Lidl Supermarket sells budget kilts

[graham_s]

That "leading Edinburgh Kilt maker" threw me out of his shop because I was wearing my heritage kilt. he's rude and ill-mannered. I'd never give him any of my business.
a couple of months after that little visit, I spent around £1000 on a full outfit for my sisters wedding. Needless to say he didn't get my business.

[Paul Henry]

Is it just me who really doesn't think cheap kilts are a good idea?

Not that long ago there were heated debates about "the Gold Brothers" and the Royal Mile kilt Makers having a rough time.

I'm all for competition and for encouraging people to wear kilts, but somehow quality products are important for me.

Kilts have always been expensive, but a good kilt could well outlive the owner, I can't imagine a £25 one doing that.

I speak as a craftsman who values good materials and skills, and really doesn#t want to die out

[Mr. MacDougall]

Is it just me who really doesn't think cheap kilts are a good idea?

You're far from the only one. If you go back and read this thread you'll see fairly impassioned arguments on both sides of the issue, including a dismayingly long post on exactly this subject, written by me, on about page three of the debate.

[Paul Henry]

to be honest I didn't really think I was!! somehow I get a little wary of a double standard , as many people have said before you can't always have cheap and quality - you have to choose!!

[Monkey@Arms]

You're far from the only one. If you go back and read this thread you'll see fairly impassioned arguments on both sides of the issue, including a dismayingly long post on exactly this subject, written by me, on about page three of the debate.

Mr. M. I think your post in that thread raises many good points. Lets face it how many people buying £25 kilts were otherwise about to purchase one for £250? Get people into affordable kilts, and they'll eventually want to move up to better ones if they can. Plastic, its the gateway drug for wool.

Best regards,

Jake

[McClef]

"Burns would be turning in his grave."

Two incorrect notions there - firstly he is in a Mausoleum and secondly it is highly doubtful he ever wore a kilt!

It's difficult to judge the issue without actually seeing what Lidl are offering - many of us have seen Gold Bros offerings on the other hand.

Also Lidl are unlikely to prove a long term competitor to quality kilt establishments, it's just one of their offers that are here today and gone tomorrow.

[auld argonian]

Also Lidl are unlikely to prove a long term competitor to quality kilt establishments, it's just one of their offers that are here today and gone tomorrow.

Sort of like how Osco, one of our supermarket/drug store companies stocks Chicago Bears paraphenalia (sweatshirts, hats, pennants, etc.) during football (the American type) season. They figure that as long as they've got you coming in to buy huge bags of potato chips (crisps) and cases of cans of that yellowish swill that passes for beer, they might as well clip you for another couple of bucks before you get out the door.

Best

AA

[auld argonian]

That "leading Edinburgh Kilt maker" threw me out of his shop because I was wearing my heritage kilt. he's rude and ill-mannered. I'd never give him any of my business.
a couple of months after that little visit, I spent around £1000 on a full outfit for my sisters wedding. Needless to say he didn't get my business.

I've never met the man myself but have you ever noticed how, for one person, someone may be "rude and ill-mannered" but somebody else thinks that he's some kind of a colorful character who's outspoken and a stickler for detail? Not saying that there was any kind of justification for your having been treated badly but I'm sure that Mr. Nicholsby is being cast as the Last Angry Man standing up for quality kilts and the integrity of the Scottish National Identity. Don't forget that the press LOVES guys like this; he has most likely become the "go-to guy" whenever a issue related to tartan tat comes up.

Still, there will be a market for the low-end stuff, won't there? Perhaps the sad thing is that some of the purchasers will decide that they like it and will have spent what could have been the down payment on a decent kilt on one of these "disposable" outfits.

Many of our members are buying the velcro waisted acrylic kilts that are available as knock-around wear...are these Lidl kilts much different from those? Would we be drawing too fine of a distinction between folks who buy the velcro-waists over here and those who buy the super-market kilts in Scotland? Is it some kind of misrepresentation if a Native Scot wears an inexpensive kilt but okay if an American wears one?

Best

AA

[fluter]

I've never met the man myself but have you ever noticed how, for one person,
...

AA, the Nicholsby's actually have an unfair advantage: there are two of them. This is Nicholsby fils, mastermind of the Twenty-First Century Kilts line.