1st Thread, First Kilt, Need help within

[Ozymandias]

Hello lads,

First off, great site, and awesome forum!

Now, I am getting ready to buy my first Kilt setup and have some questions and am requesting advise from the experienced (a.k.a Kilt Fashion Police)

I am leaning towards the Sport Kilts (Ultimate Kilt) perhaps, unless the crowd here has better suggestions in a similar price range. But here's my dilemma.....

I am thin lad. How thin... well, almost downright skinny. I am 6' and weigh in about 160 lbs or about 73 kilos. And yeah, Im a little self-conscious about it. So, what style of kilt would guys steer me towards, and for the thin, what are "Must-Dos" and "Must NOT Do's" so that I dont order the wrong thing and wind up looking like a retard. http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/i...ilies/fewl.gif

My approach is semi-casual. I envision wearing a long sleeve Rugby Jersey or black/white dress shirt on occasion.

Also, I *think* these boots would look cool, but I'd better ask here. Dr. Martens Iron Bridge MG Industrial boot.


So.... in short, whats in store for me trying to avoid looking like I have chromosomal damage in a kilt being a tall, skinny white lad? Any helpful suggestions, I'd be grateful!.

Cheers!>

[CDNSushi]

For starters, I would say that you need to ensure that your kilt fits properly. Hands-down, whether you are skinny or large, that will speak volumes about how you look. Make certain that you are wearing your kilt neither too long nor too short.

Also, the one other thing that will speak loudly about your appearance is your comportment and how you carry yourself. Walk, stand, talk, and BE confident (without being arrogant) but also not shy or mousy.

Do these two things, and I guarantee you will not look out of place. But I know that's not why you started your thread. So to add a bit of fashion advice, I would also recommend having a proper sporran and kilt belt to complete your look. The belt will help divide your outfit a little into top and bottom so you don't look like one, long noodle, and the sporran will add some substance to your presence as well. Choose a sporran that's of good size -- not too big or small.

[Monkey@Arms]

Welcome to the forum. Cool boots, should go great with casual wear. I am personally not a fan of sportkilts, though to be fair I have only seen there lower priced models that have the elastic in the waist. Since you ask about other suggestions in the price range, have you looked into USAKilts? No pockets, but a much higher quality product all around IMHO.

Best regards

Jake

[xman]

I think PV kilts look great and are still pretty affordable. http://www.skyehighlandoutfitters.co...Kilt_Page.html Go for the 8 yarder if you are concerned with looking sharp. My 4 yard casual gets some nice comments, but looks and acts pretty casual too. It is a little on the lighter weight side as well and you might want to consider 16 oz wool. I'm a thin guy as well, 37.5" hips and the nice thing about it is that a little yardage can go a long way. It's a little dearer, but consider this: http://www.usakilts.com/store/5yardwool_kiltpage.php

[weeknee]

having had to wear those boots for over a year at a job once, i can say that they are not very comfy. If youre a noodle, them boots may look a bit heavy. Just my 2 cents

[Ozymandias]

Thank you all for the posts...

I am going to start to check out some of the other Kilt vendors mentioned here.

BTW, Here is a pic of myself.... Not too scrawny, but Im not going to win Mr. Universe bodybuilding contest anytime soon either.

On the confidence note: I completely understand what you mean. I have a pink flowery shirt 70's style that I wear with some calvin clien jeans. At first my male friends made fun of me.... then we got to the club and the girls couldnt keep their hands off me. The shirt [or kilt] doesnt wear you... you wear the kilt.



My budget is about $400 US give or take... not counting the shoes.

[piperdbh]

If at all possible, get measured and fitted for the kilt by somebody who knows what they're talking about. Any of the sponsors (whose logos appear above) can help you with the measuring part. Regardless of your size, if the kilt fits, it looks and feels much better.


By the way, the "kilt police" all took early retirement. Budget cuts, you know...

[Danwell]

So to add a bit of fashion advice, I would also recommend having a proper sporran and kilt belt to complete your look. The belt will help divide your outfit a little into top and bottom so you don't look like one, long noodle, and the sporran will add some substance to your presence as well. Choose a sporran that's of good size -- not too big or small.

I agree with this, and there are plenty of places online where you can buy very cheap accessories.
I purchased some forest green hose, a leather kilt belt, buckle, kilt pin and flashes from the Scotland Kilt Company, delivered to Australia for a total of 42Pounds - works out to about $75 Aussie. I'll be buying some more hose and a sporran and chains in the next fortnight or so from them, and then my kilt from one of the providers on here.

I think as a neophyte kilter, it's important to make sure that you're spending your money on the right things and that you're getting value for your dollars - accessories of decent quality and that look good can be had very cheaply from sites like the one I mentioned. They're not heirloom quality, but I think at my (our) stage it's more important to save money to spend on a good quality kilt and jacket than it is for $80 hand knitted hose and $250 sporrans, so I'm happy spending less money on accessories for the time being.

[Riverkilt]

Big difference between how a "kilt-like" garment looks and a "real kilt" looks.

You don't say where in the world you live. Let us know, might be some helpful kiltmaker near you. Face-to-face measureing is best.

[GaRebel211]

I will second the need for a sporran and or belt/sporran chain. Unless your planning on a more formal look, the only other real essential I believe is a sporran. Plus depending on your kilt it may not have any pockets which means you'll have no place to keep your keys/wallet/etc. Happy hunting for your kilt.