Kilt styles

**dana** · 24th February 05, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by Kiltbear

How about cos they look like a cheap piece of tat? A sportskilt looks like someone has pinched my Granny's curtains and hastily wrapped it round their legs and said...Hey a blind man in a hurry wont notice I'm not wearing a real kilt.
As the topic is just restricted to sport kilts (as opposed to other makes) I wont say anymore. Any road oop I've run out of boiling oil with which to fend off the villagers coming over the hill with their pitchforks readied so I darent mention any other makes. No sir, not me. I'm the epitome of discretion. My lips are sealed, the tongue is bleeding but not one word outta me. Nnnnnggggghhhhhhh. See? Sealed tight.

Can you really tell me how you feel

I guess you have a pretty strong opinion.
Sorry, but I didn't follow you from about the "Any road oop...." spot.

dana

**dana** · 24th February 05, 01:40 PM

Originally Posted by Hamish

Dana, a year or two ago I sent for fabric samples from SportKilts. When they arrived, I simply could not believe what I saw! I think they sent me four or five tartans, but .................. the design was PRINTED onto the 'fabric'!!!!

Hi Hamish,

I must have an early version of a Sport Kilt because the fabric I have is a true woven pattern. I actually like the feel of it better than the 100% acrylic kilt I had.

I don't know if you have yellow dusters in the USA for domestic cleaning, usually furniture polishing, but here in the UK these are made in a very soft, very thin, fluffy sort of material - a couple of rinsings or washings and they become useless for the purpose for which they are sold. The samples from SportKilts were of an identical nature and, to be frank, I would not bother to use one of their 'kilts' even when polishing my furniture!!

Again, I must have one made from different fabric than the new ones. There is a shop near me that sells Sport Kilts and I agree, the ones they had there were very thin material. They must have changed material at some point. Andrew Breecher would be the one to ask, I think he was the orignal purchaser of the kilt I have.

There are inexpensive kilts and inexpensive kilts but...........................

Thanks for your imput, I'm just trying to get an overall feel about this.

dana

**Geoduck** · 24th February 05, 01:44 PM

It appears that Stillwater prices out about the same as teh Sport kilts, wouldn't they be a better option at the price point?

George

**dana** · 24th February 05, 01:45 PM

Originally Posted by Geoduck

I get the impression that the Sport Kilts are marketed as an alternative to the traditional wool tartans, and that is just a shame. I have heard that they would make a poor excuse for TP.

See, I think that is part of the problem. Some of this is hearsay. It's "what I heard" or "what somebody told me" that doesn't always cut it. We need to see things for ourselves.

dana

**dana** · 24th February 05, 01:56 PM

Originally Posted by Geoduck

It appears that Stillwater prices out about the same as teh Sport kilts, wouldn't they be a better option at the price point?

George

I've hear some good things about Stillwaters. I just happen to have a Sport Kilt, that's way I was asking.

dana

**Geoduck** · 24th February 05, 01:58 PM

I actually found this forum through Stillwater, so I kind of feel like I owe it to them to order one sooner or later...

**Alan H** · 25th February 05, 11:46 AM

Originally Posted by Geoduck

I actually found this forum through Stillwater, so I kind of feel like I owe it to them to order one sooner or later...

I like my Stillwater "Standard" Black Watch. It's my only kilt at present, so I'm hardly a qualified judge, but whatever the case, I LIKE it and Jerry is a great guy and does good customer service. I'd buy from him again but I now have two more kilts on order and it's time to show a bit of moderation, eh?

There are "sport kilts" and then there's the company named "Sport Kilt", which you can google and find the website for. I took at look at some $110 "sport kilts" made by a Scottish manufacturer at a Celtic Faire this past summer and was impressed by the quality. I very nearly bought one. They were plain gray or black, no tartan. However, the material was substantial and the construction was of high quality.

The company "Sport Kilts" makes a variety of products. While I rather like a number of their fabric patterns, I've always been a little bit leery of buying from them. I have no logical reason whatsoever for this, it's just a feeling I get from the web site. However, if you wanted a kilt-like garment to go out and thrash playing rugby or something, this might be a good choice. Nnote that they are now making a solid, khaki work kilt. This may turn out to be of better quality than the other kilts.

**Satirist** · 25th February 05, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by dana

I know how the vast majority of people on this board poo-poo Sport Kilts. So my question is, how can somebody poo-poo Sport Kilts and then turn right around and say they own a Utilikilt? Isn't there some sort of conflict there?

I may have a different viewpoint from some others here about SportKilt and their version of the kilt. I have 9 of them, more than I have from any other maker. I own 2 UK's, 2 Jarls of Lochlann, some bagpiper kilts, one lip service, one Tripp NYC, one Ulti-kilt, and some others I can't remember right off hand.

As far as I'm concerned, a sportkilt does have it's place. If you are looking for a kilt to wear out, a sportkilt would not be my first choice. Why then do I have so many? I love to wear the kilt. I work in it, as well as play in it. Since I work in a machine shop and am always getting oil on my clothes, I would much rather have something like a sportkilt to wear than even the Stillwater kilts which I have bought for my sons. I do see certain advantages to wearing a sportkilt at times. I wouldn't wear one to a wedding, but neither would I wear a "tank" to work.

The tartan sportkilts that I have are woven in unlike the sample they sent to Hamish. They come in a variety of fabrics. It is true though that they are more skirt like in appearance than any of my other kilts, but they do have that label on the front apron with their name so I can always point to that when I explain what they are to someone. And with a little skill you can always sew the pleats in, or otherwise modify them to make them nicer. (I think I saw a thread about that once.)

For anything more dressy than work or play I choose the other kilts. My current favorites are my Jarls of Lochlann Orsman in khaki and my UK original in olive.