Gonna get slammed for this but here goes...

[Pleater]

I make my own clothes and I can only just afford kilts - the time is the first consideration, the amount and quality of the fabric is the next.

However, upping the quality of what I wear has made considerable differences to my wardrobe - I have discarded things not good enough to be worn with a kilt and made things specifically to be either a good colour match for a specific kilt or to be right to put with kilts.

Having lifted my standards, I now find that I still have all my kilts as they have proven far more adaptable, repairable, and resistant to the more destructive environments I tend to venture into than my previous wardrobe.

Just at the moment I am wearing what was my first kilt - though it has been remade smaller and in a different style - remade several times now. The colours are a little faded from much washing and sunlight and there are a couple of small holes, but I would actually miss wearing it so I will probably, at some time remake it so as to remove the damaged edge and shuffle the pleats so the fading is hiden.

Kilts are special, adding in a particular tartan with personal associations makes them even more desirable and then wearing them with other people in the same situation seems to add yet another layer of attachment.

Some things are just worth the price.

[davedove]

Some shops have managed to make kilts cheaper, but they have to compromise on different aspects. They have made the kilts cheaper by:

1. Using cheaper materials.
2. Machine sewing.
3. Making standard sizes only.
4. Getting the work done overseas using cheap labor.
5. Using less material.

If a person wants a full 8 yard kilt, hand sewn to custom measurements out of worsted wool, you are going to have to pay the price.