A Lesson Learned

[BCAC]

I bought two PV casual kilts from HoS thinking that would be the cheapest way to get myself wearing kilts. I figured it would be better to have a larger number of moderate quality kilts than smaller number of good quality kilts. I also was thinking that with a cheaper kilt, I wouldnt feel so bad if it were to be wrecked. Well here's what I learned:

PV Kilt from HoS - $65 CAD
Taxes and Brokerage - $25 CAD - I skipped out on postage by buying two kilts and getting the free shipping.

After wearing my kilt my kilt for a few weeks, I realized that the standard 24" length of the PV kilts were way too long for me and my kilts were not nearly as comfortable as they should be. I took one kilt in to have it hemmed as a test. The results were excellent. The kilt fit nicer and sits nicely on my natural waist without making me look like 'revenge of the nerds'. So,

Hemming of kilt: $31 CAD

Total cost of PV HoS kilt: $120

I could have bought a kilt from USA kilts (see here), tailor-made to my measurements and picked from a wide range of tartans, (far more than the 10-15 common tartans HoS sells) for around the same price or a tad more.

I dont mean to rag on HoS, I've liked their service and their economy kilts are decent quality, but I could have got something much better at a similar value and less hassle.

A lesson for any newcomer to kilt-wearing, I suppose.

My next kilt will almost certainly be made-to-order.

Well, all I can say is thank goodness we're all different.

I would rather have one top quality bespoke heavy weight wool kilt made by a master kiltmaker than 10 lesser quality ones.

I don't understand this idea of buying a 'knock-around" kilt because if I buy a hand made bespoke heavy weight, I won't be able to do everything that I want to in it.

These kilts are not called 'tanks' for nothing! You CAN do anything in them and they'll come through smiling. They'll last long enough to leave them to your grandkids, too.

[Liam]

As a Canadian purchaser from the UK and the US, I ask vendors to ship via "Parcelforce Global/Canada Post" and "USPS/Canada Post" if possible. You often avoid the expensive brokerage charge. (You may get charged GST/PST). Regarding the 24" length of these kilts, my usual kilt length is 22.5-23", so I just wear them higher.

[Nathan]

Well, all I can say is thank goodness we're all different.

I would rather have one top quality bespoke heavy weight wool kilt made by a master kiltmaker than 10 lesser quality ones.

I don't understand this idea of buying a 'knock-around" kilt because if I buy a hand made bespoke heavy weight, I won't be able to do everything that I want to in it.

These kilts are not called 'tanks' for nothing! You CAN do anything in them and they'll come through smiling. They'll last long enough to leave them to your grandkids, too.

Remember, people fought wars in them!

[creagdhubh]

Remember, people fought wars in them!

Exactly!!!

[Panache]

$120 for two PV kilts that fit you doesn't sound at all like a bad value.

Now save your pennies and get a nicer wool one in the tartan of your choice when you can afford it.

I still have my first "real kilts" a wool Stillwater Heavyweight in all black and a Mcleod of Harris standard (acrylic). I still wear both. The solid black one to Scottish country dances and other "nice" events and get compliments and I will be wearing my trusty Mcleod to go camping in this weekend.

Enjoy these two, play around with getting the accessories you like/need and save those pennies for the bespoke one of your dreams.


Cheers

Jamie

[adempsey10]

$120 for two PV kilts that fit you doesn't sound at all like a bad value.

Now save your pennies and get a nicer wool one in the tartan of your choice when you can afford it.

I still have my first "real kilts" a wool Stillwater Heavyweight in all black and a Mcleod of Harris standard (acrylic). I still wear both. The solid black one to Scottish country dances and other "nice" events and get compliments and I will be wearing my trusty Mcleod to go camping in this weekend.

Enjoy these two, play around with getting the accessories you like/need and save those pennies for the bespoke one of your dreams.


Cheers

Jamie

$120 per kilt!

[CMcG]

One might take a different lesson from this, which is, "there is more than one way to skin a cat." Those HoS PV kilts are also on eBay for about $75, which is $10 more than their website, but includes free shipping. That way one avoids having to make a larger order to get free shipping, which makes it easier to avoid brokerage and taxes. As for alterations, either find a willing helper (my girlfriend and mother have both hemmed kilts for me) or learn to do it yourself, which is something many Xmarkers have discovered is not as difficult as it appears.

This way, one's $75 kilt stays at $75, rather than ballooning into a $120 kilt.