Bruce Kilt advice?

[English Bloke]

I have a request please Dear X Markers.

I'm looking at Scotweb at the end of this month for a Bruce Modern Traditional 'Balmoral' 8yd 16oz.

Thoughts, suggestions and advice appreciated. Pictures? even better!

1. Pleat to stripe or sett?

2. If stripe, which stripe?

I prefer stripe generally but don't like the look of 'No stripe'.
Bruce Modern I'm not so sure... I don't want to ruin an expensive thing by getting it wrong and end up not lovin' it!!

Is to sett the safe option? Is to stripe a bold and daring move? I don't KNOW...

Grateful in advance.

[Jock Scot]

I cannot speak for anywhere else in the world, but here in Scotland, it is usual for all civilian kilts to be pleated to the sett, unless you specifically instruct your kilt maker otherwise. Personally, I think pleats to the stripe look far too busy, but that choice is yours.

[bowser]

If you are half decent with a computer its easy to play around with.

I used a desk top publishing program and then copied a section of the tartan and laid one picture over another, playing around with pleating to the sett - stripe - which particular stripe until I had some idea of what it was going to look like.

[Southern Breeze]

Her's a pic of one of the kilts I made with the Bruce Tartan.

[Carolina Kiltman]

I'll go with Jock on this one. To me somehow, a kilt pleated to stripe and not part of a band or military unit just doesn't look right; If you wear a glengarry, then it tends to make it look as if you might belong in one of those organizations.

Just my opinion. BTW "Scotty" Thompson likes the pleated to stripe in his book.

[Hamish]

Hi John,

Most of my kilts are pleated to the sett but I do have several pleated to the stripe - it all depends upon the tartan! If I think the effect of having it pleated to the stripe is going to be interesting, or maybe 'different', I will seriously consider having it done in that manner, but I do not care for the look of a kilt where the aprons seem to bear no relation to the pleats, where colouring is concerned.

I have been looking at the Bruce tartan and, if it were me, I should have it pleated to the sett. If pleated to the stripe, I think you will end up with either a very red or a very dark blue pleated area. That's just my thought on it - and you did ask!

By the way, those 'Balmoral' kilts from KiltStore are excellent.

Take care,
Ham.

[English Bloke]

Originally Posted by Jock Scot
...it is usual for all civilian kilts to be pleated to the sett ... Personally, I think pleats to the stripe look far too busy...

Originally Posted by Carolina Kiltman
...a kilt pleated to stripe and not part of a band or military unit just doesn't look right...

... I think you will end up with either a very red or a very dark blue pleated area... Ham.

I've been giving it quite a bit of thought too (fancy...) and it's true I do like pleat to stripe. I'm also EX military which is probably why. I think military tartans like Gordon etc look much better pleated to stripe and as an Ex, they just look right.

But as Jock points out, Bruce is not a military tartan. As Carolina Kiltman points out (all be it indirectly) I'm not in the military anymore and as Hamish points out, it would be a very RED kilt indeed.

My thoughts are; Bruce seems to have avoided the mass production market so it's not as common as some others. To that end, to busy it up with stripe pleating would render it unrecognisable to most and therefore there's no point in getting it.

Consequently I'm going for Sett err... I think!

Thanks everyone, a more esteemed bunch I could not think of to ask.

Southern Breeze thanks for the picture, that's a nice kilt and Bowser, thanks for the tip, very helpful when pondering.

I'll let you know when I put an order in although I haven't decided who exactly is going to make it yet but I'll keep you posted. Have to wait till payday anyway

[Jock Scot]

Good for you! So, alright then------What did you, finally, decide on with the pleats?

[English Bloke]

I'm pretty much set on 'to Sett' but before I commit, the maker is going to email me some pictures of different foldings once she gets the cloth. Pasting in Photoshop is OK to give a rough idea but I'd like to see my options on the actual material before I finally decide.

I do bear in mind your point about civilian kilts though Jock and I don't want to spoil it... It's too expensive!

We shall see; and I'll let you know once the sewing starts.