustable, feels a lot like wearing support belt for lifting. Now, I'm not saying wearing the kilt gives you support for lifting heavy things, it just feels the same as such support belts because of where it's worn. But what I have noticed is, at least for me and I can't say you will get the same results, is that it's improved my posture. I feel myself sitting up straighter and standing taller. So I feel like it's a game changer, and much superior than regular pants that let you slouch and your belly just hang out.So, I love it. My wife says it looks really, really good on me. I get complements when I go out. And, in all honesty, I haven't worn anything else since I got it. I definitely intend to buy more, maybe in different styles or colors.On a side note, I live in Minnesota, and todays temp. when I took my dog out this morning was 6F. And I just didn't care. I figure, women wear skirts and dresses all year long, even in the winter, and no one asks them if they are cold wearing such things, like it's ridiculous to do so. Why would it be different for a man? So... if you've ever even considered it, just do it.