An opinion from the West side of the puddle:

A REAL KILT is my 100% new wool dyed and woven in Scotland tartan, hand sewn in Scotland to my exact measurement. This bespoke beauty is the most comfortable garment that I own and just plain exudes quality. I wear it to events that I am comfortable with wearing an expensive garment to.

I also own a Casual kilt that is of 100% new wool, and machine sewn in Scotland to my exact measurements. It is lighter and a lot less yardage, but has the feel of the above kilt for a little less cost. It does not have the same "swish and sway".

I own several semi-traditional kilts. They are constructed of Polyviscouse in the same manner as the real kilt in that it is knife pleated and follows the sett or stripe as a real kilt, but is also mostly machine sewn to my exact measurements. Most people can not tell it from the REAL KILT. I can wear it to some fairly dressy occasions, but am just as happy to wear it to a football match, or the local pub. The P/V is very washable and the pleats tend to be permanent press.

I also own a few off the peg kilts. two are heavyweight wool and are very warm. They are also very stiff. five are generic tartan in acrylic material that is very obvious to the most casual observer by the lack of distinctive line of the tartan. (SWK thrifty, SWK standard, Sportkilt, Heritage of Scotland, among others.) These are the kilts for running around in, mucking the garden, watching a match at the local while getting pissed, attending concerts with lots of beer drinking and spilling people. These can go straight into the laundry machine, and if it does not come out usable, I am not out a lot of money.

I also own a large number of contemporary wrap around garments. Utilikilts, Mountain Hard Wear kilts, Amerikilts, homemade kilts, etc. Each of these serve a purpose and I give them a lot of wear.

What I hope to have conveyed here is that it is not just cheap and expensive, but a full range in between as well.

To equate with the world of trousers. One does not usually wear a brand new Brooks Brothers outfit to swap the tie rods on his motor car, or wear a set of greasy coveralls to the symphony. Much the same applies today with the advent of less costly kilts on the market.

Slainte