$$$ Priorities for Kilting

[MacWage]

As this issue KEEPS coming up (in various variations) . . .

For people starting from "scratch" in kilts, there are SO many accessories and SO much $$$ involved to get them that we MUST make priorities.

I think that the highest priorities should be on good quality belts and a sporran, all in the same color. I like black, personally, and think those are the most adaptable for different dress levels. There ARE QUITE different types and levels of belts. A GOOD quality one will be usable for YEARS to come. The same with a sporran. Most barely acceptable belts are either work belts or bought "dress" belts, both of which tend to be VERY stiff (not very comfortable for everyday wear). I'd recommend a good, softer, wide one for use with a kilt. I HAD some crappy one, but once I got a decent one I NEVER have worn it again. So, that initial out lay is now WASTED. The same is true with sporrans. In BOTH, I'd recommend getting ones that will last as your kilts get nicer. A good quality set WILL last you for A LONG time. BUT, crappy/cheap ones will be tossed AS SOON as you get nicer ones. For the outlay, THESE are the BEST quality improvement for cost difference.

As for shirts, hose, flashes, and the like, these are basically disposable and can be "upped" in quality latter. You WILL get more anyways, as you wear kilts for YEARS. If I HAD to skimp, it would be on these. You can continue to use the initial stuff later on too.

The kilt itself will be based on your interest and level of finances. I'd say get the best you can afford, BUT people get what they want and most own more than one. Some of us even make our own.

As for shoes, sgain dubhs, Argyle jackets, bonnets, and a few other things, they can be gotten later and are not NECESSARY for kilting. They are also expensive. If you are tight on cash, I'd wait and get them later.
I'd include kilt pins in this section too. I have a number, but usually wear NONE (except when "dressing nice." For most times, they are just too risky for catching and snagging things.

[McMurdo]

Good thread MacWage
I will echo what I have said before, that you get what you pay for, sometimes it seems like a great deal to get lets say a $20.00 Sporran from ebay, but once you have the sporran wrapped around you and the cheap chain belt that came with it rips a hole in your kilt how good a deal was it really?
The Sporran I use almost exclusively came from Freelander Sporrans

www.freelandersporrans.com

Albeit a bit pricey compared with the type you find on ebay, I know that this piece will last a long time and the leather belt that I made for it with supplies from Tandy Leather will not eat away at my kilt.

It also holds everything I would ever want to take with me see below, and it really is a very nice looking sporran.



As far as a good belt goes I would have to say the same thing get yourself one that is going to be flexible enough to be comfortable, lets face it one of the huge draws of a kilted lifestyle is the fact that is so very comfortable, why be uncomfortable because of a stiff belt?

The best thing I can say is to go about it one accessory at a time for a long time I had one pair of kilt hose, I would come home and wash them then hang them to dry and wear them again the next day, take your time find quality products and enjoy wearing a kilt, check out the sponsors of this site anyone I have dealt with from here has been up front about everything and the products are top notch.

[Nervous Jock]

Good points there.

After the kilt, I'd say spent the money on the sporran. The type of sporran you use will depend a lot on what you intend to wear your kilt at. I have a £35 leather thing I've had for years I wear it when I'm out on the bevvy as if I loose it or it get damaged it's not a massive issue. Having a fur or hair sporran out on the bevvy is asking for it to get trashed. If you are only going to wear it "smart" then get something decent whether it be a leather sporran or something more exotic!!.

On the belt front if you're strapped, get a decent belt but a cheap buckle, this can then be binned or kept for emergencies at a later date.

I'm a traditionalist on the old footwear so always wear hose and flashes. I know over here many of the hire shops flog off hose at the end of the season cheap others will sometimes let you keep the hose you got if you have hired the whole rig. flashes can be cut from an old bit tartan and held up by a bit string or laces.

That takes me onto another point. If you have hired rig and its a good fit, ask the hire company if they will sell it to you. Quite often they will particularly after the Christmas period as they are looking to replace kit for the forthcoming wedding season.

I wear brogues day to day so no probs there.

I wouldn't waste money on a dirk less so on a kilt pin.

And lastly remember there's always Ebay

[Panache]

Good idea for a thread. Here are my two cents

Kilt Basics

A black Leather Kilt Belt (the stiff leather on inexpensive ones can be greatly improved with liberal applications of mink oil and / or leather conditioner and a lot of elbow grease) $20-$30

A very thin black leather plain ladies belt This is the cheapest and easiest sporran belt belt to be had. $8-$12

A black Buzz Kidder Sporran These are large, well made of thick soft leather. The quality is worth spending the extra money to have something that will last you for years. Several styles to choose from $55-$65

Solid color red or black flashes (preferably both) Matching tartan flashes are very nice but are usable only with that particular tartan kilt. I have a big box of flashes. Some of them were purchased and some hand made. My solid black and solid red ones are used more than any of the others. They go with so many outfits. $6-$15 per set

Off White Kilt Hose These are inexpensive and readily available plus they will go with any outfit. They may not be the perfect socks for an outfit but they will go with any outfit!

Kilt Pin look in your jewelry box, check out a thrift store. A kilt pin can be any pin or brooch that catches your fancy. Cheap sword pins are easily obtained. $5

Sgian Dubh Most people want to wear one of these when they are dressing up. They are seldom used and only part of the handle is seen. So your best bet is to pick one up at your next Highland Games there will be a variety of cheap ones for $10 or under available.

Headwear if the $30-$65 for a tam, balmoral, or glengarry hat is more than your budget will allow look for tweed driving caps at Target (or your discount store of choice). Berets work very well in place of a balmoral and cost 1/3 the price. $10-$15

So for a total of under $140 you have all the accessories to have a nice kilted outfit. Shirts, jackets, sweaters, ties and everything else can be added and mixed for a wide variety of looks. But these basics will work for you for years to come.

I recommend black leather accessories over brown for two reasons.

1. Blacks are easier to match than browns

2. Black can be dressed up or down. Brown is, by nature, daywear and casual


As for McMurdo's recommendation for a Freelander Sporran I would heartily second it (I am wearing one as I write this). They are amazingly sturdy, large, and handsome. If I could only have one sporran it would be a Freelander. If that is out of your budget you just can't beat the Buzz Kidder ones. The extra money you put into getting one over a cheaper sporran will be worth it.

Cheers

Jamie

[cavscout]

This may not be directly on topic but it addresses my views on assembling a good kilt outfit, so here goes...

"Proportion" is the key to wearing a kilt well. If you master proportion, you have won most of the war. Look at the people in the gym who do nothing but curls all day. They have huge guns but there legs are toothpicks, there chest is concave. The look is odd because their arms are not in proportion to the rest of their body. The same goes for fashion. You see someone pimpin' down the street with a pair of XXL shorts on (that look like pants), a XXL t-shirts on that reaches the knee and a pair of high top shoes that look like clown feet (he may or may not be wearing an over-sized hood ornament from a mid 80's European automobile). Again, he is out of proportion. I'll even go the other way, I've seen some wearing puffy cowboy shirts, skin tight jeans where the leg stops at the top of the ankle on the cowboy boots with the riding heel, a huge silver buckle and a 50 gallon hat pulled down over his eyes. He is also out of proportion.

Studies on infants show that from birth we are more attracted to combinations of shapes that look like a face, than a random grouping of shapes. So visual balance and possibly proportion are built into us. We like to see a head, shoulders, arms, torso, waist. hips, legs. All of these "components" fit into what our subconscious expects and wants to see. Fashion should accentuate these features and help us present the best image. A kilt is by design typically a very large garment. It is high waisted which makes it very long when worn from the naval to the knee. Average probably 24" long compared to a 30" or 32" inseam on a pair of pants. Such a large garment needs to be kept in proportion. We do this by wearing shirts that make the upper part of the body look larger (jacobite shirts, waist coats...), the belt also helps make the kilt look smaller by being proportionate (2" or wider for traditional kilts and 1-3/4" or 2" for casual low-waisted kilts). I did a 3" belt for someone. On me that 3" belt would look like I was standing in a barrel, but on him at 6'4" or so, it was total proportionate. We do the same with kilt hose. The hose and the top cuff make the leg look larger to balance out the kilt and the larger appearing top half. Proportion is the foundation of all fashion, and critical to making the kilt outfit. Second is color

This is a great topic for guys newly exploring the idea of wearing the kilt as daily wear.When faced with the daunting coast of outfitting yourself, you must make priorities. Here are mine:

Kilt (after all this is what we are interested in): Depending on budget and how sure you are that you'll wear it often enough to justify the purchase, I'd absolutely spend the money to get a well built kilt that is machine-washable. By "well built" I mean, one that has pleats that are sewn down to the hip and deep reverse pleats on each side of the apron. A tapered apron is highly encouraged. These are the touches that will keep the kilt from looking very "skirty" and present a masculine image to the garment. It will also make it more comfortable and versatile to wear for many occasions. You can always buy a "less constructed" kilt later for knocking around in. Investing in a good kilt right away will start you out on a more positive experience with kilting because you will get more compliments and positive feedback if you present yourself well. We've chosen to wear a kilt and by definition we don't care what people think of us. However the laws of social interaction still apply, 1st impressions count and, we all make initial judgements based on appearance.

Leathers (sporran, belt, strap, shoes...thong J/K): I agree that matching or very similar leathers gives the best appearance. While mixing leathers is possible, it is much more difficult.

Everything else can be incorporated from everyday modern fashion. Polo shirts or button downs. Sweaters or t-shirts. Hiking boots or dress shoes, sandals or ghilies. Baseball hats or glens, bomber jacket or argyle, sword kilt pin or military insignia... These other accessories are how we personalize the outfit.

OK, I've rambled long enough, where am I

[Moose McLennan]

*** on the 'thin black leather plain ladies belt'. An easy and vast improvement over the cheapo chains. Mine cost EUR 3.

Two other ideas:

As your work/winter socks wear out, replace them with inexpensive kilt hose in a variety of colours. I wear my Brewin kilt hose all the time.

Any regular clothes you get, try to get gear that will work with your kilt too (shorter jackets and sweaters, waistcoats, boots that will go well with a kilt and so on).


From my own experience, a 10 GBP Ebay sporran is a waste of money. It will last for two weeks of regular wear before it falls apart.

Kevin

[Panache]

I thought some more about this thread and came up with further Kilt Accessory Tips for the newly kilted or those thinking about their first kilt. Some of these I have read here on X Marks the Scot and other's I came up with myself. I hope MacWage doesn't mind as some are money related others just useful.


Kilt Pins:

Stick your pin through your front apron and then twice through a piece of a wide rubber band before pushing the pin through the front apron to fasten. If the fastener comes loose the rubber band will hold on to your kilt pin. This takes seconds to do, costs nothing, and may save your expensive vintage pin from being lost.

Cheap Kilt Hat:

Use a beret, they are easy to find and inexpensive. To make it look even better: Get a badge or pin you wish to add to it and a small 4” diameter circle of felt. Fold the felt in half. Put the felt half circle inside the beret on the right side (straight side just above the brim). Pin your badge through the side of the hat and through both layers of the felt. The felt will stiffen that part of the hat and give it more of the look of a balmoral. There is no reason one couldn’t add a bit of ribbon behind the badge at this time as well. By the by, military berets often have this stiffener built into the hat just like this.

Kilt Tie:

I believe that some kilt shops sell shorter kilt ties. There is no reason to bother with these. Simply tie your tie with the front at the proper level above your kilt belt, the narrow back will be longer (don’t worry). Then fold the narrow back part of the tie up behind the front to the right height. Then use your favorite tie tac or clip to hold the three layers of the tie together. I find that a full windsor knot is nice because it uses a bit more of the tie's fabric in the knot which means less fabric to worry about tucking back up.


Kilt Vest:

Dress vests are generally far too long to wear with a kilt. To quickly convert your vest to kilt length requires just two small safety pins. Put on the vest and button it save for the last one or two buttons. Evenly fold the two edges up behind the vest until it looks right. Carefully pin into place (pin just through the liner on the front of the vest so the pins don’t show.

Sporran Belt:

I have often mentioned this, but it bears repeating. A thin plain woman’s leather belt makes a wonderful and inexpensive sporran belt. It doesn't require the D Rings. Take out the little leather D Ring piece and slide the thin belt through the slot in the back of the sporran. The great part is that when you need the sporran out of the way you slide the sporran (which is very easy to do) rather than the belt (which can be difficult).

Cheers

Jamie

[Ozman1944]

While wandering in Target, I came across a woman's small black purse type thing with studs etc. about 7" x9" X2". with shoulder strap. perfect "Sporran" size! It also holds more than regular sporran. Cost $12.50. The strap adjusts perfectly as a waist strap. I now prefer to wear it than the usual sporran, except for formal night time occasions.

[Colin]

I don't know about the rest of you, but I think Panache's last post needs to be added to one of the forums in the Articles & Tutorials section. That was a great way to sum up a few good points for first timers Jamie.

[Rampant Lion]

I mostly agree with what has been said, but I thought I'd just add little. I think that footwear should be fairly high on the $$$ priority list. If you're going to being standing/walking all day, it's important to have comfortable footwear.

Sporran - I would defintely recommend a good sporran. This is going to be your wallet-while-kilted, and think about how much wear your wallet puts up with. Maybe a nice day-wear or semi-dress sporran to start. My first sporran was a semi-dress. It looks great for dressier occasions, obviously, but also does well even when the occasion is a little more casual.

Hose - Get a decent pair of kilt hose. Possibly in a colour that compliments your kilt, but like Panache mentioned, off-white will go with everything.

Shoes - Get a good pair of black dress shoes, something that you can stand to wear all day. Personally, I like the look of brogues, they look great with a kilt and can be worn with pants too.

Belt and Buckle - My take on the belt is a little different. I think one could get away a cheaper belt at first. The reason I say this is because the belt really isn't necessary (when wearing a well made traditional style kilt, they stay up on their own). But I agree with spending on a better belt first, then a better buckle second.

Kilt Pin - Doesn't have to be expsensive. Find something that you like, weighs enough to help keep your kilt down, and won't leave a mark on your kilt.

Anyway, just my take on things.