First off, I'm well aware that I'm getting in over my head. We'll just stipulate to that, as I currently own and have worn precisely zero (0) kilts during this particular life.

However, having been offered the excuse to wear one and thence realizing how many various appurtenances go with it, I've started to wonder whether a guy might not just as well be in for a dime, in for a ducat...

So I went poking about for tartans relevant to my experiences and heritage, and came up with these:

Lewis of Wales (Welsh, tartan date 2002)
https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/ta....aspx?ref=2109

U.S. Army (registered 2004; last of the U.S. services)
https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/ta....aspx?ref=4182

Washington State University (licensed 2013)
http://amdt.wsu.edu/wsu-tartan/

Psychological Operations Regiment (licensed 2013)
https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/ta...aspx?ref=10822

My basic plan is to pick up a Lewis 8-yard kilt, and just hold onto that one to the grave for formal and semi-formal dress (I don't report to an office, so I'd play H#ll trying to wear that out).

However, if I enjoy the kilted experience, I'd like to think about maybe a five-yard kilt in one of the other tartans. Army's is easy enough to source, it appears, but the WSU and PSYOP tartans seem to be locked down under license. Written permission required, etc. Naturally, that makes me want those more than the one I can readily obtain. I'm sensible like that.

So my question to you knowledgeable Rabble is: does one individually approach the license holder and request a "note from the teacher" to have a run of fabric woven, or is there a clearinghouse or some kind of tartan agent to deal with such requests? Do kiltmakers hold a key to the mill?

Thank you in advance for your patience with noo-oob questions.

Cheers,

Jack