Charity shop purchase

[sporranlegionaire]

Yesterday I was passing a charity shop in town and thought I'd take a look at what they might have in the way of a day-to-day jacket. Obviously I didn't expect to see anything for the kilted gent, but found a conventional tweed jacket for a mere £5, and hardly used. I know it's not shaped ideally, and I'll be looking out a proper garment sometime, but does it look reasonably acceptable, in a sort of 'Country-squire-in-a-kilt' way? Remembering of course that this is likely never to be seen next to someone in a legitimate kilt jacket. Really, it's just something to keep in the car for when the unpredictable summer weather gets just a bit too raw for this 60 year old.

[Phil]

It looks not too bad. You obviously know it's a bit too long anyway but as you say just to throw it on now and again it's fine. The trouble with longer jackets like this is they hide the kilt, especially the pleating. Why don't you find out how much it would cost to shorten it and shape the front edges into a curve. You might be surprised.

[sporranlegionaire]

There is an alterations tailor around here somewhere. Not a bad idea. How short at the back should it be though? About half way up from the 'hem' to the bottom of the pocket flap? I wonder if the cost involved will be much of the cost of buying a not too expensive proper one, and have done with it.

[Martin]

I did the same thing for my first jacket.
It looks perfectly fine. Of course the worst thing about wearing a long jacket with a kilt is that it tends to hide the kilt somewhat, and a kilt is a thing of beauty that is meant to be seen!

However, it does look good on you.

I seem to recall that Hamish not only came across a kilt in a charity shop, but it was a perfect fit! How does he do it??

[McMurdo]

There are several threads regarding alterations to such finds to get them looking more like a kilt jacket in the DIY section, my suggestion would be to look there and print off anything that might help your tailor to convert thee jacket into a kilt jacket.

[haukehaien]

There is an alterations tailor around here somewhere. Not a bad idea. How short at the back should it be though? About half way up from the 'hem' to the bottom of the pocket flap? I wonder if the cost involved will be much of the cost of buying a not too expensive proper one, and have done with it.

Obviously it varies from place to place, but in most of the cases where someone has posted the cost of having a jacket altered, the cost has been between 1/10 and 1/5 the cost of a proper kilt jacket - which to my mind makes it worthwhile. As far as length goes, it should be short enough not to hang past the bottom of the fell. When I was converting mine, (http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=23257), I spent a lot of time looking at websites of various suppliers of Highland dress, in order to see what the "real thing" looked like and where it should hang.

[fluter]

I spent a lot of time looking at websites of various suppliers of Highland dress, in order to see what the "real thing" looked like and where it should hang.

USAK has a page of jackets with photos of front and rear --- very helpful!

http://www.usakilts.com/jackets.php

[MacWage]

You could do one of 3 things:

1. Leave alone. (simpliest and cheapest)

2. Mod into an "Argyle-esque" jacket (my term of the whole range of jackets that are similar in cut, but vary in sleeve and pocket trim).

3. Cut it off as a "waistcoat" (NOT a VEST!)
Here is one I did:

(In that pict, I don't have a belt on.)

[sporranlegionaire]

Thanks for all your suggestions and links. I don't think I'd make a very good job of it myself, so I doctored the photo to give a rough impression of how it might look, for the tailor's guidance. Doesn't look too bad I reckon. I've taken it back to one button, and removed the pocket flaps, which looked odd so close to the lower edge. They have a sort of stitched piping above the flap which can just be joined to the pocket opening top seam and closed off.
The back has a 9" deep double vent, which will just be shortened by half.
I could also get her to add some epaulettes with the waste material.

[McMurdo]

That would look much better, to my eye. Something most people do not think of, but it has worked for me is going into the tartan shops in your area, and seing if they have anything on consignment, I was able to find a Harris Tweed Argyle in my size for $40.00,so you never know what is out there.