You might want to ask him if he'd prefer a tartan kiltor a non-tartan kilt. Then give him amnesia drugs so he'll forget by the time his birthday rolls around.

First up,disbuse yourself of the idea that tartan patterns are all associated with clans or the Highland Regisments in the British Army. NOT TRUE! Here is a VERY quick list of wool and possibly polyester-viscose tartans that are NOT associated with clans at all

The California State Tartan
The North Carolina State Tartan
The Texas State Tartan
Holyrood
Highland Granite
USA Bicentennial Tartan
New Brunswick, British Columbia..all the Canadian provinces
Caledonia
Flower of Scotland
National Millennium (of Scotland)
The Confederates States tartan
All-Ireland Green, Red andBlue tartans
The County tartans for the counties of Ireland.Cork, Donegal, etc.

and that is just a bare-bones start. So if you want to get a wool kilt, ask your husband a couple of questions...

What color scheme/pattern would he like? Does he want predominantly blue, green, red? Is there anythingin his family history that has a Scottish or Irish connection? Has he ever visited a city in Scotland that he really liked? Those will be clues to what you can buy.

$270 will buy you, just *barely* a nice wool 4 yard kilt from several of the Scottish manufacturers. Check the Kilt Store link at the top of the X Marks page.

USA Kilts makes a super product and their polyester-viscose kilts are machine-washable. A "Traditional" from them is a very nice kilt.

If he wants a "contemporary" kilt, then I have to pipe up and say that while I've never seen one of Steve Ashtons Freedom Kilts (he advertises here at X Marks) every report is that they are First Quality garments. Several guys on the board have them and rave about them. Steve is the greatest guy int he world, is incredibly helpful and supportive,and I would recommend a product from him without hesitating one second. However, Steve has a couple-of-months wait time for one of his kilts, so if that birthday you're aiming for is coming up, e-mail Freedom Kilts ASAP!

Good to see you here!