"But I Don't Have Enough Money!"

[macwilkin]

I agree with your post. But it's about not having the money. If I save up the kind money it takes to buy a quality/traditional kilt, it is money that goes to supplying my family/kids with their needs and wants. Some of us honestly "don't have the money." That is my point.

I certainly understand and sympathize with your situation. I have a "wee bairn" myself, and obviously she is first priority.

However, I don't think Scotus' purpose in his original post was to castigate folks such as yourself -- it was to discuss the belief that because a traditionally bespoke kilt is more expensive, it is somehow unattainable, and that only the rich can afford such "quality" items, which is simply not the case.

Regards,

Todd

[Scott West]

Good Afternoon All. I agree with Scotus in that investing in an inexpensive kilt thwarts progress towards a tank. However, I do agree there are those in today's absolutely wonderful economy (lots of sarcasm here) whom simply can not justify the expense of a trad kilt when cars must be fueled, families clothed & fed, tuition paid, etc.

Just 5 years ago I could not have justifiably approached my wife telling her i was devoting $500+ for a tank. Thankfully though, the calendar continues to fall off the wall and I am now able to order my tank from Lochcarron (today starts week 6 of waiting). I am happy, and PROUD, that I started my kilted-addiction with a modest, inexpensive SK All Ireland Green. Just as I was unable to afford (in $ and enlightened desire) my ultimate set of golf clubs, the less expensive early sets ushered along my interest and knowledge. They brought me to a point to where I was ready to sacrifice $ and other wants in order to attain what someone else could jealously or scoffingly regard as a needless or boastful extravagance.

In my opinion: vices are condoned through small beginnings. Therein, a "step-up" approach is a culling process of education and right of passage.

[Panache]

Not everyone has Scotus' initial conviction that they can wear a kilt.

So people get very daunted by the price of a traditional one and all the accessories.

Spending $150 for a basic outfit makes logical sense to find out if they want to spend $1500 for the full kit!

This doesn't make the $150 kilt and kit equal to the $1500 one.

But it isn't a bad way to get started if you aren't sure

Cheers

Jamie

[robthehiker]

I truly believe that there is a very good premise to the original post.

That premise is simply that a traditionally made kilt is made of better materials, with better workmanship, that will offer a better / more flattering fit, that will last longer, and look better than a mass produced kilt.

Taking these factors into account a traditional kilt offers an outstanding value.

People will note the richer colors and wonderful workmanship in comparison to mass produced kilts. Its a subtle thing, but it is there.

Yes for the same price as one traditional kilt one can purchase 4-5 acrylic ones.

In the long run how will these last?

Will you ever look quite as good in any one of these as you will in your bespoke kilt of the highest quality wool tartan?

A good quality kilt is a lifetime investment .

It can be passed from generation to generation.

They also offer some qualities that a mass produced one cannot.

The sense that one is supporting the mills that have been making tartans for decades.

The sense that one is supporting the traditional art of kilt making and keeping that art alive

The sense that one is wearing a bespoke garment designed to make the wearer look their very best

The sense that the tartan worn is something meaningful / attractive to the wearer (and that tartan was the one the wearer chose from all possible tartans available instead of limited selection of standard ones)

Those factors might not be readily noticeable to others, but they make the experience of owning and wearing your kilt far richer.

I think that Scotus was wrong to bring Utilikilts into the equation, they don't have anything to do with traditional highland dress. Because they were brought in at the start they have been a factor in this dialogue.

But he does have a very valid point that for those who wish to wear the kilt out of a sense of Scottish heritage, one is best served to wait and save for a traditionally made kilt.

It is worth it!

Cheers

Jamie

Jamie, from time to time you give me a pleasant reminder of why I like and respect you so much. I agree 100% with everything you've said.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

working on and handling bicycles after rides tends to expose them to some pretty tenacious grease stains as does working under one of the cars. Yardwork, like hauling firewood or digging new garden or flower beds for the wife, handling bricks and landscaping block, cleaning out a rather cluttered basement full of old, dusty boxes. Building things from wood with hand and power tools leaves a lot of sawdust around, hanging shelves and other things around the house sends out plaster dust and paint chips.

I know that a nice tight weave heavy duty wool tartan can probably withstand many of these things, but why risk ruining a quality kilt I have worn to places and events I like to remember each time I put it on? If I trash a $50 acrylic there is no love lost, and it is easier and cheaper to replace if I choose to.

That's why I have an old pair of blue jeans in my closet!

Some people, for philosophical reasons, choose to wear a kilt for such activities as you describe above. And for them, I suppose a very inexpensive kilt for this kind of work-activity that is easily replacable makes an awful lot of sense.

But I really don't think that's the kind of usage that your average kilt gets, nor do I think this is the person that Scotus had in mind when he started this thread.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

A few thoughts here, folks. Good, quality traditional kilts cost a lot of money. No matter how you slice it, for most of us on this forum, the cost of one high-quality kilt is going to represent a considerable part of our income.

The question of whether or not you can afford it is up to you and your own judgment. Obviously no one else on this forum is going to know your personal financial situation and obligations.

At the end of the day, you may decide that it's just not in the budget at this time. That may be a very wise decision.

Scotus' original thread starter had in mind a person who wants a traditional kilt. With that assumption as our premise, what can someone do who really wants a traditional kilt but truly cannot spare the money?

You can search the internet for a good quality second-hand kilt. These often sell for a fraction of the cost of a new one. You may very likely have to settle for a tartan that is not your first choice, but you'll have a quality kilt that you can enjoy wearing.

You can also consider getting a lower-yardage "casual" kilt. The key here is to make sure the company you buy from is offering them made from the same high-quality kilt material as their hand-sewn kilts. One simply cannot overestimate the effect that quality material has on the look and feel of the garment. If a traditional kilt is what you want, you probably won't be satisfied with an inexpensive acryllic imitation. But a lower yardage (and lower cost) kilt made from high quality wool will still be a joy to wear, and look good to boot.

If you are patient, and have the time to wait, consider saving. Even if your budget is such that you cannot afford to save a lot, you can at least save a little. It will take you longer to get the kilt, but you'll have it in the long run, and it will be something you treasure forever.

Scotus wasn't saying everyone can afford a kilt. All he was saying is that it doesn't have to be as unobtainable as you think. He used himself as someone who lives on a limited income who managed to save up for it.

I could very well use myself as another example. I am the sole bread winner for my family of six. I don't make that much money. But I manage to provide for my family and have a very nice highland wardrobe to boot. Now it is easier for me to justify owning what I do in terms of Highland clothing because for me they are my professional work clothes. If I worked elsewhere I wouldn't own as many kilts, to be sure. But I would own some.

Did I pay top dollar for all of them? Certainly not! Even before I learned to make my own kilts, I bought some nice quality ones off of Ebay and kept my eyes open for deals. Now that I make my own kilts, the only cost I have is the cost of material. And since I favor the four yard box pleated kilts, that even keeps the cost of material down.

A lot of the nicer accessories I have were not bought but traded for. My buckle brogues, and a couple of my sporrans would fall into this category.

I'm lucky enough to be married to a knitter, which is where some of my nicer hose come from.

So another way to keep the cost of your kilt low is to learn how to make some of the items yourself. How many people on this forum first learned how to make kilts, make sporrans, or make sgians and dirks, because they wanted one but couldn't afford the retail prices? Get creative!

Also be willing to barter and trade. Internet forums like this make it easy to find someone who might be interested in this sort of arrangement.

Last, but not least, be patient. I've been building my Highland wardrobe for the better part of 15 years now. There are people on this forum who have been building theirs for longer than I have been alive. I've met those whose kit spans generations, proudly wearing items they inherited from their father or grandfather.

So don't think you have to acquire a lifetime worth of Highland dress accessories in one fell swoop. Start small, and build over time. (Being patient also allows you time to find good deals and network with others who might be willing to barter/trade items with you).

Let's get some of the animosity off this thread and instead fill it with advice for those who really want to find a better way to afford good, quality Highland attire.

[Highland Logan]

Let's get some of the animosity off this thread and instead fill it with advice for those who really want to find a better way to afford good, quality Highland attire.

Well said Matt.

Frank

[Bugbear]

I'm sure it's different for each of us, but once I realized and felt that I had a tartan, it made everything much easier for me. I'll have to choose a style of kilt and a kilt maker, which alters the cost somewhat, but the tartan is no longer an issue. Since it is a special weave and only made by one weaver, it is no longer a variable.

I no longer have to worry about the cost of the fabric, just work toward it; that brought a bit of peace of mind.

[Dan R Porter]

I respect those that are sold on the trad kilts. I work hard everyday to afford my house, car, wife, dogs, etc. So here is a flipside to think about (my point of view)

I think, for me, it is udderly ridiculous to spend more then $200 on something I am going to wear and, eventually, wear-out.

[Panache]

I think, for me, it is udderly ridiculous to spend more then $200 on something I am going to wear and, eventually, wear-out.

Dan,

Actually there are a number of X Makers that have had the same kilt for 20 plus years.

With care, high quality clothing can last a lot longer than you might think.
With most modern clothing we are so used to it going out of fashion that lasting decades doesn't matter.

Even at $500, a kilt you are able to wear for more than twenty years is still a pretty good deal.

I fully expect to get at minimum that much use out of my custom made wool tartan kilts.

Cheers

Jamie