Hand Sewn 8 Yard Kilt Price List and Comparison

[Riverkilt]

Excuse me all to heck Colin. The first line of my post #17 clearly thanks Brice for this extensive work.

Another factor a prospective kilt buyer may want to consider is what is your kiltmaker's training and experience. There can be vast differences in how a kilt is sewn up. The Keith Kilt School in Scotland teaches what they consider the traditional method. Other kiltmakers "apprenticed" with reputable kiltmakers. Some kiltmakers "tailor" a kilt. And some kiltmaker's "engineer" a kilt. Some kiltmakers learned from a "how-to" book. Some kiltmakers were trained in military service. And some kiltmakers just sort of figured it out. Then there are decisions like purchasing from a middleman and never knowing who your kiltmaker is and your kiltmaker only knowing your measurements - or do you purchase from a part-time kiltmaker with a usually longer jones time, or from a full-time kiltmaker. Either way there's gonna be a wait.

Not good, bad, better worse, but for sure different. Kind of like saying, "I need a tire for my car." "Tire" doesn't do much other than put you in the right store.

And, as mentioned, purchasing a kilt involves you or your kiltmaker first purchasing the material to make it from. Various mills, shipping costs, and the popularity of the tartan itself are gonna figure in.

I agree it's good to have ballpark comparisons - just as long as the folks risking purchase of their first kilt realize there are many many many factors more important in the long run than price.

I cannot imagine the anger and grief of planning a kilted wedding and not having the kilt arrive in time because it was purchased from an unorganized vendor to get a better price.

If you find a kiltmaker who can sew up your kilt a lot faster than anyone else best figure out why. My father taught me never to eat in an empty restaurant.

VALUE is the key word in kilt shopping.

[Colin MacBean]

*cough*

Hmm it would appear a few of you did thank him in retrospect
It seems my attention was drawn to the whining instead

[Chas]

There are many things that are just not quantifiable.

The experience of having your kiltmaker measure you personally, must be different from going to the shop and being measured by a sales assistant so the kilt can be made by a third party. Taking your own measurements and placing your order by phone or the internet will again be different.

Many men are intimidated by their tailors - they can't do it themselves and it is a foreign art to them. For them the postal and internet options are the best, whereas others much prefer the personal touch.

A kiltmaker, not yet mentioned, is Kinloch Anderson - kiltmaker to Her Majesty the Queen and their Royal Highnesses the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales. And for a mere £650 they would make me a kilt that my kiltmaker made for me at exactly half that price. (Just as an aside, Kinloch Anderson would have to get the fabric from my kiltmaker.)

How does one quantify that? Does prestige count for more than good work done in a timely fashion. I think not - but that is only an opinion.

The only thing that can be quantified in the end is price - everything else (in my opinion) is opinion.

Regards

Chas