Kilts, The Wise Financial Choice

[Archangel]

Aye Jamie,

You are certainly right. If it were not for my seeing my first Utilikilt at a Ren Faire I'd still be on the outside looking in and Kathy Lare would have sold three less hand sewn traditional kilts.

But when I'm out on the river or in the high desert canyonlands around here - in the sand that erodes rocks - I wear my contemporary kilts, built for such wear and tear.

Ron

Ron, sometimes you're such a diplomat...

[arycogre]

I'm curious to know what the jeans listed as "Skinny Puppy" are all about as I am wearing one of their sweatshirts right. (They're a band from Canada) Somehow, I doubt the jeans and the band are related. Makes me curious.

I nearly never wear jeans though. As I only have one kilt at the moment, my closet is filled primarily with a variety of BDU's in black, woodland camo, and olive drab.

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

I would normally not chime in on this type of thread, but I think that categorizing a kilt based on price is really not fair. I am new to the whole kilting experience, but I have purchased 2 kilts so far, and ordered a third one from USA Kilts (see related thread). The first 2 were ordered to provide me with the ability to wear a "formal/traditional" kilt, and an everyday around the house kilt in a tanktop shirt similar (or equivalent) to the athletic shorts it would replace. The traditional kilt was a Stillwater standard Nightstalker and the "casual" was a Sprotkilt in Gun Metal Gray. Both cost about the same ($62 vs $69) and fit equally as well. However, I have to say, based on my own tailoring experience and the cloth involved, that the Sportkilt is far superior! Nothing really down on the SW, but after only one full day of wearing, the acrylic has pilled and fuzzed and the pleats need a touch up with an iron. On the other hand, I wore the Sportkilt for almost 2 weks straight, except when I was at work or wearing the SW at the Celtic festival, and I just washed it (arrived 9/13) for the first time today!

Anyway, this has gotten to be another long response, so I will sign off!
RJI

[kiltedpride]

I would normally not chime in on this type of thread, but I think that categorizing a kilt based on price is really not fair.
RJI

I only quoted the price on the basis that you simply cannot buy the quality of cloth and pay for the cost of the time to have the kilt made up into a proper kilt for less than £300 or £250 minimum. It takes many, many hours to make a kilt (all the stitching is hand sewn and fitted to your precise shape) and 8 yards of quality tweed cost about £100. SO add to that labour costs and then a little profit for the shop (bear in mind that it usually takes 1 hour in a shop to make a purchase and 1 hour for fitting when ready). That buys you a proper kilt - anything else is cheap - it won't hang properly, it will crease - it simply is a pretend kilt and there is no argument here. BUT better to get guys into the pretend kilts first to enable them to move towards a proper kilt. Once a guy sees a real kilt made traditionally by a skilled craftsperson and tries it on there will be no going - the diffferences are so obvious. Trust me!
Jamie
PS Let me assure you knowing a number of traditional kilt makers the aforesaid prices are not overstated and there is precious little profit in kilt making - it is a highly competetive market for a very labour intensive product.

[kiltedpride]

Further thought:
Scots are known for being canny and frugal so.. why don't you see Scots wearing Utilikilts or the cheap Asian made traditional kilts that the Tourists buy in Edinburgh's Royal Mile at £37? Why, 'cos they are crap and a Scot knows that there is no substitute for a proper kilt period. Utilikits are available here but they don't sell. The cheap imitation one do but only to tourists who sadly don't know any better - much to the annoyance of the proepr kilt makers as this is ruining the market.
Jamie

[davedove]

I'll have to agree that the off the shelf kilts are no comparison to a tailored kilt. I just recently got my first tailored kilt and it was a joy to strap on - no strange gaps or creases and it just feels better. The less expensive kilts are a great way to get into kilts, and I did it myself. But I have to say that as soon as you can afford a tailored kilt, go for it!

[Riverkilt]

You are proud Jamie,

Have a different experience than you about "pretend kilts" ruining the market...at least on our side of the pond. My kiltmaker, Kathy Lare, is swamped when she sets up shop at Highland Games.

I started out with "pretend kilts" but now own two hand sewn traditional kilts, including a 16 oz strome and have a third hand sewn kilt on the way.

Kathy was trained in Scotland, you can check her credentials on her website www.kathyskilts.com

You are right, the hand sewn traditional kilts are top of the line and worth every cent. Even better when they're in my family tartans and I have documentation of where generations of ancestors lived in Scotland.

Yet, there is no way that I would own those kilts today had I not first seen a Utilikilt at a Ren Faire. Been going to Highland Games for years. NEVER had the hankering to own a kilt. The Utilikilt made sense to me and of course once I wore one I was hooked, addicted, sold on kilts.

I would offer that the "pretend kilts" are actually bringing increased business to traditional kiltmakers. And, for me, reading posts on this board from men ordering traditionals confirms that we seem to move from "pretend kilts" to hand sewn traditionals.

And, I also believe I've seen a number of men who started with the hand sewn traditional kilts buy themselves some "pretend kilts" for knocking around in.

The point is, I see it as ALL good. "Pretend kilts" help the traditional kilt market, "pretend kilts" offer traditional kilt owners a chance to remain kilted in situations that might soil or ruin a hand sewn traditional kilt.

We are "us."

Ron

[filman]

howdy all

I am new to your site. And do forgive me if I am repating anything some else has said.. As for speanding the amount on jeans i never spend more than $25 on them and as bing 6'4" it is a pain to find them long enough at the local mart stores. As for dropping $300 to $500 on a kilt that is a lot of savings for me.. (I did bye one though) as for the other kilts like Utilikilt,,USA Kilts and the like I have seen them but not had any.. I do have Stillwater Kilt and a Pittsburgh Kilt witch I beleve is now AmeriKilt. As fo the still water it is nice not to bad for under $100 ,, the other i think is a little shy on the cloth but agien not bad for under $100.. As for my other kilts I made them and let me tell you i spent about $100 on 16 oz kakhi duck and made two ,, both are about 8 yrd. and they are what i like to were daily .. I know that they do not hang just so on the appron but I am the only one that seems to notice this... So as for a real kilt the all are real .. not traditional or formal but a kilt none the less. As for some not to bye stay away from the sportkilt..