Tiresome Technicalities.

[Jock Scot]

I have thought for a very long time on this website that many here seem obsessed with the technical details of kilt construction. Thats fine if those sort of things really matter to you, but all honesty do we really need post after post, thread after thread discussing these details? Yes, I know! I don't have to read them and mostly I don't.

What do I want from a kilt? I want my tartan, made of wool and I want/need it to fit and I want/need it to last at least 50 years of regular wearing and I demand quality which only comes to the fore overtime and that does usually come at a price. But as a long term purchase, it actually is not a bad investment. Yes, I know that I shrink and swell overtime, as we do, and yes the Land Rover door latch, barbed wire, brambles and so on are always lurking but with a bit of luck, those disasters can be avoided. If the kilts shrinks too much in the wardrobe then there is always someone in the family who will carry on wearing it.

I am from the "you make it and I will fly it" school of thought and as long as it-----in this case the kilt---- meets my pretty basic criteria, then I am more than happy to carry on without getting mired in detail.

Am I alone on this website in thinking this?

[MacKenzie]

Am I alone on this website in thinking this?

No.

I demand quality...

Thanks to this website I know what constitutes quality when it comes to a kilt.

[ObiSeanKenobi]

There are more than a few kilt makers on this forum, so it only stands to reason that discussion and conversations may tend toward that direction. Personally, I find the minutiae of the construction of the kilt fascinating from a craftsmanship point of view as well as a sartorial one. Many of those fine details, in my opinion, contribute to that mark of quality that one looks for in a long-wearing kilt (or any article of clothing). Knowing the difference between, for instance, top-stitched vs. reverse-stitched pleats in the fell enables me to look more critically at the offerings available and make a more informed decision as a consumer at the start, rather than finding out some number of years down the road that a manufacturer skimped on some detail or another and my garment is now falling apart at the seams and in need of repair.

So, in my view, these "tiresome technicalities" actually hold quite a bit of value to at least this reader, and I suspect at least a handful of others. To each their own, of course, but being fairly new to kilt-wearing, I find it helpful to consume as much expert discussion and opinion as possible.

[FossilHunter]

I have thought for a very long time on this website that many here seem obsessed with the technical details of kilt construction. Thats fine if those sort of things really matter to you, but all honesty do we really need post after post, thread after thread discussing these details? Yes, I know! I don't have to read them and mostly I don't.

What do I want from a kilt? I want my tartan, made of wool and I want/need it to fit and I want/need it to last at least 50 years of regular wearing and I demand quality which only comes to the fore overtime and that does usually come at a price. But as a long term purchase, it actually is not a bad investment. Yes, I know that I shrink and swell overtime, as we do, and yes the Land Rover door latch, barbed wire, brambles and so on are always lurking but with a bit of luck, those disasters can be avoided. If the kilts shrinks too much in the wardrobe then there is always someone in the family who will carry on wearing it.

I am from the "you make it and I will fly it" school of thought and as long as it-----in this case the kilt---- meets my pretty basic criteria, then I am more than happy to carry on without getting mired in detail.

Am I alone on this website in thinking this?

I think some of it is that people want to get the best product for their money and there are unfortunately retailers selling shoddy products at premium prices these days. Folks just want to be savvy shoppers.

[Tomo]

Whilst I find the technical details interesting - that's down to wanting to know how things work rather than anything that would influence my decision on buying a kilt.

[Kiltedjohn]

Yes, one can go a bit too far on the technicalities, but:
When I bought my first kilt (many years ago, in my teens), I hadn't any idea about construction, yardage, or materials. It would have been a good thing to have been better informed, and to know whether I was getting good value for money. If I were buying a new kilt now, I would be able to make better choices, thanks in no small measures to the discussions which have taken place in this forum.
Many thanks to all who have given that information.

[Tobus]

I think some of it is that people want to get the best product for their money and there are unfortunately retailers selling shoddy products at premium prices these days. Folks just want to be savvy shoppers.

This, exactly, sums up my thoughts on the matter. My first full 8yd kilt was purchased at a premium price, and after a couple of years it started to have issues. I learned here, through Steve, that it was missing crucial structural elements. He rebuilt it, and I learned that if you just assume a higher priced kilt means quality, you can easily get scammed. It pays to know about kilt details and discuss them with the maker before spending many hundred of dollars. But beyond that reason, I have no need to know about the minutiae of inner construction.

The details I care about, and enjoy exploring, are pleating options, material options (weight, weaving, selvedge, etc.), buckles/straps, and waistband options. To me, these are like choosing custom upholstery options in a custom vehicle order. They are the personal details that make the kilt unique. Some folks don't care, and some do. For those of us with numerous bespoke kilts, these little details are part of the joy in having variety.

[DunRovinStation]

As someone who has spent the last 4 days threading up a tartan and dressing a loom, and 6 hours today walking the treadles, and has many days of that to come, I tip my hat to you that are learning what to look for, and understand what it costs, truly, to get quality that will last you and take care of it.



And while it may seem that details are repeated again and again, some new visitors don't use the search function, and sometime a new tidbit is added to the lesson, which expands on the knowledge base.

[ThistleDown]

Interesting thread. Thanks, Jock. Like you I really have no interest in being repeatedly told how a kilt is made.

I'm sure there was a time when I was, but that's long, long in the past, about the same time as I learned about combustion engines. Now I know to rely on a great mechanic to care for my cars and trucks; and a kilt maker who actually knows what he/she is doing, asks me the right questions, interprets my answers correctly, and guarantees the result to be as we decided it will be. In my memory only once have I rejected the result. And the kilt-maker immediately offered to rebuild it for me. Although I've not yet taken him up on his professional/ethical response, I will soon and am sure I will receive exactly what I originally asked for.

But I don't object to others asking the questions they ask. This is a kilt forum and our members are seeking more and more knowledge. Not just about how to wear it in the Highland civilian tradition, but what makes it comfortable, appealing and wearable from the waist down.

I always read their initial questions and either follow through reading the responses, or I set the subject-line and future posts aside. Pick and choose.

I hope that members will always ask questions they think are relevant to our forum and that those of us with knowledge (or additional questions) will respond to them: tartans, history, genealogy, kilt-making, fashion, 'weapons', ad infinitum.

[matchlock]

It's right up there with all the threads about different levels of formal wear.

Casual
Business casual
Dressy
Semi formal
Formal
Business formal
Festive attire
Creative black tie
Black tie optional
Black tie
White tie

Day wear
Evening wear
'Hunting' wear
Night wear
Luncheon wear
Brunch wear
Midnight snack wear
Pub wear

Oh my god, can't believe you wore that accessory!
"What would Hamish Do"