Looking for first kilt

**craigclan** · 5th June 13, 12:45 PM

First off i am looking to purchase a generic tartan that can be worn mostly for daily outings like walks with my kids , grocery shopping and the odd pub crawl . I do have a family tartan but money is tight so i am looking for a less expensive off the rack kilt . I am considering Black watch as my tartan of choice but there seems to be mixed opinions on here about that tartan . Also what is better 5 yrds or 8 yrds for a synthetic fabric ?

**Guinness>water** · 5th June 13, 01:10 PM

Welcome to X marks!

I would skip the synthetic kilt. PV is [/U]sooooooo[U] much better, it feels nicer, doesnt pile as bad and the tartan looks better. USA Kilts has an inexpensive(in the kilt world) casual kilt made with PV. This would make an outstanding first kilt. They also have plenty of tartans to pick from.

**kallen** · 5th June 13, 01:25 PM

My first kilt was a standard Stewart Black from Stillwater, $90. It looks like a traditional kilt, but at a lot less the price. They have a pretty good selection of tartans as well.

Their are plenty of good links to dealers on here. Many have "off the rack" kilts. I know Celtic Croft had some (have a camo kilt from them too).

Look around and see what you like.

**John_Carrick** · 5th June 13, 01:39 PM

Welcome from Ireland.
The Heritage of Scotland site has a 30% offer on their cheapy PV kilts (about £30). Not a bad place to start but if you like the result aim to get a proper 8 yard wool kilt from a proper kilt maker in Scotland - 10 or 12 times the cost but worth it.
I would have said that Black is a safe and excellent choice, but there are so many to choose from.

**Blupiper** · 5th June 13, 02:14 PM

I purchased an eight yard PV from Heritage of Scotland last time I was in Edinburgh. Check their website--they have their PV's discounted around 20-30% and they have a number of clan and "non-denominational" tartans. From my experience with the one I have, I found it well made for the price and a good deal. Now with a discount, even better. Check their website under 'casual kilts' and see what you think.

JMB

**Father Bill** · 5th June 13, 02:16 PM

Save your money a bit longer and buy wool. You'll never feel that you should trade it off later.

**Godot** · 5th June 13, 02:44 PM

I'm with Guiness, the USA casuals look good and come in a variety of tartans, and the big bonus is that they are easy to clean (for a dog-walking and pub crawling kilt this is a lot better than something you have to dry clean). That's my opinion anyway.

Originally Posted by Guinness>water

Welcome to X marks!

I would skip the synthetic kilt. PV is [/U]sooooooo[U] much better, it feels nicer, doesnt pile as bad and the tartan looks better. USA Kilts has an inexpensive(in the kilt world) casual kilt made with PV. This would make an outstanding first kilt. They also have plenty of tartans to pick from.

**cck** · 5th June 13, 04:06 PM

If you are in the Craig Clan as your name suggests, I can see your problem. Craig tartan kilts have to be specially made - which means expensive. Initially I faced the same question. Here are some thoughts: The Craig name is frequently associated with the Gordons (I have not been able to figure out why) and those tartans are much more available. Are there other clans in your ancestry? One of their tartans could be a consideration for you. When I was unsure about how involved I would get wearing kilts, I found some inexpensive ones representing clans I felt connected to. Now that I have decided on the extent of my kilt wearing, I rarely wear anything other than my Craig tartan kilts.

**David Thorpe** · 5th June 13, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by Guinness>water

Welcome to X marks!

I would skip the synthetic kilt. PV is [/U]sooooooo[U] much better...

Perhaps a minor point, but PV (poly-viscose or poly-rayon in the US) is synthetic. It is a different synthetic than acrylic, which is staticy, prone to pilling and does not hold creases nearly as well.

Also, what Heritage of Scotland calls PV is more likely a poly/cotton blend. It is considerably heavier than PV and does not have the feel or swing of PV or wool.

With regard to tartan, there are many non-clan tartans offered in PV casual kilts by USA Kilts. They are more expensive than the Pakistani cheapos from HoS, but are made to measure with better workmanship. One of these would last longer, look better and be more comfortable than an ultra cheapo - a much better deal in the long run.

Nothing beats 16 ounce wool from a reputable mill, but (real) PV is a viable second choice where money is very tight.