Kilted Skirt Advice - Formal? Cocktail? Tartan Weight? Length?

[imouse1]

I'm new to XMTS but I've been perusing your site in an attempt to slack off on finals...but also because I find a lot of interesting stuff here!

So, I am going to go overseas for some ABA functions in Dublin and London this summer, plus go to my clan gathering in August. The questions I have are because I have pieced it together from information on this site and I couldn't find it a second time or just, overall, couldn't find it. I'm sorry this is long but I have the questions listed before how I got to the questions, in case you're wondering how I got to the questions. This is going to make me seem like I'm a lot pickier about my clothes than I am but I assure you this is the first piece of clothing that I have ever been excited about.

• What I had pictured in my mind when I started researching: A really long kilt made for women including hard pleats, apron-front opening, and belt. The green was dark but discernible from the black and blue, but the white and the red were bright. (Would not turn down pockets, but pockets are not a thing with kilts so not a deal breaker.)
• Kilted Skirt v. Hostess Kilted Skirt--Is there a difference other than length?
  
  1. What weight should the tartan be for formal / cocktail / smart casual? (Aiming for formal, using a more common tartan available in most weights, even regimental)
  2. Should it have an apron front? Which way should it open? (Do want the apron front, but won't get if it affects the formality, but I will be sad.)
  3. Should it have hard or soft pleats? (Do want hard, but won't get if it affects the formality.)
  
  
• Timeframe - Is there any place/independent contractor that realistically can get it to me before June 5th? (For Dublin/London events)
  
  1. Or, in the alternative, realistically get it to me before July 27th? (Before leaving for Scotland)
  2. Or, in the less preferable but still doable alternative, within an hour's drive of Falkirk between July 29th and August 2nd? (While loving me some Scotland.)
  3. Or, in the absolute alternative, be available to meet me somewhere between Falkirk and Inverness August 3rd? (On the way to the clan gathering)
  
  

Let me start by saying that I am most likely going to get MacKenzie modern as, unless I get information to the otherwise, I'm not entirely sold on the poly viscose (which is what the MacKenzie modern dress apparently only comes in). I see a lot of "fine" being thrown around with poly viscose and it doesn't seem to retain the pleating as well. I would like to keep the price down to $500 including the sash, but I would bite the bullet for the better buy if I could be assured that beyond the staying power of the tartan I could rely on it to be formal enough for anything I can throw at it. (I could stand to skip a couple of meals.) That said, there seems to be an agreement to go with what your tartan comes in. My tartan apparently comes in everything, so I'm one of the lucky few that gets to choose. Having the choice, I want to choose right. HOWEVER, I understand there is a great difference between the manufacturers of the colors that is separate from the issues of the dye lots. Since it is a skirt, I can just get it lined if it's too rough but the color saturation is important to me. I understand that traditionally there were more faded/muted tones but ten years ago when I started dreaming about the day I would be able to afford one of these, I saw bright red, bright white, blacker than your soul black, distinct but not bright blue, and undeniable green. [Also, the last time I met my clan chief I was wearing a Pokemon shirt so I'd like to at least have the appearance of caring.]

I saw that Scotweb is probably the only advertiser here who advertises doing my size (I'm fat) and can get it here before I leave (maybe). Everyone in my town needs me to get the tartan first, which is completely out of my time range, since it appears most manufacturers take at least 5 weeks to get just the tartan stateside. I leave for Dublin (because it's cheaper to fly to Dublin than to go straight to London from my one-horse town) on June 6th, so I would need it by June 5th to get it properly packed. If that couldn't happen, I would need it for my clan gathering in August, but I am going early to love me some Scotland (starting on July 29th for a few days bumming around Stirling, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Perth, Falkirk) before heading up to Inverness on the 3rd. (I will be meeting three other members of my family up there after I finish up my externship at the courthouse. We'll have a car, so no shady train meetings, but anything too far out of the way might get voted down.) There might be some wiggle room in the evenings for the first two nights, but we are having a formal dinner and a group photo for which the kilted skirt suit would be for.

For Dublin/London I have two formal events, one cocktail event, and one smart casual event. Googling this in relation to kilted skirts has proved to be kind of useless. (Googling this period has not been very helpful.) I Google site-searched XMTS which is why some of what I am saying is kind of all over the place. (You close the tabs you didn't mean to and you can't remember how you go there...) We are having a formal dinner and a group photo for the clan gathering. Beyond these summer considerations, I would like to wear the ensemble to local Bar functions, etc. (and I also promised my mom I would wear it to my first trial appearance). I did find someone in town who makes kilted skirts but I understand from her that there can be no alteration to the traditional kilted skirt, which is how I ended up on XMTS. There also seems to be some variation in what "kilted skirt" means that changes even further when it is a hostess-length skirt. I saw that the pleating is either not necessary or not desirable. I saw that the weight of the tartan may or may not change the purpose of the skirt. I saw that the hostess-length skirts have less or broader pleating, may or may not have a belt, and may or may not have the apron opening. Above all, I definitely understand that while the kilt is formal attire for men in its 16oz weight being a woman I should not be so brazen in increasingly formal situations. There seems to be a consensus that the hostess-length is more appropriate for more formal events, but then when I started looking at the different hostess skirts I noticed the aforementioned differences. Even so, some of the kilted skirts can be ordered in hostess length, just not in my size. Ideally, what I would like to have is what I understand to be the apron front opening to the left(?) with the hard pleats, such that it is more reminiscent of the gentleman's kilt but made for the ladies. (I am sure pockets are straight out but my far off dream of all clothing is that it has pockets. [I don't have good luck with purses.])

I am probably not going to have access to an iron overseas unless I go buy one. But full disclosure, I am not sure how to iron tartan (and am generally bad at ironing anyway). I have one of those tourist man-kilts I bought at the general and annual Celtic festival here a few years ago while I was in a wheelchair but it didn't come with care instructions. I'm thinking I should not have used either the soap or the fabric softener that I did, as the edging is now a little weird. (It hung dry, but I'm thinking it didn't rinse as well as my washer proclaimed it did.) I am really scared to ruin this fabric. I am already proud of this skirt and I am having pangs of guilt at the thought of my ruining it. I am really, really aiming to take good care of this because I want it to last me a few years at least. However, the racist thought that the tartan originated overseas leads me to believe that dry-cleaners out there might be able to do it for me but it's not something I want to rely on because, in the real world, I don't think there are many places where you can just drop off your tartan and expect it to come back in good condition (unless you know some people).

Which leads me to where to get it from. Scotweb is the one that seems to have the shortest turn-around time but it doesn't look like my ideal hostess-length kilted skirt. But if it is for the purposes I have outlined above, then that's fine. I understand that Nick from Scotweb is a member here and will take PMs to resolve issues. I have also seen that there are also a few members (like Barb) who are crazy good at doing these sorts of things. If, realistically, there is no one who could get it to me before June 5th, that gives me time to invest in someone who could get me closer to the ideal (stateside by July 27th, scot-side between July 29th and August 3rd). I also understand that I need to get tracking on the packages, since carriers tend to forget about packages with tracking. I can pay the same day as ordering with credit card, but any place that is going to need a check won't get it for at least a week (after the last time I got my purse stolen I gave up the checkbook ghost, so all checks now come from my bank). I won't deal directly in cash due to past experiences with fraud, etc. regarding unrelated purchases (but I do see you guys are all nice, it's not personal). If you want to offer your services and you think that I'm not crazy, send me a PM and we can exchange e-mail addresses (easiest way to get a hold of me).

I'm sorry for the disorganization in thought but I am really excited about this. I mean, unreasonably excited. I would really, really love to have this for so many things. So many things. Thank you for reading! Double thanks for any help you can provide!

[tpa]

A warm Scottish welcome from middle England.

If you cannot get something made stateside in time, you could ask Heritage of Scotland. http://www.heritageofscotland.com/pr...available/2458 If they dispatched to a UK address., it would save on postage, Dublin, less so. As an overseas purchase you would be able to reclaim the VAT, though you may have US import taxes. They quote 5-7 weeks which would meet your timescale. Heritage provided my wife's kilt quite satisfactorily, though you do have to make sure your sizing is correct and if anything err on the generous side. Going up market there are any number of companies in Scotland who will do what you want, you just have to confirm the timescale in advance. http://www.scotchcorner.com is one. http://www.burnetts-struth.com/produ...ted-Skirt.html quote 4-6 weeks and you can choose your buckle side on the web page. I'm sure they would also offer all the advice you need and they do matching shawls.

In the States Celtic Croft have their skirts made in Scotland, though whether they would be prepared to have it sent directly from the manufacturer to a UK address I know not. Other US businesses may do the same. I'm sure you will get lots of better targeted advice from others with more relevant experience on this site, but delivery to a UK or even Eire address would seem your best bet in view of the timescale.

Thinking about the material, bear in mind that a floor length pleated skirt with a lot of pleats in a heavy material will weigh a ton. If that is what you choose, you may wish to wear it on the flight to avoid excess baggage charges.

You may also wish to post this in the Kilt Advice part of the forum, or ask the mods to move it for a better response.

I wish you best of luck and a great visit.

[Tarheel]

Well met imouse1. I read your query and can't help at all with the kilt problem. BUT! My Irish grandmother (Mom's side) had a solution for everything else under the sun. She never owned a purse. She believed in jackets, smocks and shawls with sewn in pockets for carrying her personal items. A good durable tweed with inner flaps that closed using (let's say Velcro) will be a great asset to an ensemble. Welcome and good luck from Oxford, MS.

[ASinclair]

Hello imouse1!

[sydnie7]

Ok, fourth attempt at a response (my iPad keeps crashing when i try to link a thread).

I made an ankle length skirt from PV, on the bias, with four smallish soft pleats. That is about as much material as I would want to wear. I've worn it at daytime Games and dressed up for evening.
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...-tartan-69396/

That's my thread on making it, which also refs some helpful threads on ladies' skirts.

[Father Bill]

Take a lookie here; may very much influence you.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...-monaco-82190/

[dougle]

[bonniegraham]

I wish for you a great trip and that the skirt is everything you hope for!

[Pleater]

My own experience of kilts in England is that if it is a kilt then it has aprons which fold left over right and the fastening is on the right hip. If it is a skirt then it is seamed and fastens on the left. I first wore a kilt almost 60 years ago but having checked up as best I can from photos, films and even knitting patterns, the kilt is like the kimono, no reversing the folding when you put it on.

I have kilts which vary from 24 to 30 inches in length. Woollen fabric is almost always 54 inches wide so I tend to make all wool kilts 27 inches long, which is a very traditional length for a woman's kilt or skirt. The 30 inch ones are made from woollen blends as the fabrics are made on modern looms 60 inches wide. They can be quite heavy if I put in 7 or 8 yards, but once on and fastened the weight is hardly noticeable except for the swinging of the pleats as I walk.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[JohntheBiker]

I think you will find that tartan for women at truly formal events is a "regular" formal, full length dress with tartan sash. Photos for the Royal Caledonian Ball will give you an idea what that looks like. This would also be much quicker to arrange for your clan function than a tartan skirt. Your biggest barrier at the moment is time. Custom made tartan garments, e.g. kilts, generally need plenty of lead time, at least in part because the tartan you want will have to be ordered and the kilt maker will often have a waiting list.

That having been said, you do see long tartan skirts at formal events:



This shot was taken at the St. Andrew's Charity Ball in Toronto. It was the only long tartan skirt photo I could find. Hope it gives you some ideas about construction.

Good luck with your project.