New to kilts need help

[McZuhl]

hi i have been wanting to get a kilt for a while now but due to money i have not but this week i got lucky and found a kilt that was made by somone in my family. The only problem is its to small but i have more of the tartan so i can add it. I want to know how easy that should be and about methods of wearing a kilt.

[Iolaus]

If money is the problem, check out Stillwater Kilts; you can get a decent kilt for under $100. Just stay away from the "Economy" line.

As for extending a kilt, I hear it can be done, to some extent, but it involves the disassembly and rebuild of the kilt. Unless there's some sentimental reason to keep the one you have, it may be more cost effective to start out with a Stillwater; at least you'll have one that fits now. You can add to your collection later, as money allows.

...and for methods of wearing the kilt... stick around; we debate that all the time. ;)

[Southern Breeze]

First off, WELCOME. As for wearing kilts,whenever you like is one answer. Seriously though, there is TONS of info about wearing them here on any
ocassion-Formal.informal,work,home etc. Not to mention all the types that exist.
Start searching and asking,we've got the worlds experts here.No kidding.

[Alan H]

You can add a couple of inches to a kilt, but no more than that, without total disassembly. Check with some of the pro's on the board about this, or PM Barb.

[McZuhl]

If i do buy a new kilt i want it to be in the MacEwan tartan and from what i see that will cost me more then $100.
Thanks for what you have said so far

[Valencian Kilted]

Well, in my opinion, you can start "braking the ice" with a patterned design, if as it's my case, you can't afford at the moment the cost of ur dreamed kilt in ur tartan. Mine is the "valencia" that u can see in my avatar, as it's for my hometown in Spain. Meanwhile, I'll use the black patterned kilt I bought in Glasgow last year. It was a cheaper way to start being introduced on this, and its price was 90 pounds (over 120 dollars?). Some day I'll have saved money enough to make my "dream" real, because as it's a really strange design, it will be necessary to weave the fabric specially, and the cost will surely multiply by 10!!!,... but well,... it will surely deserve the effort!!

As urs will be a clan tartan design, it will be really much easier to get it. As I said, u can start with a patterned one. The SWK Nightstalker seems a good option to start.

¡Salud!

T O N O

[Cawdorian]

Welcome to the forum, with some reading and research here you will find the kilt that works best for you and your pocketbook.

Being a traditionalist, IMHO a kilt should always be made of wool tartan material, but there are other options out there that will work for you, the Stillwater heavyweights look like a good buy. Matt Newsome's 4 yard wool box pleated kilts are an excellent value.

Remember, a high quality kilt is lifetime investement.

[auld argonian]

If i do buy a new kilt i want it to be in the MacEwan tartan and from what i see that will cost me more then $100.
Thanks for what you have said so far

I think that your situation is typical of a lot of us who participate here: get interested in kilts and, after some research, find that there is a certain tartan that you would like to wear and that having a kilt made in that tartan will be a reasonably costly exercise...and you're not really sure that kilt wearing is going to be "your thing" and sinking serveral hundred dollars into a kilt that you may or may not wear seems a bit risky. That's why Iolaus suggested getting a "starter kilt" like a Stillwater...I would add the possibility of one from Bear or USA Kilts as well...it gives you an idea of what wearing a kilt entails. It's easy to spend a bit more than $100 on a kilt and some of the accoutrements that will make it look like you are wearing a kilt in earnest: a nice belt, a sporran and some kilt socks (I just have to stop calling them "hose"). Thus the USAK or Bear or Stillwater kilts in waht are refered to as "universal" tartans fill a real need for the kilted kommunity. With some judicious shopping you can get going for reasonable...reading some of the posts on this forum will demonstrate that you can go for a good casual look and not break the bank or blow the wad on a full blown dress traditional look...nice thing about Xmarks is that information is shared generously and there aren't any real snobs about being dressed perfectly (refered to as kilt police or kilt nazis now and again) pontificating in this forum.

Go for it...it's well worth it to get kilted...lot's of fun and, as I say here often, just a damn sharp look.

Best

AA

[GMan]

WELCOME!

Glad that you found an interest in kilt wearing, simply great.

I will say that you have already been given some great information, so I will not repeat what has been said already.

[auld argonian]

... about being dressed perfectly (refered to as kilt police or kilt nazis now and again) pontificating...

It's been politely called to my attention by another member that by using the terms "kilt nazi" and "kilt police" I have offended them and may have inadvertently touched a few nerves among the members of the forum. In my effort to make a point I may have chosen a couple of terms that have more negative connotations than I had intended. I flat out apologize for the use of "kilt nazi"...as to "kilt police", I use the term in reference to someone who would bully or berate another for what they would perceive to be an infraction in kilt-etiquette instead of someone who would take a more constuctive approach in explaining and advising to the perceived offender what they might do in order to wear the kilt more appropriately. It has been my experience that particpants in these forums are members of the latter group and not the former. The point of my original post was that good advice and constructive criticism are par for the course in this forum.

If I have caused any offence, it was inadvertant and I apologize.

Best

AA