New kilt question from a newbie.

[Pour1Malt]

nothin compares tae a handmade Scottish Tartan kilt!

save yur pennies lad!

[sjrapid]

I'm right on the edge of buying my first kilt and I'd like some advice, especially as I've never spent as much on a piece of clothing as a modern kilt seems to cost.

As P1M says, there's nothing quite like a bespoke traditional tartan kilt. Compare the price with a bespoke suit as I did here and it doesn't look too expensive.

Good luck with the addiction. You won't keep it down to one kilt, as others have pointed out.

Best regards

[The Wizard of BC]

Can you give us some more information on what you are looking for in a kilt and what your budget is.

[staticsan]

judging by the choices you listed, it seems you are interested in a non-tartan kilt (solid or camo).

I should have provided more information. Yes, I'm interested in non-tartan to start with, as a kind of transitional step into kilts. There were some recent pics of someone in here with his lad, both in tartan kilts, and both of them looked quite good. So some days I'm less tartan-averse than others.

Personally, I'd probably opt for a Neo. All reports are that the service is top notch and the kilt is a quality product. Working with the "small business" companies are a great way to get a truly custom garment for yourself as well as support our fellow X-markers.

UK's are nice as well but you will be subjected to fitting into a somewhat broad window of kilt size rather than getting a kilt fitted to YOUR exact dimensions.

SK's, It was my first kilt and is quickly becoming my least worn as my preferences have been discovered and defined. It is relegated to what I wear around the house while my others are in the wash. It's always good to have a kilt like that but...

Interesting comparison. Thanks!

I had been considering an Amerikilt for a while, but I decided I wanted pockets. Plus I like the white camo that NeoKilt offer.

don't fool yourself into thinking you will be happy with that one for a long time. I estimate it will hold you for a month or two at most before you are on the phone ordering another kilt that will be fitted to YOUR dimensions.

Heh. I don't expect to stop at one! The trick is to not let the credit card get too far ahead of the income. :-)

[Dreadbelly]

Talk to Steve at Freedomkilts as well for camo kilts, custom fit, and quality.

I can't recommend him enough... The guy is a genius.

Oh, and ask for the Industrial model.

[staticsan]

As P1M says, there's nothing quite like a bespoke traditional tartan kilt. Compare the price with a bespoke suit as I did here and it doesn't look too expensive.

That's very interesting. Because I have actually been doing such comparisons for a couple of months now.

I'm not looking for a kilt ensemble that would replace a tailored suit. This is because I have no reason to wear a tailored suit so no reason to wear a fully custom kilt ensemble. (Besides, I just cannot afford either.) What I'm instead looking for is the equivalent of almost-name-brand jeans or cargo pants. This puts them in the same class the sort of duds I'm wearing now most of the time and makes it affordable to acquire several over time.

My problem with that approach is that kilts haven't reached that kind of mass-production yet.

The closest I've been able to get it to accept that I will be paying something like AU$200 per kilt to start with - this is about 3 times what I've *ever* paid for a pair of jeans - but recognizing that I'm getting in return a noticeable improvement in garment quality and life.

Good luck with the addiction. You won't keep it down to one kilt, as others have pointed out.

Oh, I fully expect to acquire more than one.

[Rigged]

I wouldn't over-think it. Check out the variety of kilts available and pick one you'd like to wear. It's probably not going to be your last kilt purchase.

I started with one Utilikilt. I now own several Utilikilts, a Bear Kilt, a Pittsburgh Kilt and two Stillwater Kilts, making a total of 11 kilts and I'm eyeing a few more.

[TimC]

SWK are hard to beat. You wont be disappointed. The Sport Kilt is good for knocking around the house and throwing the weights around.

-Tim

[Phicong]

I agree that this is addictive. I started with an Amerikilt (Ok but not my choice if I were doing it again.) then a black SWK economy (I love it and with the new SKT belt and socks, is even impressing my wife.), and lastly, I have finished my DIY dk brown corduroy (semi-traditional, semi informal) which is the best fitting thing I have ever worn. It, the corduroy, cost me 25US$ in material and 8 hours of work and 30 hours of pondering and calculating.
I would recommend, get an inexpensive SWK for slightly formal wear like church, dinner on town, etc, and then make a corduroy or poly/cotton kilt that fits like it was made for you, which it was.

Gordon of Clan MacHardy origin.

[scoutniagara]

I have a SWK standard, and I couldn't tell it from wool. For the price you can't beat it. I have a cotton/poly blend SK and it does wrinkle, but a pattern wouldn't show the the wrinkles as much as my plain tan. Whatever you choose, enjoy!