IDEAL v. BUDGET

[Heming]

In the US you can get bovine or equine fur sporrans to mimic seal. Of course you can get those in Europe and Canada, too, they're usually a less expensive alternative.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

In the US you can get bovine or equine fur sporrans to mimic seal. Of course you can get those in Europe and Canada, too, they're usually a less expensive alternative.

In an ideal world one does not take economic shortcuts, or accept "fake" instead of "real".

Since the OP asked for input about the "ideal" kilted wardrobe, ersatz substitutes were ignored.

[KFCarter]

Ok, you highland dress traditionalists out there -- I have an advice thread idea. I had given some thought to writing an article of sorts along these lines myself, but then I decided I would be more interested in hearing what the collected wisdom of this forum might come up with.....

1. The kilt itself.
IDEAL: 8 yd, knife pleat, strome wool in your tartan of choice, handsewn by a kiltmaker of choice, after an in-person consult for measurements, discussion of pleating options and at least a dram or three.
BUDGET: A semi-traditional PV kilt from USAKilts... traditional fit, good swish factor, the practicality of PV and Rocky's great service.

note: My daywear choices are designed for business use.

2. Shoes, daywear.
IDEAL: High quality brogues or oxfords, a black pair and a brown pair.
BUDGET: What you already have in the closet, polished.

3. Shoes, eveningwear.
IDEAL: Bespoke buckle shoes from DFWII, complemented by polished brogues or ghillie brogues for certain settings and levels of formality.
BUDGET: Highly polished brogues, or oxfords that you may already own for work.

4. Hose, daywear.
IDEAL: Lewis hose from Scottish Tartan Museum, paired with Traditional Garter Ties from the same place.
BUDGET: Stick with the Lewis hose... they're a great value and will last... making them a long-term value buy.

5. Hose, eveningwear.
IDEAL: Hand-knit Tartan hose to match your tartan, complemented by Argyll and Diced hose in suitable colors to handle varying levels of formality.
BUDGET: Hate to sound like a broken record, but dark colored Lewis Hose could pass muster.

6. Sporran, daywear.
IDEAL: I own it. A structured, two-toned, all-leather model from Janet Eagleton. I have a brown one, but it can be made in black/gray as well. It's just incredibly flexible and can be used for events that might call for a "semi-formal" sporran.
BUDGET: The Rob Roy Sporran from STA is a good looking daywear sporran for a great price and Buzz Kidder options are also good value

7. Sporran, eveningwear.
IDEAL: Sterling silver, engraved cantle, sealskin if legally obtained, fur if the former isn’t available.
BUDGET: Any number of chrome cantled, fur or bovine choices are available.

8. Jacket and/or waistcoat, daywear.
IDEAL: Bespoke Harris Tweed, plain cuffs, flat epaulets, or none at all... just beautiful cloth made to fit like a glove... heaven. Matching five button waistcoat
BUDGET: Charcoal "Crail" (more like a Braemar) and waistcoat available at Scottish Tartan Museum. Incredibly flexible, can dress up and down, and can work with any tartan.

9. Jacket and/or waistcoat, eveningwear.
IDEAL: Black Velvet or Barathea Doublet with bias cut tartan waistcoat, and also a waistcoat in matching black for some settings.
BUDGET: Black Barathea Argyll jacket with matching waistcoat... more flexible than a PC as it can be used for formal settings when paired with the right accessories, but also use in daywear settings as well.

10. (Because it has to be a round number), your one other piece of personal advice.

I listed a Budget choice in the kilt line-item for this reason: as much as it is true that saving for the 16 oz. Wool option is the best way to go, there could be some for whom that is impractical due to issues of timing or family responsibilities, etc. and those folks should know there are acceptable options for traditional use that are a bit more accessible.

[kiltedsawyer]

While I certainly don't consider myself, (nor does anyone else I'm sure,) an expert in these matters, my opinion varies I think from what I have read so far in this thread and I hope may be of some use to those wrestling with what to purchase.

Ideal items 1 through 9: Buy it from Matt.
Ideal item 10: Listen to Matt.

This is pretty easy, except when it comes to paying for it. I'm not saying it's overpriced, I'm certain that it is not, but for many it may be out of reach. That's okay, that's why there is a second part to this.

Budget

1. Kilt - Machine sewn, 8 yard, 16 oz. wool in what ever tartan or non-tartan suits your fancy. This may still be the most expensive part of your kit, but can be had for as little as $130.00 to $350.00 Only the experts can tell a handsewn kilt from a machine sewn kilt, so don't go near them, (the experts.) They're probably not as much fun at parties anyway.

2. Shoes-day wear - Anything but flip-flops unless you are at the beach in which case that 8 yd 16 oz kilt is going to be too warm anyway. Just be sure to match your leathers, i.e. shoes, belt, and sporran.

3. Shoes-evening - Good dress shoes, preferably lace-up, but the best you have. Again match your leathers. Black is preferable for evening wear. No need to buy special shoes, most of the ones they sell for uber-formal wear look silly and you wouldn't wear them with anything else anyway.

4. & 5. Hose: Get the best you can afford, but expect to pay $15.00 to $20.00 for hose that are thick enough to not let the color of your pasty white legs show through. Anything costing less will probably not do this unless your legs are twigs or not pasty white. Try to pick a color that matches one of the colors in your kilt.

6. Sporran - day wear- This is tough, there are a lot of cheap sporrans out there and most of them look about the same. My recommendation is to find someone who can work with leather, get a very simple handmade sporran, Rob Roy style is fine, and dress it up with some antler tips or a clan badge to personalize it.

7. Sporran - evening wear - I would recommend something in the semi-formal arena. This provides the most flexibility. Still, this can cost as much as your machine sewn kilt. Again, black is better for evening wear. You could go with a black semi-formal and only buy one sporran and use it as day wear as well. Watch e-bay for bargains and be patient. There are handmade sporrans of considerable quality on e-bay from time to time. Just don't bid against me. Don't worry about the uber-formal stuff unless you have a specific event in the near future. Even then, wear what you can afford and wear it proudly. Chances are that you'll be the only kilted person there anyway, (unless it's a Burns Supper,) so most people will be fascinated by the whole get-up and will know considerably less about it than you do.

8. & 9. Jacket / Waistcoat. Unless you are going to go kilted to every event for the rest of your life, (some members of this forum do and more power to them,) you can probably get away with one black Argyle Jacket and waistcoat. Again, you can find good quality new items on e-bay and spend considerably less than what many of the on-line and brick and mortar shops want for theirs. If you wear the waistcoat, you can save money by not buying a black belt, (if your daywear belt is brown.)

10. General advice: Don't be intimidated by those that have 27 kilts, 8 tweed jackets, 2 PCs and a doublet. Highland attire is fun, but what's the point in spending thousands of dollars on clothes that you will not wear all that often. The point is to buy the best you can afford, and be comfortable with it. You can always upgrade over time.

[Nick the DSM]

I know most of you said save up for the best, but I'm only 17 and buying a $300 kilt that I'll grow out of doesn't seem like the best idea right now. So I'm gonna stick with buying inexpensive but good quality (like USAkilts) till then.

I like the responses, keep em up!

[English Bloke]

Hallmarked Solid Silver Dress Sporran, Decorative Cantle

Complete your Highland Outfit with the ultimate stand-out dress sporran with solid silver cantle, cones, and chain.
This beautiful sporran is truly stunning. With a luxurious black mink front and solid silver detail... The cantle is made from solid silver, assayed in Edinburgh and has been hand-etched. The three sporran cones are also silver, as is the sporran strap which accompanies it.
Each sporran is made-to-order, and is completely handmade, with every detail carefully considered.
The sporrans can also be made to your exact specifications should you prefer a different fur or cantle design ...

This is a beautiful thing to aspire to when ticking off your "Ideal" list as suggested by MacMillan of Rathdown. This is the real deal and in an ideal world we would all be able to afford one.

Price? Reduced from: £2,950.00 NOW £2,479.00 (US$4,056 - Can$4,195 - AU$4,400 - €2,723 - XE.com's your friend)

I'd love to have one of these but short of a lottery win, it's a bit out of my bracket. Thought members might be interested and someone here might be able to afford one. If anyone does get one, please review it.

Please understand I'm not trying to take the Mickey. As MoR said.
"... The operative word is "I D E A L" ... In an ideal world one does not take economic shortcuts, or accept "fake" instead of "real"...".

[Jock Scot]

I think that nick the DSM and English Bloke do have a point. For those of us that hail from a kilt wearing family that may go back several generations we have the benefit of inheriting a silver kilt pin from Great Grandfather, a silver cantled sporran that was presented to great uncle Willie by the Duke of "Gumby", father's ten kilts and six kilt jackets, etc.. For those just starting in the kilt wearing world the expense can be huge and daunting and I think it is fair to say that some of us forget that.In passing, I also think that this is the source of the "matching this that and the other" issue. For those of us who wear heirlooms whose age could range over a couple of centuries, they are NEVER going to match closely with anything! We just accept it. Those that are starting afresh have an opportunity to get their attire to match! So the mindset of the two "camps" are bound to differ. I dread to think what an instant, new and complete "ideal" kilted wardrobe would cost, but I can see that cutting the odd corner, or two, or six, is the only route than many of us can go down. I, for one, will thank my kilt wearing ancestors more often from now on!

[JSFMACLJR]

This is a beautiful thing to aspire to when ticking off your "Ideal" list as suggested by MacMillan of Rathdown. This is the real deal and in an ideal world we would all be able to afford one.

Price? Reduced from: £2,950.00 NOW £2,479.00 (US$4,056 - Can$4,195 - AU$4,400 - €2,723 - XE.com's your friend)

I'd love to have one of these but short of a lottery win, it's a bit out of my bracket. Thought members might be interested and someone here might be able to afford one. If anyone does get one, please review it.

Please understand I'm not trying to take the Mickey. As MoR said.
"... The operative word is "I D E A L" ... In an ideal world one does not take economic shortcuts, or accept "fake" instead of "real"...".

That is a great deal of money for a sporran, no doubt about it. I am curious, though, why the cost is so high, when sporrans made by Hamilton and Inches, the renowned Scottish silversmith and jeweller, sells sporrans for considerably less. Their website has two sporrans listed, from 1,100 to 1,700 pounds ( http://www.hamiltonandinches.com/cat...rice=&ftype=43 ).

The House of Labhran also sells H & I sporrans made of sterling silver. They seem to have a better selection than H & I itself.
http://www.houseoflabhran.net/antiquesporrans.html

[Jack Daw]

I'm here to get advice, as my tastes are suspect (even from my own POV); so, I'll not give any. So, of course, I have one question: In addition to a sweater as an alternative choice, casual evening can include the tweed jackets and/or the black argyll (without the ties and waistcoats) as a sports-jacket equivalent? BTW, I appreciate everyone's input.

[Jock Scot]

I'm here to get advice, as my tastes are suspect (even from my own POV); so, I'll not give any. So, of course, I have one question: In addition to a sweater as an alternative choice, casual evening can include the tweed jackets and/or the black argyll (without the ties and waistcoats) as a sports-jacket equivalent? BTW, I appreciate everyone's input.

If one were invited to "supper" as opposed to "dinner" a tweed argyll(waistcoat optional depending mainly on the season) and tie would be the norm. When we have house guests that are friends, the dress for informal supper and drinks, or even a call in for a chat, the tweed argyll(and waistcoat) and tie is worn. For your information,for breakfast, a pullover,shirt sleeves(grrr),or argyll are worn and these days no tie(grrr) seems to be worn. In warmer climes I can, however, see the point of minor adjustments to one's attire.