5 yard vs 8 yard

[Stan]

Dale, your information's really helpful. So, you have 9 or ten kilts.

Just wandering how do you pick your tartan, what's your tartan of choice, and what weight material are your kilts?
With my name being associated with Macgregor I have a lot of tartans to chose from. So I have a macgregor modern tartan, a macgregor ancient tartan, and an black watch tartan. two kilts are 13 oz, and one is a 16 oz. All traditional cut.

Just wandering what your decision parameters have been.

Thanks

[Jock Scot]

Alright, a traditional Scots perspective here which admittedly is not based on experience of anything less than 16oz cloth, your weather which is a relevant consideration, 8 yards of cloth and kilts that are of a traditional style. Nevertheless, an observation that I have made whilst being on this website is this, a traditional cut kilt with its higher waist does allow it to be far more versitile-----Scots like this idea!

Let me explain. With a modern cut kilt, by which I mean the lower cut waistline style, it appears to make the wearing of kilt jackets and particularly waistcoats(vests) difficult to wear to advantage. In other words there is more often than not a large expanse of shirt to be seen betwixt kilt top and waistcoat bottom, which is something to be avoided if one wants to look at one's sartorial best. With the more traditional cut of kilt with its higher waist it is far easier to avoid this "dreaded gap". In the meantime there is nothing to stop you wearing the more traditional cut kilt to the car show, or pub either.

With the greatest of respect, I think you might be better considering the "cut" (style) of your kilt and what you are intending to do with it long before you consider, tartan, weight, what its made of and length of cloth.

[Stan]

Sage advice, and great information.

Being new to the whole kilt situation, it 's interesting to read, and hear the opinions of (potential or possibly) life long kilt wearers, and others. It's interesting to take in all the kilt buying and wearing variables, as they apply to application, location, and use.

As a new kilt owner, like I suspect most of the "new kilter's" out there, we've mostly been exposed to only the surface of the "kilt culture" and it's very interesting to see more aspects of kilt ownership, it's considerations, and applications. Frankly I had no idea as to the depth of variables, and options available in kilts.

I'm suspect that for many of us simply buying a kilt came with the commitment to trying something some what foreign to us. I really appreciate the information that you've given me (to all of us) , and am enjoying all the thought that it's provoking.

Thanks

[flyrod6057]

What Jock said...

[Stan]

What I said.....LOL..

[Dale Seago]

Dale, your information's really helpful. So, you have 9 or ten kilts.

Just wandering how do you pick your tartan, what's your tartan of choice, and what weight material are your kilts?
With my name being associated with Macgregor I have a lot of tartans to chose from. So I have a macgregor modern tartan, a macgregor ancient tartan, and an black watch tartan. two kilts are 13 oz, and one is a 16 oz. All traditional cut.

Just wandering what your decision parameters have been.

Thanks

Family/clan association first. I have three Douglas kilts: Modern, Weathered, and Grey.

Then military associations, US Army & Leatherneck (the latter an off-the-rack from Stillwater), as I was in both services.

"Regional" associations: California State, and Maple Leaf. The latter I got just 'cause I like the sett, though according to my late paternal aunt we have some southern Canadian ancestry back there somewhere.

Purely historic: "non-clan" tartan kilt, the sett reproduced by Peter MacDonald (figheadair here at Xmarks) from a coat found on the battlefield at Culloden.

And a couple of fantasy/fashion tartan kilts: One in the tweed fabric produced by the Islay Woollen Mill for Liam Neeson to wear in the movie Rob Roy. The other. . .Do a search here for the R'lyeh Sett.

[Stan]

All interesting Dale. I was just curious. My family is part of the MacGregor clan, and so I have a lot of tartan to chose from too.
Since I've asked a few questions here on Xmarksthescott I've really learned a lot. Dale, thanks again for the info.

Stan .

[Woodsheal]

My US Army tartan kilt is a 5-yarder in 16 oz. fabric, pleated to stripe. An experienced eye can see that there are fewer pleats than an 8 yd., but most people won't notice. I find that it feels more comfortable and "balanced" to wear than an 8 yd. kilt, as the disparity in weight between the front and rear sections is a lot less....

[Stan]

Brian, what do you think about a 5 yard 13 oz. kilt?

[Dale Seago]

Brian, what do you think about a 5 yard 13 oz. kilt?

I'm not Brian, but I'll speak up 'cause I do have one, my US Army tartan one from USAK. I've found it's the made-to-measure I wear the least -- not because of the yardage but because of the fabric weight. It feels like I'm wearing gauze, and I reserve that one for very hot summer days.

I'll echo what Brian said about lower-yardage kilts feeling better balanced. You might also want to keep in mind that for the first century or so of Scottish kilt-wearing, the "standard" for the yardage used was around 4 yards.