My order from Lochcarron arrived

[OC Richard]

About cost, my usual tendency is to dismiss the concerns of people who buy Pakistani jackets because they say they can't afford UK made ones, or say they can't afford UK made sporrans, etc.

It's the very reason I started the thread about buying high-quality Scottish-made sporrans for less than the Pakistani ones cost.

I currently have three UK-made Argyll jackets. One I ponied up the money to purchase new because it was in a tweed I wanted that Marton Mills recently introduced.

But my charcoal grey UK-made Argyll and my Lovat Green UK-made Argyll were purchased for 75 pounds and 35 dollars respectively (firstly from a Kilt Hire shop in Ayrshire, due to the customer never picking up his bespoke jacket, and secondly an Ebay find).

But it's different with tartan! Because remote is the likelihood of a kilt fitting your measurements and being in a tartan you want.

So with accessories I pick up bargains, but with kilts and the fabric they're made from I pay the going rate because there's no alternative.

I'm not going to wear an acrylic or polyester kilt, I'm not going to wear a "casual kilt", so I gladly pay the price for real kilting cloth and a real kilt.

[kilted2000]

About cost, my usual tendency is to dismiss the concerns of people who buy Pakistani jackets because they say they can't afford UK made ones, or say they can't afford UK made sporrans, etc.

It's the very reason I started the thread about buying high-quality Scottish-made sporrans for less than the Pakistani ones cost.

I currently have three UK-made Argyll jackets. One I ponied up the money to purchase new because it was in a tweed I wanted that Marton Mills recently introduced.

But my charcoal grey UK-made Argyll and my Lovat Green UK-made Argyll were purchased for 75 pounds and 35 dollars respectively (firstly from a Kilt Hire shop in Ayrshire, due to the customer never picking up his bespoke jacket, and secondly an Ebay find).

But it's different with tartan! Because remote is the likelihood of a kilt fitting your measurements and being in a tartan you want.

So with accessories I pick up bargains, but with kilts and the fabric they're made from I pay the going rate because there's no alternative.

I'm not going to wear an acrylic or polyester kilt, I'm not going to wear a "casual kilt", so I gladly pay the price for real kilting cloth and a real kilt.

Unfortunately not everyone has the luck to find jackets it their size, especially if it involves going to a hire shop in Scotland. I’ve never owned or worn an acrylic or polyester kilt. Or one not made for my measurements. I do have pv kilts made to my measurements made by the same Marton Mills as your jacket. They seem real enough to me. I agree it’s worth paying for quality, but not everyone has the luxury of buying a 8 yard wool kilt. Most people in the USA anyway can’t afford to save for the future let alone kilts. That said, in my perfect world, all kilts are made in UK wool, hand sown and made to measure.

[Troglodyte]

I'm sure that non-acrylic was definitely worth it. When next I'm in Scotland, Lochcarron is on my short list.

There are several weavers within easy reach of Lochcarron in the Borders, and they are all well-worth visiting.

If hunting for something specific you may be restricted to what is on normal retail, but weavers often have bolt-ends available at give-away prices. I have been lucky in this way many times, and have come away with a three-piece suit-length piece of 21oz tweed for about £20. You are doing the mill a favour by taking it off their hands.

[OC Richard]

Unfortunately not everyone has the luck to find jackets it their size...

It's tough, especially because I'm a big person. I must see 100 nice tweed UK-made kilt jackets in size 38 for every one that shows up in size 48, even then they're usually too long or too short. Nevertheless, I find one every couple years or so. I check Ebay every day.

The Lochcarron Lovat Green Argyll in size 48R for $35 was quite the rarity. Generally I've paid $70-$100 for nice UK-made tweed kilt jackets on Ebay.

...especially if it involves going to a hire shop in Scotland.

Yes that was a stroke of luck! Our Pipe Band had an afternoon off so three of us took the train to Kilmarnock to visit the McCallum bagpipe factory. Attached is the Ayrshire Kilt Hire shop, and they happened to have an Argyll my size which an unfortunate Mr MacGregor failed to pick up (the tag was still inside).

I have PV kilts made to my measurements made by the same Marton Mills as your jacket.

I've heard good things about that Marton Mills PV fabric but I've not knowingly seen it. I suppose I should order a swatch to get a feel for it (literally).

The deal-breaker would be the weight. I very much prefer 16 ounce kilt fabric. I have one 13 ounce kilt and it's like putting on a thin flannel shirt after wearing heavyweight kilts all the time.