The one most important factor, IMHO ....

[Bugbear]

Alan H.,

One last question. I have looked at those kilts at Burnett's and Struth. They look real nice, although it might be hard to find a tartan that would work. What would you say is the biggest difference I would see between a 5 yard and an 8 yard kilt? (lets assume they are both machine sewn.) Would someone, at a formal function, look at me and say "Oh no, you have a 5yard kilt!" or something like that? Is it noticable?

Again, I appreciate all your help.

Brice

I won't answer for Alan, but I do have a comment.

Some people could notice. If they then insult you behind your back for something like this, their offence is much, much worse than yours.

[Alan H]

Alan H.,

One last question. I have looked at those kilts at Burnett's and Struth. They look real nice, although it might be hard to find a tartan that would work. What would you say is the biggest difference I would see between a 5 yard and an 8 yard kilt? (lets assume they are both machine sewn.) Would someone, at a formal function, look at me and say "Oh no, you have a 5yard kilt!" or something like that? Is it noticable?

Again, I appreciate all your help.

Brice

Yes, it's noticeable, but only from the back. obviously since the yardage difference is essentially all in the pleats.

OK, here goes...given two kilts made for the same sized guy, with the exact same sett, OK? One is a "5 yard" or thereabouts...the other is an "eight yard" or thereabouts.

Same guy...same sett.

The over-apron, first pleat, under-apron, kick pleat, buckles and quality of finish will be identical.

The 5 yard kilt will have fewer pleats, and they will have larger pleat reveals and not be as deep.

HOW MUCH larger...HOW MANY fewer etc. etc. Impossible to say without knowing the size of the guy and the size of the sett. I am currently making a six yard kilt for myself which has a 4.5-inch sett. It will have 29 pleats, which is plenty to look "traditional". However, because the sett is smaller, the pleats aren't as deep.

Which is more obvious..."fewer" pleats (and therefore a larger pleat reveal) or "less deep pleats"?

clear answer...."fewer" pleats is more obvious to the onlooker than "less deep pleats".

Of course there are people who will look askance at you at a formal function and roll their eyes at your lack of taste, respect, sophistication etc. etc. etc because you do not have on a kilt with 30+, tiny pleats, hand-sewn. There are even guys on this board who wouldn't SAY anything to you in a real-time situation, but will notice and be vaguely disgusted. The question is, are you going to let their ideas of what's right and proper and "done" prevent you from wearing the nicest kilt you can afford? It's totally your decision.

Honestly, the overwhelming majority of American and Canadians can't tell the difference between a five yard and an eight yard. It's just a KILT to them.

My personal feeling is that if you can only afford a 5-yard wool kilt, and you buy one and spend the not-insubstantial dollars required to purchase a nice pair of hose, a nice belt and a semi-dress sporran, then I'm going to treat you like a gentleman until proven otherwise. You wear the best you can.

And honestly, mate, just how often do you go to Black tie and White tie affairs at exclusively Scottish functions where you might, possibly, MAYBE encounter someone who would notice and care about your kilt? A nice wool 5-yard does just fine dressed up to waistcoat and tie level. You can't afford an Argyll jacket, so you won't be going out, wearing one. Honestly, how often do you dress up more than that?

[wyldathart]

I feel that wearing the best you can afford is OK, that owning and wearing a kilt is a fine thing but I wouldn't, for example, quit playing music so that I'd save the gas money I spend going to rehearsals so that I could put that money towards a kilt. I wouldn't stop eating dinner so that I could buy a kilt. I wouldn't quite graduate school so I could save money for a kilt. I feel that there's a balance between saving and saving and saving and saving for YEARS, or giving up basic things (not your daily Starbucks latte) so that you can put two dollars a week into a kilt jar......and saving maybe only for one year and buying a somewhat less-wonderful, but still very nice kilt. Having a "good" kilt, but not a "GREAT" kilt, is OK.

That's what I did. I knew I only had x amount of dollars to spend on a kilt and accessories. What I really wanted was a 8yrd 16oz. "tank". So I compromised and ordered a 8yrd 13oz. kilt. from what I understand, only experienced kilt makers and wearers would know it wasn't 16oz. and the fabric would act almost the same but lighter. Now being that I live in South GA, I thought that would make sense to me being that it gets very very hot here. So I have a very nice kilt on order, maybe not a "Tank" but damn close to it anyway and I'm positive I'll love it and wear the heck out of it

[fluter]

So I have a very nice kilt on order, maybe not a "Tank"

IIRC the "official" definition does not exclude 13-ounce tartan.

I'm positive I'll love it and wear the heck out of it

I'm certain that you'll love it and wear the heck out of it!

[Rob Wright]

I agree with the concept of the OP. You really can't dress up inferior fabric, but you can certainly take 5 yards (instead of 8) of nice fabric and make an excellent looking kilt. If you're on a budget crunch, maybe that's the way to go.

But, for my formal kilt, only one thing would do: family tartan, 16 oz, 8 yards, hand sewn. Period.

But, that's just me, I'm picky about certain things.

It is most definitely worth it, I have four of the Douglas tartans, 9 yd 16 oz hand sewn kilts. Love em!

Rob

[The Barry]

It is most definitely worth it, I have four of the Douglas tartans, 9 yd 16 oz hand sewn kilts. Love em!

Rob

My family tartan is also the Douglas! I wear the modern, how about you?

[Rob Wright]

My family tartan is also the Douglas! I wear the modern, how about you?

The modern is my second favorite, the ancient gets worn the most, but my Douglas Ancient Grey pleated to the stripe, is my special occasion kilt and the one I'm going to wear to class on Monday.

Rob

[ForresterModern]

The modern is my second favorite, the ancient gets worn the most, but my Douglas Ancient Grey pleated to the stripe, is my special occasion kilt and the one I'm going to wear to class on Monday.

Rob

Rob

Although only a sept of Douglas, I too have the ancient in a nice tank and modern in PV casual and wear them with pride. I know of the third you have, the grey and like the tartan, but I have to ask what Douglas tartan is the 4th? Weathered, Dark DA? I personally aspire to own an ancient Red Douglas, although it is a custom weave tartan. If you have already got one I would love to see pictures.

Sorry for the thread hijack, but my curiosity got the best of me

jeff

[Bugbear]

I'm having to rethink how kilt wearing fits into my life; that goes for any of the styles.

However, I think the combination of good construction and good materiel (perhaps not the very best of either, but good) is a winning ticket if there has to be a compremise. I don't fully understand the way these things are viewed, though.

[ForresterModern]

No trying to be a kilt snob or anything, but I have fallen into the 13 or (preferably) 16oz wool 8yd traditional kilt mode over the year and a half I have been doing this, and obviously with specific tartans with some meaning or particular appeal to me. I did recently, however, buy a 16oz wool casual 5-6yd as well as an 8yd PV (?16oz) with which I have been somewhat disappointed by comparison, although each suits the need for which it was purchased so I shouldn't be unhappy. Thorugh this latest set of buying experiences I have come to understand just exactly what kinds of compromises are made in going with less fabric, a casual cut, or non-wool fabric, and realise just exaclty why that does not suit my long term desires. So I am becoming a traditional 8yd hand or machine sewn kilt snob (okay, preferrer), and cannot wait for BArb T to get around to my 8yd handsewn Maple Leaf 16oz just to see the differences between it and my current machine sewns.

I do not squander money (unless, unlike anybody here, you believe that buying kilts itself is squandering money), as I buy what I consider to be good quality for the price paid (7 8yd machine sewn 13-160z kilts to date and paid well less than $300US for all but one, my first and in my specialty family tartan). I can only hope I get my money's worth out of the hand sewns in the future that I have gotten out of the machine sewns so far.