Tartan VS. Solid?

**Riverkilt** · 6th May 07, 11:24 AM

Occurs to me the term kilt describes the way a garment is made, but not the fabric or pattern on the fabric.

Ron

**Erisianmonkey** · 6th May 07, 11:27 AM

I chose both, but I'm thinking about a third type- Camo! My most worn kilt is my camo. I don't know why, but it seems to be the one I strap on the most.

**Riverkilt** · 6th May 07, 11:42 AM

A solid point for sure Charles!

Yeah, where's camo in the poll????

At one point I owned seven - and still would if I hadn't porked out. I'm still a camo junkie though and still have my AK tiger stripe and UK Woodlands.

Ron

**Pleater** · 6th May 07, 11:50 AM

You forgot 'patterns other than tartan'

I have lines, dots, true DPM but civillian rather than military, MacKurtain, MacDuvet - the king size set, but also I have real tartan, almost tartan, and solids too - if it can be hammered into folds then I seem to feel the need to make a kilt out of it.

Maybe I'd better start to count them - having two of some as I bought enough fabric for an unbroken length, and lots of some as I bought the whole bolt of cloth, luckily it can be made up in lots of different ways I have a whole heap of cloth, some part made and some taken apart for making smaller, as well as the ones laid out ready to be worn.

It is such an addiction. To think I ever envisaged making kilts for other people - oh no, mine, all mine!!!

**BEEDEE** · 6th May 07, 01:07 PM

Tartan 6 (*** on order) Plain 1.

Brian

**MacWage** · 6th May 07, 02:17 PM

INTERESTING!!!!
(NOTE TITLE: How do you like YOUR kilts?)
(open-ended to what do you prefer for own closet, have or what would like to have)

I thought about, but did not include cammo, tweeds, or other patterns on purpose. I don't know of anyone who JUST wears cammo kilts. The arguements usually center around solid and tartans. If one likes solids, usually (NOT always) they also like cammo and other patterns.

Also, is tweed really a solid? Tartan? (some COULD be argued to be subtle tartan-ish patterns). I know a few who ONLY like tartans and tweeds (traditionals), but NOT plain solids or modern cuts.

My own take:
I personally prefer tartans.
I WON'T say that solids aren't traditional, because they ARE (portrait evidence of SOLID RED belted plaids, as well as photos of Victorian tweeds and solids). Yet, to many, tartan just says, "kilt." I might, on day, make a tweed or solid high waisted box pleat.

I just LIKE tartans better for my own usage.
I have actually BOUGHT wool in solids and looked at tweeds. The solids are now becoming bonnets, blankets, and scarfs, while the tweeds are still on the store shelves. I just keep thinking of TARTANS I want and could QUICKLY have a collection of a couple dozen kilts, or more.
I also like wool, high waisted, box pleat kilts. But, that's just me. I have 2 lovely pieces of PV (Warrior and Gordon) I plan to make into kilts, but keep putting them on the back-burner.

Again, VERY interesting . . .

**pipesndrumsnun** · 6th May 07, 03:15 PM

Tartans rock!! They are so interesting, with so much history. You can strike up great conversations about tartans.
A guy in tartan is like a guy in uniform (the ladies swoon!).

BUT, that is just my humble opinion!

**Robin** · 6th May 07, 03:33 PM

Both

**Riverkilt** · 6th May 07, 03:45 PM

And, plenty of folks have struck up a conversation with me because my solid color kilt was without tartan and they were curious why....works both ways.

A couple weeks ago when I was pumping gas a guy came over and asked me what clan my brown leather UK was for. Told him "Cattle Clan." He got it.

Had a touring Scottish couple stop me saying they knew I was kilted but wanted to know more, they'd never seen a non-tartan kilt and they liked it a lot. Was wearing my black UK Workman's.

Ron

**Panache** · 6th May 07, 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by ccga3359

I'm so confused I have an SWK shadow tartan black. Is it a solid or is it a tartan? Is it both is it neither?

Grant,

The SWK Heavy "Shadow Tartan" is both. There is a tartan pattern in the right light, and it is solid black the rest of the time. McMurdo labelled it "Clan Destine"

I like mine a lot.

In regards to the original question

I'm happy and comfortable with both solids and tartans. My favorite kilt would be my Galbraith tartan Kilt from Matt Newsome. My favorite kilted outfit would be my SWK Heavyweight "Shadow Tartan" in green, with green hose, green flashes, and a solid color shirt. Go figure.

Cheers

Jamie