Leg-Baring Auto Mechanics Chose Made-in-America Kilts
If you wander into a certain auto shop in Oklahoma, you may be a little taken aback by the view: two men working on cars in kilts.
"It was mainly that we were looking for an alternative for the heat," said David O'Brien, the owner of O'Brien Auto Performance in Tulsa, Okla. "And since I have Irish and Scottish heritage, it was just a fun thing to do."
With no air conditioning in the shop, O'Brien decided to invest in an airier alternative - and he wanted it to be Made in America.
So he turned to Kommando Kilts.
"We chose a company that's right here in Oklahoma City," O'Brien said. "Their whole pattern and the fact that they're an Oklahoma company just worked perfectly for us."
But they're not cheap - the kilts come in at $130 a pop.
"That's actually inexpensive for kilts," O'Brien said. "But, you know, for work clothes, that's really expensive."
O'Brien and technician David Denney, who goes by Dinkums, are the only two who wear the kilts. The other technician, Ryan Henry, isn't quite as comfortable showing a little leg around the office.
"He doesn't even wear shorts, so he's definitely not going to wear a kilt," O'Brien said.
But he also pointed out you can't get too comfortable.
"You have to be really careful when you're laying on the ground - knees down, legs crossed," O'Brien said. "Plus you can really burn your bum on the seat of a hot car."
But for these leg-baring men, it's about more than just the breeze.
"You know, it's a hard business," O'Brien said. "You've got to have a little fun with it."