hello!

[findyourinsanity]

Hello my name is Shannon and im here to introduce myself as the forum suggestions. I hail from Clan Macgregor and dont own a kilt yet but come income tax time im buying a great kilt in macgregor tartan. Well thats all ive to say so goodbye!

[Jewddha]

Hello, welcome. You're not the only member who is as of yet, unkilted (I am guilty myself, but mine is in the works as well)

[findyourinsanity]

ah interesting, what kind of kilt will you be gettind? a great or small kilt?

[Jewddha]

www.freedomkilts.com one of these baby's. But in the near future I would dearly love to get a true kilt in my tartan (Keith), but that's a ways off yet.

[Kiltedmusiclover]

Hi Shannon,

Welcome to the Forum.
Good to have you join us.
Greetings for the old North State.

[JackK]

Welcome to the group Shannon


Jack

[Hamish]

Welcome to the friendliest forum on the Internet, Shannon.

Some years ago, I too was very keen to get a Great Kilt (Breacan Feile). I did ....... but never wore it outside my home as it was totally inappropriate for everyday wear. If you are attending Renaissance Fairs or re-enactment events (which I don't), then you'll have plenty of opportunities to wear such a kilt but, think very carefully about how often you will be able to wear it before investing in one.

I eventually cut mine in half, and had two everyday modern kilts made up!!

Just a word of warning as I'd hate you to waste good money so early in your kilting career.

Now, I have 43 kilts - but still have no desire to have a Breacan Feile in my Kilt Kollection, which features only wearable kilts!

[M. A. C. Newsome]

As usual, Hamish's advice is sound. As someone who has worn both the belted plaid (great kilt, belted plaid, feilidh-mhor, and breacan-an-feilidh all mean the same thing, by the way), and various incarnations of the modern tailored kilt for years, I can agree with his opinion.

Remember, the belted plaid evolved in a culture and climate where men found themselves spending the majority of the day outdoors in rather cold and wet weather. And the belted plaid is perfect for that!

I, however, spend most of my time indoors in perfectly mild weather, and so find the modern tailored kilt much more practical and comfortable.

I have two feilidh-mhors that I wear when attending historical reenactments, or putting on educational programs at Highland Games, schools and libraries and the like. On just about all other occasions, I wear my tailored kilts.

Here is my advice: Remember that, historically speaking, the belted plaid was worn in the period before there was such a thing as a "clan tartan." So, save yourself some dough and keep your eye open for a good heavy weight woolen cloth in a tartan weave that you find attractive (looking for natural colors, of course) at your local fabric outlets. Just buy a few yards of that and you will have a perfectly fine feilidh-mhor for not much money. Then, with the money you saved, buy yourself a nice tailored kilt in your family tartan that you will be able to wear on other occasions.

Just my advice, which of course you are free to ignore. Depending on why you want to wear your kilt, and the occasions you plan on wearing it to, a feilidh-mhor in your clan tartan may be just what you are looking for.

Aye,
Matt

[Big Paul]

Welcome Shannon!

I have purchased and received my first kilt (modern) around Christmas, but my fiancé will not let me wear it till the wedding day.... 34 days and very impatiently counting....

Don't get me wrong, she has no problems with me wearing one. It's just that she doesn't want anything to happen to it before the big day.

[Rigged]

Hi Shannon! Welcome! I'm looking forward to hearing about how your kilting life evolves.