That's it... my next kilt will be a...

[swat88eighty]

Jimmy, thanks for the comments... hey you have my AIM adress i think, so next time i'm on, PM me or something... I want to talk about modifications needed.
Anyways I may be getting it sooner now...
-Jon McCullough

[Graham]

Both poly vis and wool have their place. I have both and like both.

What i choose to wear for the day depends on how warm or cold it is out and what I shall be doing.

Mind you, it's nice to have a choice of kilts and out of seven kilts it's sometimes hard to choose.

My question is this, how the heck does Hamish choose what kilt to wear for the day?

[swat88eighty]

Now, I am not even sure! Should I get the nightstalker tartan (the one above) or a black stewart? I love them both and am having a terrible time deciding.
-J

[Jimmy Carbomb]

Depends on if you want to look like everyone and their brother in Black Stewart, or be original and have a black and green tartan.

Your call dude~!

[Rob Wright]

I too like natural fabrics Graham, and though people who's opinion I trust shout out the virtues of poly-vis I would like to personally see a kilt made from it first before I commit to a kilt made from it.

That's VERY wise. Might I suggest that you take the opinions of those with MORE than poly-viscose kilts to have a little more weight. You actually need to wear and maintain kilts for more than one or two materials, by one or two companies before you have any idea what the differences are.

As for Stillwater's materials: unless you have one, you really can't make a comment... and please don't. That's what starts CR_P information in the threads. I've modified about a dozen of them, and the material's really nice (especially for the money). It's MUCH thicker than poly-viscose, sews-up easier, tapers better, and is washable.

Swat... congratulations on the choice!

I agree Jimmy, I'm one of those who likes to feel the fabric before I make a purchase, had two friends with kilts who let me handle them to mu hearts content before I ordered my first wool kilt. Though I might just break down and order one in poly vis since I doubt that there will be anyone in my area ordering one any time soon. I have been hankering for a Bear kilt in the Nova Scotia tartan.

Rob Wright

[Hamish]

Both poly vis and wool have their place. I have both and like both.

What i choose to wear for the day depends on how warm or cold it is out and what I shall be doing.

Mind you, it's nice to have a choice of kilts and out of seven kilts it's sometimes hard to choose.

My question is this, how the heck does Hamish choose what kilt to wear for the day?

Well Graham: for a start I have kilts in various weights of wool, in poly-wool blends and in various forms of cotton - from lightweight camo, through denim to the 'duc' of the Workman's Utilikilt. I have requested swatches of poly-viscose in the past and decided not to touch it where a kilt is concerned! Similarly Acetate, which I have experienced in other applications, but would not dream of having it made into a kilt. I am afraid I am old-fashioned enough and sufficiently a traditionalist to require that my tartan kilts BE traditional - the last thing I want is to be able wash them, or not have to press them!!

As to how I make the choice which one I want to wear: well, like you, everything depends upon my mood, the weather, where I am going and what I am going to be doing. Sometimes, I'll change my kilt two or three times a day because of circumstances, and that means changing just about everthing that goes with each one.

Ever conscious of how others perceive me, I'll sometimes opt to wear, or even opt NOT to wear, a particular kilt as requested by someone I'll be spending time with. For example, I have two female neighbours whom I frequently go out with (separately). One of them prefers me to wear a tartan kilt when I am with her because "Your plain ones look like skirts"! The other lady really does not mind which kilts I wear, but really prefers the leather and imitation leather ones!!

Tomorrow, I'll be in leather kilt, heavy boots and a leather 'bomber' jacket in the morning, but after lunch, I'll change into tartan, shoes and a tweed jacket!

So, I choose for myself, but I also bear in mind what other people are comfortable with.

[Jimmy Carbomb]

I have requested swatches of poly-viscose in the past and decided not to touch it where a kilt is concerned! I am afraid I am old-fashioned enough and sufficiently a traditionalist to require that my tartan kilts BE traditional.

You have to respect that much... and boy can I understand that?!

The biggest problem that we have over here is the availability of tartans, and the import taxes on the authentic wools that we import. If we had mills in North America that would have the "right" to produce the tartans, then I'm positive that there would be more wools available. Cost and availability would not be prohibitive.

IN GENERAL: kilts (other than casuals) made out of Poly/Viscose is akin to prefering cotton-canvas cowboy boots over leather because it's easier to clean and lighter on the feet. There's a reason that "items of quality" are made out of "items of quality".